Miranchuk confident that playing well with Almirón will happen
DORAL, Fla. — Alexey Miranchuk wasn’t aware that manager Gerardo Martino has repeatedly complimented him any time he has been asked about the conundrum of he and Miguel Almirón playing together.
A question that has seemingly divided #ATLUTD supporters into the pro-Miggy or pro-Alexey camps seems of no concern to any of the three people who control that the most: Martino, Miranchuk and Almirón.
Though it didn’t happen last season under a different manager, Martino has said several times that he sees the two playing together well. Almirón has said the same during the first week of training camp. Miranchuk, while sitting in the lobby of the hotel the team was staying in for training camp, said their effectiveness will come down to simply knowing where the other is.
“We need to see each other and have eye contact,” Miranchuk said. “If Miggy is here, I have to move there. If I’m here, Miggy has to go there, so we don’t have to be on the same spot.”
It sounds easy.
“We’re going to figure it out,” Miranchuk said, with the ease of a professional.
Martino has spoken with the players about their preferences to try to incorporate those within his preferred 4-3-3 formation and pressing style. That’s where the eye-contact strategy came from.
Martino speaks some Italian. Miranchuk speaks Italian from his time playing for Atalanta in Serie A. They haven’t spoken much but Miranchuk said that Martino understands that he and Almirón prefer to play inside. He wants them to be connectors.
Miranchuk said he appreciates the communication. He compared it to relationships he has with people off the field. The more talks that are had, the more expectations develop.
“It’s easier for both sides, coaching-side stuff and player stuff, we understand each other more,” he said. “It makes sense.”
Though most of the preseason has been spent improving conditioning and not much yet on tactics, Miranchuk said he understands and likes what Martino wants to do. Miranchuk played in a pressing system at Atalanta. He likes the idea of winning the ball in the opponent’s half. It will put the team closer to the opponent’s goal.
Repeating part of his answer about enjoying talks with Martino, Miranchuk said pressing the opponent “makes sense.”
Miranchuk is purposefully not setting any expectations for the season. Borrowing a cliché, he said it’s going to be one game at a time. He said that last season’s poor start with the team winning just twice in its first seven matches negatively affected the team throughout the season, ending with the fewest points in franchise history.
“We wanted to succeed, achieve something, but it didn’t happen, but it doesn’t mean that the hustle stops,” he said.
This season will be long because of the World Cup break in the middle, and he said getting off to a good start will be key, as long as the team keeps looking forward.
“We’re looking forward,” he said. “We’re trying to stay humble, working and trying to be positive.”
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