The dust has been established in another international break for the national male team of the United States and could not have been more disappointment than Losing to Panama and Canada while only scoring a goal. With the Athlete World Cup, the list of questions for Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT is growing, but most of them focus on one thing. How good is the depth around this team?
Things could have been different with Folarin Balogun, Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson in the team, but when the USMNT has entered most of the main tournaments with at least one injured central player, there are not enough members of that range of 12-18 in the list, they have shown that they can be proper replacements. It is only magnified when talented players like Gio Reyna cannot have play time for their squads, even more hurting depth.
Not everything is bad, since some players showed flashes during this camp, but part of the concern of what this team’s roof is will be justified with opportunities for competitive games. The next one will be the friendlies against Türkiye and Switzerland in June before the Gold Cup, but even then, Pochettino may not have their complete list due to the Club World Cup in which Juventus and Borussia Dortmund will participate.
Before all that, let’s take a look at who may have improved his position after this international break:
Usmnt players classifications: The key pieces do not do enough since Usa Soccer loses against Canada in the Concacaf Nations League
Chuck stand
Update: Diego Luna
With Gio Reyna struggling to play time, Diego Luna showed that he can bring a spark to the center of the field and that he is not afraid to try things in a central position. It would have been a good challenge to see him against Panama, but Salt Lake’s real man caused his possibilities to have an assistance against Canada and some bold passes that other members of the center of the field may even try. Without winged backs, creativity should come from somewhere and Luna could provide it. There is more space to grow and an image of midfield crowded to break, but there is no reason why Luna should not be on the list of the Gold Cup, as long as he is healthy enough to do so.
Stock Down: Weston McKennie
Used as 10 against Panama and then pushed the center of the field more deeply to face Canada, it was not a great window for McKennie. His defensive challenges were fine, but with the ball he didn’t do enough. The teams were more compact against USMNT midfield than it would normally face, but it is a bit of the effect that this team suffers when they are not at their best. Many things should go well for the USMNT to win in adverse conditions and when looking at McKennie, since their position can shuffle a lot depending on what a coach needs to do, their poorest performances generally go next to those of the entire team. There is no quick solution for this, but with limited options in the center of the field, it is worrying.
Update: Chris Richards and Tim Ream in Defense
Until the warning, we know who is the best pairing for the USMNT in defense. While that sounds very good, the fact that it is a 37 -year -old center and a often injured is a concern. But when the USMNT is in full strength, Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Chris Richards and Sergino Dest must be the first choice of choice against Matt Turner. Joe Scally has done well as a position, but does not bring enough in the future. Ream is so quiet and collected in its movement that everything breaks when it is not in the field and, although Richards can make mistakes, it is quick enough to compensate them and also has little memory where they do not adhere during the rest of the game. This is something that, again, is an accusation of the depth that Pochettino has available for him, but as we approach the World Cup, all he can do is play his best players that includes Richards and Ream.
Stock Down: Christian Pulisic
This team will go as far as Christian Pulisic can take him to him and during the League of Nations that were not far away. He was one of the worst international breaks for Pulisic on a USMNT shirt. He will recover from this, but when you are the star of the national team, it is difficult to win without acting at the highest level. The pressure is extremely high in Pulisic, but unless someone else can take a step forward to be a game winner when he has days out, he will continue at this level, or will only increase as the World Cup approaches.
Update: Patrick Agyemang
When Patrick Agyemang is in the ball, a feeling appears that has not been seen since Prime Jozy Altidore that the USMNT Nine will run for what is on their way to score a goal. Now with three goals in four caps for the USMNT, Agyemang is firmly in the crowded front pool. Its end against Canada was not even excellent, but when you get enough shots of good positions, the objectives generally follow. With Ricardo Pepi already able to get the bank’s speed, Agyemang can bring a different appearance for USMNT strikers to torture the defenses at the end of the matches.
