As has often been the caveat with this iteration of the U.S. men’s national team, success and outlook are largely dependent on who is available. Which players are healthy? Which would-be regulars are on the mend or out of action? As the 2022 World Cup nears, those questions become even more pertinent, and any news relating to either becomes a little bit more elevated.
Tyler Adams missing Leeds United’s latest Premier League match after playing 90 minutes in the previous 10, for instance, set off some minor alarm bells. Manager Jesse Marsch, however, sought to silence them when offering his prognosis for Adams’s apparent muscle injury picked up against Leicester last week. “We’re hopeful that this won’t be longer than a few days,” Marsch said prior to defeat to Fulham on Sunday.
While that’s a relief, it’s also a reminder of how fragile players’ World Cup statuses can be. One wrong step at any point between now and departure for Qatar could be the difference between living out a dream and having one shattered.
