So this is what I'd like to see for this summer. Bring in large group of 33 players for the two friendlies - Turkey and Switzerland. Then for Gold Cup, cut the bottom 8 players from the roster (assuming 26 man rosters). Cut 11 players if 23 man rosters. Make them compete. That might light a fire under them. A few Euros won't be available because of the Club World Cup - Weah, McKennie, Reyna. A select few might be given the summer off to rest - Pulisic (?). Others need to show up. G: Turner, Steffen, Horvath, Schulte. CB: Richards, McKenzie, Trusty, Zimmerman, Robinson. (No more CCV or Ream.) [Anrie Chase.] RB: Dest, Scally LB: A. Robinson, Tolkin, Wiley. [Nathaniel Brown] CM: Adams, Musah, Tessman, Cardoso, Maloney, Busio, Sands. 10: Luna, Malik Tillman, Paxten aaronsen. W: Haji Wright, Zendejas, Gutierrez, Miljevic, F: Balogun, Pepi, Agyemang, Sargent, Damien Downs.
McKennie and Weah I think are for sure not playing. Gio I think is more up in the air as I don’t think he’s going to the Club World Cup but may need to find a move. Which is too bad as I think it’d be good for him spend a sustained amount of time with Pochettino. Turner’s focus should also be finding a move. I’d also expect the camp itself to be bigger so Pochettino can look at different players and then cut down for Gold Cup. Guys who are taking off the Gold Cup for a rest probably still show up for the two friendlies and early part of camp. Jedi and Pulisic seem the most likely on that front. This will be the only real chance for Pochettino to spend a sustained period with the team before the pre World Cup camp next year.
Jedi will probably need the summer off if he is struggling with tendinopathy Jedi might need the summer off to deal with his tendinopathy. Rest is key.
I don't know. I expect Jedi to play the full 90 minutes for Fulham in their next game. So we'll see how hurt he actually is................................................ Based on Jedi's own comments, I expect him to be involved this summer. If we'd won the Nations League, and looked great doing it, I would have rested key guys this summer. But now it should be "all hands on deck" to turn this thing around. So for this Turkey game, I expect as much of the "A" team as we can get. Hopefully a bunch of guys are back. Dest, Wright, and Johnny for sure. Tillman played in a closed-door friendly this past weekend for PSV, so he can't be that far away. Balogun is in training, so he could be too. Pepi??? Least likely.
I think if anyone needs rest this summer it’d be him. But he also said he’d be playing this summer when he announced he was missing this window so who knows. Either way I think Pochettino should make the hard sell to Brown.
Jedi will probably play for Fulham but if he wants to get over the tendinopathy, he will eventually need a decent amount of rest. For me, this current team is what it is and the best thing Poch can do is help key players, where possible, have the best chance at being healthy next summer. Of course, I'm speaking from limited information on the extent of his condition.
Gonna be a really interesting pair of friendlies. Both Turkey and Switzerland had extremely odd things happen at Euro '24. Turkey was out, period, and then found a goal against the Czech's in the 94th minute, to make the knockouts and break Czech hearts and mine. They took advantage of their luck in the draw, beating a crap Austria 2-1, and played the Dutch tough, losing on an own goal in the QF's in the 76th minute. It was a weird tournament, Turkey didn't beat anyone in regulation, period, w/o including that extra time goal against the Czechs of any quality. It was a win over Georgia, a late last second win over the Czech's, Austria sucks, but they played the Dutch tough. But in Nations League it was pretty blah in a group with Wales, Montenegro and Iceland. Other than a 4-2 win away at Iceland, their results were uninspiring. Still, ELO saw enough at the Euro's to lift them from 24th in UEFA to 12th as of now. I don't buy that, I think they're more in the 18th-22nd area. Switzerland had a weird Euros, inexplicably tying a crap Scotland, then giving up a late goal to Germany that sent Germany from 2nd, to first place (92nd minute from Fulkrug), but then they woke up to pound the crap out of Italy in the knockouts, only falling to England on Penalties in the QF's. In Nations Leauge (I think they were promoted) they were god awful in the A League getting trounced left and right by a group of Serbia, Spain and Denmark, finishing dead last. I think Switzerland is what they normally are, a 10th-15th team in the region. Really interesting friendlies, but man with the stupid Club World Cup, who knows, I do think it would be nice to just have McKennie gone for a window or two, but losing Weah is far more impactful than some think, him and a healthy Dest would be really helpful to see the attack properly for the first time under Poch, alas no such luck. I wonder who he brings if he's out, Switch Pulisic to the right and Luna to the left?
Maybe the US will lay down again just like they did against Panama and Canada. They sure know how not to show up in games.
Off the top of my head guys who weren’t part of this window and who haven’t really been particularly involved as of late who I’m watching as potential inclusions for this camp GK: Freese, Brady RB: Freeman, Reynolds, Cannon LB: Brown, Tolkin, Wiley CB: Banks, Chase, Campbell DM: Maloney CM: Bassett, Puktsas, Tim Tillman, Quinn Sullivan AM: Paxten Aaronson WF: Koleosho FW: Downs
Maybe add James Sands, Cole Campbell, Taylor Booth, and Kevin Paredes as ones to watch (if they return from injury). Plus Jordan Pefok - if he gets hot, he's got a shot.
Parades and Sands I would have included but both have had long term injuries (and I think we’d have seen Parades involvement if not for the injuries). Booth is one who had a surge right around the World Cup but really hasn’t gotten back to that point since. Cole Campbell doesn’t seem like he’s like likely to break through this season.
Paredes is back in training already. So what does his past injury have to do w/ inclusion 3 months later? He projects to be healthy, so he should be penciled in. He's one of the most important players to look at in these camps because he'd give us a potential ball-progressor from a L(W)B spot, if we don't have ARob. Plus he adds to the wing depth.
Koleosho's vanishing act has been unexpected this year. I know he's coming back from an injury. ....................but 2 goals and 0 assists in the Championship ain't exactly a resume for Gold Cup inclusion. He scored the second goal in mid-September, and hasn't had a goal contribution for Burnley since across all competitions. Its just a difficult one for me. Sargent and Wright are excelling in the Championship when they play. Brenden Aaronson is having a much better year in the Championship than Koleosho, and was left out of this Nations League roster. I get it. You're trying to think of a winger. We have a lot of prospects in that space, and not a lot of guys that look ready for "A" team inclusion. I believe the reinforcements returning from injury will greatly add to this team. Getting a huge chunk of Dest, Tillman, Balogun, Antonee, Johnny, Pepi, etc. back into the group will be a bonus. Those will be the inclusions as opposed to the fring guys like Pukstas. Pukstas has 0 goals and 1 assist in the Croatian League. For an attacking central midfielder...................................that's not forcing your way into the group over Malik Tillman or Brenden Aaronson.
I have a hard time believing Sands will be ready this June and subsequently for the Gold Cup. His injury was pretty significant. Torn medial collatoral ligament and broken fibula. He's listed as being out indefinitely..........................
He's going to need some time off some time. I'd like him to get it now. Hard to imagine what kind of shape he'd be in next summer if he plays through this PL season, this summer, and next PL season.
I don’t think either Pukstas or Koleosheo warrant a call up currently. But there’s two months of season left and either could surge to a spot where they do. With Pukstas in particular he’s had his playing time limited over transfer issues as well. Or they may both continue to have seasons that don’t warrant inclusion. But I still think both have enough future potential they are worth keeping an eye on.
It's so damn depressing that we have to sit through three months of THAT before our next camp. [/whine]
The roster for the friendlies will be interesting. Lots of players getting hot - Haji, Sargent, Luna, Malik Tillman, Miljevic. Musah getting benched by club is also something to watch.
It's even more depressing when you realize this team is going to embarrass itself at the World Cup. Whoever ultimately ends up in the US's group will be salivating at the thought of humiliating the USA on national and international television as well as sticking it to Trump.
Good starting list for discussion. No to Robinson. He hasn't looked good the past year. I'm fine with bringing in Zimmerman, but he was always average to me when playing outside of CONCACAF. I would really like to see someone else added to the GK List. Need to bring in Reyna. I'm high on Luna and expect Malik to get better, but need more competition at 10. Also, we need another RB to be competing for backup. Scally is average at best. Going to be a really interesting summer.