Miguel Almiron makes Atlanta United return in win against New England

“Defensively, we are very, very solid,” he said. “We don’t give away anything. Offensively, we have things to work on, also heavy legs and a little bit of a bumpy pitch so it’s not so easy to get out their high pressure. I think we will see more offensively going forward.”

Almiron, who helped lead Atlanta United to the MLS Cup in 2018 before he was sold to Newcastle, showed some signs of what he used to do as an attacking midfielder. There were a few long runs. There were a few insightful passes.

“He’s giving energy to everybody,” Deila said. “He’s very smart. Unbelievable touches. He presses and it’s easy to follow him when he goes. So he will add so much to our team. Of course, the role model he is with being professional, how he trains, takes care of himself. So you have everything in him.”

Atlanta United’s starting 11 included Almiron at right wing, Saba Lobjandize at left wing in support of Thiare, with Bartosz Slisz, Klich and Alexey Miranchuk in the midfield, Domink Chong Qui and Ronald Hernandez as fullbacks, Derrick Williams and Luis Abram as centerbacks, and Brad Guzan in goal.

Atlanta United took a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute on a header by Thiare. Miranchuk’s curling free kick to the back post resulted in him getting the assist. Slisz won the free kick about 20 yards from goal.

Thiare said he started his run toward the near post before cutting back toward the back post.

“I wanted to help my team, to help myself, and wanted to score because I needed it,” Thiare said. “I’ve play three games and hadn’t scored.”

Deila said that the team hasn’t spent much time working on set pieces. The team has already scored a few goals using them during the preseason.

“I think the deliveries has been very good, and also we are much tougher inside the box,” he said. “Now, you can play as good as you want out there, but inside these two boxes, that’s where you win or lose the games. So I think you see also in our own box, we defend better, and we are aggressive. We celebrate when we are blocking shots. I like that.”

Atlanta United put three shots on goal in the first half. New England had one.

Almiron started on the right wing but frequently drifted inside to play as a second attacking midfielder alongside Miranchuk.

“I think he got a little bit by himself, but that’s OK because he has a meaning in what he’s doing,” Deila said. “These players, as long as they work hard, you need to give them some freedom. And he finds spaces. And when we are better to give him the ball in these spaces, then he will be more dangerous. So that’s a little bit by him. But at the same time, he knows that he needs to be a be close to his position, as well.”

Klich made it 2-0 in the 56th minute with a shot into the corner. The goal came from an unforced New England turnover that put Miranchuk in on goal. His chip beat the goalkeeper but a retreating defender cleared it off the line. Atlanta United won the loose ball and Klich finished the play.

Josh Cohen replaced Guzan to start the second half. That was followed in the 69th minute by many more.

Efrain Morales and Noah Cobb came as centerbacks. Ronan Wynne and Will Reilly as fullbacks, Jay Fortune and Tristan Muyumba as the holding midfielders, Edwin Mosquera and Luke Brennan as the wingers, Xande Silva as the attacking midfielder and Cayman Togashi as the striker.

The last thing that Deila said he is enjoying isn’t something that he’s seeing, but what he’s hearing. He said the players are communicating on the field where they need to be. He said it was very quiet in the first training sessions.

The players know what is expected and the intensity they are supposed to play with, according to Deila. That intensity and the communication is allowing them to react well when they win the ball or lose it and are trying to get it back.

“So that is the foundation,” he said.