Illustrated Box Score: Atlanta United vs. Nashville SC - The Night of Enitharmon’s Joy

Think back to the first game...

The magic.

The fireworks.

Miggy almost chipping Luis Robles.

The rain (was there rain? there is now).

Think back.

The last game was nothing like that.

What had started as XI best friends playing for their soccer granddad has turned into something... else. A team trying to salvage a season a year after almost making it to a second consecutive MLS Cup. The roster rebuilt for... reason$... And a manager let go after making broad proclamations about playing too fast, or too slow, or not slow enough, or just fast enough, or not 3-4-3 enough, while making puns. Now he’s gone and many of the faces from that squad of best friends has also left. What a pity.

Despite having more xG, Nashville looks not very good and hasn’t been good at scoring goals yet in MLS. That’s definitely what happened in an atmospheric Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday.

xG, xWhatever, Brad made some big saves, Atlanta played well without a striker for 80 minutes and Mo Adams made a swell pass to set up the second goal. Also, George Bello gave David Accam a lot to process in the game and seems legit going forward. Everyone was good, except for maybe Emo, who... just do more in the counting stats I guess next time?

If there’s one thing I’ve always had faith in, it is Pity Martinez. He just needed a manager who would play him in his best position and he excelled as a left enganche.

Anyway, Miami is next. They have Wil Trapp and LGP and are another MLS expansion team. They might be a good one like LAFC, not a bad one like the ones that come from USL though so the game might go a little differently.

This one is for you Frank, Jahn Lennon couldn’t have said it better than George in this case.