Atlanta United: Gonzalo Martinez still has a long way to go
Gonzalo Martinez scored and assisted from off the bench in Atlanta United’s 2-0 win over D.C. United. However, to satisfy his expectations, he still has a long way to go.
Perspective is huge. In anything, the objective truth can easily be slanted by what our prior expectations were. Our perceptions shift how we view what should be a relatively binary achievement.
The New England Patriots are expected to make the Super Bowl every year. Anything less is viewed as a disappointment, when, in actuality, making the AFC Championship game is something that most teams could only dream of. Making the AFC Championship game is the same for Patriots or the New York Jets, but it would be viewed completely differently.
A lot of our perspectives stem from our expectations. How do we predict a team or player to perform and do they meet those predictions, fall short of them, or even exceed them? And this, naturally, changes our opinion.
Gonzalo Martinez has been discovering the worst of dealing with high expectations this season. ‘Pity’, as he is known, was named the South American Footballer of the Year in 2018. He arrived at Atlanta United as the expected replacement for Miguel Almiron, the best player in MLS prior to his Newcastle United departure, and cost more than any other player in the history of MLS.
Martinez was undoubtedly expected to hit the ground running. He was meant to prove that he is the best player in the league from day one. He was signed to lead Atlanta United to the defence of their MLS Cup. But that has not been the case.
Before this weekend, Martinez had just two goals and five assists in 20 MLS appearances, 15 of which were starts. He was benched amid reports of a splintering relationship with head coach Frank de Boer and there have been growing suggestions that he has not settled in Atlanta and wants to leave, just six months after he arrived. Martinez was the victim of expectation.
When he finally scored his first goal against Orlando City on May 12th, he rejected the notion that he was feeling the pressure:
"“I’m coming from a big club in South America, zero pressure, I’m used to it. I knew the goal was going to come at some point.”"
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That was a release-point for the Argentinian. Another came on Sunday when he scored and assisted two late goals in Atlanta United’s 2-0 victory over D.C. United to move second in the Eastern Conference. Martinez was introduced off the bench in the 65th minute. It took 24 minutes for him to make an impact, but in the 89th, he scored the breakthrough goal with a brave, close-range header before then feeding Josef Martinez in behind for a stoppage-time second. His coach was most pleased:
"“He was aggressive. He was sharp and fantastic in what he showed today. So it gives him confidence, but it gives everybody confidence. This is what we want to see from everybody, of course.”"
But for Martinez, there is still a long way to go to satisfy those lofty expectations. Coming off the bench and changing a game is not what $17 million buys you. A club-record signing should be the central cog of your team, the weekly game-changer, the individual through which everything flows, say like Miguel Almiron or Josef Martinez.
Next. Atlanta United Vs D.C. United: 3 things we learned. dark
So while Sunday was encouraging for Pity and Atlanta United, there is still a long way to go. Martinez must consistently perform at an MLS-leading level. Only then will the perspective shift.