The U.S. men’s national team’s quest of returning to the Concacaf Nations League Finals comes down to Thursday’s semifinal showdown with Mexico in Las Vegas.
B.J. Callaghan takes over as interim USMNT head coach following Anthony Hudson’s departure to Qatar, and will be tasked with leading the Americans to the June 18 finals against either Canada or Panama. However, Mexico has failed to defeat the USMNT in its last five head-to-head meetings, and will be putting up a strong challenge to eliminate the 2021 CNL Champions.
Several of the first-choice USMNT players will likely be counted on in Callaghan’s set-up including Christian Pulisic, Matt Turner, and Weston McKennie. Yunus Musah and Antonee Robinson are also good options to start for the Americans.
Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi will jostle for the No. 9 role after both forwards delivered positive loan spells at club level this past season. Balogun, who committed his international future to the USMNT in May, will be seeking a senior debut in his first international camp.
Centerback is also a tough debate with Walker Zimmerman and Miles Robinson bringing the most experience in the current roster. Auston Trusty will be pushing to start after a stellar league campaign with Birmingham City while Chris Richards is also a defensive option.
Here is a closer look at the starting lineup we could see Callaghan deploy, and the squad SBI would recommend Callaghan consider playing against Mexico on Thursday:
Goalkeeper
Who will start: Matt Turner
Who should start: Matt Turner
Matt Turner is the USMNT’s clear-cut No. 1 goalkeeper, especially with Zack Steffen and Ethan Horvath not in the current squad due to injuries. Turner made just seven appearances with Arsenal in his debut European season, but still remains the USMNT’s starter going forward.
Defenders
Who will start: Sergiño Dest, Walker Zimmerman, Miles Robinson, Antonee Robinson
Who should start: Sergiño Dest, Walker Zimmerman, Miles Robinson, Antonee Robinson
B.J. Callaghan has plenty of defensive options to choose from but expect a veteran-led centerback duo to lead the way.
Walker Zimmerman and Miles Robinson are in the heat of an MLS season and likely will be the duo Callaghan goes with. Both Zimmerman and Robinson have an edge of both Auston Trusty and Chris Richards with the USMNT and will be a tough duo for Mexico to break down physically.
Trusty enjoyed a positive first season in England, but might not be trusted in a crucial semifinal tie vs. Mexico. Richards rarely featured for Crystal Palace during the second half of the season and remains a back-up option at this time.
Both Zimmerman and Robinson are also strong on set-pieces, which is something the USMNT will try and use to its advantage against El Tri.
Antonee Robinson enjoyed a strong season with Fulham and remains the USMNT’s No. 1 left back. Robinson’s strong defensive abilities paired with his never-say-die running on both ends of the field make him a must-start.
Sergino Dest struggled for playing time during the second half of his loan with AC Milan, but remains a top option for the USMNT. Dest provides more on the offensive end of the field than Joe Scally and has enjoyed some positive moments with the USMNT in his last few appearances.
Scally still has a bright future ahead, but expect Callaghan to go with Dest’s familiarity over Scally.
Midfielders
Who will start: Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna
Who should start: Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna
Tyler Adams’ injury absence might force Callaghan to rearrange his midfield, but ultimately he still has plenty of experienced options to choose from.
Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah endured tough moments down the stretch at club level, with McKennie’s Leeds United suffering relegation and Musah and Valencia staying up in La Liga on the final day. McKennie’s defensive awareness makes him a top candidate to fill in for Adams while Musah will also provide coverage in midfield.
Both McKennie and Musah bring great work ethic to the field and also play the game aggressively, but on the right side of it.
Gio Reyna enjoyed a positive 2023 with Borussia Dortmund and should get the nod alongside McKennie and Musah. Not only is Reyna the best creator out of this current pool of midfielders, he can also interchange with Christian Pulisic on the wing.
Johnny Cardoso could also start at the No. 6, pushing McKennie and Musah higher, but I’d expect Callaghan to go with Reyna’s attacking abilities to pressure Mexico heavily.
Forwards
Who will start: Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi, Tim Weah
Who should start: Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Tim Weah
Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah are likely locks among the front three, with both players aiming to get back to their best offensively.
Pulisic didn’t offer much in his limited time with Chelsea during the second half of the season, but managerial decisions in London didn’t assist Pulisic either. The USMNT veteran attacker will be counted on to make a difference against Mexico and as previously mentioned, could interchange with Reyna in midfield.
Weah will return to his traditional attacking position after mainly being used as a fullback/wingback at club level this season. Brenden Aaronson’s lack of form paired with Taylor Booth’s inexperience on the senior USMNT level, makes Weah a likely candidate to start at right wing.
Callaghan will have a tough decision to make at the No. 9 position, and although Folarin Balogun will be itching to start on his debut, Ricardo Pepi’s experience might give him the nod. Both Balogun and Pepi were among the top American performers in Europe this season, with the duo combining for 35 goals in all competitions.
Pepi enjoyed a positive March window with the USMNT, scoring twice against Grenada and the winning goal against El Salvador. Balogun brings a lot of similar attributes to the forward position, but might be tasked with making an impact off the bench, rather than starting in a must-win match.
What do you think of the projected USMNT Starting XI vs. Mexico? Who do you think Callaghan chooses?
Share your thoughts below.
they seriously need(ed?) to make this a more serious effort at identifying other specialist 6s. for a team with tyler constantly out we seem content to just shift people around that we really need upfield as opposed to find serious understudies who step into the 6 role when necessary and are suited to the position. it’s like people forget weston was tried as a 6 along with several awful passing 6s before they came back around to adams. adams won the job because the others, some of whom are decent hybrid mids, weren’t that good at 6 in a serious match. so maybe find someone who if adams keeps breaking can start there. oddly they made some effort for GC where if anything the MF is again too defensive.
personally in a 433 i’d use reyna, pulisic, or aaronson as an AM with mckennie then booth or musah as 6. i’d have liked to see tessmann instead of roldan, busio, sands, etc. on the other team. that kid will run around and make things happen.
no, a lot of this feels like insisting on calling similar players over and over even when we need some depth and competition at places. tyler is struggling to stay healthy. this is basic common sense and planning. acosta is aged out. find some other 6s.
Tessmann is getting married during the Gold Cup.
You do kind of have to consider there isn’t another player in the pool with speed, awareness, and grit of Tyler Adams.
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Adams played March 22, 2019 as the hybrid RB, then returned to Leipzig as was prearranged. He missed the rest of 2019 with injury. He played first 2 post Covids then wasn’t released for March ‘21 due to quarantine restrictions. Injured again in summer ‘21 only able to play last 20 and ET of NL final. Then played every WCQ except the home Honduras. They didn’t “come back” to Adams. He was the guy Berhalter literally built the original defense around. Then he got hurt and Bradley got old and there was a global pandemic.
whatever, so we should quit looking because it’s not like he’s hurt PRECISELY RIGHT NOW.
Some guy isn’t just going to turn it up. You can’t be a mediocre reserve in Portugal and then put on the crest and be Tyler Adams. You can’t be not good enough to play for the last place team in Serbia then put on crystal boots and be Cinderella.
don’t like the backline. dest has not handled mexico well. Z was exposed last fall. do we pay attention to how the games go? we are over-obsessed with supposed club form. on planet reality richards is EPL and trusty is the league below that. one of the MLS outplays his league at this point (miles), the other (Z) is 30 and had a poor world cup.
on talent it should be richards and robinson then scally wide. and then tell jedi at the other spot told to stay home more often. pick your runs. he can defend but not if he’s sent 20-30 yards upfield all day.
If you want to read tea leaves Flo is heavily featured in the Behind the Crest video released today. Ricardo is in it for 3 seconds. Of course it also looks like a 4-4-2 diamond on the tactics board and BJ is a Union guy?
A 4-4-2 diamond would be a seriously odd choice because we only brought two true forwards with Pepi and Balogun…so I hope not.
I doubt BJ does much that’s weird, unless it’s starting Balogun because he was just that awesome in practice and BJ just couldn’t not do it. I do think we’re looking at a 4-3-3 double pivot with Musah and McKennie as co-6’s and Gio as a 10…and I’ll stay out of the “definition of inverted” argument.
They blurred out the tv screen but not the tactics board so I’m guessing it’s meaningless.
the issue i would see with a 442 would be having both a functioning 10 and a 6. i think balogun +1 is actually inspired. a single striker makes it easier to mark us. i also don’t think we get such amazing wing production that wing forward vs wing mid matters that much. i might even like having wing mids to give the wingbacks cover. where it seems more awkward is mid. we don’t really have a 10 sorted and our 6 is out. i don’t think we have the guts to try reyna or pulisic as 10, and if weston was 6 i think it would be underwhelming with musah 10.
i’d like to see booth as 6 then play 2 AM.
are we seriously so bush league we would advertise formation before we did it? but then we had dest telegraphing tactics to wales.
The lack of 6s on this roster makes it tough for me to even come up with what I would do. I think I would have to play with three in the back and two in front them. After pondering and without th luxury of seeing players in training I think I would go with
Turner
Richards-Zimmerman-Trust/Mrob
Musah-LDLT/Cordosa
McKennie-Reyna-Pulisic-Weah
Pepi/Balogun
Weah and Pulisic on left because they are better defenders than McKennie and Reyna.
you could try booth. i see it as a coaching own goal to have too few players allocated around. i assumed it meant weston with johnny as backup. weston was an ok 6 before tyler and johnny didn’t play well in the spring. booth would be a creative choice but we tend to pigeonhole and he seems to be seen as a wing. even if we have plenty of better wings and need a 6. musah might also be an interesting 6. he’s more of a banger than people admit.
I don’t think Weston is very good there. Against England, Musah rotated back next to Adams to defend and Pulisic dropped to the midfield to a 4-4-2. I think he tried the same thing against Holland but with McKennie dropping because Musah was gassed going into the game. All three goals came from an unmarked man at the 18 where a central mid should have been so I don’t have a lot of confidence in McKennie in that role but he might be the best option. I keep hoping Johnny can fill that role but when he gets his opportunities, he doesn’t really seem to shine.
tele: i was a johnny fan from a mexico game in a previous year where he went absolutely vicious for a sequence, grit i thought this was generally missing. as you say the same guy didn’t appear this spring. i don’t know what his league calendar is ie if he came here in preseason. if that same guy came back, we need some actual destroyers. i thought weston and bradley while sometimes decent had a tendency to get caught in possession or out of position. i thought yeuill and trapp weren’t even up to what a 6 has to do at this level other than the odd anticipation play. GB ended up bringing acosta back who is now too old to be the stopgap.
the US to me in recent years has gotten good at running out all star teams or starting streak players but poor at running position competitions or auditioning in bulk for actual need areas. i mean, we need a 6. this is not a new problem. we have months to prepare for this. we are using continuity coaching on purpose. ok, continuity coach, find me a few new 6s to try.
maybe this points out the paradox in trying to rely on a berhalter clone assistant to identify new things. balogun, vazquez, and zendejas aside, this is a coaching staff for comfortable shoes, not a good caretaker to fill actual holes. GB’s response to this was eventually call an older 6. that 6 is too old now. so we’re going to xerox using AMs as 6s.
to me ever since gonzo and cameron got brought back at CB for arena the US hasn’t seemed to get that when you’re going in circles from frustration maybe try fresh faces. as opposed to play the club form game.
Ronnie,
Aaron was the USMNT starter until he tore his Achilles. He was replaced by Miles who took full advantage and made the spot his own.
Then Miles tore his Achilles and that seemingly and ironically allowed Aaron to come back and make the Qatar roster.
You can’t make this stuff up.
Starting Balogun, who hasn’t played in a NL, GC, WCQ nor a friendly, over Pepi sends the message that Europeans don’t have to earn anything on the pitch like everyone else. Believing Europeans > Mexican-Americans or Chicanos isn’t how you attract more Latin or Hispanic-Americans to play for the US. Are Americans really that prejudice you can’t see that? BA isn’t a good 1 v1 defender; he’s a good help defender. He’s not shown any discipline as of yet, to defend the middle of the field. If you don’t understand a word then look up the definition, it’s not hard. Looks like US soccer fans need to look up the word – invert. Apparently, we don’t know what we are talking about when we use this word. You can’t invert a fullback, that’s an oxymoron. An inverted triangle? O Gawd! I’m going to give one more example for my high school dropouts, short bus riders and people who live in a bubble of ignorance.
Let’s use the name Eric, (shall we). When you invert the Capital E in Eric. The capital E doesn’t drop down under the r-i-c. The capital E doesn’t go above the r-i-c. The capital E doesn’t move on top, or in the middle of r-i-c. When you invert the capital E, the 3 points on the capital E face outward, or to the left, while staying in the same position. When you say invert the fullbacks/wingers you’re essentially saying that players should run or stand facing the crowd on the sidelines in the same position!!! How odd would that look? So you want players not to pay attention to what’s going on, on the inside of the field? I screenshot convo’s like this and send it to my friends in Europe. Stuff like this gives the impression to Europeans that we are dumb, when it comes to this sport. You can’t invert a triangle either. A triangle has 3 points. No matter what way you turn, or flip the triangle; it isn’t going to change the 3 points. If Reyna (10), Musah (LM), & McKennie (RM) make a triangle w/ Reyna-point closer to goal, then they invert. McKennie & Musah switch spots and Reyna stays in the exact same position. Casual fans say terms like… “Double 6s, double 8s, double pivot, inverted wingers, inverted fullbacks, verticality, etc” Sounds good! …until you have to explain to people out in the real world, especially people who have earned a Interactive Media, Digital Media, Digital Art & Web Design, or an Art degree. I have 4 family members who have earned a degree in these studies, that I’ve spoken to about this, so I don’t rely on my own knowledge. To think, I was going to just talk about a way, the US in a no press 4-2-3-1, can sure up the defense by having Weah & Jedi playing on the same side, w/ Weah playing the Vini Jr role (1st point of attack). Whoever is starting for El Tri @ RB, RCB, RM, the DM & RW would have a hard time adjusting to the speed. Spreading whatever formation they use apart. The CF takes on El Tri’s LCB. With Musah playing on the leftside; the right side ( CP, McKennie, Dest), now has mismatches, on the backside, & center-right of goal. Mexico’s LB, LM, LW have to decide what to do against those 3 on the right and have to make a pimp decision ‘Como hacer nosostros defender Reyna?’
I’m no casual fan but speak casually here
BA is a fine defender underneath, disagree 100%, and he can both pressure and cover in there while also moving to recieve and distribute on change of possession
also, internationally the system is even more important because no one gets to play together for as much so it has to be more organized for most teams, like ours, that isn’t rolling out top 10 players 2 deep at all positions
further, the USMNT typically has relied on organized defensive schemes to dos a cero Mexico, not some attacking numbers forward idea that is one missed foul away from opening the counter (how many missed calls you want to bet happen in the game this week against our guys? what’s the over/under?)
I’d love to be wrong and believe we can go out attack minded offensively, but typically and also successfully, we’ve attack minded DEFENSIVELY…and very flippin effective vs. Mexico like this for 2+ decades
BA isn’t a better defender than Miguel Almiron. He isn’t a better passer than Miggy. He isn’t a better scorer than Miggy. I know you saw Almiron play the same position as BA did in the MLS, just as I did. No one would ever say the BA is a better 10 than Almiron was in the MLS. Almiron couldn’t be successful in the midfield in EPL. He struggled mightily with the physicality. Newcastle got Joelinton & Bruno G, who are strong enough to play in the EPL. Magpies switched to a 4-3-3, w/ Longstaff joining the Brasiliero in the middle and Miggy has been playing RW, (‘21-‘22 Valverde role) ever since. BA is in a similar situation, as when Miggy was when he 1st played in the EPL. …but somehow BA is now better than Almiron? When did this happen? At Salzburg? Like every other US player, whatever position he plays at his club is fine. For the US, tho, I don’t want to see him, messing up the shape, while chasing the ball and not paying attention to his teammates while playing defense. I would like to see him in our offensive 1/3, the 18, or the 6, making offensive decisions for us. Playing to his strengths, the same with CP. Reyna is 10x worse than BA at defending. I hope Gio improves his effort. Defense is all about effort. We don’t have 10 players 2 deep at every position, because coaches aren’t viewing the player pool in that manner. We have a bunch of attacking midfielders, who like to be in the same space. This has us playing hero ball way more often than a lil bit. Whatever futbol formation there is …America now, has the personnel to fill it, and the skill level to utilize any formation to our advantage. You just can’t use everybody for all formations. You know I’ve been an advocate for the 3-5-2 since ‘18. I much rather see this XI in that formation. GB used a 4-4-2 all 2019. Fast forward to 2021, GB started using the 4-3-3. He used the 3-4-3, four times to my memory. ‘21 NL final v Mexico, ‘21 GC group stage v Canada; WCQ Honduras away, 1st window, and the Morocco friendly. By early ‘22, the 4-3-3 was morphing into a 4-4-2, during defensive sets, or throw ins. That’s multiple formations in 1, four year cycle. I’m not concerned with our defense, or formation flexibility. Turner & Miles have only lost one match together on the field, Canada away (WCQ), in something like close to 15 matches.( number of matches played, top of my head guess, stop counting after 11-1). Dest devotes more energy to the defense since he found Xavi wasn’t impressed with his game. Jedi is our best 1 v 1 defender. 2nd is Miles. I don’t have a problem with Zimm or Richards starting at RCB. US defense isn’t a weakness. No goals from free kicks or set pieces is a huge problem. Shots on goal, passing in the final 1/3, passing a CF open, LM not being a fulcrum in between LW & LB, have been a bigger problem. With all that I’ve said, majority of these players have been playing together since their teens and the individual GPG are better than their predecessors. I still believe these guys haven’t scratched the surface offensively. The players technical skills and athleticism are equal now.
Inverted: placed upside down or in opposite position
Berhalter way
——W————Y———
———\———-/————
————\——/————
—————A—————
Hudson way
——————G—————-
—————/ \————-
————/ \————
———W_____Y————
If you see our three midfielders as forming a triangle for Gregg two vertices we’re closer to our forward line and one vertex was closer to our defensive line. Hudson turned the triangle in the opposite direction with one midfielder closer to the forward line and two midfielders closer to the defensive line. Much like Maverick in order to see the Mig 28 that was directly below him inverted his F14 so that his cockpit dome was facing down instead of up.
A 4g negative dive with a Mig -28? At what range?
personally i think something like pulisic and balogun in a 2 striker system would start to get interesting. you can then share the time out the other game. personally in a single striker i would cut the 9 role into thirds and give pulisic balogun pepi about 60-75′ each and see who steps up. i agree with you in a way there. i don’t think this is optimal for winning but i think we have more need for a competition than for the only goal to be winning. we need to find choices who can repeat what they do the next start. USSF used to be more secure about such events and use them to have keepers compete or field players fight it out, time shared instead of monopolized. we do things more on paper now and are too eager to annoint the next “winner” before they do it twice. make them go through the motions. make a winner emerge over time.
that being said i would also respond that pepi gets a bunch of chances and doesn’t do much consistently so why does he own the slot any more? i like 2 strikers because we get another guy to serve and he gets help and not so much unearned focus.
“Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna”
– Two Central Midfielders and One attacking Midfielder……none of them known for their defensive abilities.
“Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi, Tim Weah”
Why on Gods green earth would you let Pepi start over the fourth highest goal scorer in Ligue 1 (Behind only Mbappe, Lacazette and David), playing on a team that is not even in the French League’s top 10 (meaning he finishes a little chances he gets!!!!)……that not only plays in a higher league but is playing better in that league and scoring more goals than Pepi did in Eredivisie……against tougher competition. Even I am insulted, let alone Folarin Balogun lol. WHAT????
Thursday will be interesting
I don’t think we can say it would be egregious if “Flo” didn’t start versus Mexico, especially considering how well Pepi played(scored 3 goals)during the last NL camp and his familiarity with the rest of the unit. You don’t just hand the keys to Flo, although no one would question he is a better player then Pepi atm, but given Pepi’s experience with the team(as noted)and his familiarity playing vs Mexico I think you start FB on the bench and if/when we win you could hand him his first start in the NL Final
There is no logic that can dictate Flo starting on the bench. NONE. This is not a club team this is the National Team. Pepi has been playing well, so what? Its about bringing in the best group of guys over a short period of time to get the best results. And Folarin Balogun is a far better CF than Pepi.
For starters Flo plays 2 positions that the USMNT, in a 4-3-3 formation, will be fielding and greatly need…..Center Forward (main) and Left Winger (secondary). Why oh why would he start on the bench when we all know he’s a better forward than Pepi but is also a better LW than Weah, WHO PLAYS LB FOR HIS CLUB LILLE in Ligue 1.
It is borderline insulting…..
Bizzy, I share your sentiments on the midfield but I think Reyna can actually defend, he just prefers not to. I recall him being very good defensively against Mexico in last NL Final but I think he was playing a wing. Think Pepi or Balogun will be decided by training which seems like a perfectly reasonable way to decide who plays.
BA will be missed if he doesn’t start
defensively both flanks will be hard pressed to stop Mexico if on one side we play CP/Gio and on the other we play Dest as the FB…all are defensive liabilities that Mexiso will attack ruthlessly, and without Adams to cover the ‘stars’ lack of defensive effort, it could spell big problems imo
Go USA
Beach: I get what you’re saying but that didn’t happen in either of the WCQs. I get Adams played in those matches but if we invert the triangle as we did in March Musah+McKennie=Adams right?
we;ll see, but no matter what we do, if CP and Gio are on the same side, and no Adams or BA out there to cover, Weston can’t do it alone, so it could be a problem. then once we compensate, Dest is 1v1 on the other flank
and as you said, Adams played in those matches before. I think that makes a difference with the lineup choices
the one good thing about Adams being out is we get to see if anyone else is as impactful on the team as he is, not just at the 6 but in general, but specifically of course at the 6. I think no one is except Turner, no one else even close with the dropoff so steep at those 2 spots, but we’ll see and I hope I’m wrong
Will be interesting because alot of us have wanted to see what we could do with the triangle inverted and an actual attacking playmaker inserted at the point. I think most would prefer Adams out there as one of the 6s but perhaps the offense gets kickstarted with someone able to find Pulisic and Weah.
@jb, inverted triangle sounds good, no problem creating a position for Gio in our system imo since others can adapt better than he can at this point to get on the field and still be effective. maybe we’re good enough to absorb playing with a 10 who just doesn’t defend, but I’d stick BA underneath in that tole over Gio altho I think it suits Gio fine. But for BA, that was his best spot on Leeds too when Rodrigo played in front of him instead of Bamford
Hey Bum, if you remember I always thought BA should be a starter, but I don’t think he starts here.
I think without Adams the lineup will be a 4231, Weston on the same side as Dest, Gio in the hole.
BA brings a lot more energy that can have an impact, but Gio doesn’t in terms of workrate.
I just think BA is the better option off the bench.
Brenden did not start once in the World Cup.
I’m not against him starting but it’s worthy of note that our 4 World Cup games were the best games, by a quantum leap, the USMNT played under Gregg.
Which means to me that Brenden starting or not isn’t a gamebreaker.
True, Adams is not there but, unless we think BA can replace Tyler, someone else needs to seize that opportunity to show that maybe they can be a suitable backup especially because El Tri are a credible test.
There isn’t really the Mexico of old. Not many scary attacking players on either wing, and they don’t possess the ball like they use to. I think the US can put their foot on the gas and blow this Mexico team away.
I don’t disagree but we need opponents who can challenge us.
If Mexico is the best they drag in , then that’s what we’re left with.
It’s better than nothing. Maybe.
How can there even be a debate Pepi vs Balogun?
Flo has nearly twice the goals Pepi had last season playing in a much tougher league.
If Flo is healthy he starts. I don’t see how there can be any hesitation on this, seriously.
The thing is, though, as a coach I always try to let my guys stick a toe in before I just throw them into the deep end, and that’s even at the youth level. The pressure in starting for your national team is without question just a hundred times worse, and guys seldom do well in their debuts for the national team. What you usually see instead is even experienced players who play at a high level in Europe come in and get the yips, especially that first appearance. You see them overcook passes, miss sitters from five yards in front of the goal, run around like chickens with their heads cut off, make really, really weird decisions with the ball, and in general do all the things that young guys filled with just way too many nerves and adrenaline and their eyes rolling around in their head tend to do. It’s not usually until that second or third game and they settle in a bit that you see the player’s real quality.
Also, you can’t be seen to be favoring anybody over another, and you have to give the guys who have paid their dues the benefit of your doubt or you’ll lose the locker room. I think Balogun is probably ahead of Pepi at the moment in terms of career and will likely beat Pepi out to start…and possibly quite soon if he’s as advertised. But Pepi has earned the #1 spot for the moment with his past performances and current form, and deserves to be the first guy to trot out there…and be given a genuine, full chance to keep that spot. Especially against Mexico, for a lot of reasons, not the least of which being he chose us over them.
In terms of nerves and pressure, Balogun will be infinitely better-served to come off the bench that first game. It bleeds a lot of the pressure off, and doesn’t just dump the whole merciless load on a guy who’s facing an insane amount of pressure already. I’d definitely play him, mind, and give him at least 30 minutes because even if he’s terrible the experience he’ll get against playing at that level of pressure will be immensely valuable to him. But I’d also play Pepi the first 60 unless he’s just really stinking it up, which I doubt. Pepi can play and nobody will be more motivated than him against Mexico.
It’s better for Balogun…and it’s also better for Pepi, who already had to deal with being snubbed for the World Cup. I can’t imagine how crushing that was. If we take this from him now too he could well sour on the whole USMNT and I absolutely do not want to alienate Pepi; I think he’ll be playing in a Top-5 league himself this time next year and he could well be an integral part of the USMNT for the next ten years or more….so let’s not burn him already, you know?
Jermain Jones went off on his USA mens national team debut against Poland assisting Jozy for a goal. I disagree with that cold feet on debut assumption.
Great points as I see it the same way. I’ll even add that most players in Balogun’s position would want to “earn” the spot by coming off the bench initially, proving what they can do, and then taking over as warranted. As long as both guys are professional and it’s handled well by a manager, the competition should make both players better.
agree with this 100% as I said in my own opinion here above, and I think it is what will happen. Flo will get his minutes/starts, and can get the start in the Final(if we make the final and if we do that’ll be a bigger moment to start in)and in some GC games
I considered for a moment that this post might be some sort of inside joke.
I appreciate that comments are subjective, but I’m compelled to point out that this comment became gibberish within the first two sentences. I think you should be told so, and I hope that only the regulars read your comment, and not impressionable up and coming fans. It’s such a dumb comment that it’s actually damaging to those that read it. There is not a single insight of any value and yet you droned on and on, even going so far as to italicize your font for emphasis. If you actually do coach and mold young minds, God help the children.
There is nothing you said that is predicated in reality. You have no clue what’s better for Balogun and you have no clue what’s better for Pepi.
This is professional sports. The best players play. There is no such thing as forming your decisions around pressure. You’ve missed the boat entirely. Literally everything you posited there in that comment is based on your own flawed, fantasy land perspective
“I absolutely do not want to alienate Pepi; I think he’ll be playing in a Top-5 league himself this time next year and he could well be an integral part of the USMNT for the next ten years or more”
This is a tempest in a teapot. The risk of alienating Pepi is pretty miniscule.
I imagine his failure to make the team has humbled him and made him want to push even harder.
People are talking about this as if Pepi earned a spot in Qatar and Balogun is coming to take it away. Wait a minute, wasn’t it Josh who went to Qatar and played 3 of the 4 games before going down injured?
As far as I’m concerned, Flo and Ricardo come into camp on an equal footing since Josh and Ferreira ain’t here
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Whether we agree with the decision or not, Pepi failed to win a spot in Qatar. He’s not the incumbent #9. And let’s not forget the reason Flo was so heavily recruited was that Pepi and his fellow candidates were not impressing anyone.
Ricardo is tied to the USMNT for the rest of his career. He can’t switch to Mexico so if he wants to play in the 2026 World Cup, which I’m sure he does, the USMNT is his best and only ticket. He’s smart. He knows he has no leverage, especially with Flo in camp..
Meaning it is in his best interest to do whatever he can to make the team work as best as it can.
Pepi has to know that what matters is the team not Ricardo. If he’s going to get all entitled and hissy about starting this game then the USMNT doesn’t need another diva shitbag.
We haven’t see how they are doing in training. Depending on how that goes BJ could have all the data he needs to start one over the other.
If they fight to a draw in training, then BJ can give them the “I’m saving you for the final” line . Or he can try to play the two together.
It should be fun.
Dest has hardly played at all in the last 6 months. I’d play Scally instead. I’d like it better if we had CB’s who played for European teams instead of in the MLS. Still, Zimmerman and Robinson have both played Mexico and played together more, so I wouldn’t upset that pairing. I’d like to see us try a combination like Palmer-Brown and Richards in the future for less important games so we can see how well they do together.
Dest played 90 mins on April 20, Scally played 69 mins on April 23. Combined they’ve played 1 min since, Joe on May 6. Although since WC Joe has Serge beat by like 500 minutes.
Any idea what happened at the end of the season? Did Scally just fall out of favor?
Malkin, no idea don’t usually watch Mochengladbach. His Fotmob rating weren’t horrible in the previous matches. Might just have been they were locked into their mid table spot so they gave the vet Lanier some run.
JR,
Off topic but here’s a fun read about Dest:
“Calendar of FC Barcelona
This Monday aim from FCBN that the FC Barcelona wants to accelerate the negotiations with the surroundings of varied of his yielded to solve his exits the sooner possible. This posture of the culés is a strategy more to be able to generate income in the short term, taking into account that right now it follows far to concretise his first sale and already subtract only a pair of weeks so that it finish the month of June.
One of these footballers that returns is Sergiño Dest, the one who fracasó categorically in his cession with the AC Milan because of physical problems and a performance that did not convince to the technical body Italian. The American will return directly to the ramp of exit of the Barça, although the journalist Achraf Ben Ayad has aimed from his account of Twitter that in the technical secretary have a plan B with the defender.
The FC Barcelona has to choose his priorities
The information aims that in front of the fault of concrete offers by the North American, in the dispatches think that could try remain with Dest for the next season if the situation on him continues the same and the culés can not do all the incorporations that have in mind. Although Xavi has left clear that does not have the side, yes that the footballer of 22 years represents a solution ‘free’ for the entity, at least like an option for the rotation.
The ex Ajax culminated the past season disappointing to the technician egarense and from this moment the míster has not had in his plans to Dest, the one who has agreement until 2025 and if it does not find a solution that fulfil the expectations of all the parts could try win again a place. The culés need to reinforce the midfield and the attack by what there is not too margin to add also to a new carrilero right-handed.
The final alternative so that Xavi have a side
The Barça has to Joao Cancel like an alternative in front of the possibility that the Manchester City accept to negotiate a new cession by the Portuguese, although his index card surely was much more elevated that the one of Sergiño Dest. With all this in account, and to fault of approval by part of Xavi, the Barça will have the American for July if they continue without arriving concrete offers by him, surpassing at least the 15 million euros for this summer, or the next.”
You got all that, right?
Walker and Miles should be game sharp. So that matters here.
Also, Miles is coming back from serious injury, the new Aaron Long.
My guess is they need to find out if he has lost somethin or not..
comparing Miles Robinson to Aaron Long is a serious insult to MR, let’s not go there, or are you more so comparing their achilles injuries?
Ronnie,
Aaron was the USMNT starter until he tore his Achilles. He was replaced by Miles who took full advantage and made the spot his own.
Then Miles tore his Achilles and that seemingly and ironically allowed Aaron to come back and make the Qatar roster.
You can’t make this stuff up.
I think the likely only questions would Zimmerman vs Richards? Zim has been injured but Chris has played once in the last 3 months?
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Pepi vs Flo. Here I think they go with who looks better in camp. We’ve seen guys like Dest, Reyna, and Musah immediately start in their first camps. However, those were friendlies not USA vs Mexico in a competitive match. Flo can play as a W, but that doesn’t seem likely if Weah and Pulisic are healthy.
I think you have to be careful paying too much attention to training performance. By all reports, prior to the 2010 WC, Wondo could not stop scoring during training for the pre WC camp.
That made me chuckle. I don’t have a problem with Flo starting, I think he probably will. I will say I’m not sure Flo has ever experienced anything quite like a Mexico crowd in a 60,000 seat stadium. I thought Azteca was pretty calm during qualifying with all the luxury boxes so maybe it’s not fair to say Pepi has either.
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I’m no Wondo fan but if you give him that exact play 10 times he puts it on net 9 times. His one time just happened to be at the WC. There’s numerous videos of much more accomplished strikers than Chris missing similar plays.
“paying too much attention to training performance. ”
Yeah that happens . But whatever you think of MLS, the man scored 171 goals in 413 MLS games.
He’s a legit Hall of Famer, if there is such a thing.
Those reports coming out of the pre WC camp? A lot of them came from Landon who said Wondo was on fire. I’d say LD knows a thing or two about it.
Wondo was a legit goal scorer who had the misfortune to miss the biggest opportunity of his life.
It can happen and has happened to any of those guys.