In a new weekly series presented by MARTA, Atlanta United is delving deeper into the world of data analytics to gain a better understanding of their performance. The club will be exploring specific stats that are valued by the team, with one such metric provided by StatsBomb. This tool may not be immediately noticeable but is a valuable tool for measuring the team’s performance behind the scenes.
Recently, in a 3-0 victory in the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, eight Homegrown players appeared for Atlanta United. One such player was Noah Cobb, a defender from Chattanooga, Tennessee. While Cobb did not start the match, he came on early to replace another player due to injury. Despite not being in the starting XI, Cobb is one of the most experienced youngsters in the club and has already played over 500 minutes in MLS in 2024.
Cobb’s playing time ranks among the top in the world for young players specifically center backs under 19 years of age. In a recent match against Minnesota United, he ranked 15th in the world for minutes played by a player in this age group and third in North and South America under the same criteria.
The amount of playing time a player receives is often a key indicator of their success and potential development. For Cobb to be starting as a center back in MLS at such a young age is an excellent sign for his future development prospects. It demonstrates not only his potential but also his ability to perform consistently and earn his coaches’ trust while playing against quality opposition at an international level despite being essentially still high school seniors.