What can you ask from a squad that started making waves as big as the ones we see in tsunamis, with a one of a kind campaign in the field and in the box office, breaking all sorts of attendance records?
The answer relies among the giants of the South in MLS newcomers Atlanta United.
With a grand and wondrous debut in 2017 and coming as an expansion side, the Five Stripes did the ultimate of efforts by getting into the league postseason in their first time in league play.
Ever since their foundation in 2014, the club top brass directed by NFL Falcons owner and visionary Arthur Blank swore to deliver a top of the line squad and make a contender of not a belligerent squad to become with time the tops in league play.
Still the Atlanta side in their debut not only finishing in fourth place but also making the postseason, losing in the first round to the Columbus Crew side and leaving all of their hopes of making a decorous run possibly making it into the Eastern Conference finals.
That is the game and the United Boys were to wrap this up and go home and prepare for 2018.
Something that their manager the great Tata Martino is building on his last campaign experience in building a total contender and making this Georgia squad into an all-around contender in this and many more campaigns to come.
As last campaign with a destructive frontal attack headed by Yamil Assad, Hector Villalba, Josef Martinez, alongside Carlos Carmona, Miguel Almiron to mention a few that uplifted the United side to a prolific campaign.
So far, in the preseason Atlanta United is building a contender squad for this 2018, and focusing their shopping spree on all of South America and by netting many important players to reinforce every spot in their initial eleven.
Despite their early exit from the postseason, this Southern squad displaces the likes of Seattle Sounders from the top of the league top attendance squads, ending a long reign the Emerald City squad had ever since their inception to MLS.
This in its majority to its diehard supporters group in the Terminus Legion becoming very vocal for their support and with their numbers multiplying these easily can equal and become among the best groups in the Union, like the ones in the Pacific Northwest.
Averaging a whopping record in league play of 71, 874 in a couple of matches in this campaign against the champions Toronto FC and Orlando FC, as well in their previous home in Bobby Dodd Stadium, that netted them this honor.
Still this squad is not giving up on their efforts of this time going all the way, among one of their top moves were to bring the likes of Darlington Nagbe from Portland Timbers and from SKC the likes of Kevin Oliveira and Tyler Pasher, adding more depth to their midfield.
Defensively the additions of goalkeeper FC Cincinnati Mitch Hildebrand and defenders in Venezuelan Jose Hernandez- Caracas FC and Argentinian Franco Escobar- Newell’s Old Boys, the idea of manager Martino in a defensive armada that can institute difficulty to the opposing squads strikers.
In addition, of getting some important players and covering, some areas of much need offensively and defensively for the Atlanta United side, their insistence in getting Argentina’s League Independiente midfielder Ezequiel Barco that after the negotiations failed.
Alongside by permanently inking the likes of Jeff Larentowickz, Greg Garza and new option in the draft picks, so far Carlos Bocanegra the club VP/ TD has done a grand job in assembling an all-around contender.
They are looking forward to close the circle with this important player in what we are looking at the Albicelestes of Major League Soccer a nickname given to Argentina’s National squad that the current Atlanta Boss managed.
At the end if this squad is to make a grand campaign, you are totally right, as these have all the man power to make it all the way to their conference finals with the current squad these have as well finish among the top three in the Eastern Conference.
Look out for Atlanta United as these are looking forward to wipe out all of the competition and start netting some trophies to their halls in Mercedes Benz Stadium, a team worth following very closely in this 2018.
Post Contents and Property of Fern Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved
Photos Credit and Property of Atlanta United FC 2018
Photos Credit and Property of © 2018 Major League Soccer
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