How might Alexey Miranchuk and Miguel Almirón be used together?

Martino said at his introductory news conference that he believes both players can be used in the starting 11. He said Almirón would be given a free rein. The presumption is Miranchuk will continue to play as an attacking midfielder, or perhaps a central midfielder.

It will be fascinating.

Last year’s team was built around Miranchuk. Almirón was added to play on the wing. Emmanuel Latte Lath was bought for an MLS record fee as the striker.

Miranchuk was going to be the hub, playing off Almirón, Latte Lath and Saba Lobjanidze on the other wing.

It didn’t work for lots of reasons, among them Almirón’s preference to play as an attacking midfielder.

This year’s team, under new manager Martino, seems like it will be built around Almirón, based on what Martino has implied, saying Almirón will be given free rein to find the ball.

So, how will Martino use the pair together?

For starters, Miranchuk isn’t a winger, so rule out that possibility.

And, though he has said he will play wherever assigned, it’s clear from last season that Almirón doesn’t want to play on the wing.

Using dual 10s is a possibility, but also it likely will result in the two players ineffectively occupying the same spaces, similar to what frequently happened last season.

To make it work, it may be easier to think about Atlanta United with the ball and without the ball.

Without the ball, Martino will likely have the players in the 4-3-3 formation he used most of 2017 and ’18, or in a back five, which is what they used in the latter half the second season to win the MLS Cup.

Within either formation, Almirón and Miranchuk can play as midfielders in a three-, four- or five-player line. When the opponent has the ball and Atlanta United is pressing, Almirón and Miranchuk’s roles will depend on whether the team is marking man-to-man or defending zones.

When Atlanta United creates a turnover or wins possession from another circumstance, here’s how it may work:

Miranchuk will continue to play centrally, floating up and down the spine. Sometimes he will play as a deeper midfielder, sometimes he will play as high as a second striker. The role will depend on the situation.

Almirón’s role will be more broad, as Martino has said.

It will be similar to how he was used in 2017 and ’18, but after eight years Almirón doesn’t have the same burst or endurance to consistently carry the ball 60 yards up field.

So, although he will be an outlet to receive passes from teammates, he then will be tasked with finding others up the field, and then joining the attack.

Atlanta United’s first test will come when it plays Lexington in a friendly Jan. 30.