Atlanta United Express Lane: The Vancouver Match In 10 Items Or Less

It’s Miggy’s world right now and the rest of us are just holding on for the ride…??? Can the #5Stripes make it happen on turf this time?

Let’s do things a little differently this week…

Usually, the Express Lane is for outbound coverage of Atlanta United. This week, let’s look inbound and see what the shopping list needs to be for one of the longest roadies of the year.

Miguel Almiron is Not Bad 

As evidenced by his play since he was moved to the middle and is allowed to both create and shoot with ridiculous precision, moments like this happen and worry anyone who follows the Whitecaps.

What about the finish, indeed?

So, let’s go back a step…

Julian Gressel is making a serious play for Rookie of the Year

As evidenced by the play above, it’s the second match in a row where Gressel passes to a spot, knowing someone is going to be there. When the ball is placed where Gressel puts it, the ball is hammered home.

Here’s an example of the passing lanes and how the wings became NYCFC’s downfall last week. Gressel’s activity is in the upper-right hand corner…

One MLS All-Star snub might be in the middle of it all

Carlos Carmona and Jeff Larentowicz have become the rock of the second layer of the Atlanta United defense. They aren’t afraid to mix it up when called upon offensively.

Carmona seems to be the “sheriff” role, for lack of a better phrasing…

He’ll be the first guy to stand up for anyone that is plowed down (which has been Greg Garza more than most, but any teammate will do) and will get in the face of anyone who he feels wronged a fellow #5Striper.

Larentowicz, ever since he has been put in the drop-back rover role, has been part of the stabilizing force at the back as another center-mid. He is there when teams want to press and, at the same time, he’s one of the guys who can help instigate any kind of offense from the back.

Patience and possession start with the four at the back… five if you include “Big Red.”

One move seems to have started all this

So, we ask…

The simple shift after the injury to Josef Martinez (and we’ll get to him in a minute) of Almiron to the middle, Tito Villalba up top, and Yamil Asad to the left- with Gressel now at the right- gives the offense the chance to come at an opponent with the MLS Player of the Week and the front-runner for Goal of The Week…

Asad knows Villalba is working to the outside for this run, not just running forward

thinking Red Route 1 will get the job done. Then, Villalba puts the right footed shot past Sean Johnson to make it 2-0 Atlanta United.

The lesson: you can’t focus on one or the other which puts a defense on its heels. And they’ll come at you from any direction or angle…

What about Vancouver?

Well, 10 line-up changes by head coach Carl Robinson resulted in a semi-finals loss keeping them from a Canadian Cup title run. But, this was the look last time out in MLS play…

While yes, the return of Fredy Montero has helped in the offense, he’s gone cold of late. Alphonso Davies is only 16 years old, but has been a true young talent to watch. But the player to watch will remind Atlanta United fans of what Villalba does.

Christian Bolanos may be listed as a left winger in Robinson’s 4-2-3-1 (or 4-1-4-1), but he’s free to roam and can cause problems with his free-lancing and route running.

Finding the back of the net has been a challenge of late for the Blue and White. Against Atlanta, it still may be.

The lone Starting XI question might be Tim Parker since he has played in the Canadian Cup match mid-week and the match against DC United. His minutes might be managed…

Speaking of Managed Minutes… 

Atlanta United head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino told the press mid-week that Josef Martinez will be making the trip to the northwest. And Martinez’s health presents the question of questions: What will the line-up look like when he returns?

Here’s the full presser from Wednesday

If Martinez starts, look for Gressel to start on the bench. If Martinez comes in as a late-minute sub, Martino has some interesting puzzle pieces to negotiate, and he’ll have them for the foreseeable future.

Random Notes To Wrap Up With…

The team opted to take a charter to Vancouver this time, one of the handful of non-airline allotments a team gets during the season.

This is what happens when Tata tells everyone that they’re ALL GOING!!! 

Here’s some music for your #5StripeFriday- a little Con-Air…

And Villalba’s goal was nominated “Goal of the Week”

Game on, y’all!

Predictions? We LOVE predictions…

So, Atlanta United fan… What say you? What do you think is going to happen in the Pacific Northwest? Let us know down in the Comments Section…