Atlanta United Vs Columbus Crew: 5 key players to watch – The cornerstone center-back

2. Darlington Nagbe/Eric Remedi

Frank de Boer stated many times just how important the midfield is, specifically with Darlington Nagbe and Eric Remedi. With both players staying in Atlanta to train over the break, Saturday will be a good measuring point for progress with these players in particular. The most important part to watch for is just how these individuals play, both in comparison to last year and this year prior to the break.

For Nagbe, it starts with his positioning on the field. Last year, Nagbe was positioned in the middle of the field. His job was to control the ball and find the open space to move the ball along while staying connected in the midfield with Remedi and Jeff Larentowicz. This year, de Boer has Nagbe playing higher up the field and more involved in the attack. Will Nagbe take a deeper position this weekend or will he still be heavily involved in the attack?

For Remedi, his role is vastly different. Last year, he played a midfield destroyer role and was always the last line of defense in the midfield before the opposition reached Atlanta’s backline; this year Remedi is also playing much higher up the field, at times alongside Nagbe. Remedi is being asked to do more in passing and possession. Will he be that important in the midfield this weekend or will he too move back to a more defensive role, similar to what he did last season?