GOAL looks inside the numbers, tactics and trends for key U.S. internationals in Europe early in the season

We've arrived at the first international break of the season and, as always, it comes just as the European campaign is picking up steam. Two or three weeks get played and then comes the pause. Those first games, then, are a taste of the domestic seasons, a glimpse into what might be.

It's true that there hasn't been much club soccer played so far, but we are starting to see storylines and trends emerge involving some of the U.S. men's national team's top stars. Many of those top have returned to the U.S. for the upcoming friendlies against South Korea and Japan, but there are plenty left to watch along in Europe with a point to prove.

Some are already proving that point, seemingly with one eye on the October squad.

GOAL examines some noteworthy tactics and trends for USMNT players in Europe heading into the international break.

Getty Images SportBalogun with a new partner

For his performance in Monaco's 3-2 win over Strasbourg, Folarin Balogun was named to L'Equipe's Team of the Week. His goal was a great encapsulation of what the striker offers. He broke through the defense, drove hard and chipped the keeper with a fantastic finish. That's his skillset and that's his game. It's what makes him so dangerous.

There were always questions about fit in this Monaco team, though. This weekend's performance may have answered some, showing that Balogun can coexist tactically with a player many thought could replace him.

In January, with Balogun out, Monaco brought in Mika Biereth as another attacking option. The English-born Swedish international went on to score 13 in 16 appearances. On Sunday, Biereth and Balogun started together and it worked fantastically in just their second start together. The first had come back in May, and it ended after 14 minutes and a Biereth injury.

Shortly after this win, Breel Embolo, another contender at striker, was gone, on his way to Rennes. For Balogun, that opened a pathway towards being the go-to starter. It also revealed that a starting role will depend greatly on his ability to coexist.  Early returns are good, particularly with the goal, but there's clearly work to do.

The two only connected on one pass, while neither got on the ball too much. In the end, though, they got something out of it, and reports out of France say the partnership looks set to continue.

"Mika is a top player, I know his game, it's easy for me to play with him," Balogun said. "The coach likes this system with two connected attackers. I think we showed connections, good things together."

The evolution of that partnership will help define Monaco's season and, for the purpose of American fans, Balogun's place in the USMNT. Could it also provide a new way to use the striker under Mauricio Pochettino? Perhaps, but, before that happens, Balogun is one to keep an eye on as he looks to make his long-awaited big breakthrough in Monaco.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesPulisic's Serie A dominance continues

In truth, there isn't much to break down from Christian Pulisic's performance. He was given just 13 minutes off the bench in the 2-0 win. He certainly made his presence felt in those 13 minutes, though, and that's the larger trend worth looking at.

It did require a defensive calamity, yes, but Pulisic found the back of the net just a few minutes after coming on. It was his first Serie A goal of the season in Milan's second game, and it further proved just how vital he is to the team's attack.

Now, across 104 matches for Milan, he's up to 35 goals and 20 assists – and 41 of those goals and assists have come in 72 Serie A games. It all makes it very clear that, particularly in domestic games, there's no stopping Pulisic. It's why there's no reason to panic when Pulisic is omitted from Milan's starting XI, as he was this weekend. It's maintenance, not judgment.

“I’m fine. I had some problems, but I’m fine now," he said postgame. "Today I think I touched the ball three times, but I scored. It was a beautiful night.”

Pulisic has had plenty of beautiful Serie A nights. Now, the question is if they can stay that way as Milan try to reclaim their place among Italy's elite.

Getty ImagesThe only Sargent stat that matters

Sometimes, you don't have to get too deep into it. There are an infinite about of underlying numbers to look at to explain a soccer game, but sometimes you really only need one. That one, for strikers in particular, is goals. That number means everything.

Therefore, it means something that Josh Sargent has a lot of them with Norwich. He's netted six goals in five games to start this season, showcasing his talents as a top striker at the Championship level. It means something, too, then, that he has none of them for the USMNT since 2019. Over his last 16 appearances, he hasn't hit the back of the net with a shot that counted and, for many, that stat speaks volumes.

“Of course, I know it’s been a while,” he said Tuesday. “I’m doing so well at the club level at the moment – I just keep reminding myself how well I’m doing there. I know I can score goals and I know it’s a matter of time before I’m going to score for the national team. So just going to put my head down and keep working hard and I know the goals will come.”

Sargent does a lot of things well. He links play, creates danger, and presses hard. Those stats look good on paper, but they only matter if there's a number next to it in the goal column, particularly during this international break.

Getty Images SportMorris making his case

While Sargent has been spectacular, it would actually be easy to argue that the best American in the Championship isn't in the USMNT squad. That player? Aidan Morris, who looks like he might just be September's biggest USMNT omission when you look at current form.

Four games into the Championship season, Morris has won Middlesbrough's Man of the Match award for three of them, with the latest coming last weekend against Sheffield United. He won eight of his 11 ground duels, drew three fouls, completed 54 of his 60 passes and fired two shots on target.

All of that adds up to an incredibly well-rounded game, one in which Morris was able to impact play with and without the ball. In the fall, it seemed as if Morris would become a mainstay under Pochettino. He impressed in his initial appearances to start the new coach's tenure, but hasn't featured since October and wasn't called in to this September camp.

It's up to him, then, to show why he deserves to be involved with his play at Boro. He's certainly doing just that.