Atlanta United Vs New York Red Bulls: 3 things to watch for – Question galore
By Josh Bouland
Atlanta United return to the pitch this Saturday against rival club, the New York Red Bulls, in the MLS is Back Tournament. Here are three things to watch for.
MLS is Back and so are the league’s best teams and best rivalries. Although Atlanta United are just three full seasons old, it didn’t take long for a rivalry to form with one of the league’s top clubs, the New York Red Bulls. Atlanta faced Red Bulls in their first-ever match back in 2017. Each match since then has been a must-watch.
The passion in this rivalry is evident in the way both teams battle on the field. Red Bulls’ high press usually give Atlanta fits, but the Five Stripes got the last laugh in 2018 when they defeated New York 3-1 en-route to an MLS Cup. In the regular season, however, the Red Bulls have the upper hand with four wins and two draws.
On Saturday, we get to see the latest outing in this growing rivalry. There are a lot of questions going into this Group E match. Plenty of them pertain to the absence of Atlanta striker Josef Martinez. There are other unknowns, though, especially with the team’s newest signings and the return of others from injury.
Here are three things to watch for when Atlanta United take on the New York Red Bulls in each team’s first MLS is Back contest.
3. Formation on the field
What formation will head coach Frank de Boer choose for this opening game? Normally, the Dutchman has his squad in a 3-4-2-1. However, without Josef Martinez, it is possible that the Five Stripes will go with a back four instead. There are even reports of the team training with a false-nine.
De Boer can stay with his preferred 3-4-2-1, where strikers Adam Jahn or JJ Williams start in place of Martinez. Or he could deploy midfielders Ezequiel Barco or Gonzalo Martinez as a false nine in a standard 4-3-3. Based on Atlanta’s newest offseason additions, this may be the team’s best option.
In a 4-3-3, de Boer could play Barco, Pity, or Mattheus Rossetto as the false 9 with the other two playing as attacking midfielders, flanking Eric Remedi or Jeff Larentowicz as the lone central defensive midfielder. Jake Mulraney and Manuel Castro would likely play wide in this instance.
This does leave Emerson Hyndman out of the midfield. Hyndman is one of de Boer’s most trusted midfielders and will likely feature in one form or another. Regardless, de Boer has options. How he sifts through them will be fascinating, to say the least.