Long passes into space to teammates sprinting down the wings.
Solid tackles to break up attacks.
Santiago Sosa said Tuesday that how he performed in Saturday’s training exercise against Charleston at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a good example of what he will bring to Atlanta United when he plays as a defensive midfielder.
“The other day in the game I felt comfortable,” he said through an interpreter. “It had been three months since my last match. As a team we were able to put together a good match and over the course of time we are trying to the put the things the coach is asking of us into practice.”
Sosa, 21, was acquired by Atlanta United from River Plate, where he had spent most of his career as an amateur in its academy and as a pro, during the offseason.
Sosa spent a lot of time Tuesday explaining his role within manager Gabriel Heinze’s system.
“I think my role is to give fluidity to team, to be in position at all times both offensively and defensively and to pay attention when we are in attack,” he said.
Most of the team’s attacks Saturday started with the ball near Sosa’s right foot. Often, he received it while being positioned between centerbacks Miles Robinson and George Campbell, each of whom were split wide, closer to the spaces the fullbacks would be in. The fullbacks, Mikey Ambrose on the left and Ronald Hernandez on the right, were often high up the field and sometimes the targets of Sosa’s passes.
“The field is big, but for us that’s a good thing because there’s more space and more room for us to play and be able to connect with each other,” he said. “I’m just going to have to hit those long passes a little bit harder.”
As for his play on defense, Sosa said last week that he is learning to stay behind the ball when his team has it. He said he communicates more with the centerbacks than the players ahead of him in the formation because often times it’s just the three of them in defense when Atlanta United has the ball. He said is learning English to facilitate talking to his teammates.
“A lot of times for players in my position ... when the team is attacking you get focused on what the team is doing when building up the attack,” he said. “You have to always be aware of players you are supposed to be marking around you because a counterattack could happen at any time.”
Centerback Anton Walkes said Tuesday that communication with Sosa and Franco Ibarra, who also may play the position, is improving. Communication among all players is a focus under Heinze. Walkes said he is learning basic Spanish words such as left, right, hold, press so that teammates can help each other.
“It’s part of our philosophy and something we have to pay a lot of attention to details to,” Walkes said.
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