ASN: USMNT: ideas & evaluation on September roster amid group in transition

ASN’s Brian Sciaretta offers his ideas on the USMNT’s 24-player roster for September beneath interim coach Mikey Varas at a time when the group is beneath transition following the fallout from the 2024 Copa America. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
September 03, 2024
3:50 AM

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ON SUNDAY, United States nationwide group interim head coach Mikey Varas introduced a 24-player roster for the upcoming friendlies towards Canada and New Zealand. The roster is usually full energy though just a few key gamers have been left off.

By way of key absences, Weston McKennie won’t be with the group as he missed all of preseason with Juventus resulting from a contractual dispute however ended up signing a brand new cope with the legendary Italian membership.  Additionally, Antonee Robinson was left off as Varas mentioned: “[Robinson] has been playing banged up for the last year, and the best thing for him at this moment is to stay back, reset, and get ready for a long, grueling Premier League season.”

There’s additionally Cameron Carter-Vickers who has been coping with a toe damage. This window was seen as an opportunity to let it heal correctly.

These absences are mixed with famous accidents to Tyler Adams, Tim Weah, and Sergino Dest in addition to youthful fringe gamers like Kevin Paredes and Gianluca Busio.

First the roster, after which some ideas on it.

USMNT Roster for September
(Membership/Nation; Caps/Objectives) 

GOALKEEPERS (4): Ethan Horvath (Cardiff Metropolis/WAL; 9/0), Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona II/ESP; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 1/0), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG; 44/0) 

DEFENDERS (8): Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 2/0), Marlon Fossey (Commonplace Liege/BEL; 0/0), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo/ITA; 3/0), Mark McKenzie (Tolouse/FRA; 13/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 61/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 21/1), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 11/0), Caleb Wiley (Strasbourg/FRA; 2/0) 

MIDFIELDERS (6): Johnny Cardoso (Actual Betis/ESP; 15/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 22/0), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG; 5/0), Yunus Musah (AC Milan; ITA; 39/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 31/8), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 12/0) 

FORWARDS (6): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 42/8), Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 15/5), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 28/10), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 71/30), Josh Sargent (Norwich Metropolis/ENG; 25/5), Haji Wright (Coventry Metropolis/ENG; 11/4)  

A lot continuity & Pochettino motivation

The USMNT has had a troublesome 12 months. The group had a disappointing Copa America and didn’t advance out of a gaggle, the place it was seeded, and the place it performed on dwelling soil. It’s a results-oriented enterprise and that price Gregg Berhalter his job.

Regardless of these failures, there was not an enormous turnover for this roster. Many of the similar gamers stay until the gamers are injured (Robinson, Weah, Dest, Adams) or missed many of the preseason resulting from switch or contract points (McKennie).

Is it the proper factor for a one-window interim supervisor like Varas to be the one being the method of creating large adjustments or sending messages with an enormous shakeup? Most likely not. A coach who swings the wrecking ball must be the one to pickup the items to construct what comes subsequent.

That then raises the query over what can probably be completed this window? If Varas is one-window coach, the gamers must know that the subsequent coach will likely be watching these video games – both on the stadium or on tv. If the gamers are on the market and look unmotivated, or nonetheless upset about what transpired this summer season, then they run the dangers of not being a part of the primary steps beneath the brand new coach.

That is a part of what went improper with the U.S. group after Qatar. The group obtained stale. Berhalter tried to roll with the identical group of gamers for a really very long time. Gamers have been getting known as up regardless of unhealthy type. The competitors for minutes and roster spots didn’t appear as intense.

There are lower than two years to go till the World Cup. It’s a poorly stored secret that Mauricio Pochettino is more likely to be the subsequent USMNT supervisor. Getting off on the proper foot is crucial for gamers. In any other case, they’re working the danger of being on the skin trying in.

By way of what to anticipate, it could not be a stretch to anticipate that the USMNT gamers are going to play with a way of urgency with the conclusion that call-ups may to be as automated anymore.

Kind issues

Sadly for lots of the U.S. nationwide group gamers, there are too many points as regards to their standing at their respective golf equipment. Performing nicely towards Canada and New Zealand is sweet, however being a part of this group (probably beneath Pochettino) will come right down to taking part in nicely on the membership degree.

With this roster, the misplaced will not be in need of gamers who will not be in a fantastic place.

Gio Reyna: He didn’t go away Borussia Dortmund this summer season and there are questions whether or not he’s within the plans on the German membership. The stories in Germany have mentioned various things. However Reyna has not exceeded 650 minutes in any of his final three seasons.

Luca de la Torre: it was reported Celta Vigo wished to promote him this summer season, however there weren’t many takers on the asking value. What can we anticipate from him this season? He looks like a main candidate to get replaced on the USMNT roster if he doesn’t play – and he doesn’t appear wished by Celta Vigo after being a part of two relegation battles after becoming a member of the membership from Heracles – which was relegated out of the Eredivisie.

Matt Turner: After crashing out at Nottingham Forest, he’s now on mortgage at Crystal Palace the place he’ll probably be the No. 2. However what occurs if Patrick Schulte has a great camp? Or if different rising choices play, and play nicely? Pochettino or every other supervisor won’t simply hand the USMNT beginning job to a keeper who doesn’t play.

Folarin Balogun: The USMNT striker noticed his aim manufacturing in Ligue 1 go from 21 to seven final 12 months. He has seemed peculiar to start out 2024/25. He’s not trending positively, and he might run into a foul spot at Monaco until issues flip round.

Ricardo Pepi: The current damage to Luuk de Jong may adjustments issues, however Pepi has been restricted to simply rubbish minutes at PSV and most of his video games come when the sport is already determined. With a brand new teaching workers coming, he’ll probably really feel stress to be in a membership state of affairs the place he handles extra accountability to be on the sphere at essential instances.

Notable newcomers

There are a number of gamers on the group who’re both in camp for the primary time, or for the primary time in a very long time. These gamers have loads to achieve at this camp with the subsequent teaching workers doubtlessly taking notice or watching.

Aidan Morris: is likely one of the high newcomers at this camp and the central midfielder has had a fantastic 12 months. He’s received MLS Cup with Columbus, then he led the Crew to a run to the CONCACAF Champions Cup ultimate. Then he sealed his transfer to Middlesbrough. That stored him off the Olympic group nevertheless it additionally allowed him to take part in Boro’s preseason the place he has been very sharp to start out the season.

Morris has an enormous opening on the group with McKennie out, Adams injured, and de la Torre in membership limbo. If he has a great camp and different gamers are struggling, he may simply be on the within of the group with the brand new administration.

Marlon Fossey: was a shocking name provided that even in Belgium, Bryan Reynolds has arguably doing higher as Westerlo’s proper again. However Fossey is a really aggressive and really athletic fullback who’s at all times trying to push ahead into the assault. The truth that he’s even right here is a good story after he suffered knee damage after knee damage at Fulham. His first ACL tear pressured him to withdraw from the 2017 U-20 World Cup with the U.S. group. The correct again pool is much extra shallow on the USMNT than at left again, and Fossey doesn’t have an excessive amount of competitors apart from Scally or Reynolds till Dest returns.

Patrick Schulte: the beginning Olympic group goalkeeper has had a fantastic season with Columbus (like Aidan Morris) and he arrives at a time when the goalkeeper participant pool is confronted with many, many questions beginning with Matt Turner’s lack of taking part in time and Ethan Horvath taking part in for a Cardiff Metropolis group sitting on the backside of the desk within the early going of the Championship season. Schulte has an enormous alternative.

Caleb Wiley: The previous Atlanta United homegrown sealed a switch to Chelsea this summer season and was instantly loaned to Strasbourg in France. He has performed within the group’s first three video games, though principally because the left winger. Antonee Robinson is the lock starter at left again for the USMNT, however the backup place is broad open as Kristoffer Lund in all probability doesn’t have a agency grip on the spot behind Robinson, regardless of having been known as up frequently the previous 12 months. Wiley additionally faces competitors from John Tolkin, who will not be at this camp however who began over Wiley on the Olympics and performed nicely.

Diego Kochen: The Barcelona B goalkeeper is one for the longer term and might be going to shift to the U.S. U-20 group (which doesn’t have a camp this window) within the coming 12 months. However U.S. Soccer believes in him and is giving him this expertise at a time when goalkeeping will not be nice.

Auston Trusty: was invited to this camp after finishing at transfer to Celtic. Regardless of taking part in within the Premier League final season (albeit with a foul Sheffield United group that conceded over 100 targets), he has struggled for callups. He doubtlessly offers the group one other left-footed possibility behind Tim Ream, who will quickly flip 37.

Notable omissions

One other essential statement about this roster is that simply two Olympians from the previous summer season. Berhalter mentioned that after the Olympics, he hoped that group’s pool would merge with the USMNT pool to make it extra aggressive. The one gamers from that group who made this group are Schulte and Wiley.

But it surely’s essential to notice that maybe membership concerns got here into play. Golf equipment wanted to voluntarily launch gamers for the Olympics, and maybe as a option to repay the favor, some gamers weren’t known as as much as this camp. That is true particularly for MLS-based gamers because the league performs via the worldwide window.

That would appear very probably with Miles Robinson who missed many of the summer season for Cincinnati whereas on the roster for each the Copa America and the Olympics. Walker Zimmerman additionally missed time on the Olympics and the June pre-Olympic camp. Different gamers who might be in the identical state of affairs are John Tolkin on the Pink Bulls and Jack McGlynn on the Philadelphia Union.

It’s not simply MLS-based gamers. Gaga Slonina is now on mortgage at Barnsley in League One in England and that third-tier league performs via the window. Paxten Aaronson at Utrecht was additionally allowed to take part within the Olympics and he’s off to a robust begin. Like McGlynn and Solnina, Aaronson has performed for Varas whereas with the U.S. U-20 group.

Cade Cowell is somebody that had a case to be known as up as he has been in strong type and was just lately named the Liga MX participant of the month. On high of that, he additionally has a historical past with Mikey Varas with the U.S. U-20 group. 

Richie Ledezma is off to a pleasant begin at PSV the place he’s taking part in out of place at proper again, however he now faces competitors from newly acquired Rick Karsdorp from Roma. He must compete for minutes.

Tanner Tessmann additionally missed nearly all of preseason as his switch out of Venezia took longer than anticipated and he’s nonetheless getting adjusted to Lyon.

Zack Steffen: After resetting his profession in Colorado, it’s shocking he was not known as as much as the USMNT at a time when the group wants enchancment at goalkeeping. He has expertise and he’s again to taking part in nicely.

What to observe for this camp

By way of what to observe for within the coming friendlies, here’s a transient listing:

Depth: How keen are the gamers to show the web page from the Copa American and impress a brand new workers that’s watching? If the U.S. places out a boring and torpid effort, it could be yet one more signal this group wants numerous work.

Central protection pairings: From this lineup, it’s unattainable to say what the perfect central protection pairing is. Chris Richards has the within monitor, however possibly not. Is Tim Ream at 37 nonetheless there? It’s been a very long time since Mark McKenzie was given an actual shot, is he now able to compete after his transfer to Toulouse? Auston Trusty also needs to be hungry? These gamers all have an opportunity to showcase themselves with different gamers like Robinson, Zimmerman, and Carter-Vickers not concerned.

Goalkeeping: Turner comes into this camp nonetheless the No. 1, however he can’t have a good grip. Additionally, is Horvath nonetheless the automated No. 2? Can this be a chance for Schulte?

Striker depth order: Folarin Balogun is struggling on the membership degree, however is that this a time somebody can transfer previous him? Josh Sargent must be seen because the almost certainly candidate to make an enormous bounce with the USMNT after his play since December. The difficulty with Sargent is his well being. If he’s shut or at 100%, Sargent might be a participant to doubtlessly enhance his standing to start out life beneath a brand new workers.

Midfield mixtures: The 2022 World Cup had the “MMA” midfield for Musah, McKennie, and Adams. Two of these three will not be right here. Then there are points with different choices like Gio Reyna, who continues to not play. Two gamers to observe are Morris and Cardoso who really are taking part in and must be hungry to go away a mark on this group for the brand new coach to construct from.