@GunnerJacket we can take down the 2017 thread. For this year, please post game day XI and other XI projections in here. Preseason @Charleston, 0-0 GK Kann, RB Escobar CB Robinson CB Parkhurst LB Hernández CM AWO CM Kratz LW Vasquez RW Villalba CAM Carleton FW Williams Subs: Goslin, Gallagher, Shannon
Preseason Vs Columbus, @Charleston 1-3 loss GK Guzan RB Zizzo CB LGP CB Big Red LB Ambrose CM McCann CM Nagbe RW Gressel LW Barco CF Almiron FW Martínez Goal: Almiron (Martinez) Subs: Shannon, Carleton
1-1, @Carolina Challenge Cup, Minnesota United Goal: Barco GK Guzan RB Zizzo CB Big Red CB LGP LB Garza CM Nagbe CM McCann RW Gressel LW Barco CF Almiron FW Martínez
3-1 win, @Nashville SC GK Guzan RB Zizzo CB Big Red CB LGP LB Ambrose CM McCann CM Nagbe RW Gressel LW Barco CF Almiron FW Martínez Goals: Martínez, Vasquez (Nagbe), Williams (Vasquez)
Projected line up to start season away at Houston GK Guzan RB Escobar CB Gonzalez Pirez CB Parkhurst LB Garza CM Nagbe CM Larentowicz RW Villalba LW Barco CF Almiron FW Martínez Comments: Pretty straightforward except, two things: will Big Red have to play in the midfield and is Escobar the starting right back? ....... Bench: Kann (everyone knows he’s #2) Hernandez (with Garza’s injury history, he’s the fullback on the bench) Robinson (he’s going to have to play big minutes because we’ll need Big Red in midfield... time for him to earn his stripes. If he’s a dud, we’re screwed.) McCann (I’d look to trade and get a better DM because we’re taking a big salary hit with him.) Carleton (should fight to earn Gressel level of minutes this season. He’ll still need some time in USL) Gressel (first option off the bench, will probably play every game he’s healthy) Vasquez (has he done enough to be more of a regular?) ........ Not in the XI but played in preseason: Wheeler (will probably have to start out in USL but will be in the rotation) Goslin (will probably have to earn Stripes in USL first) Shannon (will compete with Kratz, Wheeler, and Goslin as first option from reserve in midfield) Romario* (could beat out Vasquez, will rotate) Ambrose* (could beat out Hernandez, rotation) Zizzo* (could beat out Hernandez, rotation) Kratz (will probably be in the rotation some) Gallagher (will probably be USL) ............... On the roster but did not play in preseason Hildebrandt (starting USL keeper?) Bello (hope he gets lots of minutes with USL) Kunga (USL?)
USL XI GK Hildebrandt RB Zizzo CB ??? CB Cochran LB Ambrose CM Wheeler CM Goslin RW Kratz LW Shannon CF Gallagher FW Romario Bench: Caraux Bello Kunga
Zizzo is probably the starter at right back. At worst he is the full back on the bench. You don't send a 30 yr old (or whatever his real age) to the USL. Kratz will also not be playing on the USL for the same reason. The USL team will be used to build the youth not to give minutes to aging squad players. Speaking of USL, Bello is going to play and start for that team. He is on a crazy good run of form at the moment. If he keeps developing, he will be in the first team by the time he is 18.
Yes. Forgive me, but no. No no no no no. In the 1+ games that Escobar had in the pre-season, he looked much better than anyone we've had at RB in this team's short history. Going forward he looks much more dangerous than Walkes or Mears ever did, and once he starts to get some chemistry with Tito he'll be that much more dangerous. We can't be 100% certain about his defensive play yet, but Zizzo didn't look that great on defense anyway, and he doesn't offer near as much going forward, and he doesn't quite have the speed to make up ground if he gets beat. Escobar does. McCann is staying for the season. He's too expensive to make it worth anyone else picking him up. I'm still not 100% certain on what the rules are concerning sending players back and forth between Utd and Utd 2, which would determine how much Carlton or Williams plays there. I would wager that Romario will be spending the majority of the time at Utd. He'll be the primary backup up top, Vasquez in the wings, and Gressel in the middle. I'd agree that Kratz won't be playing for Utd 2... with the possible exception if the senior guys get hurt at Utd 2, and they'd like to have at least one veteran on the pitch for the game. Otherwise it's a waste of game time.
We’ll see some of Carlton I think. Could be Barco’s chief sub off the bench (though you might see more often Miggy moving over and Gressel coming in at CAM). I’d be surprised to see much if anything of the others this year. Maybe a cameo for Goslin, more if he dominates at United 2.
Question is, who replaces him in the starting lineup. I hope for Carleton based on the way he has played in the preseason. However, I'd bet money on Gressel who has done nothing for me
Without question it’ll be Gressel. But hopefully this does mean that Carleton is first option off the bench and Tata is forced to give youth a run.
Opening line up, @ Houston, 4-0L, worst defeat in Atlanta United history GK Guzan RB Escobar CB Larentowicz CB LGP LB Garza CM Nagbe CM McCann RW Villalba LW Gressel CF Almiron FW Martinez Subs: Parkhurst (LGP -Injury), Kratz (Nagbe), Vasquez (Villalba) *Barco out injured https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/m...-houston-dynamo-vs-atlanta-united-fc/boxscore
Next game, vs DC United, my 18: GK Guzan RB Escobar CB Parkhurst CB Robinson LB Garza DM Larentowicz CM Nagbe RW Villalba LW Carleton CF Almiron FW Martinez Bench: Kann (GK), Hernandez, Zizzo, McCann, Goslin, Vasquez, Romario Projected score: 2-2 *Barco still out injured, I’m guessing LGP will be out too.... makes not buying a CB look really dumb. Plus, Larentowicz needs to play CDM. McCann-Nagbe looks to be a nightmare situation. I don’t know guys, it seems like we’re going to have a bad year due to the fact we didn’t shore up the defense. I’m predicting/fearing we’re going to be in the cellar this season because we didn’t pay attention to this need. Let’s pray Miles Robinson turns out to be a stud or we’re going to get use to being humiliated more often. Hopefully, we can sneak in a few upsets here or there and in the summer, Tata wises up and gets a solid center defender and CDM.
Wow, Gressel not even on the bench. Harsh. I'd like to see Carlton play, but if Tata didn't bring him on for garbage time in Houston, he's certainly not going to start against DC. You'll see Julian starting again. I don't think Tata trusts Robinson. I agree that Larry needs to be moved to CDM, so I think it might be more likely that Escobar moves to CB and Zizzo starts at RB.
I accidentally overlooked him... I’d slide him in over Goslin still. And, know you’re right, he’ll start, but if I were the coach, I’d start Carleton this game.
352 vs DC United, actual line up ——Martinez—Villalba—— ————-Almiron————- Garza———————Gressel ——Nagbe——BigRed—— —-LGP—Parky—Escobar—- ————Guzan—————— Kann, Zizzo, Kratz, McCann, Wheeler, Carleton, Romario *note: no central defender subs and Gonzalez is carrying an injury. *Larentowicz back in midfield to hopefully clog the hole that Houston exposed.
Ugh cmon Carleton as an absolute last minute sub. If Tata doesn’t trust him to come on when it’s 3-1 with a few minutes left how do we expect him to get playing time this season?
Tata deserves a lot of credit but he also deserves a lot of criticism... Mainly, he shys away from youth, he only looks at Latin American players, he doesn’t properly rest/rotate players, and he leaves massive gaping holes in the roster that leave us incredibly exposed. That said, he definitely puts out the most attractive brand of soccer in the league.
That’s true, but he definitely has favoritism to bringing in and playing Argentinian players. With a different coach, Atlanta in a couple years looks like NYRBs did Saturday with the # of homegrowns.
Argentina's probably the second-largest producer of non-UEFA footballing talent on Earth (Brasil). He managed the NT, which is why he knows where the sleepers are. If he were Polish, the team would have a lot of Poles. Half our roster wouldn't have given MLS the time of day were it not for Tata. Who among our homegrowns do you think is going to be better for AUFC than Asad, Villalba, LGP, Escobar, or Barco? And it isn't just Argentines he's bringing in who are great for this league- he's responsible for Carmona, Almiron, Martinez and Gressel. What academies worldwide have a record of developing players who go on to lead the clubs they grew up with to titles? Will they have our record at the end of the season? If those homegrowns can ift the MLS Cup, I'm all for it.
Man, Carleton must have a boatload of relatives around the ATL area. Please don't pin all AUFC's hopes on this one kid. It's not good for him or for us. Let him grow into the next Barco or the next Almiron at a pace that doesn't hurt the club.