Atlanta United looks better lately, but points not adding up fast enough

I should have known better.

Just after those positive thoughts entered my mind, my eyes saw Atlanta United’s Stian Gregersen fail to get his head on a clearing attempt, compromising the back line.

Here the Five Stripes go again.

That mistake led to a tying goal by Seattle. The Sounders scored another soft goal in the 95th minute. That one earned boos from Atlanta United supporters.

Those who stuck around until the very end let out a roar when Alexey Miranchuk scored in the 99th minute to salvage a 2-2 draw.

Here the Five Stripes go again.

That was Atlanta United’s sixth stoppage-time goal this season. It was the fourth one to earn a draw. One other very late goal was a game-winner.

Now, I was back to thinking that if Atlanta United (4-14-9) could solve its defensive issues, then just maybe it could claw into a playoff spot.

“This is the top level in MLS, Seattle,” Atlanta United manager Ronny Deila said of the Sounders (10-6-8). “One of the best teams. You can feel that we are not so far away, but we are far away when we talk about points.”

It’s easy to scoff at that comment, but Deila has a point. Atlanta United’s performances are, as he said, “looking differently” lately even if the points aren’t adding up quickly enough.

The Five Stripes have earned four draws in their last five matches. They are still 14 points below the playoff cutoff line in the Eastern Conference with 10 matches remaining.

Help is on the way. Atlanta United’s front office has focused on finding defensive help during the summer transfer windows. That was an obvious need, as Atlanta United entered the weekend with the third-most goals allowed in MLS (43).

One of the Atlanta United’s newly acquired defenders, centerback Enea Mihaj, made his debut as a substitute Saturday. He started 81 of 82 matches played for Portuguese first division club FC Famalicão over three seasons.

Another recent Atlanta United acquisition, centerback Juan Berrocal, is waiting on his visa. He’s on loan from La Liga club Getafe.

Those players should improve the depth among Atlanta United’s back line. Only once has as the top four of Gregersen, Pedro Amador, Brooks Lennon and Derrick Williams played together.

But the new players might be arriving too late to save Atlanta United’s MLS season even if they help shore up the leaky back line.

After Gregersen failed to get his head on that clearing attempt (he probably got fouled), Seattle’s Pedro de La Vega ran free down the pitch with two teammates against one Atlanta United defender.

You can guess how that turned out. De La Vega’s goal in the 54th minute evened the score.

Atlanta United’s sharp first-half performance had been sullied by a giveaway soon after the team left the dressing room. It happened (twice) against Charlotte last week.

It’s happened way too many times this season.

The Five Stripes now have a minus-14 goal differential this year in the first 15 minutes after halftime.

“I see in the end of first half we started to be a little bit more tired, and then we take that into the second half,” Deila said. “I think that’s what happening with our players that (the performance) drops in the second half. We don’t want the ball enough, we don’t move enough and then they have the ball too much.”

By now, it’s clear that there is no tactic, lineup or speech that Deila can use to solve the second-half slumps. The Five Stripes might have won this match if it didn’t happen again, or if their offensive inspiration carried over after halftime.

Officially, Atlanta United’s first score was an own goal by Seattle’s Yéimar Gomez Andrade. But Atlanta United created the opportunity with speed, skill and connected play. Miguel Almirón, Emmanuel Latte Lath and Luke Brennan flustered Andrade and his teammates.

Almirón created the chance by chasing down a long ball and stealing it from Seattle midfielder Reed Baker-Whiting, who was in better position. Almirón briefly held up the ball before finding Latte Lath streaking down the middle. Latte Lath started a clever give-and-go with Brennan, who sent the ball through to Latte Lathe.

Andrade was spinning by that point. He was late getting back to close off the angle for Latte Lath as he approached the end line. Latte Lath’s pass attempt deflected off Andrade’s body and floated in the net over keeper Andrew Thomas.

The own goal was Atlanta United’s only score in the first half. That wasn’t for lack of trying. The Five Stripes were more aggressive and coordinated in their attack than I’ve seen from them in a while.

Atlanta United couldn’t convert two good chances before halftime — Miranchuk’s header from close range sailed over the goal and Brennan’s sizzling strike from the box hit the post — but the home team had the visitors back-heeled for a change.

It was Atlanta United’s best half of the season. The Five Stripes undermined that effort with another giveaway goal. Then they stole a point with Miranchuk’s late equalizer.

It’s hard to give them the benefit of the doubt, but then they create moments that make it hard to count them out.