Two players who were important starters during Atlanta United’s playoff upset of Miami last season find themselves facing different scenarios this preseason.
Midfielder Jay Fortune, who was described by Dax McCarty as one of the team’s more important players, is in a competition with Tristan Muyumba, Bartosz Slisz, Mateusz Klich, who was acquired in a trade with D.C. United, and two Homegrown signees for a starting role. Ronald Hernandez, who replaced Brooks Lennon, seems like a lock to start at right fullback, unless Noah Cobb, who will be tried at out the position, surprises in a new position.
“Last year’s in the past, new coach, so obviously it’s a different mindset,” Fortune said. “Everybody kind of starts from zero. We want to come in every day to work, to earn the spot. And I enjoy the competition. We have a very competitive midfield, so it’ll be a lot of hard work from all of us.”
Fortune, a Homegrown signee, had 13 starts as part of 27 appearances last season with one goal and two assists. He said one of his goals this season is to improve his goal contributions. He didn’t want to reveal his goal, saying it could increase.
The team has been working on defending the middle of the pitch, where Fortune and others will patrol. Fortune said some aspects are being learned quicker than others, but the team is spending a lot of time watching film and honing the tactics.
“It’s not gonna be something that’s picked up the first day,” Fortune said. “You can slowly start to see the improvements that are being made. It’s a smart group that wants to continue to keep putting the work in, on and off the field, all the video we’ve been doing, I think we’ll be right.”
Hernandez and Atlanta United agreed to a reworked contract so that he could return this season. The team originally declined the option on his contract. The decision by both parties to negotiate may have been affected by the shoulder injury suffered by Lennon in Game 1 against Miami. He underwent shoulder surgery that will result in him missing the preseason, according to President Garth Lagerwey.
Hernandez is the only experienced right-sided fullback on the team, though it is expected to acquire another fullback. He made 123 appearances, including seven starts, last season. Hernandez will compete with Cobb and Matthew Edwards, a Homegrown signee who signed with the club last season.
“This is the beautiful thing about football,” Hernandez said. “Everyone is working on the same page, trying to have the same opportunities, and then we will see. The only thing I can tell you is that, of course, I wish to start the season and play as much as I want. I have been at the club a while, so yeah, I’m excited. I’m doing my job, and then the final decision is not in my hands, right?”
Deila prefers to play with two centerbacks and two fullbacks. Hernandez said the team has been working on overlaps, where the fullback runs either inside or around the winger on their side to try to create a numerical advantage or to create gaps in the opponent’s formation by forcing a defender to move with them.
Hernandez said one of the keys to making that work is by creating trust, which has been one of things that Deila has trying to build.
“We need to be in the same page, my winger and myself, to try to unbalance the opponent on the sides,” Hernandez said.
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