2022 World Cup: USA's 'MMA' midfield of Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams provides blueprint for achievement – CBS Sports activities

America are via to the final 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after a 1-0 victory over Iran on Tuesday. It was one other match that featured a hard-nosed, gritty efficiency from the midfield unit of Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Yunus Musah. 

Dubbed the “MMA” midfield after their names, this group has the capabilities to beat you with energy, fashion and guile, very similar to blended martial arts. They even confirmed their versatility by enjoying of their third totally different configuration of the World Cup in solely three video games.

A 4-3-3 was put in within the 1-1 draw to Wales, with Musah on the left, Adams as a defensive midfielder within the center and McKennie on the proper. Musah and Adams mixed to type a double pivot in a 4-4-2, with McKennie performing with no consideration winger as an alternative of a conventional central midfielder within the scoreless draw to England. On Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Iran, they switched again to the 4-3-3, however McKennie and Musah swapped sides to unlock the protection. 

Whereas most sturdy midfields have gamers who’re sturdy in one among two totally different roles, what makes the USMNT midfield efficient is that these gamers can assume totally different roles once they drive ahead.

Gregg Berhalter will get loads of room for error resulting from how good the midfield is, each defensively and in possession, and it is an space of the crew that’s set for years to return. The oldest of the trio, McKennie, is barely 24. There can be slight considerations if McKennie is unable to go greater than 70 minutes in opposition to the Netherlands on Saturday, Dec. 3. He has performed past the 66th minute simply as soon as within the group stage. That stated, so long as the crew capitalizes when he is on the pitch once more, like his involvement in Christian Pulisic’s objective in opposition to Iran with Adams main the protection when he goes off the pitch, issues can be advantageous in opposition to the Netherlands. 

Pay attention beneath and observe In Soccer We Trust: A CBS Sports Soccer Podcast the place your three favourite former USMNT gamers cowl all the pieces you may presumably need to learn about the US males’s nationwide crew throughout the World Cup in Qatar.

On his twentieth birthday, Musah stepped up in a giant approach, finishing 44 of 49 passes and taking two pictures. He performs the sport on the sting, and at instances you do not know if he will win the crew the sport or lose it, however that unpredictable nature aligns nicely with liberating up house for McKennie and the assault. They’ve been capable of play with freedom as a result of the captain of the crew, Adams, is behind them prepared to scrub up all the pieces.

However do not let Adams’ defensive positioning idiot you, he can push the ball up the pitch as nicely. Musah is main the crew in passes accomplished within the closing third throughout the World Cup with 36. He is forward of Pulisic (32), McKennie (31), Weah (31) and Adams (30). It reveals simply how a lot the midfield is interchanging with the attacking gamers to make the crew tick even and not using a correct striker. Virtually one third of Musah’s complete passes are coming within the closing third. That is as a result of he is been allowed to function in superior positions persistently to maintain Pulisic concerned within the match and create security valves so the crew cannot get boxed in by the defenses that they’ve confronted to this point.

It is a big motive why irrespective of which crew they’ve performed, the USMNT have been capable of create sturdy attacking possibilities throughout the first halves of matches. And getting deeper into the World Cup, their health ranges ought to proceed to rise to maintain the depth up for the start of second halves. With the youth of the crew, the midfield could possibly be locked in for nearly the following decade, giving Berhalter many causes to be enthusiastic about their potential.

They’ll need Pulsic healthy to capitalize on the probabilities created, however it would not be a shock to see the crew roll out their fourth totally different midfield configuration to maintain up with the Netherlands on Saturday. Louis van Gaal’s facet has already proven that it could cave to urgent sides in its draw to Ecuador. Berhalter will be sure you have his crew prepared to fireside out of the gate. The are enjoying with home cash within the spherical of 16 and this younger crew is right here to make a reputation for themselves. They’re doing simply that after which some whereas solidifying the core for the 2026 World Cup on dwelling soil.