Atlanta United must do these 4 things to contend for MLS playoffs

So, in an attempt to find a winning path, Atlanta United has gone back to the established and definitely successful Gerardo Martino, who led the team to the MLS Cup in 2018.

He has a roster that hasn’t changed much from last year’s franchise-worst 28 points under Deila.

Atlanta United begins its 10th season with Saturday’s match at Cincinnati. These are the things it must do to contend:

1. Get off to a good start

Atlanta United won only two of its first seven matches last season. Alexey Miranchuk said he felt that negatively affected the team for the rest of the season. It failed to win its next eight matches. Seems like he was right.

After back-to-back wins in matchdays 15 and 16, Atlanta United failed to win any of its remaining nine matches.

Atlanta United’s schedule this season is home heavy at the start. The Five Stripes will play eight of their first 14 matches at home before the World Cup break.

Eleven of its final 20 matches will be on the road.

It will be very important for Atlanta United to get as many points as possible early in the season. Teams averaged 1.08 points per road match last season. Atlanta United averaged 0.47 points per road match. Teams averaged 1.54 points per home match. Atlanta United averaged 1.18.

2. Get the DPs to be impactful

This will be everything for Atlanta United’s potential to shake off the barnacles of mediocrity accumulated during the past six seasons.

The DPs, Miranchuk, Miguel Almirón and Emmanuel Latte Lath, weren’t productive individually or as a trio working together last season.

The group, which cost more than $40 million in transfer fees when purchased separately during the past few transfer windows, combined for only 19 goals and 12 assists last season. There were four players who at least matched that goal total by themselves last season. There were 11 players who at least matched the assists total.

Previous manager Ronny Deila never figured out how to use Miranchuk and Almirón together. To be fair, he tried moving Almirón around because the idea was to build the offense around Miranchuk to take advantage of his passing skill.

This season’s team appears to be built around Almirón.

Martino has played Miranchuk on the right and Almiron on the left, almost as dual attacking midfielders.

3. Stop leaking goals

It may not matter how many goals Atlanta United scores if it continues to leak goals as easily as it did last season.

Atlanta United conceded 63 goals, third for third most. Its expected goals conceded was 50.2, seventh lowest, according to fotmob.com.

Many of the issues were related to injuries. Atlanta United played its preferred starting back four of Brooks Lennon, Stian Gregersen, Derrick Williams and Pedro Amador, less than five times.

Each player either started the season with injuries or sustained injuries that prevented any consistency, chemistry and therefore confidence.

The team added central defenders Enea Mihaj and Juan Berrocal and moved Williams last summer. It didn’t pick up the option on Lennon’s contract, opening the starting spot for Ronald Hernández. Amador should start on the left while new signing Elias Baez on-boards, with last year’s two additions starting centrally.

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan retired. Lucas Hoyos, acquired in December, will likely start.

4. Figure out the defensive midfielder

It wasn’t supposed to be Tomas Jacob, who was signed to become a rampaging right fullback. But it appears it’s going to be Jacob because the team hasn’t been able to sign another. It needs one because it sold Bartosz Slisz in the offseason.

Jacob has played the position before at previous clubs Necaxa and Newell’s Old Boys.

Teams don’t need to have a defensive midfielder. Martino likes to use one with his 4-3-3 formation because the player can drop between the central defenders, which allows both fullbacks to get up the field and join the attack.

The player can also work as a box-to-box midfielder to create numerical mismatches in the opponent’s defensive third of the pitch.

Jacob’s height (5-foot-11) makes him an easy target for crosses and a potentially intimidating defensive presence.