The Morning Rekrap: July 5, 2017

Well, that was one awesome way to celebrate the 4th of July! Staring keeper Alec Kann scratched due to injury and the fact that Atlanta United has tended to play down to teams that play more of a CONCACAF style of soccer meant that yesterday had the chance to be really disappointing.

It sure wasn’t. On Tuesday Atlanta showed that their best second string goalkeeper is Josef Martinez scoring a brace and hung four goals on San Jose who scored two of their own.

That’s a goal party, let’s go on and rank all 6.

Number 6: Carlos Carmona

I think after Carmona got a yellow in the first half Tata asked him to be nicer during his half-time talk. He spent much of the second 45 helping up San Jose players who had fallen over and handing them to ball to restart play. Carmona also got himself in a really good position to level the score at 1-1.

Number 5: Chris Wondolowski

Oh right, sorry (I’m not sorry) that was obligatory.

That’s what I was looking for. Anyway, this is a trash goal and belongs right in the CONCACAF dumpster along with the Earthquakes’ style of play. Reynish misses the ball, LGP misses Wondo, and he didn’t miss his shot for once.

Number 4: Anton Walkes

Walkes has been a revelation at right back but little did we know that he could make Harry Kane look like Mario Balotelli when he was with Liverpool. The goal also totally validates everything I said about short corners.

Number 3: Tommy Thompson

Your name is Tom Thom? Atlanta came out, I don’t know - flat? Nervous? They started the game looking like the British at the seizing of Fort Ticonderoga (basically the woke up and found out they were at war). Giving up the ball at the center of the pitch is always trouble and give San Jose credit for punishing Atlanta for it.

This is actually a cool moment and the result of the match makes it somewhat enjoyable. Thompson has been long overdue a chance at regular starting time in MLS, possibly because his somewhat creative winger play didn’t match the bleak version of soccer that Dom Kinnear advocated, and seeing his first MLS goal was a nice moment. Adding to it is that his shot looked like it was attached to about 1,000 roman candles as it darted past Reynish who couldn’t have done much with it.

Number 2: Josef Martinez

Josef Martinez does not jump, he does not fly, he does not levitate, he wills the ground away from his body and enters a different physical state all together.

Number 1: Josef Martinez

There is nothing prettier than this in the world, Michelangelo couldn’t carve something this beautiful. Everything from the flick from Martinez to Almiron to Miguel dribbling past a diving defender like he was stepping over a puddle on the sidewalk and Josef’s finish are absolute moments of soccer brilliance. This is a special team.

Now then, let’s celebrate!