December an intelligent month for the American midfielder Tyler Adams. The 25 -year -old is back has compatibility for a great kind in the appearance of the Premier League AFC Bournemouth after lacking that calls to the first team of the American leading coach Mauricio Pochettino call in October and November.
Sunday, however, the indisputable main course.
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Bournemouth’s 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford provided yet more proof that Andoni Iraola’s team is one to be reckoned with. Having already played his way back into his club’s central midfield rotation, Adams’ outing showed he’s again approaching the sort of standard and consistency that he, and supporters of the national team, would like.
Back-to-back 90-minute performances against Wolverhampton (November 30) and Tottenham (December 5) were positive signs that the injury-prone Adams was on the right path to recovery. Adams made just 4 appearances for Bournemouth last season following his summer transfer. Persistent back pain, along with ongoing hamstring issues, have prevented Adams from distancing himself from ongoing discussions about his health.
His season-long spell with Leeds United (2022-2023) started well but ended in disappointment, with Adams making 24 Premier League appearances before hamstring surgery ended his season. Even at his age, the move to Bournemouth went without much fanfare. Like one last ditch transfer, one last chance to turn out he can be a reliable player in the world’s most productive festival.
To do so, he’d have to lower his expectations. Switching to Bournemouth removed Adams from the frenzy and bright lights that surround Leeds. It has worked out well, with the triumph over United leaving the club sitting in fifth and providing the latest installment to a five-game unbeaten streak. Even better, Adams was at the heart of everything.
Now, a guest team that won at Old Trafford is no surprise in 2024. One of the world’s top hallowed football grounds, Manchester United’s Home is a shadow of its former self. Dream theater no longer intimidates opponents. And as the club’s identity crisis continues, the Red Devils are a simple target for criticism. Adams played 89 minutes on Sunday, and while he wasn’t flawless, the former RB Leipzig guy had an effect on Iraola’s high-energy setup.
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That does not evoke Ronaldo Nazario’s hat-trick in the UEFA Champions League in Old Trafford in 2003. Adams’s performance will not be delayed along with Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard when they took Liverpool to dismantle the United 4-1 Six years later. Later. Adams did not receive a great ovation after retiring in the 89th minute, but the contingent of followers of the Bournemouth appreciated the effort of his American international.
Just 14 seconds into the match, Adams sent an early message when his confrontation with United striker Joshua Zirkzee left the Dutchman writhing in pain. Adams still plays full football. The confrontation with Zirkzee is a move that has come to outline his competitive style. Adams has a taste for the physical aspect of the sport. That turns out to give him an advantage, but it’s probably also something in his long injury history.
We’re at a point now when one almost expects to see Adams grimace in pain mid-game, or rub his hamstring. Sunday’s start was his eighth in 2024. It is no stretch to suggest Pochettino must be delighted with his player’s progress.
As the graph shows below, Adams covered a ton of flat in the day. He played the possession of possession of two touchdown, completing with only a progressive trace and 3 participations in the Bournemouth attack sequences. ADAMS is a component of the Bournemouth protective layer in the center of the central field. Iraola’s backs fly around the countryside and their players are used to settling with a line higher than the defensive. It facilitates the team’s backpit strategy, but also leaves them vulnerable to counterattacks. In this sense, the awareness of the height of Adams in Manchester strong.
He had many daily works in the midfield and was well located at all times. Adams followed United Bruno Fernandes game creator throughout the game. He also kept his eyes on the flexible Major Kobbie. Fernandes had his moments with the ball, but in general Adams bothered Portuguese abroad. If Fernandes moved on the left flank of United, Adams would be there to find him.
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At one point in the second half, Fernandes, Mainoo and United fullback Diogo Dalot attempted to overload Bournemouth’s right side. Adams reacted quickly and made Fernandes rethink his ideas. When Alejandro Garnacho came on for United, Adams nipped at his heels and forced the young Argentine to play backwards. For someone who has played sparingly, Adams’ endurance and stamina were noteworthy.
Still, he wasn’t flawless. With time on the ball in midfield in the first half, Adams switched play to Bournemouth left fullback Milos Kerkez. It was the right decision, but Adams’ pass was overhit and Kerkez had difficulty settling the ball. It resulted in a turnover. Adams then stood over the ball after Bournemouth earned a free kick in the midfield half-space. His quick chip into the box to Bournemouth center forward Evanilson skipped out of bounds.
Shortly after Bournemouth took the lead in the 29th minute from the left flank from a United free kick, the visitors had another chance on the same part of the field. Instead of throwing the ball into the box, the ball played short to Adams in the United penalty zone. Not knowing what to do there, Adams played a bad ball that left the ground slightly. This went smoothly through United.
Adams is not a master in midfield. He deserves not to appear in offensive analysis after the match on his side. Adams is a limit of return, whose most productive forces are exposed when he does not touch the ball. Against United, Adams understood his project and carried it out very well. He wasn’t one-dimensional either. He didn’t have a progressive pass, but Adams was the key to Bournemouth’s structure at the back.
Adams would move to the right side and operate as a full-back in the Three-de-Bournemouth school system, a position he is quite comfortable with after betting on the USMNT there with Gregg Berhalter and also during his time in Leipzig. For Adams, the Sunday feature has been a big step toward increasing playing time. If he can stay healthy in the new year, Adams will play a vital role in what will become a Dream season for Bournemouth.
This bodes well for his clients from Pochettino’s national team. Adams’ skills are ideal for the competitive taste used by Pocsettino. A return in form for Adams in 2025 should be celebrated, especially since the American team suffers from its own injury problems. Adams didn’t impress at Old Trafford, but he didn’t want to be. It was solid, and after a season of incarceration, it’s vital progress.
(Superior Photo: Matt McNulty/Getty Images)