Understanding Before Results

Preseason results are not the point.

Preseason understanding is.

Atlanta United’s 4–0 win over Lexington SC on Friday mattered less because of the scoreline and more because of how clearly ideas were communicated, absorbed, and executed in the club’s first match environment under Tata Martino.

This was not a performance defined by chaos or experimentation. It was defined by recognition. Players consistently arrived in the same spaces at the same moments, reacted collectively to turnovers, and made decisions that reflected shared expectations rather than individual guesswork. For a group only a couple of weeks into a new staff’s tenure, that level of cohesion stood out.

That kind of clarity does not happen organically. It comes from coaching ideas that are specific, repeatable, and understood well enough to be applied in live situations.

Alexey Miranchuk scored twice for Atlanta United on Friday against Lexington (photo: Sofia Cupertino for the SDH Network)

Playing Through Pressure With Purpose

Lexington pressed early and did so with intent. Atlanta’s response revealed a great deal about where this group is headed.

Rather than defaulting to conservative clearances or slow circulation, Atlanta played through pressure with composure. That required more than technical ability. It required players to understand where support would be before the ball arrived. Passing angles appeared on time. Spacing stayed connected. The buildup reflected planning rather than improvisation.

The counter-press reinforced that theme. When possession was lost, the response was immediate and coordinated. Players did not chase the ball individually. They stepped into lanes, closed space collectively, and trusted that teammates would cover the next action. This was not frantic energy. It was organized aggression.

The fullbacks pushing forward aggressively, often at the same time, further illustrated the trust within the structure. That level of commitment only works when the group understands how the rest of the team adjusts behind it. On Friday, those adjustments were already visible.

A Midfield Built on Function, Not Labels

Atlanta’s midfield structure offered one of the clearest examples of ideas being applied rather than tested.

There was no traditional No. 10. Instead, three central midfielders operated with responsibilities defined by game phases rather than fixed positions. With Alexey Miranchuk and Miguel Almirón occupying creative spaces higher up, the midfield focused on balance, tempo control, and providing access points.

Tomás Jacob’s role highlighted that approach. His movement between midfield and the defensive line was deliberate and responsive to cues. He dropped between center backs during buildup, shifted laterally to relieve pressure, and provided cover that allowed others to push forward. That kind of role requires conceptual understanding. It is less about where you start and more about recognizing when to move.

Those recognitions were consistent across the first half, allowing Atlanta to progress the ball with intention rather than urgency.

Context Matters in How Ideas Appear

It is also important to frame this performance within the realities Atlanta faced entering the match.

Luke Brennan consistently asked questions on the left side in the first half (photo: Sofia Cupertino)

With Latte Lath unavailable as a true No. 9 and listed as day-to-day with injury, and Saba Lobjanidze also sidelined, Atlanta was missing two players who would typically anchor the attacking structure. Jamal Thiaré had not trained with the group after reporting later than the rest of the squad, and trade discussions with the Columbus Crew are ongoing, according to weekend reports.

Those absences required a solution.

Miranchuk playing as the nominal No. 9 was not a long-term declaration. It was a practical response to a short-term availability issue. What made it significant was how well the solution functioned within the broader ideas Martino and his staff are installing.

Miranchuk would never be described as a typical No. 9, but he did not purely play as a false 9 and vacate the central attacking channels either. His two goals were classic striker actions, arriving in the box with timing and composure. At the same time, he regularly dropped into midfield, connected play, and drew defenders out of shape. Those movements opened central lanes for Miguel Almirón to attack, directly contributing to multiple goals. The actions were not improvised. They were recognized, anticipated, and supported by teammates around him.

Martino later noted that the staff has been working on the relationship between Miranchuk and Almirón in training, specifically how their movements can complement each other. What began as necessity created a new option. One that may not replace a traditional striker when everyone is healthy, but one that now exists as a functional alternative.

That is how preseason understanding becomes value.

Relationships Over Positions

The attacking structure consistently reinforced Martino’s emphasis on relationships rather than rigid positional play.

Miguel Almirón was flying on Friday against Lexington (photo: Sofia Cupertino)

Almirón’s influence went beyond his two goals. His movement into channels, pressure off the ball, and willingness to combine set the tone. The coordination between him and Miranchuk reflected players learning each other’s tendencies rather than staying locked into predefined lanes.

That philosophy extended to the wings. Instructions given to Santiago Pita underscored the point. Start wide, but do not stay there. Find space inside. Create numerical advantages. Trust that the structure will reset behind you.

Offensively, positions functioned as reference points. Defensively, responsibilities remained clear and uncompromising. That balance between freedom and discipline has long defined Martino’s teams, and it was already evident in this first outing.

Consistency Across the Roster

The second half provided further confirmation.

With an almost entirely new lineup on the field, Atlanta’s approach did not change. The spacing, pressing triggers, and tempo control remained consistent. That points less to individual quality and more to shared understanding across the group.

Adrian Gill showed well in his first minutes with Atlanta United (photo: Sofia Cupertino)

Adrian Gill’s debut showcased technical quality and quick decision-making, but just as importantly, his choices fit within the team’s rhythm. Will Reilly provided positional calm. Santiago Pita and Enzo Dovlo brought directness without disconnecting from the collective. The ideas held because they were understood, not because the personnel stayed the same.

Martino spoke afterward about internal competition and hunger. Friday showed that competition is being built within a common framework. Players are pushing for minutes, but they are doing so inside clearly defined principles.

What This Performance Actually Tells Us

It is a January match. Conclusions should remain measured.

But it is fair to note when a team looks like it understands what it is trying to do.

Atlanta United did not look like a group searching for identity. They looked like a group learning to execute one. The spacing, the counter-press, the positional rotations, and the adaptability to roster constraints all reflected ideas that have been communicated clearly and absorbed quickly.

The upcoming matches in Texas will provide more demanding tests. The margins will narrow. The decisions will be harder. That is where understanding either holds or fractures.

Friday was simply the first evidence that the message is getting through.

And at this stage of preseason, that may be the most important takeaway of all.