Atlanta United Adds To Bob Bradley's Woes With A Hard-Fought 1-0 Win.
Here are my short takes from yesterday's 1-0 win over LAFC:
Before an announced crowd of 67,503 (note: many no-shows), Josef Martinez scored his third goal in his last three appearances. Marcelino Moreno's direct ball to a streaking Ezequiel Barco beat LAFC's two defenders, with Barco then putting Josef in a perfect position to finish. All of us would enjoy seeing more of that Moreno-Barco-Josef combination.
Rob Valentino - what can you say about him stepping in and making a positive impression with the Club? How about many good things? New hire manager Gonzalo Pineda, formerly Seattle manager Brian Schmetzer's assistant, will happily add Valentino to his staff, which will allow for a smooth transition. Sure, Pineda needs to put his mark on his players but not without regard to what Valentino has been able to do.
As new designated player Luis Araujo comes into the fold (yes, the State Department has their hands full with approving a few important visas) he will enjoy the upbeat and positive attitude from both Pineda, Valentino, and the player pool. Already practicing at the Five Stripes' training ground, one can only think that adding him the triumvirate of Moreno, Barco, and Josef will help Atlanta get above the playoff line.
After nineteen games, Atlanta sits in 9th place at 4-6-9 with 21 points. They host a weak Toronto team Wednesday night before they travel to D.C. on Saturday. I would think Atlanta comes out of this two-game set with a minimum of four points as they keep focus on the 7th and final playoff spot.
That is my take, what is yours? @gary1123 justmytake.net
Photo credit: MLSMultiplex