Atlanta United Disappearing Outside Georgia

Atlanta United became the second-quickest team to win a title in men’s American sports history when they won the MLS Cup in 2018, only beaten by Chicago Fire who won the title in their first ever season in 1998. 

But after a bumper season, the Five Stripes are struggling on the road, begging questions over the value of their high-spending Summer.

FORGETTABLE REGULAR SEASON WITH MASSIVE PLAYOFF SHOCK

The Five Stripes’ 2024 season was described as “forgettable” but remembered for managing to pull off a huge shock by knocking Supporter Shield winners Inter Miami out of the first round of the MLS playoffs.

Atlanta were knocked out in the following round by Orlando and attention turned to what was a huge summer for the franchise. 

BLOWING THE CASH TO SEND A STATEMENT 

In 2024, they scored the joint-fourth least goals in the Eastern Conference regular season, level on 46 with Charlotte FC. 

In response to this, the club from Georgia went and spent $50 million on their attack, bringing back Major League Soccer legend, Miguel Almiron, from Newcastle United who they originally sold him to back in 2018, for $13,000,000. 

The big move was breaking the Major League Soccer transfer record to sign number 9, Emmanuel Latte Lath from English Championship side Middlesbrough for $22,000,000.

Adding such quality on top of designated summer signing Alexi Miranchuk from Atalanta (quite fitting) and also having Saba Lobjanidze trying to build on his ten goals in 2024, the highest that year for an Atlanta United player. 

AWAY HORRORS 

Despite spending so heavily on their attack, the 2025 MLS season for Atlanta United has been extremely disappointing up to now. 

Though the majority of the issues have come away from home, their form at Mercedes-Benz Stadium has also been shocking with only ten points in 15 home games which ranks them tenth out of the fifteen teams in the Eastern Conference.

In fact in their first fifteen regular season games, the 5 Stripes only recorded two wins, one on opening weekend in a 3-2 win at home to CF Montreal and a 4-3 win against NYCFC in Matchweek 6. 

The form away from the Mercedes Benz Stadium has been a big problem this season with only two points all year. 

Despite spending over $30 million on their forward line, only five goals have been scored away and only a single game has Atlanta put more than one in the back of the net, a 2-2 draw with Cincinnati. 

DELIA KEEN TO PUSH ATLANTA BOAT FORWARD 

Ahead of return to MLS action for Matchweek 20 following a week’s break, head coach, Ronny Delia described needing cohesion across the whole club as “pushing a boat. 

"We have to push that fantastic boat, Atlanta United, that we are a part of forward. It's a big, big ship, and you need everybody on board, and we have to go in the same direction." 

(MATCHWEEK 20 REACTION) AWAY DROUGHT CONTINUES IN COLUMBUS AGAINST THE CREW - COLUMBUS CREW (3) ATLANTA UNITED (1) 

Despite Delia saying that the boat needed to be pushed, it only continued to sink as the Columbus Crew picked up a second win in a row at home to move up to fifth in the Western Conference with a 3-1 victory over the Stripes. 

The game was pretty much over by half time as Wilfred Nancy’s Crew scored three first half goals including a brace from Canadian Jacen Russel-Rowe, taking his tally up to seven goals, while Andreas Herrera got his first goal of the season.

Brooks Lennon got a consolation goal for Atlanta with his first strike of the season and despite the loss, Delia was keen to take some positives including how he “didn’t see anyone quit”. The coach was also pleased with how the second half went stating that, “we won the second half 1-0.” 

Unfortunately victory in the second half doesn’t equate to three points, what makes the defeat worse is that record signing Emmanuel Latte Lath has not scored since the 4-3 win over NYCFC back in March and not even recorded a goal contribution since that game. 

The more disappointing fact for Atlanta is the fact that he is still the clear top scorer throughout the team, with only seven other players having scored in 20 league games. 

If Atlanta are to have any play-off ambitions or Ronny Delia is to keep his job come 2026 then he is going to have to find a way to get this forward line to start scoring or go into the transfer market and find someone who will give his side the attacking spark they desperately need.