It's time for another edition of "If Atlanta United were to play tomorrow" with my prediction on Atlanta United's lineup based upon recent acquisitions as well as observations from reporting on the past two preseasons games in Florida.
Here we go:
4-3-3 Formation
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Right fullback Brooks Lennon
Centerback Miles Robinson
Centerback Fernando Meza
Left fullback George Bello
Defensive midfielder Eric Remedi
Central midfielder Emerson Hyndman
Central midfielder Matheus Rossetto
Right forward Pity Martinez
Left forward Ezequiel Barco
Striker Josef Martinez
The team didn’t play in a 4-3-3 while in Bradenton, but I think it wants to and it may be something you see during Saturday’s friendly in Birmingham.
The key is Monday's announced acquisition of Rossetto.
Hyndman played attacking midfielder last year. His natural position is as a central midfielder in the role played by Darlington Nagbe the previous two seasons.
Moving Hyndman into that role frees the attacking role for Rossetto to move into.
Bello gets the nod at left fullback because Jake Mulraney is a wingback or midfielder, but not really a fulback. Edgar Castillo will also see a lot of time.
I think Lennon gets the nod at fullback in place of Escobar because the team traded for Lennon and gave him a new contract. There is an attraction. That doesn’t mean Escobar won’t play at fullback. I think both will get starts.
Some of you have wondered/questioned why I put Lennon in place of Escobar at fullback. There are a couple of reasons: I think Lennon is better with the ball and Lennon will also check his temper, something Escobar couldn’t do last year. He was a near-constant yellow card. A defender playing with a yellow card can take away some of his aggressiveness.
3-5-2 Formation
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Centerback Franco Escobar
Centerback Miles Robinson
Centerback Fernando Meza
Right wingback Brooks Lennon
Left wingback Jake Mulraney
Defensive midfielder Eric Remedi
Central midfielder Emerson Hyndman
Central midfielder Ezequiel Barco
Striker Pity Martinez
Striker Josef Martinez
In the 3-5-2, Rossetto could play in place of Hyndman, but again, the team wouldn’t have purchased Hyndman and given him a new contract if it didn’t see him as all-formation player, in my opinion. The two could split time in the formation, though.
Mulraney gets the nod over Bello and Castillo because he is really fast. He showed it last week in the scrimmages and he can deliver a nice ball into the penalty box.
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