pulisic needs players to play off of....guys like modric and fofana totally unlock his abilities usmnt and puli need a modric....its reyna.....the only guy who can really do that as needed
Whether you mean Claudio or Gio, the way you equate whichever Reyna to freakin’ Modric is something else.
poch just doesnt have the time to do his job properly. and his team IS ALWAYS injured.....i do sympathize with him. im convinced if you gave him 2 or 3 years.....he would get this team firing on all cylinders what he is trying to do is necessary...i get his methods and intent..... i just think he might run out of time.....which is not his fault at all....not having wcq is a huge disadvantage for him but after listening to his last press conference...im convinced he will pick the best players for the final roster
It seems that the Roster for the WC is, mostly, set and simply needs trimming/enhancing. I guess the trimming/enhancing process starts now. https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/united-states-world-cup-2026-squad Of course this could be complete garbage but I have found nothing to indicate that it is. If I remember correctly the coach said that all the matches through the last break were primarily for getting to know the player pool and that from this point on the callups will be those that showed enough to warrant further evaluation as the total number needed is only 23, I think, three of those must be goalkeepers. This roster should be assumed to be something over 95%, baring injury, complete and this is it. Unless I have misremembered or Poch was lying. He does not strike me as a liar. But you never know as there are some sociopaths that can lie and make you like it and you never know they are lying. They will lie even lie when the truth will serve. And they look like regular folks.
I sure hope Musah makes it back on the roster. I wonder how Poch views him. He brings some unique qualities - like being ball secure and extremely athletic - that are missing in many of our players.
"This roster should be assumed to be something over 95%" 95% is a tad high. Adams is out only because his wife is having a baby in the coming days. Dest is out only because he is coming back from an injury they know how good he is. (Robinson is back for reintegration and will be on very limited minutes.) One keeper out. We wont carry 4 keepers to the World Cup. That three for sure changes. 87% I think you can assume that Pepi will be on the roster. 83% Perhaps Johnny gets healthy and in form. 78% Maybe Musah comes into good form. 73% One can dream Gio impresses enough. 69% Scally gets out of the dog house. 65%
I think Johnny and Musah may find their way. Scally is maybe now needing an injury to get back in if both Dest and Freeman are healthy. It sure seems like there's been something going on behind the scenes there. I'm increasingly pessimistic about Reyna. A guy with zero goal contributions for the worst team in the Bundesliga so far this season. I mean, he's injured again. Thigh problems. He's only played 84 minutes across all competitions. You look at this roster taking shape, and you wonder what his role would even be. With every camp he's not at, other guys are having chances to win roster spots thru good play. Like Tillman did this summer. How many minutes has Gio Reyna played for the USMNT in 2025 so far? 21 minutes. That's it. Its not lookin' good.................
Yeah. At this point, I don’t see him making the team. He could be looking at 2030 as his next chance. But that is a long time from now… Who knows if he’ll even still be playing then…
He needs to take it day by day and let the World Cup worry about itself. If he’s honest with himself, his play (or lack thereof) over the past 3 years has not earned him an opportunity. He needs to allow himself to learn from mistakes and grow into a role at Gladbach. Also, he needs to can the idea that he can walk into the USMNT and assume a starring role. It’s time for humility. Because if he makes the squad, it’s going to be by the skin of his teeth. He may wear #26. If that’s the case, he will need to be ready to have the disposition of a support guy who works hard in training to keep the top 18 guys on their toes and wait for his chance. If Pochettino does not see him being able to accept that role, he won’t call him in. Berhalter called him in anyway and it cost the team.
Indeed. Its just that he needs to re-establish himself in club soccer before we even think about the national team. Honestly, we're not saying anything that the forum should disagree with. We're not taking a guy to the World Cup that's played so little for club and country in 2025. That's not to say he can't make it if he proves he's at the right level. Of course he can. Its just we've been saying this for quite some time......................... I think the more interesting debate is Scally and Musah. Actually, the central midfield battle is the most interesting to watch. We don't even have Adams, Johnny, Musah, Berhalter, de la Torre, etc. on the current roster. A guy like Gianluca Busio has probably fallen out of the reckoning, and it's not like's been bad for the national team. If only we had the competition at other positions that we do in central midfield. People lament that we lost Obed Vargas from the pool as if we don't have a central midfielder from Athletico Madrid that isn't at camp. Ben Cremaschi is at Parma, and we're not even talking about him for the senior national team yet. And we have no reason to not like Obed Vargas. [And yes, If Reyna has to reinvent himself as a central midfielder as opposed to a more of a winger/attacking midfielder............................then he's in the heart of that competition.]
I think Scally may be the exact one Poch was talking about needing to call him a tell him he's desperate to play for the team. Certainly something happened which tanked his chance and he needs to ask, be humble and desperate to get back. Freeman may have passed him even if he does but he has a shot at RCB if they do three in the back and if someone gets injured. Right now I don't see him getting in with an injury - maybe several?
CCV apparently just tore his Achilles. Alter predictions accordingly. He was on the bubble, and this injury really hurts his chances. Cameron Carter-Vickers injury: Celtic defender could be out until March - BBC Sport His injury does mean Trusty should be back in the starting XI for Celtic. The fans seem to want Dane Murray and not Trusty to get the minutes, though. Dane is a Scottish youth international.
After the last camp, where Weah played one game on left in place of Jedi and one on right in place of Dest, I think Scally's climb just got much steeper...as did Arfsten and/or Freeman's. If one of the 4 (Jedi, Dest, Arfsten, Freeman) gets injured, Scally probably still gets left out. I believe he would need two injuries at this point. I am more than pessimistic about Reyna. I am extremely doubtful that he has any chance at all to make the 26. Of course it is POSSIBLE, that Reyna's situation COULD change drastically between now and the wc but the hourglass is running low on sand.
Its also true that both Scally and Reyna are playing for a club in a death spiral. Haven't won a game yet this season and the situation is getting toxic. Not a good platform for excellence at the club level. They actually ended last season poorly. They haven't won a game since last March. There enough other bad team's in the Bundesliga, including Banks' Augsburg, that they can still fix the situation. They're not under yet.
Agree. In addition to the atmosphere on a team doing as poorly as they are neither is in a good position to be a bright light in that bad team. It doesn't even matter what each of them can do, if they don't get the opportunity to show it. (I know that is basically what you are implying) If Reyna can't get playing time on a bad team that just puts the final nail in that coffin for him. As for Scally, I have to believe that Scally hasn't gotten any love because Poch values more offense. Playing defense for a bad team that doesn't score goals but lets them in isn't going to help his case. He gets hurt defensively, but most importantly, imo, he doesn't get the opportunity to show he can get up the field and support the offense.
Here's my November 2025 World Cup roster projection update. A bit of a blend of who I'd want to call in with what I suspect Poch will do. Changes from my July 2025 projection are in italics. GK: - Zack Steffen: Total crapshoot with Turner and Freese regarding who will start, but I still think his upside is the highest. - Matt Turner: Probably the safest pick to start and the most consistent, but I think Steffen has higher upside. - Matt Freese: I still just can't see him starting at the World Cup, but with Poch, who knows. Either way, he's solidified his role on the depth chart as one of the top-3 at minimum. DEF: - Sergiño Dest: a lock starter if healthy. - Chris Richards: has really come into his own the past year. Hoping he stays healthy. - Miles Robinson: moves into my 23 man roster as a result of Cameron Carter-Vickers' injury. - Antonee Robinson: lock starter. - Joe Scally: has been in Poch's doghouse, but is a cut above Freeman right now IMO. - Auston Trusty: a "pick-em" choice between him and Mark McKenzie, but I think Trusty provides more set piece danger that would be useful situationally. And McKenzie has had one too many terrible ball-watching reads in a USMNT shirt where we've given up soft goals. - Tim Ream: replaces Noahkai Banks in this round. I think Poch at minimum takes him as a locker room guy for the #3/4 CB role. - Max Arfsten: he's been a consistent presence in the team throughout 2025 and I like his dynamism in the attack. I still think Kristoffer Lund is worth another look as a backup LB particularly given his step up to the Bundesliga, but Arfsten has impressed me overall in a USMNT shirt this year. MID: - Tyler Adams: Please stay healthy. - Weston McKennie: I have him starting as a #8 for now, but he's not a lock starter. - Malik Tillman: I don't see how he stays out of the starting line-up right now. I've really grown to like his defensive work rate for pressing and tracking back in addition to his offensive production. - Yunus Musah: He's been struggling and has really flat-lined in his development, but projecting him to make the roster still as a backup. - Tanner Tessman: Based on club form, I have him narrowly overtaking Johnny Cardoso right now as a backup #6, but it's truly a 50/50 choice. Tessman isn't as talented, but seems less likely to run out a stinker relative to Cardoso (who, despite excellent club form, has been awful in a USMNT shirt). - Gio Reyna: At this point, I'm picking him purely based on talent as Malik Tillman's backup. He's done very little to earn it on club form, though. WING: - Christian Pulisic: first name on the team sheet. - Tim Weah: I still haven't seen a winger emerge to threaten his starting spot. I'd love to see Weah aggressive and in-form for the World Cup. If he is, he becomes one of our better players on the squad. - Diego Luna: Provides versatility to back up Tillman at the #10 spot or either of the wingers. ST: - Folarin Balogun: Overtakes Pepi as my projected starter. - Ricardo Pepi: First off the bench if we need a goal, and should get a start in the group stage for squad rotation purposes. - Haji Wright: Overtakes Josh Sargent as our #3 striker based on club form + better recent production wtih the USMNT + his versatility to play on the wing (though to me he's a pure striker and that's where he should be deployed). ALTERNATES: - Josh Sargent: may make the roster ahead of Sargent due to his versatility. But I like Sargent's hold-up play + finishing ability as a #3 striker. - Brenden Aaronson: a 50/50 decision with Reyna. I think it's likelier Poch chooses Aaronson ahead of Reyna, but if I had to choose, I think it's likelier Reyna makes a difference off the bench if we need a goal or need to hold possession. - Mark McKenzie: Narrowly misses out to Trusty and Ream. - Johnny Cardoso: a 50/50 pick with Tessman. - Noahkai Banks: Narrowly misses out, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him jump ahead of the other CBs the way John Brooks did in 2014. - Paxten Aaronson: I was loving his game in the Eredivisie but I think the move to Colorado hurt him. And for whatever reason, Poch doesn't seem to rate him as much. I thought it was criminal how little playing time he got at the Gold Cup last summer. - Kristoffer Lund: I'd like to get another look at him before the World Cup because his club form has been encouraging. But Arfsten seems to be Poch's guy. I'm a traditionalist so still picking a 23-man roster. If we're rolling with 26, add the following three alternates to my list above: - Brenden Aaronson - Mark McKenzie - Johnny Cardoso
I think Brenden Aaronson finds a way to make it...................... He's one of these guys that's probably "next man up" if somebody gets hurt, and somebody is always getting hurt. Brenden Aaronson has played 10 games under Poch. Not insignificant.
I tend to agree. But it was also curious/odd how few minutes he played in the Gold Cup. Poch started Sebastian Berhalter and Jack McGlynn(!) out of position on the wing ahead of Aaronson almost every game of the tournament.
- Yunus Musah: He's been struggling and has really flat-lined in his development, but projecting him to make the roster still as a backup. Struggling is a complete understatement this guy has played a grand total of 54 minutes since August and only 8 minutes since his loan to Atalanta. As far as wings are concerned we don't play with wings. We play a 3-4-2-1. Aaronson put in time last window at one of the attacking 2. It will be a 26 man roster and the talk is that it will be further expanded to 30. The Jedi situation is starting to get dire and rumors are that his surgery was a failure. Without wingers and without Jedi, Weah will play one of the WB's opposite Dest. Tessman is a lock for this roster.
Musah has a new club coach so let's see if that change makes a difference........................ There might be something going on behind the scenes with him and the USSF/USMNT. He asked out the Gold Cup and hasn't been back. At least Pulisic provided us with his reason for pulling out (whether we agreed with it or not).
Musah's development trajectory has been so disappointing since 2022. He doesn't appear to have improved at all in the past 3 years (typically a crucial development window for a 19-22 year old). And if Antonee Robinson ends up being out of the team for the World Cup, I think that essentially drops us one level -- i.e. if we'd otherwise been a quarterfinal team with Robinson, I think we're a Round of 16 team without him. That's how important I think he is to the team. He's one of the top-3 best and most important players in our team, along with Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams.
It was really smart for Fulham to postpone surgery until the FIFA window during the summer so they could squeeze the last bit of life from his legs and throw him on the trash heap during USMNT time as they prepare for a home World Cup. What a bunch of assholes. Jedi gets no benefit of the doubt on this one either. He followed that plan and wasn’t committed to getting his body right for his time with the USMNT by taking time off of his club season when the injury should have been dealt with. A clown show all around.
"Jedi gets no benefit of the doubt on this one either. He followed that plan and wasn’t committed to getting his body right for his time with the USMNT by taking time off of his club season when the injury should have been dealt with." Jedi had surgery at the end of last season and should have been deep in recovery by the time training camp started.