Americans Abroad: Tactics and trends - Fulham's Antonee Robinson already back to his best as Yunus Musah makes rare start for Atalanta

There was a vital name on Atalanta's most recent team sheet, at least for USMNT fans. Musah was in the starting XI for only the third time this season and first since September, and when that happens, a player must show what they can do and why they deserve more chances.

Musah arguably did that with his performance against Genoa. It started well early, as Genoa saw a player sent off in the third minute, freeing up the American and the Atalanta midfield quite a bit. Musah responded well. He played all 90 minutes, completed 93 percent of his passes, had seven passes into the final third, and had two successful dribbles. There were a few good moments and a few driving runs forward. That's what any team playing the USMNT midfielder will expect out of him.

“I'm really happy," Musah said postgame. " I've been waiting for this moment for a while. I was as happy as if it was my debut. I hope to continue like this now."

The big question is what this means going forward. Since joining Atalanta on loan from Milan, Musah has essentially been non-existent and glued to the bench. Might that change just before January, when Milan could theoretically recall him? Atalanta have one more game left in 2025, a clash with Inter. If Musah starts, it'll be a clear sign that the club actually does have a plan for him. If not, the Genoa game will have been a rare exception in a season that hasn't gone as planned.

It had been so, so long since we'd seen Robinson at his very best. After his electric start to last season, his injury issues very clearly slowed him down in the second half of the campaign. Then, as those issues lingered, he was left out for the first several months of this season. It was a tough situation for Robinson, Fulham, and the USMNT.

He's back, though, and while he may not quite be at his peak, he's already showing elite form just a few weeks into his return.

Robinson has now started three matches since returning from injury, two of which were Fulham wins. The fullback was in the XI for the wins over Burnley and Nottingham Forest. He fired in nine crosses in those two games, won eight tackles, and created two chances in those Premier League clashes. These were the type of all-encompassing efforts that fans of Fulham are accustomed to.

Sandwiched between those two games, Robinson provided his first assist of the season in a losing effort to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. With the assist, Robinson now has 17 across all competitions since the start of the 2023-24 season, according to Opta. The only Premier League defender with more in that time is Pedro Porro with 19, and that's with Robinson effectively missing half of this season.

He still needs to build up fitness, and that'll take time. Even so, this version of Robinson is already making a difference heading into a crucial holiday season.

Weston McKennie’s 200th appearance for Juventus arrived quietly, but it served as a reminder of his staying power at one of Europe’s biggest clubs. Frequently scrutinized, the U.S. midfielder has responded in the most effective way possible, with his recent performances reflected clearly in the numbers.

Over the last month, McKennie has provided two goals and two assists for Juve, with both goals coming in the Champions League. The assists have come against Serie A heavy hitters Napoli and Roma, showing just how much he's stepping up in the bigger games on the schedule.

It's always been that way. With those Champions League goals, McKennie became just the second USMNT player to hit 10 Champions League goal contributions, joining only Christian Pulisic. This isn't anything new; it's something that McKennie does in the big moments, and there are plenty more of those to come.

Ricardo Pepi’s scoring run has already been well documented, but as the goals continue to pile up, so do the numbers that underline just how prolific his stretch with PSV has been.

With his goal this past weekend against FC Utrecht, Pepi has now scored 15 goals in 13 Eredivisie starts for PSV dating back to last season. Even more impressive has been the consistency, as the striker has scored in 10 of those 13 starts, including each of his last four. Sandwiched between those league goals was one against Atletico Madrid, too. Whoever has been in his way, Pepi has generally put the ball in the back of the net against them.

Pepi now has 10 goals and three assists in 850 combined Eredivisie and Champions League minutes. That run will be on hold through the winter break, with PSV returning to action Jan. 10 against Excelsior, but the hope is that the form carries over.