The Forward Press: ATO look to continue winning ways against Valour
Atlético Ottawa return to TD Place having won only one of the last four matches at home, but coming off a 3-0 win in BC and considering its sterling record against Valour this season, Carlos González will be looking to turn the tides on friendly ground. Valour FC come to Ottawa having suffered a 3-1 loss at the hands of fellow basement dwellers Halifax Wanderers, a loss which saw the Winnipeg side sink to the bottom of the league. The two sides could not be farther from each other, with ATO still sitting pretty at the top of the table, and the record this season between the two clubs reflects that, with Atleti scoring eleven goals head-to-head and conceding none. A back-to-back win and favourable results elsewhere could put Atleti eight points clear at the top of the table to kick off the second half of the season.
The Quotes: Carlos González
On one win at home in the last four: “This morning we spoke about [being] a team that aspires to do big things, We have to make our home a fortress. It's not a good record to only win one game in the last four. So what we have to do is show our best level, forget a little bit the opponent. I'm thinking more on us, on ourselves, and getting into the field with the appropriate mentality to change that tendency and to win three points.”
On the suspension of Matteo de Brienne: “It's a pity that Matteo is not playing the next game. But I think it's a critical aspect to have depth in all positions…It's very important to have players that are versatile and can play in different positions. We've been trying different solutions for this game, and we have a couple of good ones, so we will decide finally tomorrow which one is the best one that will suit the game.”
On Tyr Walker proving a credible option in filling the 96 U21 minutes required per match for the rest of the season: “I think that the level that he showed last game was the level that we are demanding in every single player on the field. And so why not? I think that the young guys are giving the right steps. Gabby is showing good levels since the beginning. Tyr is showing that he's capable of giving a good level for the team in defense. And Zachary Roy, we are working hard on him so that he can get into the standards that we're looking for. I don't think it's a very big amount. I'm not worried at all about that.”
On Valour facing a quick turnaround playing on Thursday: “I think that it's mental. Sometimes if you have more than 72 hours to recover, scientifically, you are prepared to play the next game, so they will have it. Sometimes teams need, after a defeat, an early game. I don't think that's a bad thing for them. What we have to try to do is focus on ourself, think on giving our best, and push every single minute.”
The Talking Point: Fullback Frailty
One of the biggest benefits of Atleti’s busy offseason has been in the bolstering of the fullback position. With Kris Twardek and Matteo de Brienne joining ahead of this season, Atleti have found what is quite likely the strongest fullback pairing in the CPL right now. Matteo de Brienne in particular can be proud of his season so far which has seen him pick up numerous inclusions in the team of the week. Last year's young player of the season also ranks second in interceptions in the league this year and leads his team in duels won (81).
Without the two fullbacks however, things have not been all sunshine and rainbows. Atleti has only won 50% of the 6 matches in which one of de Brienne or Twardek hasn’t started, the most recent of which being the 2-1 loss to York which saw Abou Sissoko look out of his depth deputizing at right back. Now with all signs pointing to Max Tissot still on the IR and Abou Sacko no longer an Atlético Ottawa player, Carlos González will have to dig deep into his bag of tricks to find “different solutions.”
With Singh, Walker and Đidić all in good form, one such solution could see ATO revert to the back three, relieving some defensive pressure off of the makeshift wideman on the left by inserting another centreback to replace the suspended MdB. Luke Singh has also played left back twice in his career, while González could very well force one of his numerous (if inexperienced) right backs across to their opposite side. Either way, with very few left-footers on the team, it will be interesting to see who González deputizes the tall job of standing in for Matteo de Brienne.
About the Author
Ben Ralph is a die-hard football fan and a journalism student at Carleton. He has been supporting Everton through the ups and downs (but mostly the downs) and could not believe his luck when he stumbled across Atlético Ottawa in 2021. Now part of the Atleti faithful, his dream has always been to write football stories, and he is excited to join other fans as writers for CCSG. His football journalist idols are Adam Hurrey, James Richardson, and Charlie Eccleshare from The Football Cliches Podcast.
