Atlanta United ‘unacceptable’ offense tests Almirón-Miranchuk connection
When this Atlanta United season officially concludes, Miguel Almirón and Alexey Miranchuk will be the top goal contributors.
That fact may have satisfied the question of whether the two natural wingers could have a productive season side-by-side, but looking closely at the numbers tells a different story.
The attacking midfielders are currently tied in team-high goals (7), assists (7) and goal contributions (14). That puts them tied for 16th in MLS, with about 50 or so players ahead. The stat falls in line with United’s No. 24 rank in scoring this season.
Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino was hopeful at the beginning of the season that they could work off each other with Almirón slotted in as the No. 10 while Miranchuk played outside his normal position as a right winger.
“It’s unacceptable that two players of their caliber and quality delay so long in being able to form that connection,” Martino said. “And for that I fully assume the responsibility as the coach.”
Almirón and Martino later emphasized that the entire team had issues in the buildup. It was not just that Miranchuk and the United captain couldn’t figure it out. That is not wrong; the team as a whole indeed struggled offensively this season.
The insertion of striker Breel Embolo in the summer transfer window was certainly a step up from Emmanuel Latte Lath, who struggled early this season after leading United in scoring last year.
Latte Lath was loaned to German Bundesliga club Union Berlin in August, and then United made the splash signing of Embolo fresh off his FIFA World Cup quarterfinal run with Switzerland this summer. Embolo has scored four goals in 11 matches so far for the Five Stripes.
There is some hope for next year in the condensed 14-game regular season despite the razor-thin margin for error.
Martino is looking forward to having a full preseason with this roster with “minimal” changes over the offseason. He has said they may need to address the winger position recently. Chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson echoed that sentiment ahead of the summer window closing, but United only added defensive midfielder Giuliano Galoppo before the deadline.
The revamped starting lineup produced 29 goals compared to the 14 before the World Cup break.
The hope is that the attack can look more like United’s last 3-1 win versus Toronto FC. Almirón and Miranchuk both notched a score and an assist. Miranchuk assisted Almirón on a perfectly executed two-man game, and Almirón helped Cooper Sanchez get his first MLS goal.
“I think that’s how our team clicks,” Sanchez said. “If we get those two going, you know, we’re going to score a lot of goals this year and going into next year. So I think it’s a great thing.”