Category: Americans Abroad

The Americans Abroad Five: Football hopefully decides

Could this be the start of another fightback at Chelsea for Christian Pulisic?

Ahead of Saturday’s game against Crystal Palace, Graham Potter acknowledged the relationship between Christian Pulisic and his predecessor Thomas Tuchel had at times been frosty.

“I can only comment on him in terms of how he’s been with me,” Chelsea manager Potter said of the USMNT star. “Really positive, he’s an intelligent guy, articulate, knows how to express himself.

“My conversation with him has been good and positive, I’m not going to judge anybody on what has happened in the past, I’m going to make my own mind up. Football hopefully decides.”

Pulisic has been out of favor before with Chelsea, and has always managed to fight his way back. His game-winning assist against Palace, then, could be the start of another fightback for the USMNT star. Or it could be a false dawn.

That assist did come from Pulisic’s favored left-wing position, rather than the wingback spot he’s played so often this season. If Potter at least gives Pulisic a chance at his best position, then the American star will back himself to prove his worth. Football hopefully decides.

Ricardo Pepi shakes off USMNT’s struggles, scores again for Groningen

Pepi bounced back from a rough USMNT window in the best way

Ricardo Pepi is wasting no time in bouncing back from an unpleasant international break.

The U.S. men’s national team struggled in the September FIFA window, with Pepi among the players who didn’t come away from friendlies against Japan and Saudi Arabia looking their best.

However, a key aspect for a good striker is to shake it off and be ready for the next one, and that’s just what Pepi did Saturday, scoring for Groningen in his first game back as they squared off with AZ.

In many ways, the goal was incredibly simple. Groningen, trailing 2-0 at the time, took a goal kick short. With AZ pressing high, defender Neraysho Kasanwirjo ended up going long to find an outlet.

From there, the goal was all Pepi. His slashing run across the path of Maxim Dekker cut the defender (who eventually stumbled and fell down) off. Still, AZ’s Sam Beukema had the better angle to chase the bouncing ball down, getting in front of Pepi as the ball bounced into the box.

Beukema couldn’t put the brakes on fast enough, though, and that gave Pepi a chance to muscle his way within reach of the ball. He took a touch, spinning away from Beukema as both fell to the ground, but still had the composure to swing around and fire a shot off before goalkeeper Hobie Verhulst could close the angle down.

It’s still early days for Pepi with Groningen, but the move is looking like exactly what he needed. In three appearances since moving there on loan from Augsburg, the USMNT No. 9 has been involved with a goal in every game. He got an assist in his debut, and scored in Groningen’s next match, ending a nearly year-long slump in front of goal.

Watch Pepi get on the scoresheet for Groningen

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Reyna to miss 7-10 days after suffering muscle injury with USMNT

It’s a setback, but it still probably qualifies as good news

Gio Reyna will miss 7-10 days after suffering a muscle strain on international duty, according to Borussia Dortmund head coach Edin Terzić.

Reyna was withdrawn after 30 minutes of the U.S. national team’s 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, with U.S. Soccer later saying that Reyna was removed from the game due to “muscle tightness.”

Terzić gave a relatively positive update on the 19-year-old, saying he’ll miss two matches but isn’t expected to be out much longer.

“Gio Reyna, Gregor Kobel, and Marco Reus will not be available to us yet [for Saturday’s game against FC Köln]. Gio has a strain and will be out for seven to 10 days,” Terzić told the media on Thursday.

“We hope that he’s available to us after the Sevilla game,” Terzić added on Reyna, referring to Wednesday’s Champions League match against the Spanish side.

Reyna missed a large portion of last season as he battled various muscle injuries, and has been slowly brought back into the fold by Dortmund in 2022-23.

The attacker has started to show glimpses of his huge potential as his minutes with Dortmund have increased. Earlier this month he became the first American to tally two Champions League assists in a game in a 3-0 win over FC Copenhagen.

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USMNT’s Antonee Robinson back in training for Fulham after ankle injury

At last, some good news for the USMNT

The September window wasn’t a lot of fun for the U.S. men’s national team, but just as the players return to their clubs, Gregg Berhalter got some good news.

One day after Antonee Robinson’s absence stood out as one of numerous issues in the USMNT’s tepid 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia, the Fulham left back delivered a much-needed update on his status.

“Nice to be back out on the pitch,” Robinson tweeted, along with photos of himself going through a workout at Fulham’s Motspur Park training ground.

Robinson last played on September 3, but lasted just 29 minutes in Fulham’s 2-1 loss to Tottenham before departing with an ankle injury. Earlier this month, Fulham manager Marco Silva said Robinson would be back “soon,” and it appears that the international break has done the 25-year-old some good.

Robinson’s health appears to be a significant concern for the USMNT. He’s not just clearly Gregg Berhalter’s first-choice left back, but within the team’s system, his ability to get forward effectively and without any signs of fatigue is a major factor in possession and in breaking into the final third.

Without Robinson in this window, the USMNT labored going forward, and Berhalter ended up looking at moving Sergiño Dest over from right back against Saudi Arabia rather than giving more time to Sam Vines.

Fulham has eight matches for Robinson to work through before the Premier League begins its World Cup break, and USMNT fans will probably be monitoring every single one of them.

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Christian Pulisic looking forward to ‘fresh start’ at Chelsea under Graham Potter

Pulisic is ready to prove he merits more playing time

Christian Pulisic is looking forward to the Graham Potter era at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking to media on Tuesday after the U.S. men’s national team’s scoreless draw with Saudi Arabia, Pulisic said he’s excited about what’s to come at Chelsea after the club dismissed Thomas Tuchel, replacing him by hiring Potter away from Brighton.

Tuchel appeared to have reduced Pulisic’s role within the Chelsea squad. The USMNT captain had started just one game in the 2022-23 season, and had spent some time making late-game cameos as a makeshift wingback rather than in a more natural, attacking position. While Tuchel did get Pulisic into every Chelsea match, he played just 177 minutes spread across eight appearances before the coaching change.

“I’m feeling good going back, honestly,” said Pulisic. “I have a fresh start now, and I’m excited to play for the new manager. So, really just looking forward to it, and now I just have to prove myself, as everyone does, and as I’ve done before.”

No big issue with USMNT substitution

Pulisic didn’t give the impression of being particularly happy when he was subbed off after 75 minutes against Saudi Arabia. That appearance — coming days after a training-ground knock kept him out of the USMNT’s loss to Japan — was Pulisic’s longest stint in a competitive game since June 15, when he played the full 90 for the USMNT in their 1-1 Nations League draw with El Salvador.

However, according to the Pennsylvania native, there’s no issue between him and Gregg Berhalter.

“No,” said Pulisic when asked directly if he had a problem with being pulled out of the match. “I always want to be in the game. I was just trying to get off the field, trying to score goals, and trying to win the game. But it’s good to get some minutes in, and I feel healthy.”

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Berhalter on in-form Sargent: He’s stronger, quicker and more decisive

Things have changed a lot in a year for the Norwich forward

Gregg Berhalter has said the change in Josh Sargent is noticeable since the last time the forward was with the U.S. men’s national team.

Sargent got the call for the USMNT’s friendlies against Japan and Saudi Arabia this month, the team’s final two warm-ups ahead of the World Cup.

It was the first U.S. call for Sargent since September 2021 as the striker rounds into form for Norwich City at the perfect time.

The 22-year-old already has six goals for Norwich this season, leading the Canaries to second place in the Championship table. Sargent managed just two league goals all of last season as Norwich was relegated from the Premier League.

USMNT head coach Berhalter has been impressed with what he’s seen from Sargent after seeing him in camp for the first time in a year.

“He looks great,” the coach told the media ahead of Friday’s game against Japan in Germany.

“Confidence is a big thing but also strength: He’s gotten bigger, he’s gotten stronger, gotten quicker, more decisive with his movements. He’s looked really good in training, and it’s been good to have him in camp. He’s had a tough road but now it shows what he can do when he’s in form.”

Sargent is competing for minutes at forward in this camp alongside Ricardo Pepi and JesĂşs Ferreira.

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Pulisic explains how his tiger tattoo was inspired by Tiger Woods

The USMNT star opened up on some of his tattoos in an excerpt from his upcoming book

In an excerpt from his new book, Christian Pulisic has explained the meaning behind some of his tattoos, including a tiger tattoo he says was inspired by Tiger Woods.

Pulisic also speaks about his chess piece tattoo, which is a tribute to his grandfather who taught him how to play the game he now counts among his favorite hobbies.

The following is an excerpt from “Christian Pulisic: My Journey So Far” which will be available for purchase on October 18.

Questions from author Daniel Melamud are in italic.

Pulisic on his tiger tattoo

Your tiger tattoo — which is amazing, by the way — was integral to a goal celebration at the beginning of this season (2021-22). You covered your eyes with your forearm, giving you the eyes and nose of a tiger. Aubameyang has put masks on, but yours is always at the ready.

I remember when I got the tattoo we wanted it to line up so I could cover my eyes with it, but I wasn’t planning on it being a celebration. l’d actually done that celebration once before, but no one really saw it — I don’t remember when it was — so when the first game of the season came around, it felt right to do it again.

It’s the year of the tiger and you were born in 1998, the year of the tiger — did that factor into why you got the tattoo?

Yeah, it’s part of it. I have always loved tigers, but also probably my favorite athlete growing up was Tiger Woods. I loved watching him play. So yeah, I was thinking what kind of tattoo I could get and I knew I was born in the year of the tiger, and I had always loved tigers, and I was a fan of Tiger Woods, so it all kind of just felt right.

When did you get your first tattoo?

My very first tattoo was back when I was 17 in Dortmund, and it was just something that was really personal and not something that anyone would understand the meaning of … I just wanted to get something that was meaningful to me. It has to do with my family and it’s never something I would really share with anyone, just a special one to me.

Did you get the others soon after?

I think it was like a couple of months between each one. I would just think of an idea. I always kind of wanted to fill my left arm out, so whenever I came up with a cool idea I would just kind of go for it. It took me about …  I mean, I didn’t completely finish this arm sleeve until a couple months ago. So it took a while, a couple of years.

And the chess piece tattoo, you have “Mate” written on it. Your granddad taught you how to play.

He always had a chessboard around in the house right next to him. He had one of those chessboards that would tell you where to move. The computer would move, and you’d play against it.

Me and my cousin Will … we always found it fascinating and we wanted to learn the game. So my granddad taught us and we’d try to play against him, but obviously we were never at his level; we couldn’t compete with him.

You can pre-order “Christian Pulisic: My Journey So Far” right here.

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Matt Turner believes he’s grown ‘massively’ at Arsenal despite lack of game time

The USMNT goalkeeper said he’s come a long way since arriving in north London

Matt Turner said his game has come a long way since joining Arsenal, despite only having made one appearance for the club thus far.

The U.S. national team goalkeeper joined the Gunners in the offseason from the New England Revolution, slotting in as the club’s backup behind Aaron Ramsdale.

Turner made his only Arsenal appearance two weeks ago, starting in a 2-1 win at FC Zurich in the Europa League. Still, the USMNT keeper said that his exploits in training have seen his game improve in new ways.

“I think my game has come a long way since I began at Arsenal,” Turner told reporters on a call from USMNT camp on Monday.

“Just the speed and intensity of everything every single day. Mikel [Arteta, Arsenal manager] doesn’t accept anything except for full gas at training sessions. So you have to bring it every single day, or else you get found out pretty quickly.

“I had a meeting recently with my goalkeeper coach where we looked at videos from my first few days of training, and then videos from my last few days of training, because I think it’s easy for us to get caught up in the moment. But looking back then to now, the difference in the goalkeeper that I am is is huge.”

Turner rejected the idea that he could be improving more at a club where he was starting every week.

“It depends on how you approach training, I would say,” Turner said. “If you’re in it just to stroll about and you don’t think that you can change your situation no matter what you do, then you’ll lose a lot of that sharpness.

“But I don’t know how much you know about me or my story, but that’s not really the kind of way that I operate. Every single day I go to training, I’m going to try to get better, to try to learn and improve and try to get myself onto the field.”

Turner and the USMNT will face Japan on Friday and Saudi Arabia next Tuesday as they wrap up preparation friendlies ahead of the World Cup.

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Brenden Aaronson: I want to become a Leeds club legend

The USMNT attacker has become a fan-favorite in his short time at Elland Road

Brenden Aaronson said he’s felt an instant connection with Leeds fans since his arrival in England, and outlined his desire to become a club legend.

Aaronson has adapted well after moving in the summer from Red Bull Salzburg, starting all six of Leeds’ games so far while tallying a goal and an assist.

The U.S. national team attacker is happy with how he’s started life in the Premier League, saying he’s felt at home with Leeds since the beginning.

“I think I had a good preseason and then it just pushed into the normal season and I think I was just able to click with the team, click with the coach, click with the players and it felt like just a seamless fit for me,” Aaronson told the media Monday on a call from USMNT camp.

Aaronson has developed an instant connection with the Leeds fans, who have even given him his very own chant. The 21-year-old believes that connection is bolstered by his reputation as a player who consistently gives his all.

“I’m really grateful for all the support that [the fans] have given me,” he said. “They see how much I’m willing to work for the team. I’ll always give 110 percent, and I think that they like that. And that’s the kind of team we have.

“I just want to keep getting better and better and become the best player I can be, and hopefully be a legend for the club at some point.”

Following the international break, Leeds will return to action against Aston Villa on October 2. It will be the club’s first game in a month after it had consecutive games postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

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The Americans Abroad Five: The Pefok and Pepi paradoxes

How much does club form really matter for Gregg Berhalter?

How much does club form matter for the U.S. national team?

To a certain extent, a lot. Gregg Berhalter would find it hard to call up any players outside his core group who aren’t at least getting regular minutes with their club side.

But as this past week has shown, Berhalter also has a pretty clear idea of which players fit his system and which don’t — and no amount of club success is going to change that.

To wit, let’s look at the examples of two strikers in Europe who have experienced vastly different fates over the past year, and what their USMNT status says about club form.

Let’s get to the Five.