The U.S. men’s national team took another major step towards repeating as CONCACAF Nations League winners on Monday after eliminating Jamaica in the quarterfinal round.
Mauricio Pochettino’s squad claimed a 1-0 first leg victory in Kingston last Thursday before closing out the two-legged affair with a 4-2 second leg triumph in St. Louis on Monday. Despite missing several players due to injuries, the USMNT showed positive signs under Pochettino.
There were a few bright spots this month, with Ricardo Pepi and Mark McKenzie among the impressive performers over the two legs.
Here is a look at the USMNT players who boosted their stock the most in November’s window:
Winners
Ricardo Pepi
The absence of several USMNT forwards didn’t stop Ricardo Pepi from boosting his stock in the No. 9 race.
Pepi scored twice over the two legs, continuing a positive fall for the PSV forward. After coming into camp on a good run of form, the former FC Dallas academy product scored the winner in the first leg before adding to his tally in Monday’s second leg victory.
Pepi will certainly have a leg up on Folarin Balogun, Josh Sargent, and others heading into 2025. The most important thing for Pepi going forward is, to avoid ending up on the sidelines over the next few months.
Mark McKenzie
The USMNT’s ever-changing centerback duo saw Mark McKenzie make the most of his opportunities this month.
McKenzie started in both legs against Jamaica, working with veteran Tim Ream. The 25-year-old barely put a foot wrong over the 180+ minutes, doing well in possession, and spreading the ball around to his teammates.
McKenzie’s move to Toulouse last summer has certainly given him a confidence boost this fall.
Tim Weah
Tim Weah only played 78 minutes this window due to suspension, but made up for lost time with an impactful second leg performance.
Weah scored the USMNT’s fourth goal in Monday’s win, continuing what has been a blistering run of form for club and country. The 24-year-old entered camp with goals in three of his last five appearances for Juventus, helping the Turin-based club stay in the Serie A’s top-six.
He easily could’ve left CITYPARK with a few goals on Monday night, which is something Weah will aim to fix going forward.
Yunus Musah
Consistent playing time hasn’t come easy at AC Milan for Yunus Musah, but Mauricio Pochettino hasn’t let that affect the midfielder’s role for the USMNT.
Musah started in both matches against Jamaica, featuring as a right midfielder instead of his previously more-central role. Musah registered one assist on Monday night, finding Tim Weah for the USMNT’s fourth and final goal of the match.
In addition to his final-third decision making, Musah’s defensive work rate remained very high, tracking back to win possession and start new attacking chances for the team.
This new role for Musah has definitely added some excitement into the squad going into 2025.
Which players impressed you the most in November’s pair of matches? Who disappointed? Do you hope this quartet remains in Pochettino’s XI long-term?
Share your thoughts below.
Mckenzie does well in the routine plays but lays an egg at least once a game. That is not good enough to be a starter national team CB. I think we can do better.
I disagree about McKenzie, while he is fast, he made some unforced errors. a pass to Ream who was covered by 2 players in the center about 30 yards from goal and a long cross-field pass at the top of the PA whose long flight path allowed the Jamaicans to pressure his teammate, I think Scally in a dangerous spot. Fortunately Jamaica was not able to capitalize on those errors. Also, he lost out on a couple 50-50 balls. I do not think he will be the answer at CB unless he improves his decision-making.
I hope this resurgent attack minded Weah continues. He obviously has the trust of Motta, who clearly sees Weah as an attacker. Hope he continues to show out for Juve.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O20IXFYN1DY
To all the Ream apologist, please review the vid and go to minute 2:50. Ream deliberately swung threw a player, not handball. You have Bocanegra, Howard, and Clarence Goodson, who was an MLS CB with awesome aerial threat; no reason for him to play like that against Panama.
That was 13 yrs ago. There are plenty of Ream mistakes since then why are you obsessed with that one?
Striker: Goodson was still Europe at that time playing in Denmark after some time in Norway. Fun fact he was on an episode of House Hunters International about their move to Denmark. I told my wife that’s Clarence Goodson. She was like who? Why is he famous? I don’t even think they mentioned he played for USMNT just that he was a pro soccer player moving to Denmark.
97 games played in the English Premier League
283 games played in the EFL Championship
67 MLS games played
Forget for only Center Backs, Tim Ream is arguably one of the BEST AND MOST DURABLE US PLAYERS to ever have played this game………as very few American players have continuously played at the level or played for a particular team longer than him. To continuously play at a high level, you have to be a true professional (MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY) willing to do what it takes to maintain at that level (this man postpone his honeymoon to sign with Bolton!!!!!!!).
Think about it, at 37 years old, in a position that is meant to stop the fastest most talented players on the pitch, he is STILL IN THE CONVERSATION as to who is CURRENTLY BETTER THAN HIM to take over the backline……AT ALMOST 40!!!!! That speaks for itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuZTgAzRu3s
Keep windmiliinng for a gumb loser, Ream needs to hang it up. He still making 13 year old mistakes.
“IT DOESNT MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, IF YOU’RE GOOD ENOUGH YOU’RE OLD ENOUGH, IF YOU’RE GOOD ENOUGH YOU’RE YOUNG ENOUGH”…..by Tim Ream, NBC Sports. A true warriors mentality……no wonder he’s Michael Bradley age (older than Altidore lol) AND STILL IN THE MIX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_KdxzGOlDE
I guess there’s a familiarity with Rheem and his ability to Marshall the backline but his specific individual skills leave a lot to be desired at this point. Being 36 doesn’t fold well for him in the World Cup in 2026 the US desperately needs to sort out its back line, especially center backs And goalkeeping. Those two holes are going to lead to a quick second round exit at the World Cup. You have to start someone other than Ream at this point.
“You have to start someone BETTER than Ream at this point”…….whoever replaces him has to be a better defender and all-round team player (Aerial defense, passing, composure, tackles .etc) than Ream……and not JUST because of the fact that he’s 37
Glove69
“You have to start someone other than Ream at this point.”
Why? Name me a player who is as good or even close at doing what Ream does well?
“but his specific individual skills leave a lot to be desired at this point. ”
You can say that about a lot of our regular players.
They say Dest is great but crap defensively. Pepi can score but can’t do anything else, Adams is a ferocious defender but can’t go forward to save his life, etc.,etc. ad nauseum. Turner is a great character and a wonderful shot stopper but can’t distribute to save his life.
The point is all these guys, in terms of what they do for this team, are, in the minds of the coaches, the best OVERALL alternative
Ream is part of that team.
The team takes advantage of his assets and covers his deficits.
When his deficits add up to more than his assets they will dump him like used Depends.
It’s interesting how y’all think Pochettino is an idiot regarding this topic. I think Pochettino has a standard in his head and as soon as Ream dips below it, it will happen instantly. JK dropped Boca so fast his head spun.
But until someone better shows up ( and they have to be better instantly) then Pochettino will take advantage of the things Ream does do well.
At this point, Pochettino has to win every single game he plays going forward. He’ll be crucified otherwise. At this point there is no middle ground with the USMNT.
There’s no time to fuck around with players who clearly can’t do the job as well as Ream does. Name me a CB who can be trusted to take the ball out of the back?
Someone is going to have to excel at that role at their club or beat Ream out in training.
Besides Ream all of the CB’s have been pretty disappointing. At this point Trusty is the only one who has not disappointed and that’s because we have yet to gave him any significant playing time. Maybe he can excel at at Ream’s role.
You can always bring back JAB but I don’t know what his status is.
I highly doubt Poch sees Ream as the guy @WC26. It’s kinda working for him at the moment, serves him to have an experienced, stable hand on the backline while he transitions in, settles the team to what he wants. Injuries to Richards, CCV have made that decision an easy one. And sometimes there’s no perfect solution, our CB depth is suspect, but… it’s really nice to be able to say that I trust the manager.
Of course you all love Ream he has the completion for the protection foh. Dude has been thrash for 13-14 years get him tf outta here. Sick f you all defending Goof ball clown show dudes like Ream
I wouldn’t put Musah on this list. His assist was the one time he was decisive in the final third. He often dribbles right into 2-3 defenders at the edge of the box because he can’t decide on a pass. You can see him slow up to pass and then decide against it and then dribble into trouble. He’s as good of player as we have in the middle third and he is often working with Scally which probably limits his offensive option.
———————-
Other winners: Luna, Paredes, Lucho Acosta. The #10/wing attacker depth didn’t do much in either match. Luna and Lucho (his eligibility is suppose come thru in Jan or Feb., if he stays in MLS) should have a chance to shine in camp cupcake. Paredes is expected back after the break and will have chances to show his level in the Bundesliga. Cowell wasn’t bad, but didn’t do anything great.
Luna and Lucho are intriguing possibilities. I know it’s heresy but I personally rate Diego Luna ahead of Gio Reyna, and Lucho’s an absolute magician though he’s also apparently more than a bit of a toxic little diva, too. Still, if anybody can handle Lucho, you’d have to think it’s Pochettino. I think Poch might find himself liking DeJuan Jones a lot, too – I personally think Jones is by a bunch the most underrated fullback in our pool. We’ll soon see, I suspect, if Pochettino agrees because the lack of fullback callups behind Jedi and Scally does not indicate a high degree of confidence in the next guys up…which I also agree with.
Camp Cupcake has the potential of being legitimately interesting for once.
Jones is interesting he’ll be 28 by next summers Gold Cup. Nancy mostly used him as a super sub, choosing to start Arfsten. I’m of course trying to picture guys slotting into that CM space like Jedi last night and think I like Tolkin better in that role. I’ll say Tolkin kind of seemed to plateau with Red Bulls this year. I think like Wiley he needs a move to keep improving.
JR,
“I’m of course trying to picture guys slotting into that CM space like Jedi last night”
I don’t know how often Pochettino will use that tactic. But if he does the next guy to do it, other than Jedi, would probably be Dest.
I think Jones is going to a key player, why? because he can play backup left or right FB. that would give Poch an extra mid or forward for the WC.
My own opinion is that Musah has been hurt by going to Milan. When he played for us after being in Spain he seemed much more confident and decisive. I think his lack of playing time in Italy has maybe affected his confidence and his reduced playing time has affected his sharpness. I think Cowell wasn’t in the game long enough for a good evaluation. I have liked Luna since I first saw him in one of the youth World Cups. I didn’t know Acosta was getting US citizenship. I think he could be a good addition to the mix. Paredes showed a lot of promise in the Olympics. I think he probably needs to get starter minutes.
Gary, He was indecisive while at Valencia too. It’s why he often struggled for minutes there as well. He gets into great spots but often takes one touch too many. He puts in a great shift, runs all over, he’s press resistant, but he doesn’t score and rarely assists. That will keep you out of lineups in Spain, Italy and really most anywhere. I do think it was worse this summer, but not not a new problem.
US u20’s beat France U20’s 2-1. After defeating South Korea 3-0. Cole Campbell scored the opener.
To bad the U20 WC is slated for the fall. Have a feeling many players will not be on that team.
Wow, beating France at any level is awesome. For about 25-30 years they have seemed to have had a continuous pipeline of young talent.
Very true.
Not just beating…..playing the game on the same platform. The only area where we still need work, and more than I like to admit, is spacing and off the ball movement. Yes, so much better than it used to be, but still a clear step below a team like France. Still, the gap is closing, and as our knowledge and coaching improves that will also. This crop is going to produce a number of fine players.
Christian Pulisic should be listed as a winner. He is the man, and continues to play like it. Our expectations are high and he met them
quozzel,
“close to Harry Kane”
Pochettino would certainly know
“Poch agrees with Yours Truly on where to play Weah ”
You might want to hold that thought.
I first saw Timo with the U20 team. I thought then that he would be a good striker but what he has grown into is what they call a wing forward, someone who can play anywhere along the front line. Think Marcus Rashford. Actually a more appropriate comparison is Son.
Timo is also a good wingback. Timo has stated that he loves play different roles.
Which is good because Pochettino is apt to play him anywhere.
He’s shown he’s not afraid to be unorthodox.
quozzel,
I liked Brandon and he looked good.
But this business about how he gets into good positions to shoot? That’s true but he’s a late sub and, for a variety of reasons, games often open up for them. It’s not good enough.
And the way he missed his shots ( and a lot of them) was not just bad but they were Ariolla-esque. He’s pressing and a striker needs to be stone cold. I guess we know why Monterrey dropped him.
His performance issues will not cut it with Wright, Josh, and even Pefok looking to cut in line.
Still this competition should go down to the wire . Eventually one of Brandon’s shots will go in.
Recency bias tells us Pepi is king of the world but he needs a lot of work on his hold -up play and people seem to forget that Flo, a more complete all arounder, was our best player at Copa America. Besides, there’s a case to be made that Flo and Pepi, playing together, could be pretty awesome.
I think Vasquez’s misses earned him a demotion to meaningless friendlies to fill in for injured players.The second miss qualified as a sitter.
Some things to take away from this game and the curious case of Brandon Vasquez is:
One of the criticisms under Gregg Berhalter was a lack of ideas / strategy / tactics in the final third. For long stretches under GB we looked clueless but in this game we had our foot on the gas for most of the match……totally changing it up with fluidity and smooth practical movements, and totally overwhelming Jamaica. Our players created opportunities for each other in ways we haven’t seen in a long time…..like an “Everybody eats” situation / mentality. Now there are a lot of Questions to be asked in the back which needs a little work, especially if we go up against a top / stronger opponent, but all in all, this was a great solid showing.
How is Weston Mckennie not on this list as he was the highest rated player on NBC SPORTS.??!!!….lol
As far as Brandon Vasquez
His amazing ability to get open and into good shooting positions, his movements on and off the ball, his lack of time to truly develop into the game as he came into the game in the 77th min and QUICKLY put himself in good positions to score 4 mins (81ST min) and 15 mins (91st min) later should ALL be taken into consideration. Think about it, Pepi’s goal came in the 42’ min and had several other opportunities before that too.
The USMNT under Mauricio Pochettino, are not just winning game but we are looking really good doing it……which is like a breath of fresh air!!!!
I’m a big Brandon Vasquez fan and I personally thought he was at least a sleeper pick to win the starting gig. I like him for all the reasons you described, and I love his work rate, fire, and physicality. The guy leaves it all on the field. I thought he was potentially the best fit for what Pochettino has always seemed to like in his #9’s.
Vasquez’s problem is that he’s streaky. He’s tended to score his goals in bunches and then goes through stretches where he goes ice cold and he seems to be in one of those right now. He did not pick a good moment for it. This was his chance with Balogun and Sargent out and he didn’t take it…he may not be 100% done and another opportunity may present itself, but if one of them takes their chances in the next window that’s probably it for this cycle. And Vasquez is now 26; it’s probably now or never for him.
quozzel,
I liked Brandon and he looked good.
But this business about how he gets into good positions to shoot? That’s true but he’s a late sub and, for a variety of reasons, games often open up for them. It’s not good enough.
And the way he missed his shots ( and a lot of them) was not just bad but they were Ariolla-esque. He’s pressing and a striker needs to be stone cold. I guess we know why Monterrey dropped him.
His performance issues will not cut it with Wright, Josh, and even Pefok looking to cut in line.
Still this competition should go down to the wire . Eventually one of Brandon’s shots will go in.
Recency bias tells us Pepi is king of the world but he needs a lot of work on his hold -up play and people seem to forget that Flo, a more complete all arounder, was our best player at Copa America. Besides, there’s a case to be made that Flo and Pepi, playing together, could be pretty awesome.
Strikers gotta score, especially when they have a wide open shot at a mostly empty net. Getting open doesn’t help much if you can’t turn that into goals.
How is Tessmann not on this list?!?!
He was a constant presence in the midfield and controlled that area in both offense and defense. He went from a fringe hardly consideration with Berhalter to a starting successfully level with Poch. His movement and linkup, as well as defensive help was great.
For all those writing why wasn’t so and so on the list? A good case can be made for most of the starters. Almost the whole team played above average and nobody payed less than average.
Tessmann FTW.
Turner and the rest of his teammates constantly looked to Tessmann to get the ball out of the penalty area and their own third. Watch him off the ball and he is constantly making himself available as an outlet.
Oh yeah. Calling McKenzie a winner just highlights how terrible or CB situation is. He has improved, but he is playing because he is less poor than others. Yes, he wins, but we are gonna lose overall if he is the winner. Just the way it is.
I think his play has improved considerably since moving to France. There have been some who pooh-pooh the value of playing in a more highly regarded league, but I think it matters. Remember Gooch Onyewu? He was one of best defenders for many years while he played for Anderlict in Belgium. He finally got a move to Italy and he wasn’t good enough to play regularly in Italy. Being exposed to a higher level of competition requires you to improve or you don’t play. McKenzie is a consistent starter in France.
Gary,
“He finally got a move to Italy and he wasn’t good enough to play regularly in Italy.”
That is not the whole story.
Gooch injured his knee in WC qualifying and probably never should have gone to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup where he played on one leg and showed it. He should have rehabbed that knee instead. By the time he got to Milan he had not really recovered and played one game for them. That was it.
I don’t know if he would have won a starter spot with Milan but he almost certainly would have shown better with a good knee in place.
Pepi is an interesting one. Stone cold striker.
However, he clearly needs to play for a team that can control the game. His hold up play, passing is really bad….I mean really bad. He will learn and get better, but it is so poor I am not sure we will see huge strides in that part of his game. With Pepi, the squad he plays on will be super important….but damn he has the nose, which will always keep him on a team somewhere. Just to be clear this isn’t some kind of hard core criticism….I just think it’s a pretty obvious issue. In the Netherlands it is what his coach, and TV pundits clearly consider a weak, to very weak part of his game. I would like to see a bit more muscle on his upper body also. Still, I always have to remind myself he is still just 21. Sometimes you can’t hurry some things up. Just keep scoring son.
Yeah, if we could just combine him and Brandon Vasquez you’d have something pretty close to Harry Kane. I absolutely love Pepi’s finishing. Haji Wright’s a really good finisher too but Pepi’s sort of in a league unto himself in our pool in that regard. Vasquez has the intensity, physicality, and hustle, and can turn into a portable brick wall with his back to goal…but Vasquez just doesn’t finish his chances like you’d like and that’s been an at least intermittent problem for him as long as I can remember…when they’re going in he can be very good, when they’re not he can go stone cold.
Other guys who helped their stock were Tanner Tessmann (who somebody called quoz has been calling for, and for more than a year now, cough, cough), Gianluco Busio – he’s really progressed a good bit the last couple years and I suspect Poch would start him without qualms if he had to, and has likely cemented a spot in the 23 for himself – and strange as it may seem, Tim Ream and Matt Turner. The book on Ream has long been that he’s fading out and needed replacing because he’d never make it to the World Cup, and the book on Turner was that he had a shaky psyche and was even shakier distributing out of the back. But Ream was so solid this window you have to start thinking: “you know, it’s only about a year and a half until the ’26 World Cup, the guy maybe could actually make it to ’26”, and Turner was not only surprisingly calm and solid in distribution but he also reminded everybody what a good shot-stopper he could be, and as long as he’s doing those things he’s going nowhere.
It’s also validating that Poch agrees with Yours Truly on where to play Weah – I’ve thought for awhile he needed to be at LW, and putting Pulisic as a free-ranging 10 who controls the game has been, well, obvious, because it allows him to find his spots and it keeps the opposition from marking him out of the game. What’s really surprised me, though, was how willing Pulisic has been to stick in and do the dirty work too. We’re seeing peak Pulisic right now, and he’s frankly become every bit the guy we hoped he would one day be, and yes, truly a player that can legitimately be described as “world class”.
Also, Joe Scally had a really good window. He did get beat on that second goal but overall he showed “hey, this guy really does look like a starting-caliber defender in the Bundesliga” for the first time in a sustained fashion since he’s put on the Nats uniform. I think Scally may have solidified a starting spot too, because how Poch is using him – essentially as the RCB in a three-man backline – sort of puts him at a different position than Sergino Dest, who frankly is probably more of a threat to Musah than Scally when he returns.
Ream was not solid this window, last window against Mex, and passed ball the window before under Varas, to Canada so they could score. He was sleeping on the 2 Demari Grey goals. Look up 2011 GC against Panama, dude did a deliberate handball in the box. People were even calling him out in first leg against Jamaica for handling the ball. Please stop protecting and vouching for thrash Ream. He is more harm than good and needs to retire INT.
quozzel,
“close to Harry Kane”
Pochettino would certainly know
“Poch agrees with Yours Truly on where to play Weah ”
You might want to hold that thought.
I first saw Timo with the U20 team. I thought then that he would be a good striker but what he has grown into is what they call a wing forward, someone who can play anywhere along the front line. Think Marcus Rashford. Actually a more appropriate comparison is Son.
Timo is also a good wingback. Timo has stated that he loves play different roles.
Which is good because Pochettino is apt to play him anywhere.
He’s shown he’s not afraid to be unorthodox.
In a case like this I like to point out that Dempsey didn’t turn pro until he was 21 and he started out in college as a defender and then began his time with the Revs as a defensive midfielder. Dempsey is a testament to the value of hard work which I hope Pepi will emulate.