Atlanta United FC: MLS Playoff Format Change Bad News for the Five Stripes
Major League Soccer recently made major changes to the MLS Cup Playoff format. Unfortunately those changes do not favor Atlanta United FC.
MLS has announced that the Cup Playoffs will change to a single elimination knockout style tournament, effective next season. The field will also expand from 12 to 14, adding a seventh club from each conference. Let’s look at how this will affect Atlanta United FC.
This change means there will no longer be a first round bye for the second seed in each conference. Only the top seed will avoid playing in round one of the single elimination tournament. Each match in the tournament will take place on the home pitch of the higher seed.
The season will now come to an end in early November, as opposed to early December. Avi Creditor of SI.com provides a breakdown of the changes.
Had the new rules been in effect this past season, Atlanta United FC would not have had a bye because the Red Bulls passed the Five Stripes for the Supporter’s Shield late in the season. That means Atlanta would have faced the seventh seed Montreal Impact, who just missed the playoffs under the old format.
Had the playoffs been all knockout style and held to the same form, Atlanta would have faced the New York Red Bulls on the road, in a winner take all match. Under the original layout, the Five Stripes’ 3-nil victory over the Red Bulls in Atlanta, on the 1st leg of a home and home set, was an essential win on their championship march.
The home and home set that used an aggregated score of the two matches, was a much better measure of which team was superior. So many things can happen in one match. So many things that can go array.
Without the combined score of two matches to determine a winner, penalty kicks will decide who advances at a much higher rate. A few inches on one penalty kick, could be the difference in a team advancing, or their title hopes being crushed.
Series have always been the better measure of who the better professional team is. Prior to the MLS change, every professional sport used some form of series to determine its champion, besides NFL football. American football is far too taxing physically, to play anything besides a single elimination tournament to find a champion.
This new MLS Playoff format certainly makes finishing with the best record in the conference paramount. Prepare to see many more upsets in the MLS Playoffs. Get ready for more lower seeds advancing deeper in the post season.
While the knockout style tournament may provide more NCAA March Madness type excitement, it doesn’t provide the best path to a championship for a powerhouse club like Atlanta United FC.
The Captain Returns
Atlanta United FC has announced the return of captain, defender Michael Parkhurst. Parkhurst who was a free agent, signed a deal to return to the club. He was a key piece that President Darren Eales, and owner Arthur Blank desperately wanted to retain for chemistry and continuity.
Atlanta United Communications announced the resigning with this press release. They also announced the resigning with this tweet:
https://twitter.com/ATLUTD/status/1076552970668556288?s=19
Five Stripes fans have now have their eyes set on the fate of MVP runner-up and star midfielder Miguel Almiron. He is drawing major interest from teams in Europe and could be sold to a club for a transfer fee worth over 30 million dollars.
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