Former Sounders Assistant is Throwing Parties and Scoring Goals

A noticeable shift in the Sounders gameplay prompts an intriguing theory: Could Gonzalo Pineda be the missing piece in the Sounders recent offensive puzzle? Since his move to Atlanta FC, Pineda's offensive strategies seem to be in full swing, leading his team to top the goal-scoring charts, while the Sounders attack appears to have lost some of its creative bite from the championship years.

This is our third deep-dive into the transformative recent years of the Sounders, with a spotlight on Pineda's journey.

Post 1: Ripple effects of the 2021 coaching changes

Post 2: Is Albert Rusnak the wrong piece?

Gonzalo Pineda inherited an Atlanta FC team embroiled in chaos and failing to meet expectations. This year he has Atlanta FC playing offensive knock your teeth out football. They are the highest scoring team in the league with 35 goals.

Recalling Pineda's interview from the end of last season, he had this to say: "Changing our style completely would be quite a mountain to climb. We still love our style, we just need a few more high-fives at the end of the game." True to his word, he's now turning potential into performance, converting expected goals and possession into tangible results.

His comments hinted at a focus on offense, which seems to be where his confidence lies. He expressed a desire to more effectively convert generated Xg and possession into actual goals. Judging by their tally of 35 goals, significantly outperforming their projected Xg of 26.5, it's safe to say he's achieved that goal.

Quite the opposite of Seattle which is only turning their 29.7 Xg into 24 goals.

Where Atlanta seems to be falling short is in their defense, having conceded 29 goals. In contrast, Seattle has excelled in this department, allowing just 17. This discrepancy suggests Pineda may not have carried over any defensive tactics to Atlanta.

Could it be that Pineda was the strategic genius behind the Sounders success in crafting quality opportunities and keeping adversaries off balance?

Has Seattle's predictability increased since bidding Pineda farewell, thereby enabling opponents to progressively decipher how to combat the Sounders offense?

Perhaps the Sounders are becoming too predictable, leading to inflated Xg stats. Opponents might be thinking: "Go ahead, take that long-range shot, don't let the Sounders reach their favored assist zones, allow them to loft the ball - they can't outdo us in aerial duels, and they struggle with converting free kicks, so we'll take the risk of committing a foul."

As for the "parties" I alluded to earlier, while the Sounders have found it challenging to match pre-Covid attendance figures, Atlanta is thriving, drawing in an impressive 45k fans per game - substantially more than Seattle's still respectable 31k. In fact, only Brazil's Flamengo is attracting larger crowds in the Americas!

Atlanta even got Ludacris to turn up the volume for 67k enthusiastic fans (here's the TikTok link for those who missed out: https://www.tiktok.com/@cbssportsgolazo/video/7204259724764794155

As the Sounders navigate their way through this transitional period, the theory that Pineda was the Sounders offensive genius looms large, challenging us to reflect on the influence of individual players and coaches on a team's fortunes. As the season unfolds, it's becoming increasingly clear that soccer is not just a game of physical skill and tactics, but also a complex dance of personalities, strategies, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

If you want to further ponder what Pineda brings to a team, check out this blog post by Atlanta United: El Profe Extraordinario: Atlanta United Players Define Gonzalo Pineda's Coaching Philosophy

Some sample quotes from the article by Sandy McAfee:

“I think we are the team that scored the most points since August,” midfielder Jürgen Damm said. “That speaks of the connection he made with the group, his philosophy, that he knows how to manage a large institution such as Atlanta and that he also knew how to implement his style of play so that Atlanta could win and be in the playoffs.”

"On the pitch, the head coach is didactic, taking time to explain a concept or direction. Players see him as a teacher, a leader who can help them understand the nuances of the game."

""I think he’s a young strategist, but with a very defined stamp,” midfielder Ronald Hernández said. “He likes the ball, he wants to have it all the time when he doesn't have it, he wants to press, he wants to go for it.”"