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Williamson is a 24-year-old who, around the same time last year, had started just three games in MLS. Gianluca Busio is a 19-year-old who, around the same time last year, had never played professionally as a defensive midfielder. Their presence is a reminder of how quickly national team depth tables can change when players get the right club opportunities in the right places.
This game also served as a reminder of how much both players still have to tweak. Williamson was spectacular at times, sliding across the court and advancing the game to dangerous spots with apparent ease, then hitting assists once he got there. He’s also, quite often, taken too many touches and lost possession in the wrong places – the types of places a team like Canada would turn those lost possessions into quick transitions and counterattacking opportunities.
Williamson needs to harness his considerable skill and confidence and marry them with a little caution at such times. It will most likely come with time.
The same goes for Busio, whose flaws during this match were less about lost possessions (although he had a few thanks to his penchant for hospital bullets) and more about losing 50/50s. . He only went 2 against 9 in his duels, being repeatedly killed by the bigger, stronger and older Martinican midfielders on 50/50.
Berhalter didn’t give any names, but it seemed pretty clear who he was talking about in this post-match quote: “I didn’t think we were competing well enough on [2nd balls]. “
That, from Busio, will most likely come with time on the court and in the weight room. I’m not saying he has to go for the full transformation of Goretzka-at-Bayern, but physical strength matters in this game, and there have been quite a few moments where Busio’s absence has cost the United States. a 50/50.
Against a better team, it could have hurt a lot.
Still, given that these two guys were on their first full starts for the national team and weren’t really playing like that, both were brave to step on the ball and try to do things progressive, and both were brave at the turning. Even though they weren’t always clean with it, the fact that they repeatedly wanted to be on the ball in the toughest places and worked hard to be available is exactly what you want to see. on the part of the young (or perhaps “inexperienced” in Williamson’s case, as he is no longer really young) players in these games.
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