Struggles of Atlanta United and Miguel Almirón are real

Six years and thousands of minutes of playing in the Premier League and for Paraguay will do that.

Still, only three goals. Just one primary assist. This Atlanta United team, which was so dynamic in 2017 and ‘18, is closer to the bottom of the MLS Supporters’ Shield standings (eight points) this season than it is to competing for a playoff spot (11 points). It has scored only 22 goals in 19 matches. Almirón’s struggles exemplify, but aren’t the cause of, the team’s.

“I think I’m the first one who has to improve, to help the team, to help the club, and that’s what I’m working toward,” Almirón said Thursday ahead of Saturday’s match at D.C. United. “And I think the good moments will come.”

Almirón’s struggles at least in impactful stats, are clear.

He hasn’t assisted on a goal since the season’s first match. He was credited with two secondary assists, or a pass before the pass that leads to a goal, in later matches. That’s a stat unique to MLS.

His three goals are from a header, a penalty kick and a deflection in front of goal that was more about the shot hitting him than him hitting the shot. He hasn’t scored in his past seven appearances. His last goal, the deflection against Nashville, is the last time he surpassed 0.36 expected goals in a match, despite playing as an attacking midfielder or striker in most of those matches. He has played every minute of those seven matches.

Manager Ronny Deila has tried playing him on the right wing, at attacking midfielder and sometimes as a second striker.

Deila on Thursday said Almirón’s game isn’t about goals or assists, per se.

“That has never been his game,” Deila said. “He likes to receive the ball. He likes to build up. He has a lot of second assists. So he can build play. And then we have others that has to attack space. We are working with him, that he has to also get into box and finish.”

Because Almirón is a Designated Player, goals and assists are part of expectation, though.

Almirón has gone through goalless droughts before.

He had one stretch of nine matches without a goal in 2018 and a 12-match doughnut that was preceded earlier by an eight-match scoreless appearance streak in 2017.

That wasn’t as big of a deal then because expectations were still being set, especially in the 2017 inaugural season. That team also was filled with scorers whom Almirón was there to complement, which as Deila said, is his strength. Almirón scored 22 goals and had 30 assists during his two MLS Best XI seasons, which resulted in him being sold to Newcastle before the 2019 season for more than $20 million, then an MLS record.

Six years later, Atlanta United bought him back on a contract through 2027 with an option for ‘28. Though 31 years old, he is the fourth-highest paid player in MLS, according to the Major League Players Association.

Because of his success in his first stint, and at Newcastle where he scored 30 goals with 22 assists in 223 appearances, expectations were that Almirón would step in and be similar to the player he was in his first stint. Not exactly the same because he is older and not as quick, but his wisdom and experience from playing in the Premier League would result in different impactful contributions.

Almirón was signed to play on the right wing, with Saba Lobjanidze sacrificing by moving to the left despite leading the team in goals and tying tor the lead in assists in 2024. Both, along with striker Emmanuel Latte Lath, were going to be runners to take advantage of Alexey Miranchuk’s passing ability in the center of the pitch as the attacking midfielder. President Garth Lagerwey made it clear that was the plan for Deila.

Almirón understood the plan, too.

“I’ll play wherever the coach plays me, but you can always count on that motivation to play,” Almirón said at his introductory news conference in January at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Sporting Director Chris Henderson, also at the news conference, said, “He’s the type of player that sacrifices for the team, but I think that’s what you want in your Designated Players to be leaders like that. And I think that’s where he’s matured when he’s been away. You can see him on the field, directing, telling people where to go. That shows his leadership and experience. It is a different team. But we are building a team step by step here, and we want to make sure that we get each step along the way.”

It became clear in the fourth preseason friendly match, Almirón’s first with the team, that he, either by choice, instinct or a lack of time with the coaches, wanted to play inside as either a second attacking midfielder or the attacking midfielder.

He kept leaving the wing and drifting into the same spaces that Miranchuk was supposed to occupy. Instead of a 4-3-3 formation, it became a 4-3-2-1, which wasn’t what the team was training.

“He has a meaning on what he’s doing,” Deila said after that match. “You know these players, as long as they work hard, you need to give them some freedom, and he finds spaces, and we are also better to give him the ball in these spaces, then he will be even more dangerous. So that’s a little bit by him. But at the same time, he knows that he needs to be close to his position as well.”

Deila’s answer made sense. It was Almirón’s first preseason match. He was learning his teammates and coaches. They were learning him. It didn’t seem to be worrisome.

The team started the season well, scoring three goals in the season-opening win against Montreal. Almirón assisted Edwin Mosquera’s game-winning goal in the 85th minute. It was one of two chances he created. The other three players in the attacking fork also played well. Latte Lath opened the scoring with an assist from Lobjanidze, and scored a second. Miranchuk created one scoring opportunity.

It was a promising display, especially considering that the group didn’t play together for a single minute in a preseason friendly.

But then the troubles started bubbling with consecutive shutouts against Charlotte and the New York Red Bulls.

Almirón continued to drift inside, leaving the right wing unoccupied on defense and as a passing outlet. He would sometimes receive the ball in the middle of the pitch, turn and there be no one to pass to on the wing. He created only one chance in the two matches. He took seven shots whose expected goals totaled 0.35. Low-percentage efforts. The rest of the quartet took 12 shots. Still, perhaps Almirón’s occupying of defenders helped his teammates. Miranchuk created six chances. Lobjanidze created four.

Again, they didn’t get to play together during the preseason. Shutouts happen in soccer. The stats weren’t bad for the other three. Almirón was getting into shooting positions.

The team scored seven goals in the next three matches, a 2-1 loss to Inter Miami, a 2-2 draw at Cincinnati and a 4-3 triumph over NYCFC on March 29.

It appeared that Deila and the quartet were starting to figure things out. Latte Lath scored a goal in each match. Miranchuk scored against NYCFC. Lobjanidze had one primary assist and one secondary assist. Almirón scored a goal against NYCFC and had a secondary assist on a Latte Lath goal against Inter Miami.

After the NYCFC match, Almirón said he’d rather play as the 10.

“I feel much better there,” he said. “I get on the ball a little more. I think the team also had more confidence, and we were able to tie the game quickly.”

Atlanta United failed to win its next two matches. It scored only one goal, coming in a 1-1 draw with Dallas on April 5. It created 20 chances but put only seven shots on goal from its 29 shots.

The totals from that five-match stretch:

Deila said before the April 19 match at Philadelphia that Almirón needed to stay on the wing and be patient.

“He knows that, and that’s to trust the team that they will give him the ball, and if they don’t, it’s not his mistake, it’s not his fault,” Deila said before the match at Philadelphia. “It’s my fault. Because if we just start to do what we see in the picture, then players, all the players, don’t see what they should see, and then they become insecure, and when we lose the ball, we are out of positions. So that is something we have talked about.”

Almirón acknowledged Thursday that he was moving inside intentionally and gave the reason why.

“I’m a player who just likes to try to be involved,” he said. “And sometimes, when I’m playing out there, I can get desperate when the ball is not reaching me. So it all comes from just the motivation of trying to help the team and trying to connect with the guys around me. Connect with Manu (Latte Lath), connect with Alexey.”

Atlanta United was shut out in its next two matches after Dallas, at Philadelphia and at Orlando on April 26. The team created 10 chances against the Union and eight against the Lions. Almirón had only one of the 18. He took seven shots in the two matches. One was on goal.

The team scored one goal in its next match, a 1-1 tie with Nashville. The goal was Almirón’s deflection.

Deila elected to change the formation from two centerbacks to three centerbacks to shore up a porous defense for the next match, at Chicago on May 10. Deila elected to move Almirón inside as an attacking midfielder/second striker. There was no other position within the formation for Almirón. Miranchuk was moved to a deeper position.

Everything the team worked on in the preseason was changed out of necessity. The defense was being blistered, with 20 goals allowed. The offense couldn’t function, with five shutouts in 11 matches.

The 5-3-2 became the team’s base formation. The team cratered over the next eight matches.

The offense was shut out four more times and scored six goals. Moving to three centerbacks did push the fullbacks into wingbacks higher up the field, but it also took away a midfielder for Almirón and/or Miranchuk to connect with.

The numbers in that eight-match stretch:

It can be argued that dropping Miranchuk slightly deeper into the formation seems to have helped him. It also would be interesting to see if Deila moves Almirón to stay on the wing and moves Miranchuk back to the attacking midfielder, how that might affect the offense. Would Miranchuk continue to produce? Would it jump-start Almirón? Would it get Latte Lath, who hasn’t scored in 12 appearances, going?

Almirón said he’s ready to do whatever is asked, similar to what was said during his introductory news conference.

“I have a lot of motivation to help my teammates, to help the team,” he said. “I love this club, and when we lose, it hurts me more than anybody because I want to win for this club, for the fans. I want to see everybody happy. That’s what gives me that motivation. I’m still going to work hard and do everything I can to help the club.”