To most, Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna are the USA’s best wide attackers. They are certainly the most recognisable given that they play for two of the biggest clubs in Europe – Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund, respectively – but another wide attacker can claim to be even more important to Gregg Berhalter’s team right now.
Timothy Weah not only scored the USA’s only goal of Monday’s 1-1 draw against Wales at the 2022 World Cup – he was the primary channel through which the majority of their attack flowed. Without Weah, the USA would have been easier to play against, with Berhalter’s game plan designed to release the Lille winger into space as often as possible.
September’s friendlies against Japan and Saudi Arabia, which Weah missed, offered an insight into how predictable the USA can be in the final third of the pitch without the 22-year-old there to provide some vertical threat. They need Weah to offer an outlet and stretch the pitch to create space for others as much as anything else.
Pulisic is also capable of being a vertical threat, but his natural tendency is to cut inside rather than burst to the byline. This isn’t a problem on the left, because Antonee Robinson maintains the width by operating in an advanced role high up the pitch. On the right, however, the USA can’t have another wide man who likes to play inside.
This would run the risk of congesting the central area of the pitch. This is where the September friendlies provided valuable evidence to Berhalter that this USA team needs at least one wide forward to provide a vertical threat – Japan found it far too easy to pinch the USA inside without Weah in the American lineup.
Wales asked the USA to break them down in the first half of Monday’s World Cup opener, with Pulisic and Weah combining in quick transition to score the opening goal. “I saw the ball come to Christian,” Weah said afterwards. “And as we trained, we practiced that once he gets the ball I make those runs in behind. Timed it really well, Christian gave me a beautiful ball and it was up to me to finish it.
Friday’s match against England will be a different sort of test, with the Three Lions expected to be the protagonists – they will control the majority of possession. Gareth Southgate will likely stick with the lineup that propelled England to a 6-2 win over Iran with Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount picked to start in the centre of midfield.
Tactically, this could actually suit the USA, such is their potency in quick transition. The likes of Yunus Musah and Weah are best when they have space to exploit – there will be space in behind the England backline to target if the USA can keep the supply line into the channels open. Berhalter’s team might actually be more comfortable in this scenario than they were against Wales’ low defensive block.
Expectations were low for the USA coming into the 2022 World Cup with many of the belief Berhalter’s system is a bad fit for his own group of players. However, Monday’s performance against Wales offered enough encouragement that the US can produce the results they need to make the round of 16. A point, or more, against England would aid that cause.
“At a World Cup, the most important thing is that we didn’t lose,” said Weah after the 1-1 draw against Wales which saw Gareth Bale score an 82nd minute equaliser from the penalty spot. “We kept the tie and now it’s just to focus on the next game and take it to the next level and continue to do what we do best. Just keep working.”
The USA are the youngest team at the 2022 World Cup and their performances and results at the tournament in Qatar should be viewed through the prism of the 2026 World Cup, which the USA will co-host alongside Canada and Mexico. The experiences of this World Cup will help this group four years from now.
And yet the opportunity to make a run at a World Cup is in front of the USA right now. Weah is one of the players who can bring purpose to the team and Berhalter should continue to build around the 22-year-old as someone who can be a difference-maker against England and throughout the tournament.
