Josef Martinez needs more scoring chances for Atlanta United

One stat helped explain why Atlanta United was shut out 3-0 by Colorado on Saturday in Commerce City, Colo.

Josef Martinez, Atlanta United’s best player and the one who can often create a goal from nothing, finished with an expected goals of 0.03. That means that he didn’t come close to scoring. Seven of his teammates finished with a higher xG, as the stat is known.

With a lineup decimated by injuries and other issues, the team can make it slightly easier on itself by figuring out a way to get the ball to Martinez in dangerous spots.

“There were a few half chances there but probably not really,” manager Gonzalo Pineda said. “The ones we are waiting for our striker, whoever it is, to have. And so, again today, not just Josef but overall the team didn’t create enough clear chances.”

“I think Josef is a special player, and we've got to put him in positions to score."

- Atlanta United's Andrew Gutman, on teammate Josef Martinez

Yes, but Martinez is paid to score. He has said many times that it is his job.

But he can’t score if he isn’t receiving the ball in spots that challenge opponents.

Martinez had just 28 touches against Colorado. His most crucial got away from him in the seconds before the end of the first half when Andrew Gutman put in a perfect cross that Martinez failed to control. He took just one shot.

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“I think Josef is a special player, and we’ve got to put him in positions to score,” Gutman said. “We got to get the ball wide more, put in more quality crosses, whether that’s behind the backline or some cutback balls. I feel like Colorado kind of set in as well, and that kind of negated us playing the ball in behind into the channels and then crossing into it.”

This isn’t a one-game issue.

In Week 1′s 3-1 win against Sporting KC, Martinez finished with an xG of 0.05 on 24 touches and, again, a single shot. He was credited with two assists, so he found other ways to impact the game.

Until help arrives with the returns of Thiago Almada, who is in Argentina securing his visa, Luiz Araujo from his hamstring injury, and Marcelino Moreno building 90 minutes of fitness, Martinez will likely continue to find things difficult because opponents don’t have to worry about too many other Atlanta United players.

“We will just continue improving on that style, trying to break lines better, trying to move the ball faster side to side, try to occupy those spaces that we want to occupy to then create more and better chances in the final third,” Pineda said. “And we’ll try to improve for next time.”

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Atlanta United’s 2022 MLS schedule

Feb. 27 Atlanta United 3, Sporting KC 1

March 5 Colorado 3, Atlanta United 0