After a stellar 2021 home campaign that saw the Rapids suffer only one defeat in 17 matches, the Burgundy Boys welcome Atlanta United FC to kickstart the 2022 home slate. Their MLS history is brief, but Atlanta has already left an indelible mark on MLS.
Their first season was in 2017 and their first trophy came the following year when they lifted the 2018 MLS Cup after a victory over the Portland Timbers. 2019 was the first volatile season after a few key departures; manager Tata Martino and midfielder Miguel Almiron being the most important.
Since then, they haven’t yet returned to an MLS Cup final, they’ve cycled through multiple coaches and have watched expensive transfer signings not pan out the same way Almiron and Josef Martinez have. With that being said, they’ve still added to their trophy case with the 2019 US Open Cup and 2019 Campeones Cup. In 2018 and 2019, they played three finals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and went 3-0.
If you’re an Atlanta United FC optimist, you believe the club begins 2022 poised to enter a new era of success under current manager, Gonzalo Pineda, who was hired away from Brian Schmetzer’s staff in Seattle and began his tenure with the Five Stripes partway through the 2021 season. And all they did was rack up the second most points in MLS since Pineda took over. Only Supporters’ Shield-winning New England accrued more.
If you’re an optimist, you see a roster teeming with enough talent that can win MLS Cup; you see Josef Martinez returning to full health after recovering from an ACL injury; and you see fanbase whose sky-high expectations, if met, will be met with raucous support and praise.
I’m not an Atlanta United fan but I think they’re good for the league, and I think they’ll win more than they lose or tie in 2022. The Rapids can be one of those teams who gives them a loss and here’s how:
1. Neutralize Martinez
Josef Martinez is one of the most prolific goal scorers in MLS history. Coincidentally, the only forward in my mind who’s better is last week’s opponent, Carlos Vela of LAFC. The Rapids saw firsthand how individuals can upend and dominate games. However, it’s one thing to know you have to stop a player, and another to execute the game plan to do so. The Rapids need to communicate with each other, be alert in defensive transition and be physical. Martinez will likely get looks on goal; he’s simply that good. But they don’t have to be clean, clear or open looks.
2. Disrupt Possession
Atlanta United led MLS in average possession in 2021. They want the ball. Everybody in the stadium knows this. The Rapids have proven to be a defensively stout team under Robin Fraser, but possession does not equal goals. There is a lot of meaningless possession in all levels and leagues of soccer, but dominating the ball is how Atlanta breaks down teams. They make you chase, they’re accurate passers and they have elite talent up front to finish chances they create. The Rapids need to be precise with their press, committing to it at the right time and frustrating Atlanta’s efforts to advance the ball. Atlanta can have the ball all day long if they’re passing in retreat or side to side; that’s not threatening to the Rapids’ backline.
3. MAK and Max
Two of the newest Rapids, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Max, are two of the best players on the roster when they’re on the ball. We’ve seen half a season of Kaye in burgundy and three games of Max, and each time they touch the ball and turn towards goal, they’re electric. You can see them both scanning the areas in front of them and calculating whether a dribble or a pass is the right move. I expect them to continue to be key pistons in the engine that propels the Rapids’ attack. There’s a good chance that given how much Atlanta dominates the ball, the Rapids will have good countering opportunities when their press and pressure do work. Get the ball to Kaye and Max and let them create. The goals will follow.
