Can Pity Martinez play as Atlanta United's false 9? Taylor Twellman and Matt Doyle have a clear answer

Pity Martinez dribbles vs. Motagua

How do Atlanta United replace Josef Martinez? Outside of a new signing or three, there’s any number of theories out there when it comes to the Five Stripes current roster and tactical setup.


On Taylor Twellman’s new ESPN show “Banter,” which airs Wednesdays at 2 pm ET on the ESPN App, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle talked about the possibility of Pity Martinez operating as a false 9 while Josef is out with an ACL tear.


Doyle argues Frank de Boer changed his formation to a 3-4-2-1 this year to get Pity Martinez and Ezequiel Barco in their best positions behind Josef. That tactical change yielded early returns too, with Josef and Pity providing a deadly one-two punch in a Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 win over Motagua.


And neither Doyle or Twellman believe it would be smart of de Boer to move Pity to playing as a false nine. Check out the full discussion below.