If Almada does stay with Atlanta in 2023, however, he would be the centerpiece for a potential renaissance. A call-up to the World Cup squad in Qatar is unlikely for Almada, but the 2024 Copa America could be in the cards and Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni is reportedly keen to see Almada move to Europe. The former Velez Sarsfield man was just the second MLS player ever to be called to an Argentina national team camp and was hailed by Lionel Messi during his time with the Albiceleste over the international break. MLS Power Rankings: LAFC wins Supporters Shield as Decision Day looms for playoff hopefuls.That is assuming Almada remains with Atlanta. While those numbers are solid, there needs to be a sharp uptick next season if Atlanta are to return to the east's elite. Signed for a league record $16 million last offseason, Almada has delivered six goals and 11 assists in his first year in MLS. One of the most important things to watch this winter in Atlanta will be what happens with Thiago Almada. Your important players have to be available and productive, and Atlanta has not had that." "You are in a Designated Player era, so you absolutely have to knock it out of the park. But this winter might be the end of the line for him in this team.
Martinez has been an icon for Atlanta United since they debuted in the league, winning MVP honors and playing a major role in the fledgling side winning an MLS Cup. "Whether it's overall play, roster construction, health, which has been a serious issue for Atlanta, those things are a factor, but health is something that every MLS team deals with. "It is a Beverly Hills dumpster fire, because you have all of these luxury pieces on paper that should be top of the league," said ESPN analyst Herculez Gomez. The 47 goals scored thus far have been far from what many expected.
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But there was still plenty of horsepower up top to have fans believing Atlanta could patch over those defensive frailties with offensive output. Robinson tore his Achilles in early May, while defensive midfielder Alonso tore his ACL in early April, leaving Atlanta United with a completely different-looking spine for most of the season. Not only did Guzan fall by the wayside, but so did starting center-back Miles Robinson and new arrival Ozzie Alonso. Slowly but surely though, a spell of injuries came in rapid fire." "At the start of the year when we were down in Mexico for preseason, the vibe was one that we were all excited for the year. I think there have been some highs, but there have obviously been some lows," said veteran goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who ruptured his Achilles tendon on April 16 and missed the majority of the season. "The word I would probably choose to use is chaotic. Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.) But before looking ahead, an examination of what went wrong in 2022 is required. A moribund 80 minutes gave way to a late spark delivered by star striker Josef Martinez off the bench with a scissor-kick golazo to restore hope, only for the Revolution to find the winning goal minutes later.Īnd so, out of the playoffs for the second time in three years despite having the league's highest payroll, Atlanta United is at a crossroads going into the winter. Instead, a flat performance in attack, mixed in with a really big blunder in the back, put Atlanta on the ropes.
Going into a must-win to avoid elimination from playoff contention, optimism was high that Atlanta had finally found their form in the final weeks of the season and that maybe, just maybe, they could enjoy a magical run if they could get into the postseason. In a lot of ways, Saturday's penultimate game of the year against the New England Revolution, a 2-1 loss, was a microcosm of Atlanta United's 2022 season.
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