Five Thoughts: Atlanta United get back to winning ways

George Bello is a better option than Chris McCann

It took Bello less than two minutes to make an overlapping run off a Miguel Almiron through ball to nearly assist on a Josef Martinez finish that was ultimately disallowed. However, one of the biggest criticisms of McCann is that he doesn’t possess the pace to do anything close to what the 16-year-old routinely did throughout the match: become an offensive threat on the wing. If the 3-5-2 is going to work in the future against teams like the New York Red Bulls, Atlanta has to create space on the wings. Bello showed he can do that effectively. I haven’t even mentioned the fact he managed to find the back of the net too.

Atlanta United needs Miguel Almiron if they want to make a run at the Cup

This is pretty self-explanatory, really. Almiron walked off the field in tears early in the first half due to an apparent leg injury. According to Tata Martino, “he’s probably going to have to miss the next two games...” Hopefully it’s just the two regular season matches and not a playoff match. It can’t be overstated how crucial a player of his talent is to their title hopes.

Ezequiel Barco did well centrally

If Almiron is out for a couple matches, it’s going to be interesting watching Barco slot into the CAM role. He’s been more effective centrally than on the wing since the start of the season and that didn’t change against New England. His passing was quick and crisp, finding the second runners consistently on the counter. Having him draw attention with his runs will help Josef Martinez quite a lot.

We all misunderstood Eric Remedi

It happens. You think you’re getting a certain kind of player, but then once you start seeing him play, you realize you were dead wrong. Remedi is not the bone-crushing, tackle-enforcing thiccfielder that we all thought we were getting. Sure he’s good for a good tackle or two every match, but that’s not his bread and butter. Remedi’s a workhorse who’s an underrated passer and is surprisingly skilled with the ball at his feet. It was another good showing from him.

Same Old, Same Old

This was your typical Atlanta United home win. They dominate possession and take their opportunities with very little resistance from the opposing team (other than a very late goal that ultimately meant very little). It was a good win after the NYRB defeat. The club will be in good spirits heading into the international break.