Finishing any and all chances is key as Philadelphia Union and Head Coach Jim Curtin seek tough road result Sunday night in Atlanta

Following two disappointing matches to begin the 2019 MLS season, Head Coach Jim Curtin understands the importance of earning a result on the road at Atlanta United FC Sunday night.

Union Academy graduate Brenden Aaronson could be asked to take the reins over for the suspended Marco Fabian Sunday night at Atlanta United FC.
Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Union.

Rewind back to the beginning of the 2018 season when the Philadelphia Union snagged two clean sheet victories in their first three games followed by a five-match winless streak. It was certainly a roller coaster ride.

Fast forward back to present day, and the Union have dropped a chance at three points at home only to lose once more on the road to start the 2019 MLS campaign. And now, fans are contemplating whether or not this team can provide results on the pitch.

“We’re always upset when we lose a game,” said Curtin during his weekly press conference Wednesday. “We went back and watched the tape, we created a lot of chances. Whether you believe in the ‘eyeball test’ or data, we’ve created chances but again it’s about finishing them.”

Curtin tried his best to reassure media members that the panic button should most definitely not be contemplated this early. It was for sure a heartbreaking home opening debut for his club when they dropped three points to Toronto FC. And their most recent away match at Kansas City left everyone, including players and fans, wanting more.

Now, to make matters more challenging, they travel to one of the toughest places to play in MLS, Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium.

Ultimately, Curtin and his team understand the reality of the situation. They simply aren’t expected to win at Atlanta. However, a road result could potentially be a sparkplug moment for a club eager to get the ball into the back of the net.

“We can certainly turn things around quickly. Again, we’re not happy. I don’t want that to get misconstrued – the players are upset,” said Curtin. “We’re not expected to go to Atlanta and win, we know that. Reality wise, we’re still chasing those three points that we dropped.”

So far, Curtin’s new group of players and style of play have landed them in the number one spot league wide in the expected goals category. However, the game is not played on paper. And that much is clear for this group so far. Yes, chances have been created, but just one goal in two matches is not going to cut it.

“I’d be a lot more concerned if we weren’t creating chances. I think if we continue putting guys in the right spots on the field and run hard into the box, those plays will start to go our way. A lot of big decisions and plays went against us in Kansas City,” said Curtin.

Newcomer Marco Fabian leads the group as the lone goal scorer while compiling 11 total shots so far. But Fabian’s red card last week leaves him out of the mix Sunday. Another player out of the mix will be Sergio Santos. Santos is listed as injured – which for him may be a positive as he welcomed the birth of his new child recently.

New signee Jamiro Monteiro’s visa paperwork was not cleared as of Wednesday and it would be surprising to see him be available tomorrow night. Which could leave Philadelphia’s midfield severely depleted.

Atlanta has speed all over the pitch and they play with an intensity that is rarely matched at home. With a 3-4-3 style featuring dynamic wingers that tuck in centrally, Philadelphia will need some creativity on the offensive side of things in order to threaten.

But with Fabian serving his suspension, who will Curtin turn to at the #10 position? Will it be youngster Brenden Aaronson? Will Anthony Fontana gain another opportunity to prove his worth? When asked about starting Aaronson at Atlanta, Curtin mentioned it’s not far-fetched.

“I’m not scared to start [Aaronson]. He’s done well. Once the whistle blows, it’s still soccer. He’s comfortable handling pressure and tight spaces,” said Curtin.

Regardless of who appears at the attacking midfield position, the few chances created will need to be finished. In this league, creating chances is simply not enough. Lobbing a cross into a crowded box without intent won’t cut it. Philadelphia must sharpen their attack Sunday night or they could suffer a third straight loss to start the season.

“it’s a difficult task we know, but it’s not impossible,” said Curtin. “If you drop points at home, you have to pick them up at other places.”

Mercedes Benz Stadium is perhaps the toughest play to earn a road win in MLS. We’ll see how Philadelphia responds to a heavy amount of early adversity Sunday night.