The transfer window always brings a plethora of emotions for soccer fans around the world, and this winter is no different. Miles Robinson is moving to MLS rivals FC Cincinnati on a one-year contract with an option to extend the deal through 2025. While the move is obviously sad for Atlanta United fans, the 6-foot-2 center-back moving on will have implications far beyond making Brad Guzan the lone remaining 2018 MLS Cup winner on the roster.
What the Move Means For Miles
This move is one of opportunity for Miles Robinson as he looks to punch his ticket to Europe. While I am sad to see him go, I am even more excited to see what the future holds as the USMNT center-back thoroughly deserves to get a shot to earn a spot in Europe. This deal is clearly aimed at making that move as easy as possible for any potential European suitors. Miles will get the chance to play with the Supporter's Shield winners and line up alongside Matt Miazga who, if he can avoid weird confrontations in the refs' locker room, is a very good center-back partner for Miles to play alongside. The two are USMNT compatriots and Miazga is a large reason for Cincinnati being 8th best in the league in terms of goals against while still being an attacking team. The contract also makes sense as, while he is making less, Atlanta wanted to tie him down for several years which would make a transfer to Europe more difficult.
Also, can we just appreciate his message after leaving, I know it is just PR, but Miles' note is very classy and heartfelt and made me at least tear up a little.
What the Move Means For Atlanta
Now that Miles is officially out the door, the front office needs to get busy with making acquisitions. The team is moving closer to signing Stian Gregersen but has not yet made anything official and he is the only defender the team has been linked with by reputable sources as of yet. Gregersen looks like a very solid defender who is a good ball player and has done well in France, which has been a successful feeding ground recently, but Atlanta will need more than one 6-foot-3 Norwegian if they want a strong defense to rely on. I am not a proponent of Italian defensive battles but it is important for Atlanta to rectify their sub-par defense if the team is going to make any sort of push in either the MLS or Leagues Cup, even if Almada stays.
I think the team needs at least two more defenders to be able to put any kind of consistent defensive product on the field in 2024. If the team were to play tomorrow, Pineda's best option in defense would be a back four of Wiley, Abram, Cobb, and Lennon. The wingers are great for MLS, I am happy with Brooks and Caleb and they have support on the wings from the attacking players but the Luis Abram and Noah Cobb center-back pairing would be disastrous. Noah Cobb has potential but can by no means be called up to the first team regularly and Luis Abram, despite being preferred over Juanjo by Pineda, gives me very little confidence. Abram isn't terribly fast, or dominant in the air, or smart at positioning but is just a perfectly fine depth defender to allow for rotation in the back. This is why Pineda needs two good defensive acquisitions, Stian Gregersen and a mystery man, to be able to put up a fight this year.