Atlanta United vs Nashville SC Prediction: Atlanta have no excuses

The matchup between Atlanta United and Nashville SC is going to be an intriguing MLS game played on September 15th, 2024, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Neither team has had the perfect 2024 season: Atlanta is in 10th place in the Eastern Conference with an 8-7-12 record, while Nashville is in a precarious position, 15th place with a record of 6-8-13. Despite those standings, both teams will look at this match as an important encounter, more so for Nashville, in their horrible run of form, having lost the last five matches. Meanwhile, Atlanta United comes into this encounter with some restored confidence after a narrow 1-0 victory away to Charlotte. Indeed, the stakes are mighty high when each team attempts to dig back some momentum in the final stretch of the regular season.

This has been a little of an up-and-down season so far for Atlanta United. They finally got some relief in the form of a 1-0 win over Charlotte, after what had essentially been a torrid run of results. Those struggles they have faced positionally in the league give way to more decent, though sometimes inconsistent, defensive home performances. Flashes of attacking force have shown, but at times, just not with the finishing edge to kill off the game. The game against Nashville is a chance to solidify their mid-table spot and make a late playoff push.

Last game, Atlanta had solid,.diffensive grit from their goalkeeper Quentin Westberg, who made six key saves. Ajani Fortune spearheaded the midfield and sealed the win in a tight encounter. However, they have to work on progressing the ball up the pitch, as reflected by 67% long balls and 24% crosses completed in their last game. Their attacking play can often be somewhat predictable, so balance has to come in the form of possession with incisiveness, especially in front of their home fans.

The 4-2-3-1 Gonzalo Pineda implements gives him the license for smooth transitions from rear guard to attack. In their last outing against Charlotte, Atlanta were able to express that ability to boss midfield possession, with the double pivot for stability, ensuring the backline would not get breached. However, relying on long balls might hinder them from building effective attacks, especially when playing against a low-block defense like Nashville's. That means Atlanta are going to have to be patient in breaking them down and focus on taking advantage of wide areas, something at which Nashville have often been found wanting.

Defensively, Atlanta just wants to keep their structure compact, not overcommit much in attack, considering Nashville still has players that can punish mistakes on the break. Players like Caleb Wiley and Brooks Lennon will be big in both phases of the game, providing attacking width while covering defensively.

On the other hand, Nashville SC enters this tie with the worst form possible as they come with five straight defeats and an alarming streak of 10 defeats. In their latest defeat, a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Orlando City, outlined defensive vulnerabilities and a lack of punch upfront. Three big chances conceded did them in, though six shots on target were accrued in vain as none went in. Defensively, despite their strong 71% of defending tackles won in the last match, their inability to prevent big chances will be a worry for coach Gary Smith.

The greatest cause for Nashville's problem has been their attack, which has been shut out of their last few games and conceded first in six successive matches. That piled the pressure on their defense, which, though showing resistance at one point or another, hasn't been able to cope with the opposition's onslaught. Match with Atlanta might just prove to be a defining point in this season as it is one of the last chances they have to redeem it.

Meanwhile, Nashville will most likely employ some conservatism, with a focus on defending better than attacking. Gary Smith could go for a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 setup, placing an onus on the deep block and quick counterattacks-one which has traditionally worked wonders against Atlanta United. In the last game they played against Orlando, they enjoyed just 41% in possession, very reliant on set pieces and crosses for creating chances. They will most likely be conceding possession again against Atlanta and will be looking to exploit the spaces left behind by the Atlanta attacking full-backs.

The thing is, Nashville needs to fix their press structure, as not being able to win duels and manage transitions has been one of the biggest weaknesses of the team. Hany Mukhtar will be important in this game; he needs to drive Nashville's counter-attacks and connect the players upfront, but it will be about how the team can sustain the attacking pressure of Atlanta.

The overall head-to-head record between Atlanta United and Nashville SC has always been close over the years, though. In the 11 encounters between them, Nashville is slightly ahead with 4 wins, while Atlanta has managed to record 3 victories, with 4 matches ending in a draw. This indicates it will be a competitive fixture, seeing as neither side has really had a stranglehold over the other in recent times.

Their last encounter took place in May 2024 at Nashville, which resulted in a 1-1 draw. Both teams had their chances, but lots of defensive resoluteness were on display to ultimately share the spoils.

Considering the form difference between the two teams, this seems to be more of an Atlanta United-pleasing game, especially considering how Nashville has kept suffering with their defensive issues. The visitors are likely to dominate possession and create a number of opportunities as Nashville tries to disappoint the home team with a deep structure at the back. However, Nashville's inability to keep goals out and improving form from Atlanta make this an encouraging encounter for the home side.

This makes them the clear favorite, as Atlanta's home form coupled with Nashville's disastrous away record and recent form gives them an edge.

Without having scored a goal for Nashville from open play in recent games, added to the improved defensive organization of Atlanta, Nashville may find scoring at a premium.

Finally, Atlanta can dominate this game but might struggle to create a plethora of clear-cut opportunities against a cagey Nashville outfit.

• Home Win @ 1.69 Odds
• Multi Goals 1-2 @ 1.93 Odds
• Home Win 2-0 @ 9.00 Odds