Still a few weeks to go but it feels like on form the three forwards who most deserve a call up at current are Pepi, Ferreira, and Dike. Sargent is also hurt at the moment as I'd take him before Ferreira. I think Dike is in competition with Pefok, Vazquez, and Wright (who is also just coming back from injury).
Only thing I'd note on this is the rosters are a bit big. U20 World Cup is 21 players, and Gold Cup and Nations League are just 23. Nations League doesn't require to lock in the 23 though and you can bring more and dress a different 23 per game.
Johnny is out with what looks like a pretty bad foot injury. Probably out of the March Nations League window, and we'll see about the subsequent matches thru the summer. It would be a shame because we're still badly in need of #6/8 midfield depth, and he would likely have gotten a chance. ❗️Johnny Cardoso was carried to the lockeroom after suffering a foot injury. [@LucasGarske] pic.twitter.com/OEe9fdRTXR— USMNT Otaku 🇺🇸 (@USMNTOtaku) March 6, 2023
I actually think of the three tournaments this summer the Gold Cup team could have a very fun/interesting roster. And that if they are able to get players released, the U20s could have a nice run as well. I sort of think the three rosters breaking down like this U20s (assuming no releases for Brady, Parades, or Puktsas and that Pepi goes to the Nations League ) GK: Slonina, Carrera, Borto RB: Halliday, Che LB: Gomez, Wiley CB: Craig, Neal, Wynder DM: Edelman, Vargas CM: McGlynn, Aaronson, Buck, Cremaschi WF: Cowell, Koleosho, Sullivan, Gutierrez FW: Yapi Nations League GK: Steffen, Horvath, Turner RB: Dest, Scally LB: Jedi, Tolkin CB: Richards, Robinson, Ream, Zimmerman DM: Adams, Acosta CM: McKennie, Musah, LDLT, Booth WF: Pulisic, Reyna, Weah, Aaronson FW: Sargent, Pepi GK: Steffen, Callender, Celentano RB: Reynolds, Jones LB: Tolkin, Vines CB: CCV, McKenzie, EPB, Trusty DM: Acosta, Morris CM: Pomykal, Booth, Tillman, Williamson WF: Parades, Zendejas, Arriola, Mihailovic FW: Vazquez, Dike
Leaving off the players who are injured or recently returning from injuries plus leaving off all potential undecided dual nationals and players in relegation battles…. GOALKEEPERS: Matt Turner, Zack Steffen, Ethan Horvath FULLBACKS: John Tolkin, DeJuan Jones, Bryan Reynolds, Joe Scally, Sergino Dest, (omitting Jedi Robinson because he’s not had a rest in too long) (Fossey and Cannon considered but wanted Tolkin and Jones to get their shot) CENTER BACKS: Chris Richards (Tim Ream or Walker Zimmerman if he’s not 110% ~ or call in Sam Rogers), Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Mark McKenzie (Miles Robinson just returning from injury) (EPB was a close cut. I didn’t consider Long or Brooks) MIDFIELDERS: Yunus Musah, Luca de la Torre, Kelyn Acosta, James Sands (or Aiden Morris, Tanner Tessman, or Gianluca Busio), Alex Mendez (or Alan Sonora or Richie Ledezma), Paxton Pomykal (or Eryk Williamson or Cristian Roldan) (resting McKennie, Adams, and Aaronson. Tillman, Johnny, and Booth injured) WINGERS: Giovanni Reyna, Tim Weah, Djordje Mihailovic, Jordan Morris (or Paul Arriola) (Paredes, Clark, P. Aaronson, and Cowell with u20s) FORWARDS: Ricardo Pepi, Brandon Vazquez, Daryl Dike (Hoppe, Ferreira, and Pefok as alternates) (Sargent and Wright injured) At Grenada ——————Pepi———————- Reyna——————————-Weah ———Musah———-Luca————- ——————Acosta——————— Dest———————————-Scally ————Trusty——McKenzie——— ————-——Horvath—————— Subs: Reynolds (Scally), Jones (Dest), Dike (Pepi), Sands (Acosta), Mihailovic (Reyna) Vs El Salvador ——————Vazquez—————— Reyna———————————Weah ————Musah———-Luca———— ———————Acosta——————- Scally————————————Dest ————Richards———CCV———— ———————-Turner——————— Subs: Tolkin (Scally), Reynolds (Dest), Dike (Vazquez), Mihailovic (Weah), Mendez/Pomykal (Musah/Luca)
Balogun would be the only real "surprise" and that would be a very pleasant surprise. I don't think he will be on the roster though.
Do you not consider Gio been on the roster a surprise? What's the likelihood that Balogun plays for us?
1. Gio - No. He is one of most talented players and while the situation was toxic, I think everyone should be big enough to move past it and do what's best for the program, which is to have Gio in the fold. Plus GGG is out so that presumably helps. 2. I would be pretty surprised. It seems as if he prefers to represent England. He has most recently been in the fold with the England U-21s. This is what Balogun said in the fall: “Just like my future at club level, I am not closing any doors regarding international selection. All options remain open,” said the 21-year-old, whose most recent international appearance involved showing great composure to score for England’s U-21s in a 3-1 win over Germany. “Above everything, I feel English, but I also have an American side, because I have family in New York and I love going there,” added Balogun, who was born in New York City. “I have my grandmother and cousins in Lagos, even if I haven’t been there since I was very young. My mother sometimes speaks to me in Yoruba and it is important to me.”
I’m a Crew fan in Charlotte this weekend for a conference and I’m trying to find a soccer bar to catch the game. Any North Carolinians who can pass along some advice would be appreciated.