As far as expansion teams are concerned, few have garnered as much buzz as Atlanta United FC as they embark on their maiden voyage in MLS.
Boasting some of the flashiest offseason signings, owner Arthur Blank has certainly proved he is not afraid to splash the cash to make his side a contender from day one.
Saturday night’s matchup will mark the first meeting between Toronto FC and the Georgia club, which should make for an interesting tactical battle at BMO Field.
Formation– 4-3-3
Former Barcelona and Argentina manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino has brought his attack-minded philosophy to Atlanta, and it has paid off in spades as his side have scored a conference-high 11 goals through their first four matches.
Similar to last weekend’s opponent, Sporting Kansas City, Atlanta United will look to defend in a 4-1-4-1 while springing forward into the attack using their pace out on the wings in a 4-3-3.
The Argentine duo of Yamil Asad and Héctor Villalba have caused headaches for teams in transition, meaning TFC’s wingbacks will have to be on high alert. They also possess quality in the midfield with the likes of MLS veteran Jeff Larentowicz and Serie A and Chile international veteran Carlos Carmona patrolling the middle of the park.
Key Player – Miguel Almirón
Perhaps Atlanta’s most highly touted singing, Almirón has been just as good as advertised, if not better.
The Paraguayan international has powered his side to both of their league wins, bagging two goals and two assists in those matches. A dynamic playmaker as well as a lethal finisher, Almirón’s movement can be hard to track making him one of the more exciting players in the league.
The Reds will catch a bit of a break as Atlanta’s leading goal scorer, Josef Martinez, will miss out after picking up a quad injury while representing Venezuela in World Cup qualifying. This will shift the focus onto Almirón all the more so as his team will look for him to pick up the slack.
Coach’s Quotebook
Greg Vanney: “They’re very committed to getting numbers behind the ball. They will step out and press you if you give them the cues to press, but I don’t necessarily think they’ll go chasing us haphazardly around the field and get opened up.
“They’re a good, possession oriented team. They’re very dangerous on the counter-attack, so I think they’ll pick there moments of when to press us higher up the pitch. If those moments don’t present themselves, they’ll look to get numbers behind the ball.”
