I hate to start this column talking about a player who was not involved in the grotesque proceedings on display Saturday night, but as the goals continued to pile up and Atlanta’s own ineptitude on the ball was evident continuous throughout the 90 minutes, I couldn’t stop thinking about Almada’s influence.
Almada’s talent is obvious for anyone to see, whether it’s the spectacular free kicks, the close control or the ability to play a teammate in behind the opposing defense. But what’s easy to forget is how ever-present he seems to be, popping up all over the place to helps teammates get out of trouble.