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Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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6 years ago

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Our neighbors from the north came to visit again, for the third of three match-ups. It was a prime time battle on ESPN for Rivalry Week. I guess this is now a rivalry since it was scheduled during Rivalry Week, promoted heavily, and had a national televised audience. Now I will be super curious how things unfold if Miami ever actually gets its act together and enters MLS.

It was a good match, one that you would expect from a rivalry, and an unfortunate loss for the Lions, who I thought played really well for the majority of the match. Without further ado, let’s see how the Lions rated individually in the tough 2-1 loss to Atlanta United.

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 5 — Only four minutes into the match and Joe had to go low quickly to stop a shot from distance, then it somewhat fell apart in the 21st minute when he fumbled the free kick from Ezequiel Barco, with the ball falling to Leandro González Pirez, who forced it in. His distribution was much better this match, with a few questionable moments, but generally an improvement. He came out, got big, but found himself on the ground too early on the historic Josef Martínez goal.

D, Victor “PC” Giro, 6 — Many were shocked to see PC start this match, and hopefully he put some of the vitriol to bed. He was caught out a few times, but this was another match were he and the other back were asked to play end line to end line. In a lovely counter in the 14th minute, Dom Dwyer found Chris Mueller, who attacked the box, and left PC a nice little back heel pass, which he took and fired a shot on goal, forcing a save from Brad Guzan. He had 86% passing accuracy, three tackles, and the one shot on frame.

D, Shane O’Neill, 5.5 — Good performance from one of the newest Lions, once again. It was good to see him side by side with Spector, although there were moments where you could tell the pair needed more time together. There were so many opportunities to take two steps forward and leave Atlanta offside.

D, Jonathan Spector, 5 — Every time Specs heads the ball it gives me chills. Great to see him back, wearing the captain’s armband, but his time off the pitch was apparent. He looked a little rusty, but that could be expected. He did have two tackles, but was only able to complete 79% of his passes. Spector went with Almiron when he should have stayed with Martinez on the second Atlanta goal, but that is easy to say watching it the next morning.

D, Scott Sutter, 7 (MotM) — Quick breakdown of some facts from the match: 84% passing accuracy, two successful dribbles, two aerials won, and two tackles. He was a force on the right, playing well from end line to end line, and well, what about that shot? That might have been one of the purest strikes I have seen from a Lion this season.

MF, Oriol Rosell, 6.5 — Uri had another good match, and was high on the list for MotM for me. He had four successful tackles, two clearances, and two interceptions. He paired extremely well with the newest Lion, who we will discuss in a minute, and helped to lead a pretty solid defensive effort, one that seemed to frustrate Atlanta for a good portion of the match.

MF, Carlos Ascues, 6.5 — Debut match for Carlos, and one that should have endeared him to all the fans. His is a large presence on the pitch, but his touch, his skill, and his vision were an even bigger present. He crisscrossed the pitch, made forward runs when space was available, and had that nice little cross to Mueller to start the run of play that led to the Sutter goal. He played two thirds of the game, finishing with 93% passing accuracy and two tackles, and I certainly hope he will be a permanent new addition to the team. His presence and ability open up a number of opportunities.

MF, Josué Colmán, 5 — A tough night for the club’s Young Designated Player. He was 89% accurate on passes, but had no real success taking on opponents with the ball. He did manage two shots during the match, but neither were on target.

MF, Will Johnson, 6 — Two weeks on from that tackle, which led to that play in D.C., Will got a chance to start in, once again, a different position in the starting XI. One thing about Will is that he leaves it all on the pitch, and he did so again against Atlanta. He finished with 90% passing accuracy, an interception, three chances created, and an assist for his nice little flick to Sutter.

MF, Chris Mueller, 6 — Hearing the stadium PA blast Wu Tang Clan’s C.R.E.A.M. during warm-ups had me convinced that we would see a big performance from Cash Mueller, and he certainly put forth a notable effort. He had the most successful take-ons of any player on the pitch, at four, but his passing accuracy was a bit low at 81%. It was good to see him being a little more “selfish” on the ball and driving the box in the offensive end. He still needs to generate more shots, finishing without one on the night.

F, Dom Dwyer, 6 — Again, Dom was marked and sandwiched by the two Atlanta center backs from the first whistle. His trap, spin, and pass to Mueller who drove the box and eventually left it for PC to shoot was a lovely run of play. Also, big save for Dom in the 60th minute after the free kick led to three Atlanta shots, two saved by Bendik, and the final one saved by Dom, who maintained his near post position. His one shot was on target.

Substitutes:

MF, Pierre Da Silva (61’), 5.5 — PDS came on with about 30 minutes left in the match, and showed some flashes of that ability we have seen from him, but it will be a little hard to grade him due to Orlando not really having much possession during his time on the pitch. His passing (55.6% on just nine attempts) must be better, but he did have a tackle and an interception.

MF, Stefano Pinho (67’), 5 — Subbed on for Ascues, which had a number of us wondering what effect it would have on the run of play. He certainly did not have the effect that the player he replaced had on the match.

MF, José Villarreal (87’), N/A — Villareal didn’t see the field long enough to make much of an impact.

That is how I saw it folks, so lets hear your opinions. Let us know in the poll below who you thought was the Man of the Match, and leave me some comments on how you graded the squad.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Will Johnson2
Carlos Ascues43
Oriol Rosell3
Scott Sutter42
Chris Mueller6
Other7

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Orlando City

How Orlando City’s Offense Stacks Up Against What Atlanta Does Defensively

How Orlando City has performed against teams playing with three or four defenders, and how that may influence the playoff game against Atlanta United.

Published

15 hours ago

on

November 21, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The most famous quote about real estate is that “there are three things that matter in property: location, location, location.” Soccer coaches also like to think in threes, especially when it comes to points, but for a soccer coach, the three things that matter might be the rhyming triplet “formation, formation, formation,” as that is where they will have the biggest influence on every game that their team plays.

Throughout his tenure as head coach, Óscar Pareja has preferred to use a 4-2-3-1 as his formation (fbref.com’s lineup data shows that the Lions primarily played a 4-2-3-1 in 65% of their MLS matches this season, and 79% of their MLS matches during the last three seasons). The Lions have lined up in a 4-2-3-1 during each of their last 14 games, and my confidence level is strong to quite strong (can you believe Meet the Parents came out 24 years ago?) that they will do so once again on Sunday when they host Atlanta United.

Atlanta United also prefers to deploy a 4-2-3-1, but was less consistent than Orlando City this season during MLS play, as evidenced by the chart below that shows how Atlanta lined up this season:

The purpose of this image is a table to show how Atlanta United lined up in 2024 (mostly in a 4-2-3-1 but also in one of six other formations).

I am relying on the coders at Opta for their evaluation of the formation, as I do not watch a lot of Atlanta United matches (sounds terrible), but though Atlanta primarily played with four defenders in more than two-thirds of its matches, during the last two matches it played a 3-5-2, the only two matches all season in which interim coach Rob Valentino rolled out that formation. I suspect that the formation change was related partially to playing Inter Miami and trying to defend the Herons’ dynamic offense and partially due to an injury suffered by defender Brooks Lennon in the first game of that series. So, while Atlanta primarily played four in the back for most of the season, there is a good chance it will roll with what worked against Florida’s second-best MLS team when it plays Florida’s best MLS team this weekend.

Now, if you want to read more about Atlanta, then you can read our match preview, which will drop Sunday morning, but I want to look at how Orlando did against teams that play similar styles. Looking only at MLS games, the table below shows how Orlando City performed against different back line structures this season (the left side is how the Lions’ opponents lined up, the right side is how Orlando City performed against opponents in those formations):

Table embedded as an image showing Orlando City doing best in goal differential in 12 games against three-man back lines, second best against four-man back lines, and having played once against a five-man back line (a 1-1 draw).

Orlando City earned slightly more points per game — the stat that matters most — against teams that played four in the back, but the Lions had a better average goal differential when teams played three in the back. Atlanta will likely deploy one of those two formations. In both games against Orlando City this season, Sunday’s visitors went with a 4-2-3-1, but as mentioned earlier, they used three in the back in each of their last two matches, so it really could be either.

Soccer is not like baseball, where players primarily stay in the same spot throughout the game, so some of these stats have to be taken with a grain of salt, as players are not always rigidly in the same position throughout a match. A team may also primarily play with four in the back but switch to three when chasing a game, or five when trying to protect against a late goal.

That said, using the data around Orlando City’s opponents’ general formations, here are the attacking groups who played the most frequently against four defenders during the 24 MLS games where Opta coded the opponents as using a defensive group of four:

Table embedded as an image showing the most frequently used lineups against teams who deploy four defenders. The most frequently used attacking group has a plus eight goal differential for the season.

It is a little ominous that the main starting group, shown in row one, has played 666 MLS minutes against back lines of four this season, but do I like that green goal differential of +8 in those minutes, which is a strong +1.08 per 90 minutes. I like that goal differential more than I like all the things that Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin like on their song that is creatively named “I Like It.” Coincidentally, when people ask me what I think about that song, I say, “I like it.” I am very creative.

If we look at the lineups that Orlando City has used against back lines of three defenders then there are some pretty major differences in personnel groupings, but it must be noted that more than half of the games against teams playing three in the back came early in the season, when Ramiro Enrique was unavailable to play. Enrique, my presumed starter at striker, has played fewer than three games’ worth of minutes (265 total) against back lines of three this season, and only 28 minutes with the main starting group, which ranks 13th among all the attacking lineups for minutes played against three defenders. That group scored one goal in their 28 minutes together though, for a robust 3.21 goals-scored-per-90-minutes average.

While the team as a whole has been successful against three-man back lines, I do not expect any of the lineups shown in the table below to play more than a few minutes together this weekend, though the first row and the last row are strong groups and had a lot of success.

Table embedded as an image showing the most frequently used lineups against teams who deploy three defenders. The most frequently used attacking group has a plus three goal differential for the season.

I am sure that all week long the Orlando City coaching staff has been going back and forth on whether it is more likely that Atlanta reverts to its most commonly used four in the back, or if the Five Stripes try for three wins in a row with three in the back. I would prefer that Atlanta plays with zero defenders and goalkeeper Brad Guzan wears a blindfold, but I think that is unlikely to be the case.

Even though Atlanta defeated Orlando City both times while in a 4-2-3-1, based on available personnel and recent results, I believe that the team will come out in a 3-5-2 in Inter&Co Stadium in the conference semifinal. Good things come in threes, and Orlando City’s best offensive production this season has been against three defenders, so I am going to be hoping that this continues, and in the third game against Atlanta the Lions grab the three points. Three’s company!

Well, it is a playoff game, so there are no actual points at stake, but you know what I meant.

Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to get a victory to advance to the Eastern Conference final?

Published

17 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City continues its playoff journey against Atlanta United Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions are coming off an emotional penalty shootout win over Charlotte FC in their best-of-three, first-round series. Likewise, Atlanta United stunned everyone by taking out Inter Miami to advance in its own best-of-three matchup. Now, the rivals meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

What does Orlando City need to do to get past Atlanta United to advance to the Easter Conference final?

Beat Guzan

Brad Guzan made 16 saves over Atlanta’s three matches against Inter Miami, including seven in the 3-2 win on the road in Game 3. The 40-year-old former USMNT keeper is in excellent form and is a big reason why the Five Stripes are facing Orlando City. Converting chances against Guzan will be crucial to earning a result. There have been times this season when the Lions have struggled to convert their chances. Despite that, the team has done enough offensively to get to this point. Facundo Torres, Martin Ojeda, Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and others have contributed and will need to do so this weekend.

Cartagena is Essential

Orlando City lost twice to Atlanta United during the regular season. What is interesting, and perhaps relevant, is that Wilder Cartagena was out for both of those matches. Cartagena was shown a straight red in the match against Minnesota United prior to the first match against Atlanta way back in March. He was shown a yellow card in the match against FC Cincinnati and then served a yellow card accumulation suspension for the final match of the season against Atlanta. Fortunately for Orlando City, Cartagena will be available for the match this weekend. I’ve mentioned before the importance of Cartagena to Orlando City’s success. When he and Cesar Araujo are on the field together, the defense is simply better. Cartagena is frankly one of the better defensive midfielders in MLS. Atlanta scored five goals in the series against Miami, and Orlando will need to keep the visitors from having that kind of offensive success.

Overcome the Past

That darn international break in the middle of the playoffs is something I don’t love. More precisely, I don’t like it because Orlando City often struggles after a break. It would have been nice if Orlando City could have ridden the momentum from the penalty kick victory into the Atlanta match, but that’s not to be. Now is the time for Orlando City to break some bad habits, including turning around its historical lack of success against Atlanta, and tendency to struggle in the first match after a break. Oscar Pareja needs to have the players in the right frame of mind, and the players need to execute the plan. A full house of supporters can also make a difference. Given it’s a Sunday afternoon match, there’s no reason not to pack the house.

That is what I will be looking for Sunday afternoon. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/21/24

Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.

Published

21 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship

There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.

Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.

Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year

Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.

2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled

The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach

FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.

Free Kicks

  • District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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