Gonna be an interesting XI in these games with 5 or 6 lock starters (formation dependent) not even on the squad.
Now, that one I can agree with @NietzscheIsDead on. The injured or recovering from injury players are one thing. Keeping a guy at home to get acquainted with his new club coach is nonsense at this point of the cycle.
While I would certainly prefer Wes be there, if there is any player in our pool that can adapt well to different roles, settings, coaching staffs, teammates and positions, it is Wes. Having said that, that argument could be applied in favor of him coming as well.
Whether it’s a good reason or not it doesn’t seem to be the case he’s not here because he’s out of favor or anything like that.
I don’t think this camp will tell us much about what to expect next summer, but it’s a huge one for some guys who will get more playing time than they normally would due to injuries and other things. Brenden Aaronson, massive camp. I think he might be outside right now but he can change that or make the decision more difficult. And Diego Luna, who I have just on the other side of that line, he needs to play well. Berhalter can maaaybe squeak in with a special free kick delivery or goal that makes Poch think he wants that in his bag. McKenzie should play every minute. Arfsten is a lock to make the team, but with Jedi a question mark he might be a starter. Is he ready for that? Roldan is the guy who’s going to play and basically has his WC chances in his hands. Will he mix with Adams or replace Adams or both across the two matches?
We are all soccer fans just like you. We follow soccer news just like you. So we’ve all read stories over the years, heck, decades, where a club coach affects call ups. That’s the real world, where FIFA rules meet reality and compromise. Speaking for myself, I understand your point. It’s just that as a long time fan of the sport, I know it’s wrong.
Poch has said multiple times the most important thing is that the players are playing at club. I'm a big fan of building cohesion, but with half the team out anyway, Wes keeping a starting job is more important than him coming in. Of course, we can all guess at what that means in terms of impact -- how at risk is he? How much does this help? Is it worth it? But at the end of the day, six days with the US isn't worth not playing for months with club. Of course, that's the worst case scenario.
I have seen a wide variety of takes on the roster online, but I think we have to remember this... Here's a list of players who are either currently injured or just returning from injury (and I believe it was agreed to early that Pulisic, Zendejas, and Tillman would not be called in cause of this): Pulisic, Johnny, Jedi, Tillman, Zendejas, CCV, Weah, McGlynn, Brady, Blackmon. The first 5 of the first 7 if not all of the first 7 are guys many would have in our best 23/26/whatever. McGlynn and Blackmon were in camp as recently as September and arguably could have been in last month if not injured, and Brady has been in every camp since the Gold Cup. That's 10 players out with injury. You can also throw George Campbell in if you want as he's had a good start at West Brom and he just picked up a groin injury. You had Oliver Glasner come out just last week and complain about how much Chris played during the last window and talked about how he has been dealing with a calf issue all season. With what just happened to Pulisic in the last window I'm fine leaving him out. Based on this information, I think the only 2 guys who really have a case to getting called in that weren't are Noki Banks and Kristopher Lund.
1. Arfsten is dominant in MLS lately, if you go by my eye test. He’s an elite attacker. I’d be shocked if Lund is better than him. 2. Sawadzki is a defender, maybe a defensive mid. He didn’t make the roster over Musah. 3. What is your fascination with Miljevic about? Nobody here believes you’re watching his club play. So it has to be based on resume, which according to the internet is nothing special. I just find it odd when a poster capes up for a player everybody knows he’s not watching and who also has that kind of resume. It’s like a reverse Badge FC.
It's reasonable to leave Wes off to work with his new coach. It's more important that he continues to be an integral part of Juve so that he accumulates playing time. He is known quantity with the National Team. Banks is not ready. It's best that he stays with his club to be in pole position for starts after the International break. Banging consistent starts with club is the best way for him to make the World Cup. Lund's being left off was a surprise. He has been a consistent starter for a B1. He had a strong performance against Bayern. And with his size, he could be candidate for LCB in a back three. Surely, he gets a look in in the March window. McKenzie was not on the roster for Toulouse's last match.
With Scally back in the fold should hopefully put to rest the idea that anyone has been permanently exiled or blacklisted.
Banks I think still has a fairly uncertain standing with his club in terms of maintaining his starting spot. Pochettino may have wanted to give him more of an opportunity to continue to establish himself.
I'm not aware of any McKennie injury (though that doesn't mean that there isn't one). It can't be due to underperformance. He was one of our best players in that Australia match, and he's been solid at Juve.
Zawadski is a guy who plays both DM and a CB in a three man backline plus had to pull out of 2 camps because of injury. Probably getting a full look. I have a feeling the poster you quote judging but what I've seen is very much along the lines of "If you are not in a league that isn't MLS you should be called in" because Musah has played so little for Atalanta (yes I know he just got 15 minutes yesterday) that it takes jumping through a lot of hoops to justify calling him in.
Could not disagree more. He's a lock. He's in shape. If missing out on 2 friendlies helps him establish himself as a starter at Juve, that will pay dividends down the road. We have good CM depth in camp with Adams, Tessman, Morris, Berhalter & Zawadzki. With good cover in the AM/CM role McKennie played last time with Roldan, Reyna, Luna, and Aaronson who can all play there. Pulisic, Tillman, Wes, and Weah are likely the top 4 in those 2 spots, we are just looking for the best depth now. Those next four guys are it. Let's see how they look against each other, and all playing with the other available starters. The CM/AM spots are our deepest spots in my view. This will be a good chance to see how the pecking order shakes out for the depth guys.
I can be talked into leaving Banks off so he can continue to solidify his place at Augsburg, but I really wanted to see his name on the list.
I like the idea of trying Lund at LCB... and I agree about Banks. Dude is just solidifying his starting position in the BL... let him get a stangle-hold on it. Assuming we stay with 3CBs I am guessing: Ream - Miles - McKenzie in the first match with Trusty and Scally backing up at LCB/RCB respectively..
I keep putting Scally into my projected rosters because as a player profile, Scally fits the roster very well as depth. As you put it, depth at outside CB in a back 3, depth at defense-minded RB, depth at defense-minded LB. That's a lot of able cover with single roster spot. Of course, part of the art of managing is understanding that a player who is mainly a cover option can't be there if he's a disruptive ass. Heck, even a lot of stars can be droppable if they're going to disrupt the group. He and Reyna are very much in the same boat on that. I hope they both realize that. Given how much attacking talent is missing, I wonder if Poch won't try out something with both Balogun and Pepi on the pitch at the same time once again, if only in the sub-on stage of a match.
I think is an unintended setup. We are missing 5 starters. Gio cannot do it alone, even when he was at its best. I'm afraid he will be ineffective and Poch will use that as a reason to not give him any more chances. These two games may get ugly.
Well YAPR (Yet Another Poch Roster). I hope to see Aidan Morris and Auston Trusty on the field during this window. They are two players that I think could actually help us on the field at WC2026. Both are very dynamic and aggressive 1v1 defenders, attributes we need against the better teams we are likely to face in a World Cup.