What did the USMNT learn in Atlanta?

The final pair of frien... unofficial games before Mauricio Pochettino names his USMNT World Cup squad should have answered some pressing questions around the roster. 

So, did it? Not really.

Two matches against top European squads, Belgium and Portugal, the US lost 2-5 and 0-2 in Atlanta and were still experimenting in what should have been a dress rehearsal for the summer.

Losses against elite competition shouldn’t be a surprise – the USMNT do not have players on the level of a Jérémy Doku or Bruno Fernadez, among others – but there were moments where the Americans looked competent in possession. Through both first halves in Atlanta, the yanks didn’t look out of their depth. Outplaying Belgium to the tune of 2 big chances to 0 and only conceding to Portugal from a poorly timed turnover.

There were promising moments, but those moments were forgotten as the US went to their bench and failed to keep anything close to the level. 

However, there were missteps. 

Pochettino’s decision to try Christian Pulisic as a false nine did not provide a spark for the struggling USMNT star. The backline is desperately reliant on the health of Chris Richards.

Alright, so what did we learn?

For starters, Matt Turner lost more ground on Matt Freeze after his performance vs Belgium when he made 3 saves on 10 shots on target.

While the backline was far from good, Austin Trusty has some positive moments juxtaposed against Tim Ream’s (sorry) continued slide. Trusty was decent enough on the ball, ranging into the attack after winning a ball up the pitch, and was not exposed when he had to track back to cover Portugal’s attempts on the counter. Importantly, he looked comfortable next to Chris Richards.

Whether it’s the 3-4-2-1 or 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 or any combination in and out of possession, Johnny Cardoso proved that he has grown over his time in La Liga with Real Betís and Atletíco Madrid. He was a net positive in possession vs Belgium – before leaving the match on a minutes restriction – completing 100% of his passes. Neither Cardoso nor Tessman can replace what Tyler Adams brings if he continues to struggle with his lingering injury issues.

Seb Berhalter has also been on a similar trajectory over the past year, growing into a more complete midfielder as he grabs more and more responsibilities in Vancouver. It’s tough to say what the best combination of midfielders will be for the US – that’s the problem, really – but Berhalter brings a quality on dead balls that almost demands his inclusion in the XI. 

There were moments, but with every attacker not named Weston McKennie seemingly out of form, it was hard to really see the progress. 

The lasting legacy of this window will be how little pushback the Americans showed in the back half of both matches. Some of that can easily be waved away by the 9 subs allowed this window, but it was still a stark reminder that the squads expecting to reach the quarterfinals and beyond have weapons beyond the starting XI. Maybe there was a time a US side could bunker and counter, and had enough sheer stubbornness (and goalkeeping) to punch well above their talent level. That is not the case with this squad, and even though the talent throughout the US Soccer system is as good as it has ever been, the MNT still lacks the embarrassment of riches of the global elite, and that matters when Pochettino prefers this squad to be dominant on the ball.

The manager ruffled some feathers following the loss to Portugal.

Saying in the postmatch:

“We are the USA.” He said, “We are competing against Belgium, Portugal who I think, for sure have some top 100 players. I think we don’t have [a top 100 player]. That is why it’s good to play against these types of teams.”

That quote hasn’t landed particularly well, but Pochettino is right in his evaluation. As good as Pulisic, McKennie, Adams, and even Richards have been throughout the last two seasons in Europe's top leagues, they are not the elite players that drive the elite programs. Could the manager use some delusion when it comes to getting the most out of this group? Maybe, but this is a group that has suffered from not having to go through the rigors of CONCACAF qualifying as protagonists over the past two years. As those past squads struggled through away days in San Salvador, they went on to play above expectations against the likes of England in ’10 and '22, Belgium in ‘14, Spain in ‘09, or Brazil in ‘98, or Colombia in ‘94. 

This group doesn’t feel like they can be the antagonists in the same way… but it’s hard to measure xDawg until the chips are on the table.

So, where does Pochettino draw the line with his World Cup roster?

Who’s to say? Johnny Cardoso seems to be in after previously setting up shop around the bubble, Gio Reyna seems to be edging his way onto the roster despite his lack of form and playing time in Germany, and there is an interesting decision to make at Centerback… but outside of Noahkai Banks suddenly choosing America over Germany, it might not matter to the US’s outcome. 

Players like Breandan Aaronson, who saw limited minutes this window, are most likely on the outside looking in on the final roster. Patrick Schulte or Chris Brady from the GK group, depending on how the federation wants to manage that 3rd GK spot.

There are decisions to be made and lines in the sand that are hard to see right now, but they'll have to be discovered quickly as Pochettino will name his squad ahead of a final tune up window vs Senegal and Germany.

Hopefully, everyone finds their form along the way, because it will take the entire village if they want to make it to round 2... or at least a few more Patrick Agyemang goals.

The Group:

Türkiye’s qualification to the World Cup means that the US’s grouping is one of the toughest in the competition. There isn’t a standout nation, but there are four relatively even-strength opponents. 

The USMNT currently possess the highest ELO ranking, but if they aren’t at the top of their game through 3 straight matches, it will be tough to see them at the top of the group – especially with Türkiye’s strength throughout their roster. At least 3 teams are likely to move onto the knockout round, but it’s a pathway filled with hazards and pitfalls. A home match in KC to open up the next stage seems more unlikely than it did last week.

Alright that’s it for this one, be on the lookout for a CITY SC training notebook and my NWSL Power Rankings ahead of the weekend. Thank you for reading and consider supporting if you haven’t already, I’m hitting the road to KC for the playoff rematch between struggling contenders, and your support allows me to prioritize more in depth coverage.