Atlanta United manager Ronny Deila wants more players who want more, either those on the team or those who the team might be pursuing in the transfer window, which opens July 24.
“I think we can have a stronger leadership and a stronger hunger in the team,” he said. “I think we can be more aggressive in wanting to achieve something and to put demands around themselves and to themselves. I think that is something clear we really need to do better. And the result says everything about that we haven’t been good enough, and only way to get better is to improve.”
Atlanta United will play at Toronto on Saturday. The Five Stripes have 18 points through 20 matches. It trails the ninth-place team for the final playoff spot by 10 points with 10 matches remaining.
Deila said it’s his responsibility that he hasn’t yet found a way to get the results with the players. He said he thinks that the roster has too many players with similar skills.
The team has a goal-difference of minus-15. It has been shut out in three of its past four matches and nine times in 20 matches.
Deila said he has seen improvement, noting last week’s shutout of D.C. United. But the team didn’t create enough chances, finishing with one shot on goal.
“In an ideal world, we want a physical team,” Deila said. “I want a team that has hard legs, it’s not players that take breaks. We are not there now. We have to think a little differently and that we don’t have a long while. So that’s through developing players, and also adding the right players to make that look even more clear.”
The team has added one player, centerback En Mihaj, who should be available when the window opens. He has not yet joined the team.
“The most important that we get in players that are better than what we have, or skills that we don’t have,” Deila said. “I think we have many players that we can really count on and have good skills. It’s just to put it together. I think we need more physicality in the team to get also more out of our DPs and also some of our defenders.”
Midfielder Tristan Muyumba said the season isn’t yet lost.
“When there’s still some games, some points to get, you have to believe it, and to stay positive,” he said. “We know it’s going to be tough. Let’s try to go game by game and go to Toronto and get a good result. Just do the work properly, and the result is going to be the consequence of our work.”
Guzan return. Deila said he thinks goalkeeper Brad Guzan will be able to play on Saturday after he underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a cheekbone fractured in collision with teammate Luis Abram in last week’s match.
Guzan walked onto the training pitch on Thursday wearing a protective mask.
“He’s a tough guy,” Deila said. “I don’t think he will back out.”
Guzan has made 20 starts this season. Jayden Hibbert is Guzan’s backup.
Deila implied that centerback Stian Gregersen, who has played in eight of 20 matches, will not be available. Gregersen trained with the team on Thursday.
Morales’ improvement. Deila said the team needs the aggressiveness that centerback Efrain Morales played with against Christian Benteke last week. Morales helped the defense post its second shutout this season.
“I think he has developed as a player now with the Bolivia national team and the six months here,” Deila said of the Homegrown.
Morales is likely to start on Saturday because Derrick Williams (foot) remains out and Gregersen is still recovering.
While Benteke is a large, strong threat on the ground and in the air, Toronto’s Theo Corbeanu and Ola Brynhildsen make more off-the-ball runs to get away from centerbacks, rather than trying to outmuscle them. Corbeanu has four goals in 18 appearances this season. Brynhildsen has two goals in 15 appearances.
“I‘m very confident that he (Morales) will manage to do that,” Deila said.
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