Matt Turner’s departure from U.S. men’s national team camp will provide Ethan Horvath with the opportunity to earn some much-needed playing time on Tuesday night.
Horvath will start in goal for the USMNT in Tuesday’s final September friendly vs. Oman, USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter confirmed Monday in his pre-match press conference. The Nottingham Forest goalkeeper has yet to feature at club level this season with Turner currently occupying the No. 1 spot in Steve Cooper’s squad.
Turner featured in the USMNT’s 3-0 win over Uzbekistan on Saturday, but departs camp ahead of his daughter’s birth.
“Ethan’s gonna play in goal tomorrow,” Berhalter said. “That’s pretty clear. We’re gonna mix up some players, but it will be a very similar lineup to what we saw last time.”
Horvath, 28, remained with Nottingham Forest this summer despite being linked with a potential permanent move to Luton Town at the end of last season. The Colorado native enjoyed a stellar loan spell with the Hatters during the 2022-23 English Football League Championship season, registering 20 clean sheets for Rob Edwards’ squad.
Despite helping Luton Town earn promotion to the English Premier League, Horvath’s purchase option was not exercised and he ended up back at Nottingham Forest. The veteran shot-stopper featured during preseason camp prior to Turner’s arrival from Arsenal.
Turner has claimed the No. 1 job at The City Ground, forcing Horvath to sit and wait for his opportunity.
Horvath, who made his USMNT debut in 2016, has earned eight caps to date, last featuring in a 1-1 Concacaf Nations League draw vs. El Salvador in June 2022.
JR,
“Ferreira: Then why isn’t he here? I know he had an illness but he was back with Dallas. I don’t disagree it’s an intriguing proposition but we haven’t seen Ferreira as a 10 under Berhalter except maybe first app in 2021 with full group….Gio is the first choice 10, if Berhalter uses him there then if Aaronson is getting minutes and producing at Frankfurt he’s got to be in the picture as does Malick. ”
Ferreira, Tillman and Paxton are a ways off from Gio in terms of playing the #10. Malik styles himself after Pogba and if he was the USMNT #10 he would play it different from Gio. At this stage I would prefer to cultivate Malik’s scoring potential which would be much more valuable to the USMNT.
Paxton may be the same age as Gio but Gio is much more experienced. Elevating Paxton to the senior team is more than a little premature.
My problem with Ferreira remains the same as it has always been . He lacks “presence”. Call Gio a diva shitbag and arrogant but he knows he belongs on that field at the highest level and isn’t afraid of anyone on it. Jesus does not have that same inner reassurance. I think that is why he disappears in the games where the competition is of a certain level.
“I just think Adams may end up being a kill the game with a lead sub.”
That’s what he should be now but first Gregg has to get these guys to score for him.
“Yunus is only 20 but we haven’t seen him get much better in the final 1/3. If he doesn’t he’s not taking minutes from Hudson-Odoi.”
?? Yunus is the same age as Paxton and Gio. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think he has a lot more development to do.. Hopefully Milan is the place he can do that. Hudson-Odio is at Forest with Ethan so Yunus doesn’t have to worry about him.
“Tessmann was our 4th choice DM and it showed. I hope he gets some more minutes Tues. but he may be behind Sands as well at this point. Even against Jamaica, Canada, and Panama in GC James looked better. But it’s Tanners first real cap I’m cutting him some slack.”
Sands is not as sexy as Tanner. With Tanner’s football background, there’s a segment of fans who always talk about what it would be like if LeBron had chosen soccer. You know big, strong fast, run hard all day long. That’s how the USMNT will dominate, with brute strength.
“CP, it wasn’t his day to sub. Gregg plans all these friendly subs. Both he and Yunus went full so maybe they’ll get shorter shifts ahead of Inter Derby on Saturday.”
CP is getting close to Donovan status if he isn’t already there. That’s not neccessarily a good thing.
Oops meant Loftus-Cheek not Hudson Odoi.
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Still didn’t answer how Ferreira is so favored but isn’t on the roster.
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Tessmann was going to be a kicker at Clemson.
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Pax and Malick are trying to be Gio’s backup or replace Yunus as the other 8. Assuming Berhalter figures out we need some offense thru the middle, which at this point is unknown.
JR
“This did leave to no one was then dropping to cover for him. Uzbekistan was trying to trap Luca with their front 5 in the midfield circle but the backline was just staying on the top of the box so there was very little space in behind to run onto.”
If you noticed that , I assume Gregg did as well. What was he going to do to address it?
“Pulisic didn’t have it, it happens but that slowed down the left side and he Jedi just don’t play well together anyway unless both are cooking on a day. If Christian is having a day where he’s got the touch of Jordan Morris it’s not going to matter the tactics or formation.’
Then why did CP play 95 minutes? Milan have got a huge game upcoming, the derby, and it’s not like CP needs the playing time to stay sharp like when he was at Chelsea.
“It should send a message though that Musah and Tyler have to be better in breaking lines and final balls in”
Tyler is what he is.
As for Musah we’ll see how he develops. at Milan.
Everyone was hot for Tanner until they got to see him play. He’s still very promising, but he’s going to need some polishing. I hope he gets Venezia promoted.
Tillman and Paxton are full of potential but that is mostly as forwards/attacking midfielders . They aren’t yet a threat to Gio in terms of their skills. Ferreira is the guy whose roster spot they most threaten.
But since Jesus has most favored player status, Tillman and Paxton may have to wait until after 2026 barring them exploding into superstars over in Europe.
My assumption is we are unlikely to find a direct replacement for Tyler before 2026 so Gregg needs to find ways to utilize the best of who he does have , when Tyler is out.
i’ve been begging for us to play someone, anyone else at GK besides turner. it sucks all the oxygen from the others and we need prepared and vetted backups just in case. this does fit that in a narrow sense.
historically we would sometimes do players in a bad career spot a solid and run them out — contrary to club form theories — on the idea we could shop window their skills for a move, and any revival that followed would boomerang back and benefit the pool. that as opposed to lagging club we could lead and trigger club. but horvath is stuck until winter.
personally i would like to see a full game of callender, who i think is on his second camp without a cap, leaving us no idea if he even belongs there. even if you thought you owed the nominal 2nd string a start, we are allowed to split time 45/45. to me these games are information at this stage of the cycle. “similar lineup” plus horvath is less information.
bluntly the way GK got handled this window is odd and self-serving. should a guy about to have a baby even be here? he keeped all summer and re-proved the umpteenth time his role. we have two solid but unexceptional opponents. this would have been a good window to call the backups and sort out the pecking order with same game minutes. makes more sense to me than bring a guy in for one game, three saves, then runs off to be with his wife.
First, good for Horvath and I hope he plays well.
Second, what has happened to or with the relationship with Zack Steffen. . . or for that matter, what is going on with Steffen.
I think Turner has done a good job as the USMNT #1, but Steffen was on such a rise during the last cycle, up to and until his lack of selection.
IV
Really? You could have put Mackenzie in goal today for as much as the keeper had to use his hands. Oman had 4 corners and one shot on target. The main thing Ethan highlighted today was that he is okay with his feet.
This would have been a good game to pull one player and practice playing with 10 men.
In other words if you wanted to learn anything about the guys behind Turner, this wasn’t the game to do that in.
Those who want to challenge Turner need to set the world on fire at their clubs.
I’m not a GB fan in general but as someone who grew up in Europe, half knowledgeable fan in the US is about 3rd grade level from what I have seen in my years here. Especially those fans who only really care about the US Nats. Angry and ignorant usually sums it up. Yeah, GB is limited but the fans I see here are usually more limited, in almost every way.
As you are my friend. Arrogance is not a substitute for intelligence.
I’m curious to know if your “grew up in Europe” is supposed to be a credential in footballing knowledge, or condescension?
“A very similar lineup to last time.”
Rock on, Gregg. Because clearly nothing needed tweaking.
I am already starting to worry bringing him back was a horrid mistake and it could cost us all our momentum heading into Copa America and the World Cup. It’s literally like he learned almost nothing from the last cycle that was abundantly obvious to any half-knowledgeable fan with eyes.
I’ll just shake my head and walk away rather than rant further. But this is not…encouraging.
If you’re able watch the Uzbekistan match again. You’ll find things you didn’t notice live. The negativity of the moment puts you on edge and then when the hive piles on the negativity your memory just makes it worse and worse. On rewatch we were just a fraction off here and there from really breaking it open. It was not slow passing around the horseshoe with no combinations as people claim. It wasn’t “taking it to the flag”, most of the crossing came from inside the box behind the defense. The one well let’s just hit cross and hope was Dest that Wes heads to Balo that he finishes at least 50% of the time.
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It was not 2019 passing DM, Luca was attacking the defense getting between the lines and quickly shuttling it the 8s or wide to the WBs it was nothing like Yueill, Trapp, or Bradley passing back and forth to the CBs before hitting 50 yd diagonals. This did leave to no one was then dropping to cover for him. Uzbekistan was trying to trap Luca with their front 5 in the midfield circle but the backline was just staying on the top of the box so there was very little space in behind to run onto.
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Wes, Dest, and Weah (can we get Wes or Tim to change to #40 so we can get the WD40 right side?) were very good combining. Pulisic didn’t have it, it happens but that slowed down the left side and he Jedi just don’t play well together anyway unless both are cooking on a day. If Christian is having a day where he’s got the touch of Jordan Morris it’s not going to matter the tactics or formation.
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Plenty of stuff to work on Gregg and the guys said as much but it wasn’t Japan last fall or Mexico fall of 2019, Venezuela June 2019 or even Canada away qualifier. It should send a message though that Musah and Tyler have to be better in breaking lines and final balls in because if this is what they can do (I know Tyler didn’t play but he’s struggled with it so far) then guys like Tillman and PAaronson are coming and Gio has to be in MF.
JR
“This did leave to no one was then dropping to cover for him. Uzbekistan was trying to trap Luca with their front 5 in the midfield circle but the backline was just staying on the top of the box so there was very little space in behind to run onto.”
If you noticed that , I assume Gregg did as well. What was he going to do to address it?
“Pulisic didn’t have it, it happens but that slowed down the left side and he Jedi just don’t play well together anyway unless both are cooking on a day. If Christian is having a day where he’s got the touch of Jordan Morris it’s not going to matter the tactics or formation.’
Then why did CP play 95 minutes? Milan have got a huge game upcoming, the derby, and it’s not like CP needs the playing time to stay sharp like when he was at Chelsea.
“It should send a message though that Musah and Tyler have to be better in breaking lines and final balls in”
Tyler is what he is.
As for Musah we’ll see how he develops. at Milan.
Everyone was hot for Tanner until they got to see him play. He’s still very promising, but he’s going to need some polishing. I hope he gets Venezia promoted.
Tillman and Paxton are full of potential but that is mostly as forwards/attacking midfielders . They aren’t yet a threat to Gio in terms of their skills. Ferreira is the guy whose roster spot they most threaten.
But since Jesus has most favored player status, Tillman and Paxton may have to wait until after 2026 barring them exploding into superstars over in Europe.
My assumption is we are unlikely to find a direct replacement for Tyler before 2026 so Gregg needs to find ways to utilize the best of who he does have , when Tyler is out.
Vacqui,
Ferreira: Then why isn’t he here? I know he had an illness but he was back with Dallas. I don’t disagree it’s an intriguing proposition but we haven’t seen Ferreira as a 10 under Berhalter except maybe first app in 2021 with full group.
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Gio is the first choice 10, if Berhalter uses him there then if Aaronson is getting minutes and producing at Frankfurt he’s got to be in the picture as does Malick. I just think Adams may end up being a kill the game with a lead sub. Yunus is only 20 but we haven’t seen him get much better in the final 1/3. If he doesn’t he’s not taking minutes from Hudson-Odoi.
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I’m not sure that we didn’t just think Ream and Richards could handle the one striker but … that part did look a little Switzerland 2021sh.
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Tessmann was our 4th choice DM and it showed. I hope he gets some more minutes Tues. but he may be behind Sands as well at this point. Even against Jamaica, Canada, and Panama in GC James looked better. But it’s Tanners first real cap I’m cutting him some slack.
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CP, it wasn’t his day to sub. Gregg plans all these friendly subs. Both he and Yunus went full so maybe they’ll get shorter shifts ahead of Inter Derby on Saturday.
JR, I think we all notice more live than we remember and we all perceive thing differently. Some people within a bell curve of similarity and some people way outside the bell curve on some items. When you rewatch, you are probably biased towards looking for things people said that you don’t agree with (I know I am) so you likely focus on things you wouldn’t normally focus on when watching a game and they become more memorable. I only posted this because I think it is interesting. Also, when you rewatch you know the result so I suspect you watch differently because the adrenaline of the unknown is not there.
JR,
“Oops meant Loftus-Cheek not Hudson Odoi.”
He could have played for Jamaica so there is that potential CONCACAF connection. I would not have minded if Ruben had been American.
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“Still didn’t answer how Ferreira is so favored but isn’t on the roster.”
As you know, I usually know everything worth knowing but in this case don’t know why. Have to check my sensors. Maybe Game 1 is the Euros and Game 2 is MLS.
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“Tessmann was going to be a kicker at Clemson.”
When Harry Kane tries out for the Jets or the Dolphins (assuming Inter Miami can’t use him anymore) as a kicker in a few years then things will have equalized. College soccer seems to be a good breeding ground for NFL kickers.
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“Pax and Malick are trying to be Gio’s backup or replace Yunus as the other 8. Assuming Berhalter figures out we need some offense thru the middle, which at this point is unknown.“
P and M bear little or no resemblance to Yunus. However, I can say that both of them are better than their older brothers. Both are far more goal dangerous than Musah who should stick to being the #6 and avoid being Darlington Nagbe’s little brother.( since we’re on the brother thing)