GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, including a Premier League matchup of USMNT stars
Though Christian Pulisic's injured hamstring was an unfortunate headline for the USMNT, Mauricio Pochettino's October camp, overall, was a success. The team dictated the run of play against two World Cup-bound opponents, Ecuador and Australia, and are unbeaten in three straight games.
There is more clarity on who Pochettino views as his core group. With the international break now over, those key players will want to continue their momentum with their clubs.
Weston McKennie, for example, was one of those players who had an uncertain standing with Pochettino. The Juventus midfielder said during camp that he's taken a new approach that appears to be benefiting both club and country. He'll hope to continue his progression when his team travels to Serie A upstarts Como.
Then there's Crystal Palace's Chris Richards, who will want to get back to his best after two uneven performances. His side hosts Tyler Adams' Bournemouth in a battle between two surprise teams vying for a Champions League spot.
And Tim Weah and Olympique Marseille continue to show they just might be the team to take PSG off its perch. OM sit just one point back on the French giants and play 14th-placed Le Havre on Saturday.
GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad this weekend.
AFPAll eyes on Pulisic's injury
AC Milan confirmed on Friday Pulisic will miss at least 10 days with a low-grade injury to his hamstring. After returning to Italy, tests indicated a low-grade lesion, with the club saying he would be reexamined in 10 days. play Fiorentina on Sunday.
Milan hope to have the current Serie A joint-top scorer back for the match against Roma on Nov. 2 at San Siro. Failing that, they would target the away match against Parma six days later. The club do not expect him to be in danger of missing the Milan derby against Inter on Nov. 23.
The USMNT, meanwhile, will play friendlies against Paraguay on Nov. 15 and Uruguay on Nov. 18.
All of that is unfortunate for the 27-year-old, who was having the best start to a club season in his career with four goals and two assists. Pulisic has shown in the past that recovery can adversely affect his performance.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesMcKennie on the upswing?
One of the biggest benefactors of Pochettino's new tactical approach was McKennie, who played in a new role as an attacking midfielder alongside Malik Tillman and Pulisic. While the traditional central midfielder isn't penciled in as a lock for that role just yet, it did offer a glimpse into how McKennie could be effective under Pochettino.
As a result of his solid tackling, relentless running, and typically strong work rate, he often gets miscast as a defensive midfielder – a role that requires players to sit back and kill attacks from the opposition.
But against both Ecuador and Australia, McKennie was effective in playing more like Yaya Toure during his Manchester City days. Toure used to serve as City's No. 10, but he was more combative in the role than being a facilitator. And McKennie, although not as dominant as the Ivorian, did many of the same things.
He was pressing up high and capitalizing on the team's mistakes at a higher on-pitch position to create attacks for the U.S. on the break. And playing such a role requires top fitness, which the midfielder – at times – has come under criticism for. Those issues didn't appear to hold him back during national team duty, with McKennie saying it came down to a challenge issued by Juventus manager Igor Tudor.
"My coach back at Juventus, Tudor, really put pressure on me and said, 'Hey, you're getting older, and your body's not gonna be able to bounce back from games the way that you used to be able to, and you need to cut down some weight, and that's the only way you're gonna be involved with this team,'" McKennie told TNT. "So I put my head down and worked like I usually do. Got on a diet. Don't snack as much anymore. If I do, it's healthy snacks, and I work out more often.
"So that's what I've been doing, a lot of running. This summer was the first summer I didn't mind taking my shirt off at the pool."
McKennie's renewed fitness helped him on the club level. After having an inconsistent role at the start of the season, McKennie played 90 minutes in draws against Villarreal in the Champions League and Milan in league action. They face Cesc Fabregas' surprising Como on Sunday.
The former Arsenal star is a shareholder at the side, but he's more than proved his merit as a manager with the tight-budgeted Como sitting eighth in the league. Juventus have slipped to fifth, but have a chance to get back on track. Both sides are stout defensively, tied on goals allowed with five – good for third in Serie A. But Como have struggled scoring, sitting mid-table in goals scored with seven.
Getty Images SportAmericans clash in London
Bournemouth are fourth in the Premier League table, while Palace sit sixth. Both clubs have rising managers in Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner, and have already picked up results against top sides. It’s still early, with just seven matches played, but Saturday’s meeting offers a chance to spark their challenges for Champions League spots.
Adams didn’t feature for the USMNT during the international break, excused for the birth of his child. Richards played, but endured two mixed outings for Pochettino’s side. The 25-year-old was beaten badly on the goal conceded to Ecuador and didn’t help when Australia scored, despite being in a position to do so.
If there’s one area in which Richards continues to show progress, though, it’s his leadership. He was furious with Australia’s physical play on Pulisic that led to the forward’s injury and publicly issued a warning to the Socceroos and other opponents.
“They’re lucky it was a friendly. I was ready to go,” Richards said after the match. “And if [the referee] didn’t give me a sh*t yellow in the corner, I probably would’ve killed somebody.”
Richards was understandably emotional, but the reality is the U.S. could use more of that edge. The team has been labeled soft at times, and every good side needs an enforcer. Richards seems ready to embrace that role, with some even suggesting he should be considered for the captain’s armband – an intriguing thought given that he’ll be facing the team’s 2022 World Cup captain, Adams, this weekend.
This is an opportunity for Palace to rediscover their sizzling September form after a surprising loss to Everton. If last season’s meetings are any indication, this one could be tight – both matches ended goalless.
AFPReintroducing Weah, USMNT fullback
There were some early struggles, but Weah is slowly starting to demonstrate why he is ideally placed as a wingback. He's got good strength and pace, tracks back decently enough, and has just enough attacking prowess to be a threat to opposing defenses. More impressively, he can play on either the left or the right – crucial for Pochettino.
With Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest dealing with injuries, Weah can slot in for either and provide more than solid play. While he likely wouldn't replace either when fully fit, having that option – especially on Robinson's end – ensures the Americans won't miss a beat. Weah's versatility has also been a boost for Roberto De Zerbi's Marseille.
After flirting with Ligue 1 contention last season, OM are fully in it this season, and the American has played his part. His stats aren't jaw-dropping, with zero goal contributions in seven games, but the ability to line up on any part of either flank has allowed De Zerbi to have tactical flexibility, creating hassles for opposing managers in their preparations.
This is a big weekend for OM, one that could potentially see them leapfrog PSG into first. Le Parisiens face Strasbourg, who are a surprising third in the table, while Marseille host relegation-battling Le Havre. If PSG drop points and OM play as expected, there might be a new leader in France's top flight Monday.