Interim U.S. men’s national team head coach Mikey Varas has been forced to make one change to his roster for September’s pair of home friendlies.
Cade Cowell has been called into the USMNT squad to replace Gio Reyna, U.S. Soccer announced Thursday. Reyna will depart camp after being diagnosed with a left groin strain, forcing him to miss international action this month.
Reyna will head back to Borussia Dortmund for further evaluation and injury rehabilitation. The injury comes at a worrying time for Reyna, who has not featured in two of Dortmund’s three matches to date this season.
Cowell, 20, has earned eight USMNT caps to date, recording one goal. A former San Jose Earthquakes homegrown attacker, Cowell has enjoyed a positive start to the Liga MX Apertura campaign with Chivas de Guadalajara.
He’s tallied three goals and three assists in six matches this summer, serving as a key member of the Chivas squad so far.
The USMNT will host CONCACAF rivals Canada in Kansas City, Kansas on Saturday before concluding their two-match schedule on September 10 against New Zealand in Cincinnati, Ohio.
US U17s 4-0 over Czechia goals from:
Mathis Albert (2g) (Dortmund)
Cornelius (STL FC)
Terry (LAFC)
Watch replay here
https://ussoc.cr/U17MvCZE-24
Let’s also talk about the real reason Cowell was brought in. The new player wouldn’t arrive until Friday at the earliest if traveling from Europe. It would be hard to bring in a guy from Europe with 2 travel days for four days of play. Cowell’s travel is much shorter. Most mls guys are playing with their club this weekend so to yank one a day before game would be pretty cruel to the club. Cowell has had a good start to the season but he’s mostly there because he was the most available.
He has had a good start. Hopefully it continues. He seems also to be adapting his game a bit better in Mexico.
To have his athleticism as a bench option is only a plus. The USMNT needs a player like him to say screw it I’m taking you on and I am going to beat you with my pace and strength.
Definitely like Cowell as a sub to run at opposing defenses when they are tired.
How does someone who doesn’t run pull so many muscles?
my personal experience at the end when i kept getting hurt, you get told don’t run or play for a month, the last thing maybe heals or maybe not, and when you go back to play you’re totally out of shape. to me there’s like a threshold point of fitness you have to break through to avoid getting hurt again just getting back in shape, muscle pulls, etc. if you are constantly hurt or benched you are constantly passing through that threshold.
to me the risk of injury drops once you’re actually fit and feeling good. but if your back keeps seizing up or the previous muscle pull risks the next one, or you have something chronic like o’brien or holden, can just be an endless loop.
yeah that makes sense. I was joking about his lackadaisical style, but I’m sure you’re right.
His last muscle injury was almost two years ago against Saudi Arabia. Obviously could be some side effects of the broken leg from 2023 NL, but the last time he was listed as unavailable to injury was Sept 16, 2023.
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With Jozy they tried a lot of different strategies nutrition, hydration, stretching, but nothing really seemed to work. There was even suggestions that Toronto’s spring climate was to blame. Specialization in soccer at young age could make Gio more susceptible to repetitive use injuries but those tend to be more joints, tendons, ligaments. Hopefully this is just an abundance of caution and he’ll be back soon.
Runs in the family, pun intended. Claudio had a ton of muscular injuries too.
I was wondering that 2tone, if the injury probability was genetic.
It looks like both Reyna and Adams can’t be counted on, so we might as well make plans that don’t include them. If they become available, then it is a surprise plus. Since it is a meaningless friendly, we should be testing some new players anyway.
one reason i keep pushing experiment and deepen the pool is we need 20-25 guys who are battle tested and proven by performance for this sort of scenario. setting aside we don’t have enough position competition, our constant drip of injuries should encourage spreading time out more and requiring those secondary and tertiary options prove themselves rather than be seatwarmers.
that and my general POV the regular starters are hardly running the table. should be more competition period.
totally agree Gary 100%
U17s lost 1-0 to Germany. Cavan Sullivan and crew take on Czech Republic Friday at 11:00. There was a stream of the German match so check the US soccer website to stream the match.
Clearly the Berhalter regime is gone because the only injury replacement he ever made was adding Jackson Yueill.
LETS GOOOOOO
Forwards
WRIGHT—–SARGENT —–PULISIC
Midfielders
COWELL—–CARDOSO——-MUSAH
I’d prefer the dynamics skill and ability of Cade Cowell to Brenden Aaronson
That’s a crazier idea than Wiley playing RW.
haha…..Not even close.
Cade Cowel
main position: Left-winger
Take a dynamic and creative left winger, who is talented enough to play other place of the pitch and always drops back to actively defend (with Chivas de Guadalajara)……and move back a little to the middle of the field (ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE FIELD) to aid with the build up of play……..and you get an active Left midfielder able to contribute immensely in attack and defense.
that is totally different from making an “A. Robinson” (LB) into a “C. Pulisic” (RW)………
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvaNERHNi-I
So if Wright is LW and Cowell is playing LM, who is in the middle of the field? You don’t play a wide MF if you also have a LW and a LB? There is a giant difference between where Musah and McKennie play as CMs and where say Bedoya played in the Klinsmann 4-4-2. Are you just going to leave Johnny with 50 yds of space to cover all by himself? Reyna has been playing as an 8 or a 10. Cowell is neither of those.
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Also Cowell isn’t creative. He’s a blunt object. He doesn’t combine, he runs at people, and if reaches a wall then he might try to cross. Even 2024 Cade, his crossing has been better and his finishing is better, but he’s not at all a like for like for Reyna. They didn’t bring him in to replace Reyna in MF they brought him because as IV pointed out and as with my playing Wiley as a W they were short wingers with just CP, Brendo, and Haji.
BS….
US soccer refers to him as a midfielder anyway:
“Chivas Midfielder Cade Cowell Added to USMNT Training Camp Roster for September Friendlies”
https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2024/09/cade-cowell-added-to-usmnt-training-camp-roster-for-september-friendlies
A soccer left wing can be a midfielder, a forward or both depending on the team’s formation.
Wingers are important for supporting both the offense and defense, and for controlling the game’s tempo. They stay wide to open up space in the middle of the field for their teammates. Left-Wingers and Left-midfielders also create goal-scoring opportunities and deliver crosses into the box
In possession, the wide midfielder must face the fullback in 1 v 1 situations, attempting to dribble past them to gain an advantageous attacking position…….Cade Cowell
Many wide midfield players are the fastest on their team, using their speed to drive past their opponents. Others rely more on their quick feet and trickery, beating fullbacks with skill and creativity……Cade Cowell
So no Caleb, a Left-back, playing as a right-winger, is absolutely nothing like Cowell a left-winger playing Left-midfielder
Oh what do you know Cade Cowell is called a Left-midfielder here too. Not as far fetched as you think lol.
https://www.ea.com/en/games/ea-sports-fc/ratings/player-ratings/cade-cowell/247325
You are missing the point. The point isn’t that Cowell can’t play LM. The point is if he’s starting instead of Reyna, REYNA DOESN’T PLAY LM!!!!!!!!!!
You can’t start Pulisic, Haji, and Cade all in wide positions.
———————Sarge—————-
Wright——————————CP
Cade——————————Musah
——————-Johnny——————
Do you notice the gaping hole in the middle of the field? You don’t play LM in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 and you certainly don’t use a LW and LM at the same time. You use them in 4 man midfield that the US hasn’t used in 6 years.
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Cowell is listed as having played MF 6 times in 148 appearances. Wiley has played W 14 times in 109. He’s also played LM 28 times so if we did use a LM. He’d be a lot more accustomed to that role than Cowell. But again it is pointless that Cade or Caleb could play LM because we don’t use a LM. Cowell solves my problem though because now he can start on the left against NZ with Aaronson on the right and Wiley can come off the bench if Lund-Hansen needs a sub at LB.
lol, not I think YOU are missing the point Code Cowell at LM is nothing like Caley Wiley at RW……not even close in terms of “experimenting”
Cade Cowell:
is Listed as a MIDFIELDER with USSoccer (and several websites…..and yes I know he PRIMARILY plays LW for SJ / Chivas)
Was called in because a MIDFIELDER was injured
Was EXCHANGED for Gio Reyna, who normally plays in what position? LEFT-MIDFIELDER
“You don’t play LM in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 and you certainly don’t use a LW and LM at the same time.”….hahahaha what are you saying?????? No wonder you are thinking Calab Wiley should play as a Right-Winger.
——-LW———CF/ST———-RW——-
——-LM———-CM/CDM—–RM——
——–LB——–CB———CB——–RB—
————————–GK———————
That’s the player position listed in a 4-3-3 formation. Elite coaches like Klopp used this formation with wide midfielders and sometimes wingers who could play CM but that why he’s elite. Is Cade Cowell more effective as a winger? Yes. Is his primary position LW? Yes. CAN Cade Cowell play as a Left-midfielder? Absolutely, and I think he would be hella effective doing it, as we need a dynamic wide midfielder on the left (as Musah is good on the right) able to dribble past defenders on that side of the field to gain an advantage and combine with the other attacking position.
Lets see what Mikey thinks
Good for him. He’s a difference maker for Chivas, not just a squad player to make up the numbers. Enjoy seeing him take people on instead of making square passes and back passes all game.
My guess would be this means we could well be getting a look at Pulisic as a 10. And by the way, Gio’s lack of PT and chronic injury issues are exactly why we need to be taking a look at Pulisic as a 10.
Besides which, Pulisic the best player on the team and the guy who’s the most effective with the ball at his feet anyhow. And that’s the guy you want touching the ball the most.
I don’t see why you want to limit him to the #10 spot.
V: when playing for Dortmund, Milan and Chelsea under Lampard, Pulisic as a Winger would slide to the middle of the pitch around the top of the box and was very effective scoring or assisting from there. For some reason Gregg never seemed to want anyone in this space. Under Arena and JK Pulisic scored or assisted more as a 10 or SS than as a W. I’m not sure he’s got a CF as adept at putting him into good spots as Altidore though today. Tuchel played him centrally at times as well even as a false 9 in the CL final. I don’t think it’s a bad idea it I’m not sure it’s the best long term solution either.
JR,
CP is our most consistently reliable scorer by quite a distance.
He has , as you pointed out, always slid into the middle and “done the business” there. Henry was like that. Honestly, I would just talk with him about options and then leave CP alone and let him figure out how he wants to play this. He’s much more tactically savvy than anyone on SBI, even IV.
Fat Frank insisted that CP would never achieve his potential if he did not score more. To that end he had him placed “closer to goal” and established a nice relationship with Giroud. I think Frank was thinking Eden Hazard.
CP looked very good but I wouldn’t say he played as a 10, even though Frank gave him that number.
At this stage of his career I want Pulisic to be the guy on the business end of the passes that a DeBruyne sends in. Reyna can send in that kind pass, CP can as well but not as consistently.
We have no one better than CP at doing something good with that or any pass. CP is the least of what is wrong with this team.