Two new wingbacks off to solid starts

They do well on offense and defense in scrimmage win.

BRADENTON, FLA. — The worry from Atlanta United’s supporters likely won’t dissipate after one scrimmage, but two of the team’s new wingbacks performed well on offense and defense in Wednesday’s 4-0 win against Philadelphia at IMG Academy.

Tasked with taking over for Julian Gressel,who was traded last week to D.C. United, and Justin Meram, whose contract option was declined, Brooks Lennon and Jake Mulraney combined to total a possible assist (scoring is unofficial because it was a scrimmage), a forced own goal and several plays that put Philadelphia under pressure.

“They bring a lot of great things for our team on the attacking end, and of course they play defense,” central midfielder Emerson Hyndman said. “We like the guys to fly forward when they can. They both have speed and both have vision on crossing. They can both beat a man. They are very dangerous.”

Mulraney, recently signed from Hearts in Scotland’s Premiership and seeing his first action with his new club, created the own goal with a dangerous cross into the box from the left. Philadelphia’s Aurelien Collin turned the ball into the net with a mis-hit clearance.

Mulraney came close to scoring in the 26th minute when, after being put into space by an Ezequiel Barco pass that was started by Lennon winning a duel, he blew past his defender and hit a right-footed shot toward the lower left corner. It was pushed out of bounds for a corner kick.

“If you have like 60-70% ball possession, a guy like Jake can make his oneagainst-one action,” Atlanta United manager Frank de Boer said. “He’s so explosive you want to have him on the wing one on one.”

Mulraney said Tuesday that he is still learning the defensive aspects of being a wingback. He was steady Wednesday. Goalkeeper Brad Guzan and centerback Fernando Meza consistently provided instructions about his positioning and when to press.

Lennon’s work rate may have been the highest among Atlanta United’s players on a warm Wednesday. Even past the 60th minute he was sprinting at opponents, at one point taking on three Union players and forcing a pass back to the goalkeeper.

That came after Lennon made a run in the first half past Aurelien Collin to catch up to a long pass that resulted in a cross to Josef Martinez, whose shot went just wide.

“One of my best attributes is going out there and giving it all I have,” Lennon said. “We worked a lot this week on pressing and pressing together as a block. I recognized that was a good time to go and forced the ball back to the keeper.”

Lennon’s defense hasn’t been the question; it’s the final product on offense that was arguably the biggest question mark about him for three seasons at Real Salt Lake, which traded him to Atlanta United in December 2019.

After Wednesday’s assist, Lennon has two in two games in the preseason. He had 10 in three seasons at Real Salt Lake.

De Boer wants midfielder, winger

With pivotal players flying off Atlanta United’s shelves at a Black Friday pace, de Boer said he would love to have new players in yesterday, but understands there’s a process and pace.

“Every penny has to turn around,” he said. “Agents want more money suddenly, or we are really focused on a player and he goes in a different direction and we have to go to plan B and it’s one or two weeks more.”

Atlanta United’s first Champions League game this season at Motagua in Honduras is less than three weeks away, increasing the urgency to find a new central midfielder and a right winger, which are the areas de Boer said he would like to strengthen. Already sold or traded this offseason by the club are central midfielder Darlington Nagbe to Columbus; wide midfielder/ wingback Julian Gressel to D.C. United; and centerback Leandro Gonzalez Pirez to Tijuana in LIGA MX. Winger Hector Villalba seems likely to soon be sold to a club in Paraguay. Three of those four were starters in the 2018 MLS Cup win against Portland.

De Boer said Tuesday he feels the team is still thin in the middle and on the right. “Most important thing is the midfielder,” he said.