#OTD in 2020: Then 17-year-olds @yunusmusah8 and Gio Reyna made their #USMNT at Wales 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/eS9LsIqQLO— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) November 12, 2021 One year later... Yunus Musah did Edson Alvarez dirty, man. pic.twitter.com/G2XHMRKLxQ— Joseph Lowery (@joeclowery) November 13, 2021 Yunus Musah: Raw # for the #USMNT in 2-0 win over Mexico82 minutes69 touches2 shots1 key pass35/40 passing3/3 long balls1/1 crossing7/15 duels won3 clearances2/7 dribbles2x fouled1/2 tackles1 foul— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) November 13, 2021 Any Musah skeptics still out there after tonight?
I am on board 100% with Musah. He looks like the real deal. The American Clarence Seedorf in the making.
When I am older and grayer than I already am I will tell my grandchildren about the time I started the Yunus Musah thread on BigSoccer.
I love how Musah plays. It's one thing for an 18 year old to be built like that its another for him to know exactly how to use his body to shield the ball, turn up field, and dribble through players. It changes absolutely everything having a player capable of that. My only concern is how long Valencia plan to play him as winger. I hope it's only because of injuries or something.
I don't think it is a bad thing for his club team to play him in a different position. As long as he gets a reasonable amount of PT. Dortmund has been playing Gio in a different position too this season.
Watching live I panicked a little when Steffen rolled that ball to him in that spot with Alvarez closing. Musah certainly did not panic.
I sincerely hope Musah gets 100+ caps for us and there's a bust of him in the US soccer hall of fame. He's a better Nagbe and Nagbe was a player would was unlike any we'd had in my lifetime of watching. The fact that he seemingly can't help smiling also makes me love him all the more
I like Nagbe, but you cannot mention him in the same sentence as Musah. Musah is 18 and already a much better player than Nagbe ever was. Musah was a key player in a midfield that just played Mexico off the pitch in a competitive match. At 18.
Yup, Nagbe at his very best is a pauper's 18yo Musah, with only some of his abilities and athleticism, and without the same mentality...
I am totally on board BUT lets not anoint him king just yet. 2/7 on dribbles is not so hot. Won less than 50% of his duels. Overall he was great but he has a ways to go.
Yeah sure every player can always improve but this performance was pretty damn good whatever the stats say about it… Yunus Musah was incredible vs. Mexico.He's only 18 years old.(via @FalseFullback2) pic.twitter.com/1KmMo62wrY— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) November 14, 2021 When was the last time we had a midfielder play that well against Mexico?
I really love how much he always seem to be enjoying himself and how happy he seems to be with the team and playing in these games. Genuinely comes off as being very excited to be there.
FYI, that distribution by Steffen at the 0:16 mark is top-tier. I cringed/gasped when Steffen attempted and then completed that pass to Musah.
Yeah I go back and forth on whether backup at Man City was the best thing for him but without a doubt his distribution is miles better because he works on it there. It's ballsy and I wouldn't want him to make that pass to just anyone in our midfield but that combo was flat out filthy.
To my eyes he’s always been a regen of the original Mousa Dembele. I mean that as a massive compliment from watching that dude hang out with Dempsey at Fulham and Tottenham for years, you cannot get the ball off them. They both glide around with the ball like elegant ghosts and if you happen to actually make contact with them they casually knock you on your ass.
He had bad luck with the whistles. Easily could have had an additional 2-3 fouls called, in dangerous spots, that wound up being failed dribbles in the stats.
When you're stronger than the other dude, the refs let the other dude get away with stuff. I think Musah is just gonna have to deal with that in his career.
10 years from now we may be discussing Musah as the best CM to ever lace them up for the USNT. Call that overhype or putting the cart before the horse if you like. I don't care. I saw little things from him vs Mex I have never seen from an American CM.
ability to receive the under pressure persistent dribble elite quickness and acceleration elite close control elite power and pace excellent work rate
The question going forward will be how Gregg gets Adams, McKennie, Musah, and Gio into that midfield together.