Thank God for the ignore button. It’s one thing to disagree but I’m too damn old to get in childish back and forths with people on the internet. But I do want to stress the point that Hyndman has been very underwhelming with Atlanta this season. I don’t point out that I’ve watched every Atlanta game to fluff my feathers, but to argue that I do have a good body of data to judge the man’s performance. Whereas, if someone asked me to judge Jonathan Amon, for example, other than his time in a US shirt, I would have to defer expertise to those who have watched him day in and out as I can only speak to highlights and lurking game day threads. Nonetheless, what I have gathered about Hyndman... There have been matches where he has shown promise. I’ll watch some games and think, damn, he looks like a man who can contribute at least on the level of Nagbe and Remedi. But about the other half, I think, who is this traffic cone? Who can’t run, pass, defend, or get into position? Last night, against Minnesota, he came on and was completely absent. Atlanta had no control of possession anymore and we were just holding onto dear life. And that’s not certainly the first time that the man has come on and Atlanta became a worse team. Ultimately, a player is judged if he makes his team better or not. And my body of information is that Hyndman does little to make Atlanta United a better team.
But, of course, they were holding on for dear life because they had just been reduced to 10 men and lost a guy who was, to that point, among their best defenders... I think you're kinda hard on EH. He's not been brilliant when I watched, but he's also not looked out of place. The idea that he's not even Championship level, when he's already played Championship and got a move just kinda stinks of hysterical (in all senses of the word...) Coming into one of the best teams in the league, moving into a position currently held by a pretty good player or two, I'd say EH has performed on the upper range of what one might expect, but it all depends on your expectations. I saw a lot of him at Gers and Hibs so I have a pretty good idea of his skill-set and weaknesses. And to my eye he's pretty much playing a bit below his confidence level (hopefully as he still gets adjusted) but pretty much within his skillset. I do think he was slow to the ball v. Minnesota, especially that cross at about 93 or so, but as ATL were a man down, he was also asked to cover a bit more ground than typical. But at this point the only opinion that really matters is Mr. DeBoer's.
ATL has won 2 trophies with Hyndman on the field....in a very short amount of time. He has been at least as good as one could've hoped ...if not exceeded expectations, imo.
Hard to break into that lineup, it is stacked. But agree that being reduced to 15 minute cameos the last 4 or so games makes it hard to assess anything other that: good not great. My guess is there will be a few off season moves that will see EH jump to 1st string.
This sort of thing can happen to a younger player who’s hardly played the last few years. That’s a tough leap, especially in a league as athletic and physical as MLS
I would defer to actual Atlanta fans, but my impression of Emo on Atlanta has been that he's progressing well and positively contributing to a top MLS side, showing the potential to be among the top American midfielders in MLS, but not there yet. Hasn't leapt into the national team lineup, hasn't disqualified himself from near future consideration, either. Had he looked terrible or hurt the team, I would have written him off as a Nat, but my opinion is that hasn't happened.
Hyndman is barely a younger player at this point. He's been around the UK block more than a few revolutions. He's played in physical leagues. The excuse-making is starting to sound a little hollow.
fwiw: Berhalter said he didn’t call up Atlanta United midfielder Emerson Hyndman, but is watching him closely and likes that he is making an impact with the Five Stripes. https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-united-robinson-earns-first-usmnt-call/y9RuomwEAXCSTvvPvljnCO/
Looks like he got the start today. Might try to tune in. 0-0 in the early going. (VAR just took away a Union goal, according to twitter.)
Didn't end up watching this one, but sounds like EH was fairly Meh, beyond a decent ball in on the goal. FWiw, Whoscored had 4 players and all 3 subs below him, but he still was a 6.5 or something. Didn't seem to be his or ATL's best game.
In advance of another Atl/MLS game, there was a bit of Emo noise over the past few days. 1171183224661446657 is not a valid tweet id Just so you know it. Emerson Hyndman, 484 minutes and counting. Still holding down the highest xG Chain per 90 spot on the team (outside of Kevin Kratz' 3 minutes of play this year). Basically, he's quite involved in the possessions where Atlanta United generates shots.— Tiotal Football (@TiotalFootball) September 4, 2019 tbh, I think these and other are a bit overly-positive on EH's time so far... And then there's some Sherlock Holmes stuff I love...) Just got tipped off that Darlington Nagbe has listed his Marietta (Atlanta suburb where the #ATLUTD training ground is) home for sale. The home was bought in June 2018.Nagbe reportedly wanted a move before the current 2019 season.I have no idea if the two are related. 🤷♂️— MLS Buzz (@MLS_Buzz) September 14, 2019
ATL look to be in a good spot, in that they hold option on Hyndman, and can wait and see if Nagbe moves on. Not going to compare the two, but a nice option to have if Nagbe/Barco move.
Emo with the MLS assist on ATL goal... Which in this case means it's an actual assist... Imagine that.
Hyndman with the late winner today. Also went 90 midweek in a winning (but by all reports pretty poor) Atlanta effort. Seems to be doing well-enough if not exactly "running roughshod" over the league (which was never going to happen anyway.) Atlanta was a lucky move for him, I think. Good, European-style coach, enough competition on the team that he can't be complacent, winning culture, physical league... If he can keep getting minutes it will be a good loan for him. (and with J. Martinez injury likely he keeps getting spots in the line-up)
Hyndman with the start again. Nifty touch for the assist. Atl up 1-0 with about 10 left. The run from @JulianGressel 🔥The touch from @emersonhyndman 👌Absolutely class in 👑🍑 pic.twitter.com/ux0sXJAkyy— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) September 29, 2019 No sooner do I post than Montreal tie it up. lol. And no sooner do I post that than ATL go back on top. Lolx2
So Hyndman ends the reg season with another 90 in a win, 2 shots, 0 gs, 0 a on the day. Interestingly Barco started, Josef M is back and Pity M sat. My guess is a bit of cat-n-mouse from DeBoer, but Hyndman has gone 90 in the past 4 or 5 games and heads into the play offs as a regular for Alt, which was not a certainty when he moved. The loan so far has to be considered a qualified success. Not dissimilar to the Rangers loan. Got good minutes, reasonable reviews (they were better at Gers, in part because he was younger and more of an unknown quantity.) Some silverware. But at the same time, nothing to suggest he is the second coming of anyone. Looks like he'll be a useful player to someone in MLS, or even Europe, but did not make the case that B'mouth are making a huge mistake keeping out of the starting 11. I'd be surprised to see him back at B'mouth - expect either Atlanta buys or he has shown enough that B'mouth finds someone else to pick him up.