Predicting Atlanta United’s 11 vs. Colorado

My take on predicting Atlanta United’s starting 11 vs. Colorado.

My take on predicting Atlanta United’s starting 11 vs. Colorado.

Atlanta United’s 2-1 loss at D.C. United on Wednesday, combined with rules governing the U.S. Open Cup, which the team will play in again next Wednesday, means the predicted 11 for Saturday’s game at Colorado may be a bit of a mess.

I didn’t know this until someone pointed it out on social media, but in the U.S. Open Cup, “professional teams may have no more than 5 foreign players listed (on game roster).”

Atlanta United starts as many as seven, and sometimes eight, international players.

If Gerardo Martino can only start five next Wednesday at Miami, that frees him to use most of them on Saturday against Colorado, instead of resting them in anticipation of the U.S. Open Cup game.

This was an interesting exercise because if, for example, Martino has no plans to play Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (an international) at Miami on Wednesday, would the team be better served by starting Miles Robinson on Saturday against Colorado to get him more game action?

In theory, sure.

Practically, it's unlikely to happen because Pirez is the team's tallest and best defender. Colorado is very good at scoring on crosses. Atlanta United must get three points from the game. Playing Robinson, who has one start this season, probably isn't the best move to increase the probability of victory.

You’ll probably notice I don’t have Tyrone Mears in the lineup. That’s a reflection of me thinking he may need a break, and to give Mark Bloom some game time before Wednesday’s match, in which I assume he will start. He started the first U.S. Open Cup game.