Atlanta United were back in the hunt for a manager to continue to implement the club’s philosophy of playing attractive and expansive football, but also a manager who can impose this style of football on his side whilst competing for major trophies.
Following the departure of Gerardo Martino, the Atlanta board went out and snapped up Frank de Boer to lead the club forward with his possession-style football, all the while developing players from the academy.
However, the current Dutch national team manager’s style was more conservative and dogmatic than it was entertaining, and after a disastrous spell, he was relieved of his duties.
Current Hearts manager Stephen Glass took over as the interim boss for a few months, preparing the team for the new season until a successor for de Boer was named.
Almost five months after the Dutchman was sacked, Atlanta found their man, former Manchester United, and Real Madrid left-back, Gabriel Heinze.
Heinze had made a name for himself as an exciting and young coach during his time at Argentinos Juniors and Velez Sarsfield.
At the former, he led them to two Copa Sudamericana qualifications before resigning.
Heinze has been an outspoken disciple of Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa, and his style of football is very similar to that of a Bielsa team, having played with the influential Argentinian manager at the international level, winning gold at the 2004 Olympics under ‘El Loco’.
So far, Heinze has won two of his three games in charge in competitive competitions, conceding no goals but scoring just two.
His team has been playing a very interesting and exciting style of football.
This article will be a tactical analysis of Atlanta United under Heinze.
It will be an analysis of the tactics that the 42-year-old has deployed with his current side, as well as the team’s strengths and weaknesses.
Gabriel Heinze Formations and lineups
Atlanta have been very fluid in their formations and their tactical switches throughout the first three competitive matches under their new manager.
In the first competitive game of Heinze’s reign against Alajuelense in the CONCACAF Champions League, he deployed a 3-4-3, which quickly changed to a 3-4-2 following the red card to Brad Guzan in the net.
In his second game in charge, the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions League last 16, the side were set up in more of a 4-3-3, which also shifted to a 4-2-3-1 at times throughout the match, similarly to their most recent match, the first of the MLS season, when Heinze’s team switched between the two systems again.
This is what the side looks like in a 3-4-3 formation, assuming this is the starting lineup that Atlanta will use going forward.
The experienced Guzan started in goal in two of the three games so far, protecting the goal behind Anton Walkes, Santiago Sosa and Miles Robinson.
This is a rather young centre-back pairing, but a very promising one at that.
