Tag: Tyler Adams

Adams admits he pushed himself too hard, provides injury return timeline

The USMNT star admitted he pushed himself too hard over the summer

Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams is hopeful he’ll only miss three or four games after undergoing back surgery this month.

Adams dealt with back problems in the final months of the 2023-24 season, and those issues carried on through the Copa América with the U.S. men’s national team.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola confirmed this month that Adams had surgery immediately after the Copa.

“It is difficult to say how long [Adams will be out],” said the Cherries boss. “He won’t be fit for the start of the season. But September? October? I don’t know.”

In an appearance on The Cooligans podcast, Adams said he was hoping to be back on the earlier end of Iraola’s timeline.

“After Copa, I was still feeling a little something,” the 25-year-old said. “So I’m happy to have that dealt with. I’m going through a rehab process now. I won’t miss too much of the beginning part of the season. So hopefully four or five games, three or four maybe. And then hopefully I can just fly through the season and have some consistency.”

Bournemouth has three Premier League games before the first international window of the season in early September.

The USMNT has games against Canada on September 7 and against New Zealand three days later, with Adams likely to miss out.

The Cherries return from the FIFA break with a game against Chelsea on September 14, and will then face Liverpool on September 21.

Adams admits he pushes too hard

There were questions over whether Adams should have participated in the Copa América at all, given his back injury at the end of the Premier League season didn’t seem to have cleared up before the tournament.

Adams admitted he had some culpability in the situation, given his inability to take his foot off the gas.

“I think the biggest thing for me is, throughout the rehab process, throughout the way that I play in games, it’s only 100 percent for me,” Adams said. “Every single day in training, every single day in games. And I don’t have an ability to tune it down a notch.

“So sometimes I just need to realize I need to take a step back and just relax a little bit. I’m starting to learn that a little bit more and more. But yeah, I go 100 percent all the time. So yeah, that’s probably why I’ve been injured a little bit more recently.”

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Another injury blow for Adams: USMNT star out ‘months’ after back surgery

The hits just keep coming for Adams and the USMNT

The bad news just keeps coming for the U.S. men’s national team.

Tyler Adams will miss the start of the Premier League season, as Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said that the USMNT midfielder underwent back surgery.

A report from the BBC quoted Iraola as saying that Adams will be “out for some time.”

“It is difficult to say how long,” said the Cherries boss. “He won’t be fit for the start of the season. But September? October? I don’t know.”

According to Iraola, Adams played through back pain at the 2024 Copa América. During the final few weeks of the 2023-24 season, the New York native was barely available for Bournemouth with a back issue.

“He wanted to play Copa América because it was very important for him, but he had restrictions and was still in pain,” explained Iraola. “Two days after they were knocked out, he had surgery.”

Adams played only 45 minutes in the first two USMNT matches at Copa América, much to his chagrin. He played the full 90 minutes as the U.S. lost to Uruguay on July 2, ending the team’s run in the tournament in the group stage.

Latest injury blow for Adams

The potential for Adams spending months on the sideline is sadly familiar territory for the 25-year-old.

Between back and hamstring injuries, Adams appeared just five times for Bournemouth across all competitions in 2023-24, playing 138 minutes.

Adams had joined the Cherries last summer despite still being in the midst of recovering from a separate hamstring problem. His injury woes go back to March 2023, and have involved two surgeries on his hamstring before this latest procedure on his back.

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Adams, Robinson urge USMNT to ‘give everything’ in pivotal Uruguay match

Per the USMNT duo, movement and sheer effort are musts to upset Uruguay and carry on at Copa América

The U.S. men’s national team may be facing an immense challenge to avoid an early Copa América exit, but Tyler Adams and Antonee Robinson at least know what it’s going to take to pull off a statement win over Uruguay.

A 2-1 loss to Panama marred by Tim Weah’s red card has left the USMNT facing a difficult scenario in Group C.

While there are a range of outcomes that the U.S. could use to go through, a win on Monday in Kansas City is likely to end up a requirement.

“We’re gonna have to definitely be on our ‘A’ game,” defender Antonee Robinson told reporters at a Saturday press conference. “There’s no reason to hold anything back. We’re all gonna have to give everything in this game.”

As of Saturday, Uruguay is Copa América’s top-scoring team, ringing up eight goals after following a 3-1 win over Panama with a 5-0 demolition of Bolivia. Marcelo Bielsa’s trademark pressing tactics have defined both games, with Uruguay’s traditional intensity amped up to 10 even when both prior wins appeared decided.

Adams: USMNT ‘match up well’ vs. Uruguay

Still, as impressive as La Celeste have been, USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams was able to discuss his familiarity with how to solve the puzzle posed by Bielsa’s man-marking approach.

“We have a lot of players that match up well in this style of play specifically, so movement is going to be the biggest key in this game,” said the Bournemouth midfielder, who would go on to note that his club coach Andoni Iraola has learned directly from the iconoclastic Argentine manager.

“Man-to-man, you have to move, constantly be moving. Sometimes you’re not always going to be the first option in possession, it’s going to be second option and then find your space afterwards.

“They have a lot of athleticism in their midfield, as do we. I play under a coach now that plays a similar style as Bielsa and learned from Bielsa at Athletic [Club]. So, [I’m] kind of used to play against that.”

Beyond the tactical nuance and physical demands of that constant motion, Robinson added that the USMNT will have to find the spaces Uruguay leaves open while aggressively pressing the ball.

“Playing against teams who Bielsa has coached in the past, we know that they’re going to be extremely high-intensity, really forward-thinking,” explained the 26-year-old. “They play quite a high-risk, high-reward game… [The USMNT must] try and find a balance between being able to exploit their weakness and making sure we don’t expose ourselves too much as well.”

However, going beyond a game plan, the biggest task at hand is clear: the USMNT has to empty the tank to have a chance.

“If we’re looking at it realistically, there’s a chance that this is our last game in the tournament,” said Robinson. “I think it’s definitely going to come down to a massive effort from the team.”

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Tyler Adams didn’t love being taken off at halftime against Bolivia

The combative midfielder chaffed at the substitution, even though it was pre-planned

In a bit of news that won’t surprise anyone with a passing knowledge of Tyler Adams, the U.S. men’s national team midfielder wasn’t thrilled with his halftime removal against Bolivia in Sunday’s Copa América opener.

Making his first start since March, the 25-year-old was replaced by Yunus Musah at the break, as the USMNT kicked off the tournament with a 2-0 win over La Verde at AT&T Stadium in Texas.

The substitution was pre-planned, a sensible decision given Adams’ lack of game time leading up to the game on Sunday.

Between Bournemouth and the USMNT, Adams had made just two cameos off the bench since March prior to starting against Bolivia. After returning from a long-term hamstring issue, Adams was slowed by back spasms through the final months of the Premier League season.

But in his post-game press conference, Berhalter said that the notoriously competitive midfielder still wasn’t happy about his prearranged substitution in the Copa opener.

“Guess what he said at halftime. Want to take a guess? ‘Coach, can I play more?’ And I was like, ‘Dude, we’ve been down this road man. We don’t need to have this conversation right now. I’m trying to get clips ready for halftime, trying to get some analysis done,'” Berhalter said.

“But of course he wants to stay on the field and that’s Tyler. How much he means to the team, you see his attitude and his intensity, and he’s a guy that we want on the field, but we just have to be careful. And the plan from the get-go was 45 minutes, and we stuck to the plan.”

For his part, Adams didn’t exactly dispute his coach’s recollection of the incident.

“[Berhalter] said we’ll check in at halftime and see how you feel. I said I felt fine. He still took me out. So that’s his plan,” Adams said in quotes published in the Washington Post.

The USMNT will resume Copa América play on Thursday when it faces Panama at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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USMNT vs. Bolivia Copa America lineup: Adams starts for first time since March

Adams is a go as the USMNT looks to start the Copa América off with a good result

The U.S. men’s national team will start the 2024 Copa América off against Bolivia with Tyler Adams on the field.

Head coach Gregg Berhalter inserted the defensive midfielder, widely regarded as among the very best USMNT players, into his starting 11 for Sunday’s match in Arlington, Texas.

Adams has not started a match for club or country since going a full 90 minutes for Bournemouth in a 2-1 win over Everton in the Premier League on March 30.

Since then, back spasms have sidelined the 25-year-old, who played just nine minutes in the remainder of the Cherries’ season. Adams also played 14 minutes off the bench in the USMNT’s recent 1-1 draw with Brazil.

Berhalter’s other notable lineup choices include sticking with Matt Turner in goal despite some wobbly recent form, and starting Folarin Balogun over Ricardo Pepi in the No. 9 role.

Otherwise, there are few surprises in Berhalter’s 4-3-3, which includes Gio Reyna in the midfield. Between Adams and Reyna doing enough to earn starts, Yunus Musah starts the tournament on the bench.

After much speculation over who would take Sergiño Dest’s spot at right back after the PSV defender tore his ACL, Berhalter has opted for the conventional choice. Joe Scally, who started in tournament tune-ups against Colombia and Brazil, maintains his spot in the starting 11.

USMNT lineup vs. Bolivia

(4-3-3): Matt Turner; Joe Scally, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie; Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic (capt.)

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Howard: USMNT not having permanent captain ‘doesn’t sit well’

Howard wants the USMNT to have a clear-cut captain, and he knows just the man for the job

Tim Howard wants to see a change in leadership with the U.S. men’s national team, in that he wants to know who the leader actually is.

In an opinion piece for the Daily Mail, the former USMNT goalkeeper urged manager Gregg Berhalter to appoint a single player as the team’s undisputed captain.

“I am a firm believer that there has to be one voice and the communication hierarchy must be clear: manager, captain, senior players and then nobody else,” said Howard.

“This USMNT seems to be a tight unit. They understand what it means to wear the U.S. jersey. But heading into Copa America, Gregg Berhalter has no permanent captain. That doesn’t sit well with me.”

Berhalter has given the armband to Christian Pulisic in the USMNT’s four matches involving a full-strength roster in 2024. Pulisic, Tim Ream, Matt Turner, and Sean Johnson captained the team in competitive matches during 2023.

However, no captain has been officially named ahead of the Copa América, with the USMNT kicking off the tournament on Sunday against Bolivia.

Howard: Adams should captain USMNT

At the 2022 World Cup, Tyler Adams was named captain, though the defensive midfielder has scarcely been available to play since then due to major hamstring and back injuries.

Despite that time spent away from the team, the 25-year-old Bournemouth man is exactly who Howard had in mind with his comments.

“Tyler Adams should have the armband — without question,” insisted the former Manchester United and Everton goalkeeper. “Just look at how he operates on the pitch, his upbeat personality, his tenacity, and how well he speaks off the field.

“Under his leadership, this team can galvanize the country at Copa America. Sometimes it’s as easy as just kicking the ball – sports can be healing, motivational and inspirational.

“But Tyler is not a leader who shies away from difficult topics. And I would have no problem if he or a teammate spoke out. They just better back it up on the field.”

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Weston McKennie’s new commercial is Truly something

The USMNT midfielder really hams it up here

Truly Hard Seltzer has found a very effective pitchman in Weston McKennie.

The U.S. national team midfielder stars in a new commercial for the drink, which relishes in the self-bestowed title of “Official Shower Beverage of U.S. Soccer.”

McKennie, ahem, Truly makes the most of his moment in front of the camera, expressing a real affinity for his “Shower Truly” while even using it to help bathe himself.

The ad stops abruptly when McKennie is interrupted by his USMNT teammate Tyler Adams, who is really just ready to get on with his day.

“My teammates know they can always count on me to rally the team for a good time after a game,” McKennie said in a press release. “When Truly approached me about Shower Trulys, I said, ‘That’s great, I think I invented them – let’s show the fans.’”

Let’s show them, indeed.

Watch McKennie star in Truly commercial

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USMNT captain Adams sets semifinal target for Copa America

For Adams, the mission is clear: last four or bust

If you ask most U.S. men’s national team players, or coach Gregg Berhalter, what a successful Copa América would look like, you are likely to get a somewhat squishy answer.

Berhalter was quizzed on that very subject last week and though he did say getting through the group stage was a must, what came after wasn’t as clear.

“For us, it’s really about the performance, going out there and having a solid performance that you put yourself in position to actually go ahead and win,” Berhalter said.

For USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams, however, the answer is clear: a place in the semifinal is a must.

“For me, [success] is getting past the quarterfinal,” Adams said in an interview with ex-USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard in the Daily Mail.

“We need to — in a pressure situation — win in a knockout environment,” Adams added. “That’s going to measure a lot of our success.”

Reaching the last four would match the USMNT’s performance at the 2016 Copa América Centenario, in which the team beat Ecuador 2-1 in the quarterfinal before falling 4-0 to Argentina in the semifinal.

Winning knockout games in major non-Concacaf tournaments has become something of a holy grail for the USMNT. To date, the team has won just one such World Cup match: a victory over Mexico in the 2002 round of 16.

The USMNT fell to the Netherlands in the last 16 at the 2022 World Cup, making it three straight tournaments (excluding the 2018 World Cup, which they didn’t qualify for) in which they’ve been knocked out at that stage.

“[The Netherlands] handled business. They were composed,” Adams recalled of the match in Qatar.

Should the USMNT get out of its Copa América group, which contains Bolivia, Panama and Uruguay, then a likely quarterfinal date against either Colombia or Brazil would await.

The U.S. just played both of those teams in pre-Copa friendlies, falling 5-1 to Colombia before recovering for a 1-1 draw against Brazil.

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USMNT Copa America roster: Sargent makes the cut, Timothy Tillman dropped

Timothy Tillman was dropped from the squad, while two players with injury questions made the cut

Following two warm-up friendlies, the U.S. men’s national team has announced its 26-man roster for the Copa América.

All 26 players have come from the team’s 27-man roster for the matches against Colombia and Brazil. LAFC midfielder Timothy Tillman is the one player who was dropped from the squad.

That means there were places on the squad for Tyler Adams and Josh Sargent, two players who entered this camp with injury question marks.

Sargent was unable to play in either friendly as he continues working his way back from a foot injury, which stems from an ankle surgery over the winter.

USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter said prior to the Brazil match that the Norwich City forward was “progressing well” but still wasn’t ready for game action.

After being held out against Colombia, Adams came on as a second-half sub against Brazil. The midfielder had played just 10 total minutes since March, when he returned from a long-term hamstring injury only to be sidelined for seven of Bournemouth’s last eight games with back spasms.

After a heavy defeat against Colombia and a draw against Brazil, the USMNT will now look ahead to its Copa América opener on June 23 against Bolivia.

Following that match, Berhalter’s side will face Panama on June 27 and close out group play against Uruguay on July 1.

Full USMNT Copa America roster (club; caps/goals)

Goalkeepers (3): 18-Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City; 9), 25-Sean Johnson (Toronto FC; 13), 1-Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest; 41)

Defenders (9): 2-Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; 17/0), 23-Kristoffer Lund (Palermo; 3/0), 24-Mark McKenzie (Genk; 13/0), 16-Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; 19/1), 13-Tim Ream (Fulham; 58/1), 3-Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; 18/1), 5-Antonee Robinson (Fulham; 43/4), 12-Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 29/3), 22-Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; 11/0)

Midfielders (7): 4-Tyler Adams (Bournemouth; 39/2), 15-Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis; 13/0), 14-Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo; 21/0), 8-Weston McKennie (Juventus; 53/11), 6-Yunus Musah (AC Milan; 37/0), 7-Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; 28/8), 17-Malik Tillman (PSV; 11/0)

Forwards (7): 11-Brenden Aaronson (Leeds; 41/8), 20-Folarin Balogun (Monaco; 12/3), 9-Ricardo Pepi (PSV; 25/10), 10-Christian Pulisic (AC Milan; 68/29), 26-Josh Sargent (Norwich City; 23/5), 21-Tim Weah (Juventus; 39/6), 19-Haji Wright (Coventry City; 10/4)

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Berhalter: Adams available for limited minutes vs. Brazil

The midfielder has only played 10 minutes since March as he battles back spasms

U.S. men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter has said Tyler Adams will be available to play limited minutes in Wednesday’s friendly against Brazil, while also ruling out Josh Sargent for a second straight game.

Adams has played just 10 total minutes since March, as the midfielder returned from a long-term hamstring injury only to be sidelined for seven of Bournemouth’s last eight games with back spasms.

The 25-year-old was called into camp for the USMNT’s friendlies against Colombia and Brazil, but was held out of Saturday’s humbling 5-1 defeat against the former.

At his pre-game press conference on Tuesday, Berhalter said Adams was available to play against Brazil — but only in limited fashion.

“Tyler will be available to play limited minutes, and my guess is it’s under 45 minutes that he’s able to play,” the USMNT coach said.

Berhalter also said Sargent wouldn’t be able to play as he continues battling a foot injury stemming from an ankle surgery over the winter.

“Josh is progressing well,” Berhalter said. “He won’t take part in this game [against Brazil] but he is progressing well. I think he’s out at Orlando City’s training ground right now doing a session by himself with a trainer.”

The USMNT currently has 27 players in camp, with up to 26 players eligible for Copa América rosters. Berhalter will name his final squad for the tournament after the match against Brazil.

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