Atlanta United Vs Columbus Crew: 5 key players to watch – The cornerstone center-back
By Josh Bouland
1. Miles Robinson
Despite such a rocky and inconsistent start to the season, one player has stood above the rest: Miles Robinson. The third-year defender is excelling under Frank de Boer and his new system. With injuries to Franco Escobar and George Bello, Robinson has seen lots of playing time throughout the season thus far.
Robinson, who became the first Atlanta player to be named to an MLS Team of the Week, is playing lights out. In nearly every one of Atlanta’s seven matches so far, Robinson has made some sort of standout defensive play. Against Liga MX giants Monterrey, he looked like a grizzled veteran, not backing down from any of Rayados’ top attacking talent.
Because of his superb play so far, Robinson will be a player to watch against Columbus. He saw plenty of playing time for the US U23 national team over the break, so he is still in top form heading into the weekend.
Columbus is one of the best teams in the East and will have plenty of opportunities to attack. Robinson will play a key part in stopping the Crew’s attack.