Pre-match: 2026 World Cup Roster

I don’t really think that’s it with Gozo. I wouldn’t take him over Weah, but there’s clearly something special there in terms of his ability to create shots one on one and finish. He has the physical tools, and he has a scorer’s skillset.

I don’t think it’s any kind of wishcasting to say that his offensive skillset in terms of pure scoring is better than Weah’s, which actually isn’t that great offensively. He also fits the physical prototype of a guy who comes in and can influence a game on pure speed, size and the ability to hit a banger.

You don’t need to be an elite team to have those guys. Yedlin didn’t have the banger aspect, but we saw him change the game when he was young purely with his speed. Gozo’s much better.

He’s not a better overall player than Weah right now, I don’t think, but there’s a real chance he will be in a couple of years. Kid has a lot of potential in that space.

No doubt we all love a shiny new toy, but this toy is actually quite shiny.

 

I both simultaenously agree and also think you are underselling McGlynn quite a bit.

The problem is that even his MLS team plays him at RW, and his competition there is Dest, Weah, McKennie, etc. I love his bangers and suspect he’s going to keep getting better, but so much of what Poch does (and anyone good) is defend at all positions. McGlynn doesn’t do that, and he’s not going to be the centerpiece of a US offense.

 

I know Berhalter got a lot of flak for dropping Pepi in ‘22, but his stated reason wasn’t wrong: young striker without man strength destroyed at this level. Sure, guys who are already full men like Mbappe can play in international ball at 18 or whatever, but I think Pepi would have gotten bullied and I think Hall would be rag dolled.

Gozo is bigger, stronger and plays wide. It’s simply so much easier to put a teenager out there up against fullbacks and wingers than trying to throw Julian Hall against Virgil van Dyke or something.

Beyond that, the role is far too much to ask relative to a wingback or right winger in terms of build up and defensive assignments as well — it’s not a knock on Hall; it’s just harder to be ready for that.

 

Is he that good? I don't know anything about him. I can look at stats or highlights I guess.

When guys like you and gogorath are considering him, I know that's a pretty good stamp of approval. But I still default to being conservative. I don't even like 2-man midfields!

 

Yeah, there’s a major difference here.

Gozo is where Alex Freeman was a year ago. He’s big enough, he’s strong enough, and he’s absolutely distorting the game in MLS to the point that RSL will absolutely have to change when he goes. Opponents have to game plan for him, and adjust.

Most importantly, even when they do, he has a skillset that allows him to make basically undefendable plays. He will do a simply shift of direction and hit a top corner banger. That works at ANY level if you can do it. He volleyed a ball up in the air to himself to hit another banger — again, completely unstoppable.

He’s got plenty of weaknesses, but when you have a 26 man roster, you absolutely look at guys who can do things no matter what, no matter the defense, and that’s Gozo. He can do special stuff. How often is the big question.

 

Is he that good is a tough question, because he’s a young, incomplete, player.

Here’s what he’s got: he’s tall and reasonably strong for a teenager. He uses his size well. He’s fast. He’s got a good, compact one on one dribble game coming off movement — he’s a born winger that way. Nice crossover into a shot.

And he’s a very strong finisher. Look up some highlights. He has some goals you simply can’t stop, which is what I think is catching everyone’s eyes. Like a simple shift of direction into a shot off his left foot … which goes nearly top far corner. Out of nowhere.

Or one where he pops a ball up in the air to himself and volleys a rocket into the net. He has great power and placement.

He’s still learning to be a wingback and defend, and his game isn’t complete. But there’s elements there that are absolutely special.







At that last one, the goal 50 seconds in is one of those things…

 

Weah's mentality as a player has become supplemental.... Largely playing it safe and allowing his teammates to make plays. Part of that has to do with him moving to FB which is usually more of a support piece on O but I watch him with OM and his courage is lacking. He wasn't like that earlier in his career when playing W at other clubs. Gozo is a rising star and plays with the gusto and verve this USMNT is seriously missing. We have very few game-changing one-v-one players. Weah still has that skill and his prowess on D has improved so I think we should bring them both. We can drop one of the CMs with duplicate skill sets.

 

That's pretty exciting. Wonder who's gonna come in for him and sign him up.

 

I wouldn’t freak out if Gozo went. (I’d be very surprised if he went instead of Weah.) I’m mostly skeptical of the idea that it will matter much in the end. With a team like ours, once you’re arguing over spots 20-26, the chance that any of those players will play so well as to transform one or more games based on talent and nous (not ordinary luck) is very small. No harm in taking a flyer or two on an uncappped player. But also not likely to be any meaningful benefit.

 

it can be custom and tradition for a team to sneak on a "theo walcott" or a "Denilson".........or hell a Julian Green onto the roster. Its not unheard of. Im not passionate about it one way or another. I will not be amazed or disappointed if he makes it or not.

 

Quoting myself just to add a bit of nuance:
I've gone from thinking this had about a 3-5% chance of happening in Feb/March to a 20-25% chance of happening now.

I went from 0% interest around New Years, to 10% interest in Feb, to 60/40 or so for him going now.

So that's where I stand.

 

Personal opinion and personal opinion only, but I think currently spot 26 comes down to Gozo or "big balls", and knowing poch........and listening to his press conferences, he wants to send a message, a cultural message about passion and toughness. As such, Luna is guy 26 for me for that reason. Leaving Luna for Gozo would be the equivalent of ditching his first love high school sweetheart for the Bill BIlichek super model. Doesnt seem his style.

 

Luna's spot should be assured. The guy moves with absolute purpose on O and hustles when pressing... I would take him over Gio and probably Aaronson... Heck, depending on which Tillman decides to show up I might even put Luna as our best pure CAM. It doesn't always come off but the intention is always there.

 

Everyones got their dawgs in the race, and everyones got their "crazy". My crazy is, I dont think Tillman's spot is as certain as others. And my other crazy is I think Reyna is our best pure CAM. I also think Reyna goes.

 

My position the entire time is that Reyna is one of our best players and Tillman is relatively useless.

Idk what usmnt games some people have been watching over the last 5 years.

Tillman rarely impacts the game, rarely scores or assist and consistently disappears against opponents with a pulse.

Reyna the opposite.

 

mostly , yes. And that is where the "club vs country" scale really comes into play. There are some players that are just destined to suck for country no matter how they play for club, and on the flipside, some guys simply SHOW UP in the shirt and disappear after that. That is where my reasoning comes into play.

 

Change of pace. Howard and LD draft their all-time USMNT starting XI!

Howard XI:

Dempsey Altidore Donovan
Claudio Adams JJJ
Jedi Boca Pope Sanneh
Tony Meola
​

Donovan XI:

Pulisic McBride Coby
Tab Bradley McKennie
DMB Richards Gooch Dolo
Howard
​

 

I just don't think Tillman is all that good.

Playing the "10" for PSV is an insanely privileged position that may not truly reflect a players quality.

The most attacker friendly position on the most dominant team in the most attacking friendly league in Europe.

Now we see with B04 how much less impact he is having.

 

Tillman has 3G4A in 14 caps under Poch.

 

It's ridiculous that we have to wait another 11 days for this roster. Pointless.

So I guess we'll just fill the void with speculation.

Gozo looks like a nice player, but I don't quite see the wisdom in bringing an uncapped player to the big dance unless he is doing young Michael Owen things at his club.

Even Julian Green played in a friendly against Mexico before Klinsmann tore up the Big Book of Soccer Wisdom with his bare hands and named Green to the squad. That kinda worked out.

Landon and Beasley were the surprise package of 2002, having a huge influence on our deep run, but both had been around the team for a year and a half before heading to Korea.

Honestly, if we're going to give a spot to someone who hasn't quite earned it, I vote for Reyna. Personally, I think he's washed, but he also has more 'special' in him than anyone else in the pool, including the far more reliably productive Pulisic and McKennie.

I get the feeling we're talking about Gozo because this roster picks itself up to 23, maybe 24. All we have to debate are the final few guys on the fringe.

 

FIFY.....lol

 

Weah is going. No way Gozo goes over him. If Poch wants to take a flyer on him at #26 then great. But any talk of him over a proven WC veteran is just click bait.

 

Why does the count start under Poch?

Tillman has 3 goals and 4 assists for the USMNT in 28 appearances.

2 goals against T&T and 1 goal against Haiti.

If you find that impressive... ok..

 

If you don’t use 90 minute increments as your denominator you aren’t trying to be serious*.


*outside of full career stats for nearly every game starters

 

one reason Poch might be happy for a few more days is you just don't know what will happen with injuries in the next week or two ....