Mauricio Pochettino started his with a and a . He oversaw difficult but comfy , then forgettable friendlies in January. Now, in March, comes his first actual check — and with it his first consequential roster.
Pochettino , a 23-man squad for subsequent week’s CONCACAF Nations League finals, on Tuesday. It options all of the acquainted names you’d anticipate: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Antonee Robinson and the like.
It additionally options Diego Luna, Patrick Agyemang and Brian White, three MLS attackers who’ve been known as upon to assist the USMNT’s ailing depth.
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The inclusions of Agyemang and White are unsurprising. Each began and scored in these January friendlies, when all European-based gamers had been unavailable. And their opponents for minutes, the strikers who’ve grow to be USMNT mainstays over the previous two years, have been injured. Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright and Daryl Dike are both sidelined or nonetheless regaining health. Amongst regulars, solely Josh Sargent is out there to guide the U.S. line.
Luna’s inclusion, although, is head-turning. Pochettino picked him over gamers equivalent to Brenden Aaronson, Paxten Aaronson and Alex Zendejas. Brenden, the elder of the Aaronson brothers, has performed 47 video games for the USMNT since 2020, and is an every-week starter for Leeds United on the prime of the English Championship. Zendejas just lately led Membership América to a Liga MX title. Luna, who did not even make america’ mostly-under-23 Olympic workforce final summer time, has by no means performed at a stage larger than Actual Salt Lake in MLS.
However the 21-year-old ingenious attacking midfielder made an impression on Pochettino in January. Towards Costa Rica, he was bloodied by an elbow to the face … and minutes later, with a damaged nostril that might quickly , after pleading with medical doctors and Pochettino to remain within the recreation, Luna returned and assisted the USMNT’s opening objective.
“Massive balls,” of his response to Luna’s efficiency. “He confirmed nice character.”
Whether or not he’ll get minutes in March is one other query. He’s nonetheless possible behind Pulisic, Weah, Gio Reyna and Yunus Musah on a fluid attacking depth chart. (And behind Malik Tillman, who was having an superior season for PSV Eindhoven earlier than .)
However Luna is an interesting prospect, an , who has clearly caught Pochettino’s eye.
“He’s a participant,” Pochettino stated Tuesday, “that may present various things in the course of the recreation.”
He has the potential, sometime, to be an A-team difference-maker. And maybe that sometime is subsequent week.
The next is the complete U.S. roster for subsequent Thursday’s Nations League semifinal in opposition to Panama, and both a closing or third-place match three days later.
Goalkeepers (3): Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace)
Defenders (8): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), Marlon Fossey (Customary Liege), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Celtic)
Midfielder (6): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Johnny Cardoso (Actual Betis), Diego Luna (Actual Salt Lake), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon)
Ahead (6): Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Josh Sargent (Norwich Metropolis), Timothy Weah (Juventus), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Notably, Luna is listed as a midfielder, whereas Musah, sometimes a central midfielder underneath earlier USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter, is listed as an attacker. Musah has performed in a hybrid proper wing function underneath Pochettino within the fall, and extra just lately for AC Milan. That, it seems, is the place Pochettino views the 22-year-old going ahead.
Elsewhere, Reyna, Tyler Adams and Cameron Carter-Vickers return to the U.S. camp for the primary time underneath Pochettino.
Carter-Vickers and his membership teammate, Auston Trusty, are two of 5 heart backs. Pochettino, partly as a result of participant availability, partly as a result of tactical preferences, has most popular to load his rosters up with central defenders whereas going gentle on fullbacks. With Sergiño Dest solely simply , Marlon Fossey is the one true backup to Antonee Robinson and Joe Scally.
At goalkeeper, Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen seem like Pochettino’s most popular reserves behind Matt Turner. That place is alarmingly skinny.
However the roster, generally, is powerful.
Adams is lastly enjoying recurrently for Bournemouth within the Premier League (and battling for European locations).
Chris Richards is a fixture for a Crystal Palace workforce that has been among the finest in England over the previous few months.
McKennie, Pulisic and Robinson have all just lately captained their golf equipment.
Johnny Cardoso, an everyday starter in Spain, scored in Betis’ win over Actual Madrid.
Pochettino, talking Tuesday, known as Sargent “essentially the most in-form striker” within the English Championship.
The shortage of enjoying time that plagued the USMNT final 12 months getting into Copa América is now not an issue. And the U.S. can be favored to win a fourth consecutive Nations League title.
The USMNT’s possible beginning 11 for the semifinal, in a 4-2-3-1, is:
Matt Turner; Joe Scally, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie; Yunus Musah, Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah; Josh Sargent.