Pre-match: 2024 Friendlies v Panama {Oct 12th} & Mexico {Oct 15th} (Poch's 1st Window)

USMNT Announces Changes To October Training Camp Roster
Tessmann, Vazquez and Zendejas in, Balogun, Cardoso and Weah out

 

No one from MLS?

 

Why Alex Zendejas (0g 1a in the Apertura) over Paxten Aaronson (2g 1a in 450 minutes)?

 

I think I would have preferred Luna to both Paxton and Zendejas but we’ll see at future camps.

 

Honestly, with the exception of Steffen, the callups and injury replacements have tracked the prior coaching staff's depth chart over the past two years so closely (accounting for Olympics callups/conflicts as well), that I kind of suspect that Poch is working off a detailed spreadsheet from the fed and just going down the names in order for each position.

 

Mauricio Pochettino is in attendance for Austin FC II’s final regular season game of the season in MLS Next Pro 🇺🇸📸 pic.twitter.com/Kfhgmi4Ya8

— American Ultras Talk (@ameriultrastalk) October 6, 2024

Pochettino taking in the Austin FC 2 match while in town.

 

The way to really get an answer to this is if they needed a fullback, would Poch call in Shaq Moore or literally anyone with a pulse and passport other than Shaq Moore?

Another way would be if they needed a CB, would he go with Walker Zimmerman whose team is currently giving up a goal every ten seconds, or Aaron Long who is actually playing like the guy Gregg thought he was a few years ago... one of Gregg's boys who then fell out of favor, but actually has earned a call up based on how well he's currently playing unlike Zack Steffen!

 

We ought to not play wingers at this camp. It's just Pulisic and then dross. I don't want to see that nightmarish Pulisic-Aaronson (I'm for BA as a CM) combo at wing again. No targets, both come back & central. Haji also stunk at last camp & isn't in good form. Arguably ought not to be here.

Against Mexico we can play more down the middle because you'd figure they'd have more of the ball at home. I'd hope for a 442 diamond or 352. But Poch relayed the formations he'd play are 433 & 4231, so similar to before. Hopefully that was just a general guideline.

 

Honestly that's almost impressive

Injured USMNT players heading into the October friendlies. 🤕

🏥 Folarin Balogun
🏥 Gio Reyna
🏥 Tim Weah
🏥 Johnny Cardoso
🏥 Chris Richards
🏥 Tyler Adams
🏥 Sergino Dest
🏥 Cameron Carter-Vickers
🏥 Kevin Paredes
🏥 Diego Kochen
🏥 Caleb Wiley
🏥 Luca de la Torre
🏥 Richard…

— USMNT Otaku 🇺🇸 (@USMNTOtaku) October 6, 2024