Atlanta United – Match Report vs Houston Dynamo 17/07/19

Ratings

• A1 – Very good, could play higher
• A2 – Strong potential to play higher
• B1 – Good, strong player at level
• B2 – Potential to be strong player at level
• C – Average for the level, rewatch
• D – Below average, don’t follow up

Josef Martinez

Player profile:

• Nationality: Venezuelan
• Age: 26
• Date of birth: 19/05/1993
• Current Club: Atlanta United
• Career: Caracas, Young Boys, Thun (L), Torino, Atlanta United
• Position: Striker
• Secondary position: Left Wing and 10
• Preferred foot: Right

The prolific MLS goalscorer Josef Martinez put in a performance of the highest order against a 10 man Houston Dynamo side. Martinez was a class above the rest with his pace, close control and finishing causing all sorts of problems for the opposition defence. Technically, Martinez showed great skill with the ball at his feet in the final third (especially to net his second of the evening) and often looked to combine with his teammates with intricate passing moves. His movement was another real threat as he was alive to any opportunities that presented themselves and this proved vital to his first goal as he peeled off the back of the central defender to head home. Martinez can struggle in phsyical battles and wasn’t quite on the same wavelength as his teammates on occasion with some loose passes but overall it was an impressive perfromance from the Venezuelan forward who could have had 4 or 5 by the end of the match.

Rating: A2

Brandon Vazquez

Player profile:

• Nationality: American
• Age: 21
• Date of birth: 14/10/1998
• Current Club: FC Cincinnati
• Career: Tijuana (Y), Atlanta United, FC Cincinnati
• Position: Striker
• Secondary position: Right Wing
• Preferred foot: Left

Vázquez played as the strike partner to Martinez and showed brief glimpses of quality as he grew into the game as it progressed. He misplaced several passes and struggled with the ball at his feet in the opening stages of the match, but was then able to get on the scoresheet with an instinctive finish from point blank range. From then on he seemed to grow in confidence, dropping deeper to join in with team moves, showing no fear to turn and have a strike on goal from outside the penalty area with some success. He took up some nice positions in the final thrid and linked up well with his teammates. Physically, Vázquez stands at 6’3 and has a strong build which he could have put to use more in the game. Overall, the American put in a mixed performance with some improvement required.

Rating: C

Emerson Hyndman

Player profile:

• Nationality: American
• Age: 24
• Date of birth: 09/04/1996
• Current Club: Atlanta United
• Career: FC Dallas (Y), Fulham, AFC Bournemouth, Rangers (L), Hibernian (L), Atlanta United
• Position: Central Midfield
• Secondary position: 10
• Preferred foot: Right

On his Atlanta United debut, Hyndman put in a fairly impressive and consistent performance throughout. The most impressive part of his game on the night was his movement that caused real problems for the Houston defence, as he frequently drifted wide or into gaps between the opposition midfield and defensive lines to pick up the ball in dangerous areas. His passing was crisp and for the most part accurate and he was competent with the ball at his feet, whilst his link up play in the final third often created opportunities for his teammates. Physically he lacks some strength and he was turned too easily in midfield on occasion before being substituted after an hour. Hyndman showed his good footballing brain on the night in a promising performance.

Rating: B1

Julian Gressel

Player profile:

• Nationality: German
• Age: 26
• Date of birth: 16/12/1993
• Current Club: DC United
• Career: TSV Neudstadt, Eintracht Bamberg, Atlanta United, DC United
• Position: Right Midfield
• Secondary position: Right Back and Central Midfield
• Preferred foot: Right

Gressel played as a right wing back in Atlanta United’s 3-5-2 system against Houston Dynamo on an evening where he really showed his quality. From the first minute, the German made some impressive passes into the forwards and made some lung bursting runs to stretch the play down the right hand side of the field. With little defensive work to do, Gressel’s role was primarily offensive in nature and he seemed to thrive in that position, persistently hugging the touchline and putting in some dangerous deliveries for Vázquez and Martinez. His final ball varied in quality throughout the match, with some poor set piece deliveries and wayward crosses, but also some very clever disguised passes into the penalty area and some perfectly waited deliveries such as a perfect ball over the top to assist Martinez. Gressel, who is of average build, posed a real threat from the right hand side and wrapped a good performamce up with an emphatic volley in the closing stages.

Rating: B1

Dion Pereira

Player profile:

• Nationality: English
• Age: 21
• Date of birth: 25/03/1999
• Current Club: Free Agent
• Career: Watford (Y), Atlanta United
• Position: Left Wing
• Preferred foot: Left

Dion Pereira put in a mixed performance for Atlanta United, showing some really good skill but also making some occasional errors. The young English winger thrives when he has ball at his feet and is driving at defenders and he used his great turn of pace and impressive skills to create some good openings for his side. Playing as a left wing back on the night, it was a slightly unfamiliar role for Pereira but following Houston’s early red card he had little to do in the way of defensive duties. The quality of his final ball was varied but he put some good deliveries in to the strikers and made some clever cut backs to set up his teammates.

Without the ball at his feet, Pereira seems to switch off, with fairly average movement and he was caught on his heels on occasion. He also sometimes showed a tendency to overplay but for the most part managed to find his way out of trouble. Physically Pereira is fairly slight in build but has a good turn of pace and his stature suits him as a wide player. An inconsistent but lively performance from the young wide player.

Rating: B2

Miles Robinson

Player profile:

• Nationality: American
• Age: 23
• Date of birth: 14/03/1997
• Current Club: Atlanta United
• Career: FC Boston, Atlanta United, Charleston Battery (L)
• Position: Central Defender
• Preferred foot: Right

Despite his side winning 5-0, it was an underwhelming defensive performance from Miles Robinson. The American rarely showed awareness of the whereabouts of the opposition forward, whilst regularly failing to check his shoulder. As a result, on a couple of occasions he was lucky that he was not at fault for his side conceding. In one incident in the second half, he misjudged the flight of the ball and his opponents position and was somewhat fortunate that a penalty was not awarded for his attempt at a recovery tackle. With the ball at his feet he seemed competent with some confident passes out from the back under little pressure and physically he is perfect for his role, standing tall, with a strong stature, and a good burst of pace. Overall a disappointing display from the young American.

Rating: C