Atlanta United Thread

[Eco]

 

 

Atlanta United FC is an American professional soccer club based in Atlanta, Georgia, that began play in 2017 as a member of the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer.^[1] The club, which was announced by the league as an expansion franchise on April 16, 2014, is owned and operated by Home Depot co-founder and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank. The team currently plays at Bobby Dodd Stadium, and will move on July 30, 2017 to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which is currently under construction.

All discussion relating to Atlanta United that does not warrant its own thread (i.e. - players signing new contracts, newspaper clippings etc...) should take place here.

[Eco]

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Atlanta United condemns anti-gay chant heard at debut MLS game

MLS expansion club Atlanta United strongly condemned an anti-gay slur allegedly chanted by some of its fans during its nationally televised debut game on Sunday.

Atlanta's 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls drew 55,000 spectators -- the third most for an expansion team's curtain-raiser in MLS history -- to Bobby Dodd Stadium, Georgia Tech's venue that Atlanta United is using until its permanent home, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, opens this summer.

The atmosphere was electric, and the overwhelming majority of the supporters behaved themselves, but the slur could be heard, both inside the arena and on the FS1 broadcast, during several Red Bulls goal kicks.

"We strive to foster a positive, enthusiastic and inclusive environment for all fans, and inappropriate chants have no place at our matches," the team said in a statement provided to ESPN FC.

"Atlanta United does not support or condone the use of offensive language. Fans found to be participating in this behavior will be subject to removal from the building."

The chant is common in Mexico but has also been heard in the U.S. as well as at other MLS stadiums in the past, as well at the many Mexico national team games played north of the border.

FIFA fined the Mexican federation four times in 2016 in response to the chant, but Mexico isn't the only country where it is heard.

Late last year, world soccer's governing body issued fines to 10 other counties' federations in response to what they alleged was fans anti-gay behavior, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Honduras, Paraguay and Peru.

Doug McIntyre is a staff writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @DougMacESPN.

https://www.espnfc.com/atlanta-united-fc/story/3076749/atlanta-united-condemns-anti-gay-chant-heard-at-debut-mls-game

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Atlanta United had the fourth biggest crowd in world soccer this weekend

 

Atlanta United’s first-ever MLS match may have ended in disappointment, but the club can take some solace with their crowd numbers: Their home opener pulled in 55,297 fans, fourth most in the world over the weekend.

Only Borussia Dortmund (79,100), Barcelona (77,117) and Manchester United (75,245) drew bigger crowds this weekend. Atlanta’s sellout beat out the likes of Borussia Monchengladbach (with 54,014 in attendance) and Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal (53,656).

Perhaps most significantly, Atlanta’s attendance beat out that of Liverpool’s crucial clash with Arsenal in the Premier League, with Anfield drawing a crowd of 53,146, which was less than 1,000 away from a sellout crowd.

Atlanta crushed the opening day numbers for every other MLS club, doubling the attendance of the next highest on the list, which was Orlando City’s crowd of 25,527. Orlando’s match was a sellout crowd and the debut of their brand-new stadium.

United may have lost 2-1 on the day, falling victim to a dramatic come-from-behind victory by the New York Red Bulls, but the incredible turnout is definitely a win for the brand new franchise.

https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/atlanta-united-had-the-fourth-biggest-crowd-in-world-soccer-this-weekend-030617

 

[Eco]

Highlights from this Weekend's 2-1 defeat against NY Red Bulls

 

 

[Machado]

Yap. Not the best start but pretty good turnout for a debut. 

[Eco]

The next match is away to the OTHER expansion team, Minnesota United.

We should be able to give them a good ole fashion spanking.

[Fairy In Boots]

Please tell me you follow MLS ultras on Facebook it's gold

[Eco]

Haha I don't didn't know it was a thing. 

[True Blue]

I like the badge it is very simple but effective

[Asura]

I must say its really a bold and ambitious move to have a separate thread for one single MLS club rather than one for the whole league itself. 

[Eco]

12 minutes ago, Asura said:

I must say its really a bold and ambitious move to have a separate thread for one single MLS club rather than one for the whole league itself. 

We have one for the thread also. But I have ST's to Atlanta United so this is my attempt to promote MLS. 

[Asura]

43 minutes ago, Jünter said:

We have one for the thread also. But I have ST's to Atlanta United so this is my attempt to promote MLS. 

Yeah I know... I was only joking

[Eco]

What a game it was last night. Our first ever win, and what a win it was. Here are the Highlights, so enjoy it @DeadLinesman, as I know love Minnesota.

[Storts]

I watched quite a lot of the game the other night - not one to turn down football, quality wasn't great, but it was entertaining, and loved seeing snow football. We don't get enough of that.

Then again nothing beats snow NFL

[Eco]

1 hour ago, Storts said:

I watched quite a lot of the game the other night - not one to turn down football, quality wasn't great, but it was entertaining, and loved seeing snow football. We don't get enough of that.

Then again nothing beats snow NFL

Yeah - part of that is the league, part of that is the weather.

Try to watch this weekend's match against Chicago Fire. It starts around 8pm in London, so you should be good to go

[Storts]

8 minutes ago, ATL said:

Yeah - part of that is the league, part of that is the weather.

Try to watch this weekend's match against Chicago Fire. It starts around 8pm in London, so you should be good to go

If it's on SKY and I'm not out I'll watch it. More of a Sounders man myself though

[Eco]

 

NO REAL SURPRISE

 

 

 

And it all started with...

 

 

 

[Dan+]

I caught a bit of an Atlanta game a few weeks ago, think they were playing Toronto. Think I had a bet on it so was watching. They had a player who really caught my eye - Miguel Almiron his name is, thought he was the best player on the pitch by a mile.

Did a little bit of research, bizarrely they have signed Yamil Asad and Hector Villalba too. One of my favourite FM saves ever was with Las Palmas on FM15, and they were my two big signings upon promotion. How odd that a club has ended up signing both of them at the same time.

I look at the weekend and they've won 4-1, Almiron's got a hat-trick.

I might keep my eye on this side. They look tidy.

[Eco]

On 5/21/2017 at 10:08 PM, Dan said:

I caught a bit of an Atlanta game a few weeks ago, think they were playing Toronto. Think I had a bet on it so was watching. They had a player who really caught my eye - Miguel Almiron his name is, thought he was the best player on the pitch by a mile.

Did a little bit of research, bizarrely they have signed Yamil Asad and Hector Villalba too. One of my favourite FM saves ever was with Las Palmas on FM15, and they were my two big signings upon promotion. How odd that a club has ended up signing both of them at the same time.

I look at the weekend and they've won 4-1, Almiron's got a hat-trick.

I might keep my eye on this side. They look tidy.

Yes sir, they are looking good.

Great moment from this last match, which was delayed because of weather that I think scared some people away as it was a sellout (again), but seats were open. Anyways, National Anthem starts, mic doesn't work, so we fill in the words.

 

[Dan+]

Is Almiron as good as I think he is or did I just get lucky with him?

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Dan said:

Is Almiron as good as I think he is or did I just get lucky with him?

He is.

Was superb at Lanus when they won the title. Surprised he took a step down and chose the MLS. I guess it can help him get a move to Europe because of marketing but its much worse than the Argentina Primera Division.

[Eco]

On 5/23/2017 at 1:37 PM, Dan said:

Is Almiron as good as I think he is or did I just get lucky with him?

He is. The kid can play.

On 5/23/2017 at 6:37 PM, LaSambadeStGermain said:

He is.

Was superb at Lanus when they won the title. Surprised he took a step down and chose the MLS. I guess it can help him get a move to Europe because of marketing but its much worse than the Argentina Primera Division.

Step down my ass. HAHA.

I bet everyone in Europe can name more teams & players in the MLS than in the Argentine league. If you are from South America and you don't play in Brazil, MLS is probably you're best chance of a stepping stone at the moment before heading over to Europe.

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, ATL said:

He is. The kid can play.

Step down my ass. HAHA.

I bet everyone in Europe can name more teams & players in the MLS than in the Argentine league. If you are from South America and you don't play in Brazil, MLS is probably you're best chance of a stepping stone at the moment before heading over to Europe.

The MLS without the DP's is on par with the Peruvian league. Having lived in Canada and Peru I can confirm this.

Also, it doesn't matter if more people can name more teams and players in the MLS than the Argentinian league. Scouts aren't simply just "football fanatics". I'm talking in a sense that they work on studying the sport. I'd say that they are more interested in scouting a nation that has won the world cup twice and play in a more prestigious continental competition and has had several winners in that specific competition.

 In the last 10 years, I can name more players that have gone from Argentina to Europe and succeeded than the USA has had. 

No MLS team can match the prestige of Boca or River.

[Eco]

3 hours ago, LaSambadeStGermain said:

The MLS without the DP's is on par with the Peruvian league. Having lived in Canada and Peru I can confirm this.

Also, it doesn't matter if more people can name more teams and players in the MLS than the Argentinian league. Scouts aren't simply just "football fanatics". I'm talking in a sense that they work on studying the sport. I'd say that they are more interested in scouting a nation that has won the world cup twice and play in a more prestigious continental competition and has had several winners in that specific competition.

 In the last 10 years, I can name more players that have gone from Argentina to Europe and succeeded than the USA has had. 

No MLS team can match the prestige of Boca or River.

Haha, because you lived in Canada certainly doesn't make you an expert.

Grading the MLS with DP's is like grading the Argetine league without Boca or River. Stupid and has no merit.

MLS is a new league, and from when they started up until now, they have been great strides and do an excellent job promoting themselves on a world stage. They get Madrid, Barca, Chelsea, and other teams to come and play here, which helps the league.

Yes Argentina has won the World Cup multiple times, but almost none of those players who won the WC were actually playing in Argentina at the time, at least not in modern era, in fact, 1986 was Argentine's last WC win, and that was over 30 years ago. Nowadays, few, if any of the starting XI for Argentine actually play in their domestic league.

If you ask anything without bias, if they'd rather live in Argentina or the US, you will get the US winning that battle 99/100 times. MLS is getting richer, more publicity, and is a safer place to play that most areas in South America, Argentine included.

[Guest]

I'm not an MLS expert but I've seen some awful defending in that league that we don't even see here in Peru. 

You've done well to get yourself a name out there, to market the league to other continents, to get the names and create genuine foreign interest in the league but you're still wrong about it being a better stepping stone than Argentina. As I said all that is irrelevant because the people who are looking for these players are the professional scouts from the teams. Journalists sometimes help with that, but not the fans. 

You don't need to be a name in the Argentina XI or even at all to get out to Europeans. Simply them playing in a historically prestigious league with a historically prestigious continental competition is going to convince the scouts that there is a higher chance that a world class player will come from there than the USA. If we're talking about players stepping into another nation to go to Europe, Argentina is still better. Falcao, Nolberto Solano, Alexis Sanchez, James Rodriguez and Rodrigo Bentancur all used the Primera Division as a stepping stone successfully as a few examples.

About that last line, its only true if they aren't Argentinian. Most Argentinians prefer living in their home nation.

[Eco]

2 hours ago, LaSambadeStGermain said:

I'm not an MLS expert but I've seen some awful defending in that league that we don't even see here in Peru. 

You've done well to get yourself a name out there, to market the league to other continents, to get the names and create genuine foreign interest in the league but you're still wrong about it being a better stepping stone than Argentina. As I said all that is irrelevant because the people who are looking for these players are the professional scouts from the teams. Journalists sometimes help with that, but not the fans. 

You don't need to be a name in the Argentina XI or even at all to get out to Europeans. Simply them playing in a historically prestigious league with a historically prestigious continental competition is going to convince the scouts that there is a higher chance that a world class player will come from there than the USA. If we're talking about players stepping into another nation to go to Europe, Argentina is still better. Falcao, Nolberto Solano, Alexis Sanchez, James Rodriguez and Rodrigo Bentancur all used the Primera Division as a stepping stone successfully as a few examples.

About that last line, its only true if they aren't Argentinian. Most Argentinians prefer living in their home nation.

But still no looking towards the fact that the MLS is growing much faster than people thought, and starting to bring in real talent?

I only brought up Argentina's XI are you tried to argue about Argentina having world a World Cup. Your words, not mine.

I actually do know some about the Argentine league as Inter Milan seems to live there and so if ever want to know how Inter's next targets are, just look for the best players in the Argentine League.

And about that last line, I know, which is why I said ask anyone not biased where they would like to live. If you got paid the same to live in LA and Cordoba, you aren't picking Cordoba.