Bullet point summary by AI
- The USMNT faces a critical challenge with a key attacker sidelined for the World Cup opener against Australia.
- Three players now carry added responsibility to maintain the team’s offensive momentum and cover lost creative space.
- How these teammates adapt their roles and decision-making will determine if the United States can stay on track for a deep tournament run.
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino knows he’ll need to use his full squad if he wants his side to advance deep in this year’s World Cup. That does not mean he was prepared to see Christian Pulisic suffer an injury in the opener against Paraguay, though.
The United States squad cannot afford to sit back and feel sorry for themselves in the aftermath of their dynamic attacker’s setback. Instead, several other members of Pochettino’s team will need to pick up the attacking slack in the case Pulisic’s calf injury proves significant enough to keep him sidelined.
Pulisic has a chance to make the starting XI against Australia on Friday, but it’s safe to assume he won’t be 100-percent at game time. That harsh reality heaps pressure on these three teammates to up their game to make sure the team keeps their momentum going.
Weston McKennie must pull the strings in the midfield
The U.S. surprised the Paraguayan defense by giving Weston McKennie license to roam all over the midfield in the opener. The Juventus star frequently bounced out to the perimeter to get on the ball and pull opposing center backs out of position in his team’s biggest victory of this cycle.
McKennie won’t have the benefit of surprise against Australia. They’ll be mentally prepared to see him drift out wide when space isn’t available on the inside. That does not mean they can stop him, however: McKennie still has a decided athletic advantage over his counterparts in the Australian midfield.
McKennie doesn’t need to dominate the ball to make up for Pulisic’s diminished powers, but he does need to use it well when he’s given time and space. One quality cross swung in from the right wing or one good strike on a late-arriving run into the box could be enough to deliver the Americans another big win in their group.
Malik Tillman must get further up the pitch to support the USMNT attack
Malik Tillman played a deeper role in the midfield against Paraguay to support McKennie’s trips up the pitch. He’ll need to better utilize his passing range from that spot to help unlock the Australian defense on Friday.
Tillman primarily operated as a No. 10 in the Bundesliga this year, but he has the athletic ability required to thrive in a deeper role for Pochettino. The key for Tillman is to be more decisive with the ball at his feet. That can be accomplished by spraying the ball forward to his attacking teammates or being stronger when carrying the ball forward on his own.
Similar to the situation with McKennie, quality will be more important than quantity for Tillman in the next fixture. He has the skill to hurt Australia if they put a foot wrong when he gets into the attacking third.
Antonee Robinson can give the team much-needed width from his fullback position
One of Pulisic’s biggest contributions to the U.S. team is his ability to create width for Pochettino’s attack. Antonee Robinson has the speed and ball-carrying ability to achieve the same impact from his fullback spot.
Injuries really limited Robinson’s impact for Fulham this season, but he’s one of the USMNT’s most talented players. He looked lively for Pochettino in the opener, which went a long way towards quieting any doubts about his fitness for the World Cup.
He got forward with the ball at his feet a couple of times against Paraguay, but he should have the freedom to venture forward even more versus Australia. His ability to stretch the field horizontonally should be a major key for the US with Pulisic playing at less than 100 percent.
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