3 changes Ronny Deila can make to save Atlanta United's season | OneFootball

After just two wins in 14 matches, Atlanta United is spiraling down the 2025 MLS standings. Once synonymous with electric football and packed home crowds, the club now feels disconnected, disjointed, and dangerously close to becoming irrelevant in the postseason conversation.

Manager Ronny Deila, brought in with fanfare and high expectations following a turbulent 2024, is now under severe pressure. This was supposed to be the season Atlanta re-established itself as a force in the Eastern Conference. Instead, the team has looked lost — tactically uncertain, mentally fragile, and defensively vulnerable.

So, what’s gone wrong? And more importantly, how can it be fixed?

Here’s a detailed look at what Atlanta United needs to do to get back to winning ways and salvage the 2025 campaign before it’s too late.

1. Tighten the Backline — Immediately

Atlanta’s defensive issues are no longer a blip but a full-blown crisis. The team has conceded 24 goals, with only D.C. United conceding more in the East. Most recently, those goals allowed have come in sequences that highlight a lack of coordination and urgency.

Luis Abram, Stian Gregersen, Derick Williams, and Noah Cobb have all had moments, but consistency has been elusive. The lack of balance is more concerning: the fullbacks are often caught high, exposing the center backs in transition. With Atlanta chasing games, the high line becomes a risk, and opponents exploit it.

Here's how Deila might fix it:

2. Unlock the Final Third with Purpose

Atlanta United v Philadelphia Union | Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/GettyImages

Atlanta’s attack has too much quality on paper to be this ineffective. But stats don’t win games — movement, chemistry, and decision-making do.

Aleksey Miranchuk remains the engine, but the system too often forces him to do everything. He’s drifting deep to pick up the ball, isolated in the build-up, or surrounded by defenders with little support. The wide players — including Saba Lobjanidze and Miguel Almiron— have shown flashes but haven’t delivered consistently. Up front, the absence or underperformance of Emmanuel Latte Lath has left a glaring hole. Atlanta has lacked an actual box presence, forcing them into sterile possession or hopeful long-range efforts.

Here's how Deila should adjust.

3. Build Resilience — Not Just Possession

This Atlanta side doesn’t just lose games — it collapses in them. Leads evaporate, momentum swings wildly and confidence crumbles. That’s not just a tactical issue; It’s a mentality crisis. In a league built on parity, mental toughness is often the separator.

Atlanta doesn’t look mentally equipped to grind out results, especially in the second half of matches. Veterans must lead vocally and emotionally. Brad Guzan and Derick Williams, brought in for leadership, must rally the group when adversity hits.

Deila needs to shift his messaging. His pragmatic tone is being interpreted as passive. The team needs urgency and belief, not just analysis. Win the “ugly moments.” Atlanta must rediscover the art of scrapping out draws or ugly 1-0 wins when the game isn’t flowing.

Atlanta United has never lacked ambition — but spending money alone isn’t enough. The next transfer window must be surgical, strategic, and impactful.

Since Thiago Almada’s departure, Atlanta has reinvested and retooled quickly enough to remain competitive this season. Upgrade on the wing. Neither Saba nor Mosquera has delivered elite-level output. A new elite-level winger could shift the dynamic entirely.

Atlanta also needs to bring in an MLS-proven defender. Someone who knows the league, communicates well, and can organize from the back.

Most importantly, Atlanta needs players who fit Deila’s system — or Deila needs to adapt his system to what the roster can deliver. There can’t be another window wasted on misaligned profiles.

Orlando City v Atlanta United | Dustin Markland/GettyImages

Ronny Deila was brought in as a winner — an MLS Cup champion with a resume that demands respect. However, the results have been poor, the identity unclear, and the trajectory is concerning.

If the front office still believes he’s the long-term answer, they need to show it — publicly, confidently, and with resources. If not, the club can’t afford to wait until September to make a change.

Atlanta United’s hierarchy needs to set a firm timeline for review. If results and performances don’t improve within the next five to six matches, serious decisions must follow.

Communication with fans has to improve. The supporter base is frustrated, not just with losses but with silence. Transparency from Garth Lagerwey and ownership is crucial. If Deila stays, give him what he needs. If he goes, bring in someone whose philosophy fits the roster — or vice versa.

The road ahead: Time is tight, but hope isn’t lost

Atlanta United still has time to right the ship. In MLS, momentum can flip quickly. A strong July and August run could pull them back into the playoff race.

But that turnaround won’t happen by accident. It requires bold decisions — tactics, transfers, mentality, and possibly the coaching staff. The supporters are still showing up. The talent, while flawed, is still there. Ambition still burns.

Now, Atlanta United must back it all up with action. If they do, the Five Stripes can still make something of 2025. They risk becoming a cautionary tale — a superclub in name only if they don't.