April 19, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Cincinnati News Release
Amid an uncharacteristic losing streak (the likes of one the club hasn’t seen in nearly two years), FC Cincinnati is looking to continue their streak of success against Atlanta United FC and earn a result on the road for the third consecutive season.
On the road for a second game in a row, part of a stretch of four road fixtures in five games, The Orange and Blue are looking to shake the unfamiliar feeling of losing by focusing on their structure, routine and consistency in training.
“The group is not accustomed to losing games,” FCC Head Coach Pat Noonan said in his prematch press conference Thursday in regards to the winning standard they’ve set for themselves. “Sometimes, when you lose a game, you see different things in the aftermath of that. I think the trainings have been good…this is a pretty mature group and I think they’re all able to analyze their own performances and conduct and say, ‘Am I doing enough?’ And so that’s always great as a coach if you have players that recognize it and can own it.
“So, for me, it’s more about the management side of it in these moments where you just try to have conversations with guys to see where players are at. Good, bad, indifferent, just make sure that you connect with them in ways where it’s not… we’re not all of a sudden a bad team. We’ve had a bad little stretch here. But there’s also enough good things within this stretch of a couple losses, and maybe not our best performances, where we’re still in games, we’re still competing in a good way… and I think the conversations have been good.”
Last season, FC Cincinnati was undefeated in the match following a loss, and the last time they dropped consecutive games was May 2022. They have never lost three straight since Pat Noonan took over as head coach. While The Orange and Blue have not earned the results they’ve come to expect from themselves, and have had frustrating moments in the performances, Noonan reiterated that he felt there were positive signs to look forward with.
“Our on-the-ball spacing (and) decision-making in how we wanted to break pressure got better,” Noonan said of the bright spots from last Saturday’s match with CF Montréal. We’re still struggling in front of goal, but there’s still improvement in the game….Based on what’s being asked of them in trying to make adjustments, I do think these guys are doing some good things to get back into games or to try to find ways to…
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