Head Coach Tata Martino is excited about what Atlanta United’s new signing Bobby Boswell brings to the team. Speaking to reporters after training this week, he said he’s pleased with how the club’s first midseason transfer window has transpired.
“[Bobby] is a really experienced player, a good central defender that’s been in the league a long time so he knows the league very well,” Martino said through a translator. “I think he’ll be good support for us, and I think he’ll be able to step in and play well to help us.”
Martino confirmed Boswell is being brought in to play with any of the team’s central defensive options, as opposed to replacing anyone in particular. He also hinted at a tactical flexibility that could be valuable for the team moving forward.
“We could even play with three at the back, that’s possible. If it’s a close game and we’re dealing with long aerial balls, you never know. As a coach you’re always thinking about all the possible solutions of guys who can line up. Maybe there’s a game where it’s the last set piece or we need a goal, so to be able to bring on a player who’s taller and can see out a game, it’s good to have guys who can do that.”
Atlanta United fans will have to wait nearly two weeks to see their club back in action. While Coach Martino said it’s impossible to say whether the break comes at a good time until after the fact, it does offer a good opportunity for the team to get back to full health.
“The first thing we have to do in this short break is recover, because we have a lot of games coming up,” Martino said. “Greg [Garza] is supposed to do as little movement as possible with his shoulder right now, so we’re going to wait a little longer to get him back in training. But with Josef [Martinez], Kenwyne [Jones] and [Mark] Bloom, they’re back doing training on their own right now. They’re not with the team yet but hopefully soon we’ll be able to get them back in the team.”
But Martino pointed out that Atlanta United’s return to action will come sooner than you think, and he has a particular opponent on his mind.
“As we get closer to our next games, we’ll look at each opponent individually and try to figure out what we have to do to win the game. Obviously with D.C. United, it’s a team we have to look closely at because they’re a team that’s beaten us twice now, both home and away.”
The match against D.C. United on August 23rd kicks off a two-game road trip for the Five Stripes, with a match against the Philadelphia Union coming three days later. Atlanta United will then make their debut in Mercedes-Benz Stadium against FC Dallas on September 10th. Tickets for that are sold out, so make sure you have your spot saved for the next match – against the New England Revolution on September 13th – by purchasing your tickets here.
