2 months ago
A afloat 24 matches into nan Mauricio Pochettino era, we person arrived astatine nan infinitesimal of truth. The US men’s nationalist team’s 2026 World Cup roster will beryllium named connected 26 May, and nan team’s 2 caller friendlies (a 5-2 nonaccomplishment to Belgium and a 2-0 nonaccomplishment to Portgual) person fixed Pochettino plentifulness to deliberation astir arsenic he makes his selection.
We present astatine nan Guardian person made our picks arsenic good – based a small connected our ain preference, but still wrong nan realm of what Pochettino whitethorn do. Separately, nan 3 of america made our 26-man rosters. Any subordinate who we agreed connected sewage nan “on nan squad” designation. Anyone we differed connected is listed arsenic “up for debate”, pinch different notable exclusions listed arsenic “out of nan picture”.
Goalkeepers
On nan squad: Matt Freese, Matt Turner
Up for debate: Patrick Schulte, Chris Brady
Out of nan picture: Roman Celentano, Jonathan Klinsmann
Pochettino said Turner’s World Cup acquisition would beryllium valuable arsenic a starter or arsenic a backup, but each indications are nan starting motion will spell to Freese, who has been betwixt nan sticks for astir of nan Pochettino era. AA
So we’re fundamentally debating who will beryllium nan 3rd goalkeeper, whom we’ll almost surely ne'er spot return nan section this summer. Both Matts are tournament-tested, but truthful is Schulte aft backstopping nan USA astatine nan 2024 Olympics, including a commencement against big France. I’m a spot concerned that Schulte has grounded to prevention each 1 of nan 15 penalties he’s faced arsenic a pro, but Freese is nan shootout master anyway. JR
Brady has very softly put together a very bully play frankincense acold for nan Chicago Fire. I besides deliberation it’s worthy mentioning that Schulte only made this past model erstwhile Celentano withdrew arsenic an wounded precaution. Even penning this blurb, I americium mostly struck by conscionable really shallow nan talent excavation is astatine keeper. I request a hug. PM
Defenders
On nan squad: Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream; Antonee Robinson, Alex Freeman, Max Arfsten, Sergiño Dest
Up for debate: Joe Scally, Miles Robinson, Noahkai Banks, Auston Trusty
Out of nan picture: Tristan Blackmon, Nathan Harriel, Cameron Carter-Vickers
I’m a small amazed I was nan only 1 of america 3 to prime Miles Robinson and Scally. Robinson has had a adjacent magnitude of wounded struggles but has been a accordant call-up for Pochettino erstwhile fit. Scally’s expertise to play right-back successful a four-man backline and correct center-back successful a three-man backline is simply a large constituent successful his favor, pinch Pochettino liable to utilize some looks astatine nan World Cup. And astatine nan consequence of picking connected a workfellow (sorry, Jeff), Banks’s action seems wholly unrealistic fixed his stated ambivalence astir whether to move retired for nan US aliases Germany. AA
You tin impeach maine of wishful reasoning here, pinch Banks’s world early very overmuch an unfastened mobility aft he declined a March call-up. The truth is that if he wants to proceed representing nan federation pinch which he played successful nan younker ranks, he’d beryllium a needed upgrade complete alternativesk. Scally would beryllium a earthy 5th full-back, but he’d beryllium precisely that: third-choice successful some roles. Pochettino tried Trusty astatine left-back and Tim Weah astatine right-back successful March, truthful it feels for illustration those spots are covered without nan Mönchengladbach man. JR
Pochettino made things abundantly clear aft Trusty’s 90-minute displacement against Portugal connected Saturday. “I’m very happy pinch Auston, I deliberation he’s sewage a awesome profile,” he told reporters, going connected to praise his capacity complete nan full of nan match, saying Trusty did a batch to see himself successful nan speech to “be successful nan 26-player group”. To me, that says that if Trusty tin enactment patient and in-form, he’s a reasonably judge bet. PM
Midfielders
On nan squad: Tyler Adams, Cristian Roldan, Tanner Tessmann, Sebastian Berhalter, Johnny Cardoso
Up for debate: None
Out of nan picture: Aidan Morris, James Sands
We were perfectly aligned connected these selections, hence nan “out of nan picture” class for different players Pochettino called successful complete nan past twelvemonth aliases so. Sands’s ankle wounded and consequent room will put him up against it to beryllium fresh for nan World Cup, and unluckily location are conscionable excessively galore different bully options available. He’d beryllium successful nan operation for maine if afloat fit. AA
The midfield did good to neutralize Vitinha successful nan first half against Portugal, and I in installments Berhalter tremendously for that. The Vancouver midfielder besides was amended progressive successful nan last third, giving José Sá his astir difficult save from extracurricular nan box. I still deliberation Tessmann whitethorn beryllium Adams’s champion complement, different tin protect screener pinch fantabulous instincts and decision-making. It helps that he tin driblet backmost into nan protect statement pinch ease. JR
This is nan area of nan transportation wherever we learned nan slightest this model and, frankly, that’s astir apt a bully thing. PM
Attacking midfielders / wingers:
On nan squad: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Malik Tillman, Diego Luna
Up for debate: Gio Reyna, Brenden Aaronson
Out of nan picture: Timothy Tillman, Jack McGlynn
I judge Reyna has matured since nan well-reported mis-steps of 2022. It’s clear he loves playing for nan US nationalist squad and pinch this peculiar group. On his day, he has a level of attacking imagination that is unmatched successful nan US pool. But nan elemental truth of nan matter is he is severely short of lucifer fittingness and location do not look to beryllium a glut of minutes connected nan sky for him astatine Borussia Mönchengladbach. If that changes successful a large measurement betwixt now and May, sure, bring him. But for now, I’d alternatively bring a sharper subordinate pinch less mobility marks astir his output, and that’s Aaronson. AA
Coming retired of nan past window, it’s becoming clearer that Pochettino is hellbent connected ensuring that if nan US do good astatine their location World Cup, they do truthful arsenic nan aggressors alternatively than by pragmatically bunkering and countering. If you’re going to person immoderate chance of doing that, you request your champion on-ball operator. You request Reyna. Aaronson conscionable doesn’t fresh that attack arsenic well, and he earned the fewest minutes of immoderate section player successful March (12). JR
On nan 1 hand, we person Pochettino praising Reyna for astir of nan model and we person Gio offering effusive praise for his caput coach, his teammates and nan programme arsenic a whole. On nan different hand, we person Pochettino giving him conscionable 32 minutes complete nan 2 March games. Reyna is very, very acold from being a 90-minute player, truthful possibly Pochettino is simply conditioning him arsenic a supersub. Either way, it feels evident capable to maine that Reyna will astir apt beryllium nan 1 subordinate exempt from Pochettino’s insistence that his players beryllium playing cardinal roles for their nine sides. If he leaves him disconnected nan 26-man, well, let’s hole ourselves for nan inevitable societal media meltdown. PM
Strikers:
On nan squad: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi
Up for debate: Haji Wright, Patrick Agyemang
Out of nan picture: Josh Sargent, Damion Downs, Brian White
I don’t deliberation there’s overmuch separating Wright and Agyemang isolated from for versatility, but versatility is important. Wright’s expertise to play retired wide aliases arsenic a cardinal striker could beryllium useful, particularly fixed nan comparative deficiency of options among nan existent wingers successful this group. AA
Agyemang erstwhile told maine he feels much for illustration a winger than a striker, and only really began grasping nan creation of line-leading successful 2024. Pochettino gave him immoderate minutes astatine near helping precocious against Portugal, while Berhalter shifted near of halfway aft Pulisic subbed disconnected successful nan aforesaid game. Couple that pinch Pepi’s pick-and-pass assistance against Belgium, and I deliberation Wright suffered a uncommon wounded astatine nan incorrect time. He was my hardest trim of this exercise.
JR
Maybe it’s that I want Agyemang’s fairytale tally from Division-III assemblage soccer, to MLS and to nan Championship to extremity pinch a World Cup appearance. Maybe it’s his sensational nine form, aliases nan truth that he did good pinch his only existent chance against Belgium, albeit a talented one. Maybe it’s nan truth that his frame, tallness and oculus for extremity make him an perfect late-game sub for erstwhile nan US will inevitably beryllium chasing a goal. For each of those reasons combined, if I’m Pochettino, I’m putting him connected nan plane. PM
Our picks successful full:
Alexander Abnos
Goalkeepers: Matt Freese, Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte. Defenders: Antonee Robinson, Alex Freeman, Max Arfsten, Sergiño Dest, Joe Scally; Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Miles Robinson. Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Cristian Roldan, Tanner Tessmann, Sebastian Berhalter, Johnny Cardoso; Malik Tillman, Weston McKennie, Diego Luna, Tim Weah, Christian Pulisic, Brenden Aaronson; Forwards: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright
Pablo Maurer
Goalkeepers: Matt Freese, Matt Turner, Chris Brady. Defenders: Antonee Robinson, Alex Freeman, Max Arfsten, Sergiño Dest; Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Auston Trusty. Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Cristian Roldan, Tanner Tessmann, Sebastian Berhalter, Johnny Cardoso; Malik Tillman, Weston McKennie, Diego Luna, Tim Weah, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna. Forwards: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Patrick Agyemang, Haji Wright
Jeff Rueter
Goalkeepers: Matt Freese, Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte. Defenders: Antonee Robinson, Alex Freeman, Max Arfsten, Sergiño Dest, Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Auston Trusty, Noahkai Banks. Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Cristian Roldan, Tanner Tessmann, Sebastian Berhalter, Johnny Cardoso; Malik Tillman, Weston McKennie, Diego Luna, Tim Weah, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna; Forwards: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Patrick Agyemang
