Pre-match: US v Ecuador, Oct 10 2025

So a normal window?

 

I've seen that Dest and Pepi are out today, but perhaps that is somewhat precautionary, as Dest is projected to play this coming weekend. Also, Balogun is on Monaco's squad list for today's match, though that doesn't mean he's 100%,

I wouldn't risk anyone this window who isn't 100%.

 

Some of these are unclear in terms of severity (like Freese and Dest). Also is Jedi injured or just ramping up slowly?

 

with Jedi, my impression is it's a combo of integrating him back slowly, but Fulham has also played fairly well so they're not really messing with the combo either

 

Rumor is the roster will be out Thursday morning.

 

Releasing it on the Day of Atonement is a little on the nose.

 

The issue with hamstrings is that the player feels better before it is fully healed, leading to a greater chance of re-injuring his hammy. Unless he is able to have it heal fully, he may get a chronic issue which could potentially keep him in/out for quite a while (and maybe miss the WC).

 

Couldn't agree with you more. Poch said that the last break was used to get a look at more players, and Zendejas made the most of his opportunity. If that is really what the coach was doing, then he needs to see if it was just one match or if Zendejas can really be a contributor to the team.

 

He and his buddy Pulisic are coming into the arc of their prime years together. Zendejas is making his own way at Club America just as Pulisic is at Milan. Zendejas has been their best player for a few years now, and he has led them to some success.

This year has all the hallmarks of him making a name for himself and then shining in a home World Cup. Its entirely possible that this year is the beginning of his time as a national team mainstay.

 

One last prediction before the release tomorrow

GK: Steffen, Turner, Freese (Schulte if he’s hurt)
RB: Freeman, Dest (Scally if he’s hurt)
LB: Jedi, Arfsten
CB: Richards, Ream, McKenzie, Robinson
DM: Adams, Tessmann
CM: McKennie, Roldan, McGlynn
AM: Tillman, Luna
WF: Pulisic, Weah, Wright, Zendejas
FW: Balogun, Agyemang

 

Freese, Johnny, Dest, and Pepi are injured or coming back from injuries
Musah can be brought in in November

----------------------------------Pulsic/Iloski-----------Balogon/Wright-----
------Arfsten/Harriel---Tillman/Zendejas----McKennie/Roldan-----Weah/Freeman---
---------------------------------------------Adams/Tessmann----
----------------------Banks/McKenzie--Richards/Ream--Scally/Robinson---
----------------------------------------Turner/Celentano/Kochen

 

I have a blend of the last two:

GK: Steffen, Turner, Kochen
RB: Freeman, Scally
LB: Jedi, Arfsten
CB: Richards, Banks, McKenzie, Robinson*
DM: Adams, Tessmann
CM: McKennie, Roldan, Morris
AM: Tillman, Luna
WF: Pulisic, Weah, Zendejas
FW: Balogun, Wright

* I would like to see Campbell get a shot but I am good w/ Robinson as well.

 

Take with a grain of salt but

The USMNT 🇺🇸 roster is out this Thursday and this what I know:

Players that ain’t there ❌
Berhalter
Scally
Blackmon
Musah
Reyna
B. White
N. Banks

Players that are there ✅
Roldan
Agyemang
W. Mckennie is back

— Tactical Manager (@ManagerTactical) October 1, 2025

 

Tactical manager you better take it with a whole salt shaker.

 

Tac for all of his negatives, does have some contacts and doesn't put stuff like this out for takes.

So if I think the only one who may be a snub is Scally but even that to me is kind of eh.. maybe? Though I do wish Banks was there.

Tac also did say he heard both Tessmann and Aiden Morris will be there.

Saw a tweet saying Luna will not be with team either (RSL has a shot at playoffs)

 

Luna, Roldan, Blackmon, Berhalter, and Freeman all have potentially meaningful games. If you are leaving one in place for competitive reasons, then picking and choosing between them starts to get a little silly. (Vancouver is playing Orlando.)

Leaving all of these MLS guys at home also lets you look at other players with built-in excuses for absences. Poch can look at Scally again without having to imply that either Scally or Freeman has the upper hand.

I don't know if this is how Pochettino is thinking, but I could see this being a window that leans toward Europe bc MLS players are otherwise engaged, and so far, Pochettino has deferred to clubs and a longer-term outlook.

 

If Poch doesn’t call in MLS players in this window at this point in the cycle, who are fit and in his WC plans, then I’m joining the fire Poch brigade.

Any player who is considered top 25 or so and is healthy and playing should be called in this window. I don’t give an F where you play.

Whether you are coming off a UCL match or have important MLS games does not matter one iota at this point.

 

I'm guessing Jedi's 50/50, or do you think that Poch will insist if Fulham want him to remain with the club. And I think that Musah will be back now that he's getting play time at Atalanta (and has scored and assisted in the CL this season), even if off the bench.

The MLS field players most likely to stick around are Arfsten (who has gotten better in his caps as time has gone on), Freeman, and Roldan. Well, maybe Agyemang, too. But this is mostly going to be a first-choice European affair, minus a bunch of walking wounded, as usual.

I also wonder if Poch might consider using Scally as one of the back 3 (if we play that way), considering the fact that most of our CB options are meh, the strength of Scally's game is defense, and Scally has gotten off to a good start in the BL.

 

At this point, I think currently injured but on the mend players (such as Jedi) should come to camp and participate both in practice (to the extent possible) and in the social affairs which are a necessary part of molding a team. All other players likely to be in the final mix for selection should also come regardless of the whining that might emerge from MLS and the MLS clubs/fans.

 

This window is no more important than Poch’s last two, I wouldn’t call for a firing if some players were left off for various reasons despite still being in his plans.

 

The key guys must be there regardless of what league they're in.
I really do think we're going back to the "A" team for this window, and that means Euro-heavy.

I'd say he got a good extended look at the fringe MLS guys at the Gold Cup.
And he'll have another chance to do so at January camp.

I don't have an issue with him using the back-end of this roster for some fringe Euro-based players. Lund or Tolkin instead of Arfsten. That kind of thing. Tessmann and Morris instead of Berhalter and Roldan. Heck, I'd call up Diego Kochen just to be a prick after Barca recalled him from the U20s.

Pochettino has said that the last window was his last opportunity to experiment. So I fully expect this to be an "all healthy hands on deck" kind of window with the "A" team. Just some changes at the fringes for the back half of the roster.

 

Turner
Brady
Freese
Schulte

Arob
Freeman
Arfsten

Miles
Ream
Richards
Mckenzie
Carter vickers

Roldan
James sands
Brenden aaronson
Mckennie
Luna
Tessmann
Aiden morris
Tillman

Pulisic
WEah
Zendejas

Agyemang
Balo
Haji

Not sure on freese. He might be injured.

— Tactical Manager (@ManagerTactical) October 2, 2025

looks like he’s there if Tac is right.

 

October is officially on! 🫡

26 players have been called into camp for upcoming matches against Ecuador and Australia! 👇 pic.twitter.com/8ACD13updo

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) October 2, 2025

 

Good to see Sands but I don’t know if any real surprises otherwise except maybe CCV and Brady (particularly over Steffen). I guess Jedi is healthy enough to come but Dest isn’t.

Guessing people will generally be more happy this roster.

 

Mauricio Pochettino's World Cup roster may be coming into focus as Turner, McKennie, Antonee Robinson return along with Aidan Morris, Tanner Tessmann and others.

Details here with @HenryBushnell: https://t.co/EPusAI3jA1

— Paul Tenorio (@PaulTenorio) October 2, 2025