Leandro González Pírez was standing at his locker. Most of the reporters and cameramen had already left the dressing room after Atlanta’s 2-0 win over D.C. United on Sunday, the team’s second consecutive home victory. Just as they had against Houston, Atlanta United looked more fluid in a versatile 3-5-2 formation, a system that was effective during Atlanta’s 2018 championship season. But González Pírez cautioned against putting too much emphasis on the tactics.



“It’s not the formation,” González Pírez said. “It’s the mentality. We’ve always said that this is how we want to play. We’ve been open about it. It’s been noted and you’re seeing a big change in the group, in the way we’re playing.”



After starting the season in a 3-4-3, De Boer has used several others, including a 4-3-3, 4-3-2-1 and 5-4-1, as he looks to settle on his preferred system.