Atlanta United have been one of the top teams in the MLS this 2017 season. Gerardo Martino’s men have been quite impressive in their debut campaign in USA’s top flight.
Atlanta sits in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings with 43 points prior to their Wednesday game against Los Angeles Galaxy. But since most teams have played 29 games and Atlanta have only played 27, they have the chance to climb a bit in the standings. Two more wins could push them up to third place, only two points behind the second-placed team, New York City FC.
It is quite easy to determine where Atlanta’s success lies this season. The mixture of youth and experience has been quite effective, and they have several teams who already knows what it’s like to play big games in the MLS. However, the main reason why Atlanta have been so dominant lies on the impact the South American players have had.
Let’s start with the defense, as Atlanta has one of the most reliable center-backs in the league in Leandro Gonzalez Pirez. The 25-year-old defender arrived from Estudiantes early this year and has emerged as an undisputed leader at the back. Gonzalez Pirez has 26 starts this season. He established a great partnership at the back with Tyrone Mears and Michael ¨Parkhurst.
Moving forward in Martino’s 4-2-3-1 system we have Carlos Carmona sitting as one of the two central midfielders. The Chilean joined the MLS franchise from Atalanta in February this year. He struggled to settle in the early going but quickly became a regular starter once he adjusted. Carmona has transformed the team and is usually the one linking the defense with the creative players in midfield. And he’s in his prime as well, as he is only 30 years old. Experience is key, especially in such an important position.
Carmona and Gonzalez Pirez have been impressive thus far, but Atlanta’s biggest strength is the attacking line. And all four of their attacking-minded players (two wingers, one attacking midfielder, and one striker) come from South America. We are talking about Miguel Almiron, Yamil Asad, Hector Villalba, and Josef Martinez.
Almiron has been dominant as Atlanta’s main playmaker. The Paraguay international has dazzled in his debut season, registering eight goals and 12 assists in 27 appearances (25 starts) this season. The 23-year-old talent is considered one of the best creative threats in the entire league. All signs indicate he won’t last long in MLS if he keeps playing like this.
Villalba and Asad play on the flanks. And while neither has been as good as Almiron, there is no doubt both have been excellent for Atlanta. Just like Almiron, both players are 23 years old and complement each other quite well. While Villalba has contributed with 11 goals and eight assists, Asad has added four strikes and 10 helpers. If we combine all three players, we have 23 goals and 30 assists. That’s impressive.
However, Atlanta’s best player this season has been Josef Martinez. The former Torino forward joined Atlanta on February 2 and quickly made an impact for the franchise. Even though he has missed several games due to injury, the Venezuela international has been one of the top scorers in the league in 2017 thanks to an unbelievable tally of 16 goals in only 14 appearances and 11 starts. No other player in the competition features such a high average of goals per game.
Barring an epic meltdown, Atlanta will reach the playoffs sooner than later. And there’s no doubt they will complicate any team in the postseason. And while their season is a team effort, fans can thank their South American players for how good they have been in 2017.