With his team aggressively trying to force Columbus into making a mistake, Atlanta United midfielder Chris McCann stepped into front of a poor pass in the Crew's half of the field.
He looked up and split Columbus’ back line with a pass to forward Josef Martinez, who passed it to his right to Hector Villalba, who had quickly switched from defense to offense. Villalba crossed the ball back into the penalty box, where Martinez headed it home to give Atlanta United a 1-0 lead in an exhibition game last month.
That sequence exemplifies how Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino wants to see his midfielders work together and with the other positions group in the MLS expansion team’s first season.
“It’s still something we are all learning, still trying to figure out the identity of the team,” wide midfielder Jacob Peterson said. “We know it will reflect our coach. I still think we will learn more and more.”
Martino described what he wants to see from the different midfielders — holding, wide and attacking midfielders — this year. Atlanta United will open the season on Sunday, hosting New York Red Bulls at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium.
How midfielders work:
Holding midfielders: A holding midfielder operates just in front of the defense. Martino said he prefers to use just one but some teams use two.
“He’s the one who organizes how they will press,” Martino said. “He will support the high press. And he balances the team when they are in attack.”
Jeff Larentowicz, Carlos Carmona and McCann will likely fill that role in most games.
“In our scheme, with pressure we want to play with, the holding midfielder is important to clog up the middle of the field and to create turnovers when the opportunity is there,” Larentowicz said.
Similar to a middle linebacker in football, the holding midfielder remains in the middle of the formation and is expected to make plays.
“It’s not novel,” Larentowicz said. “A holding midfielder is an organizer, it’s a defender, obviously. Someone that begins the attack, someone that creates turnovers and disrupts the opponent’s attack.
Attacking midfielders: They have the most responsibilities both offensively and defensively.
“It’s important for us that they attack, but also get back to defend,” Martino said.
Attacking midfielders can drift all over the field to provide numerical advantages. In a preseason win against Chattanooga, Miguel Almiron drifted back to help defend a set piece, tracked down a clearance and dribbled more than 40 yards before passing to Villalba, who scored the first goal in Atlanta United’s history.
Almiron, McCann, Julian Gressel and Kevin Kratz can play as the position.
“For an attacking midfielder, it’s very important to find the holes between the lines, between the centerbacks and the holding midfielders,” Kratz said. “Move around there, just try to get into open space so that you can turn when you get the ball.”
On defense, they must work to keep the other team on the right side or the left side, “So that everybody knows we can attack them there and try to get the ball back as fast as possible,” Kratz said.
Wide midfielders: They do precisely what the name implies: stay wide. If the opposing fullbacks or midfielders stay in compact position, the wide midfielders should have space to get off crosses.
“When the defense is stretched, it creates diagonal (spaces) between the backs and centerbacks,” Martino said.
If the opposing fullbacks choose to come out to engage the wide midfielders, that should create space in the middle of the field to attack or give the wide midfielders a chance to beat their opponents on the dribble.
Villalba, Martinez, Almiron, Peterson, Yamil Asad, and Andrew Carleton are a few of the players that will fill the wide midfielder roles.
“The wingers are an important aspect,” Peterson said. “They have to have good positional awareness. It’s really important to put the opposing team’s defense under pressure in the half. Then we won’t have to go as far to score. It’s easier when you win the ball in the attacking half.
“The flip side of that is (Martino) expects the wingers to be dangerous, be creative, when we get into more advanced attacking positions.”
PREVIEWING ATLANTA UNITED
Here are the stories that will appear this week on ajc.com, on Facebook at Atlanta United News Now, on Twitter @Doug Roberson and in the paper to preview Atlanta United's inaugural season. If you want to subscribe, here is the contact.
Already online:5 things learned from the four preseason games, the importance of set pieces in soccer, previewing the team's forwards.
Wednesday on ajc.com / Thursday's paper: A look at the team's midfielders.
Thursday on ajc.com / Friday's paper: A look at the team's defense.
Friday on ajc.com / Saturday’s paper:
An A-to-Z look at MLS.
A fun list of lists about the league.
Team-by-team capsules.
What’s a tifo?
Saturday on ajc.com / Sunday’s paper:
A Q&A with Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank.
A Q&A with Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino.
Player capsules.
Why have expansion teams had trouble making the playoffs in their first year?
MEET ATLANTA UNITED’S MIDFIELDERS
Miguel Almiron
Position: Midfielder
Home: Asuncion, Paraguay
Age: 22
Twitter: N/A
One of the team’s three Designated Players. … Atlanta United reportedly beat out several teams in Europe to sign him. … He is capable of playing in the center of the midfield as a playmaker or out wide. … Though slightly built, he has good vision and speed.
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Yamil Asad
Position: Midfielder/forward
Home: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Age: 22
Twitter: @yamilasad11
Scored a beautiful goal in the preseason opener against Chattanooga and another in the Carolina Challenge Cup. … Like many of the midfielders on the roster, he can be deployed at a variety of positions. … Very quick with a solid right-footed shot. … Atlanta United acquired him on a loan from Velez Sarsfield in Argentina.
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Andrew Carleton
Position: Midfielder
Home: Powder Springs
Age: 16
Twitter: @andrewcarleton7
The team’s first Homegrown Player signing. … Atlanta United beat out at least one club in Europe to sign him. … Very confident who plays older than his 16 years. … Will be interesting to watch how often he is used by manager Gerardo Martino this season.
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Carlos Carmona
Position: Defensive midfielder
Home: Coquimbo, Chile
Age: 29
Twitter: N/A
Signed after Atalanta in Italy terminated his contract by mutual consent. … Made more than 150 appearances with two different teams in Italy. … Was a part of the Chilean national team that won the Copa America. … Very calm on the ball.
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Chris Goslin
Position: Midfielder
Home: Locust Grove
Age: 16
Twitter: @chrisgoslin17
The team’s second Homegrown Player signing. … Has represented the U.S. on a variety of levels of youth national teams. … Product of Georgia United.
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Julian Gressel
Position: Midfielder
Home: Neustadt an der Aisch, Germany
Age: 23
Twitter: @juliangressel
Selected with the eighth pick in the first round of the SuperDraft. … Can play most positions in the midfield. … Played four years at Providence College, where he scored 30 goals and had 26 assists in 83 appearances. … Likely to be used a sub, though Martino said he will push for a starting spot.
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Harrison Heath
Position: Midfielder
Home: Newcastle-under-Lyme, England
Age: 20
Twitter: @harrisonheathy1
Acquired in a trade with Orlando City, where he played the previous three seasons. … He is the son of Minnesota coach Adrian Heath, who also formerly coached at Orlando. … Likely to be used as a spot starter and sub.
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Kevin Kratz
Position: Midfielder
Home: Eschweiler, Germany
Age: 30
Twitter: @kevinkratz8
Grew up in the Bayer Leverkusen academy in Germany. … Signed with MLS and joined Philadelphia last season. … Was acquired by Atlanta United in a trade. … Likely a spot starter.
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Jeff Larentowicz
Position: Midfielder/centerback
Home: West Chester, Pa.
Age: 33
Twitter: N/A
Signed as a free agent. … Has more than 300 MLS appearances. … Won the MLS Cup with Colorado. … Was recently with Los Angeles. … Likely to play a defensive midfielder role. … 37 goals and 18 assists in his career.
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Chris McCann
Position: Midfielder
Home: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 29
Twitter: @cjmccann7
Among the first players signed by Atlanta United. … Spent majority of his career in England with more than 350 appearances for Wigan Athletic and Burnley. … Likely starter in midfield.
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Jeffrey Otoo
Position: Midfielder/forward
Home: Accra, Ghana
Age: 19
Twitter: @jeffreyotoo9
Loaned to Charleston, Atlanta United’s USL affiliate. … Also played at Charleston last season. … Powerful left foot.
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Jacob Peterson
Position: Midfielder.
Home: Portage, Mich.
Age: 31
Twitter: @jacobpeterson37
Signed as a free agent after spending the previous five years with Sporting Kansas City. … Approaching 250 appearances in MLS. … Also played for San Jose, Toronto and Colorado. … Likely a spot-starter on the wing.
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Hector Villalba
Position: Midfielder/forward
Home: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Age: 22
Twitter: @titovillalba15
The team’s first Designated Player. … Regarded as one of the fastest players in MLS. … Played at San Lorenzo in Argentina, a club he joined 10 years ago. … 16 goals and 13 assists in 100 appearances there. … Likely starter in midfield.
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