Atlanta to stop the rot at Nashville?
Relative MLS newcomers Nashville welcome surprise Eastern Conference strugglers Atlanta United. Nashville are rightfully flying high in fourth place, enjoying an excellent start to the campaign while the visitors to Nissan Stadium are languishing down in tenth. The pair shared a desmond, 2-2 draw, just five matches ago with Atlanta picking up just two points since, compared to Nashville’s seven. Gabriel Heinze’s men were knocked out at the quarter final stage of the CONCACAF Champions League in early May and have won just once in the eight matches that have followed. Nashville are fairly short to take the three points therefore a goals angle looks the most reliable way in.
Process
Only established in late 2017, Nashville are making strides on some of the much older franchises in pushing towards the summit of the Eastern Conference. They have the best underlying process in the Conference according to expected goals. The hosts have underperformed to score 14 from 18.9 expected and let in 11 from 9.1, yet their effective numbers are still good enough to command fourth spot and have them four places inside the playoffs. A win here would likely see them elevate into the top three.
Atlanta are not the side they were with the attacking verve of Miguel Almiron and Jozef Martinez when they won MLS Cup in 2018. Their process sees them trending in line with their position in the table of tenth, which they are not accustomed to, only missing out on the playoffs once in their history. The Five Stripes have scored 11 from 11.1 expected goals and conceded 13 from 14.0, hard to doubt the validity of this metric with numbers like that. Winless in their last three without scoring, they will be determined to ensure they do not leave Nissan Stadium empty handed. Heinze will be content with them boring themselves into form.
Goals?
Atlanta will look to disrupt Nashville’s flow, who despite looking the better team do not have the MLS pedigree. They may still get the result but they will have to grind it out.
- Nashville have scored in seven of ten.
- Nashville have conceded in five of ten.
- Nashville have seen both teams score in four of ten.
- Nashville have seen over 2.5 goals in three of ten.
- Atlanta have scored in seven of ten.
- Atlanta have conceded in eight of ten.
- Atlanta have seen both teams score in six of ten.
- Atlanta have seen over 2.5 goals in four of ten.
Opposing goals is my notion for this one, hopefully Atlanta can stand firm for us.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
Atlanta repaid our faith but were not watertight enough to see this tip home. 2-2.