How will Pochettino approach his USMNT opener, and what players will feature? GOAL takes a look
When projecting a team's lineup, history is often a guide. Coaches have tendencies, favorites and ideals and, generally, those shed insight into what to expect for a particular match.
This isn't one of those clear scenarios, though, and that's because this is Mauricio Pochettino's first camp in charge of the U.S. men's national team.
Pochettino opted not to rock the boat much with squad selections ahead of matches against Panama (Oct. 12) and Mexico (Oct. 15), but that doesn't mean his team selection won't bring a few surprises. He has already said he plans to build this team around either a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, but the players that will be placed in those spots remain a mystery.
It's easy to foresee several of them, with Christian Pulisic, of course, being the best example. However, there are position battles all over the field and, at the moment, it's not clear how Pochettino views them. It's also a question of his approach to these friendlies – is it a win-at-all-costs mentality, or an opportunity to experiment with his new team, or something in between?
"It's clear that the mentality is always to win. And I can't say that I don't want to win the next game," Pochettino told CNN Mexico. "We're going to want to win every game…But it's clear that the long-term approach is the World Cup and the goal is to arrive with the best possible preparation to compete in the best way possible at the World Cup.
"That said, we want to win every game, we want to win against Panama, we want to win against Mexico, with the circumstances we face in these games and obviously knowing that it is our first contact with these players and that time is limited."
Saturday's match against Panama will offer some insight into the new landscape. Will Pochettino give familiar faces a chance to fight for their spots, or will he shake things up by trying something just a little bit different than his predecessor, Gregg Berhalter?
GOAL projects how the USMNT could line up in Pochettino's first match in charge.
AFPGK: Patrick Schulte
Pochettino will probably want to get a look at two different goalkeepers this camp and, given his experience, it makes sense to save Matt Turner for the game in Mexico. So who does he turn to for this first game then?
Zack Steffen makes a compelling case, but it should be Patrick Schulte, who was very good against Canada last month despite the USMNT's loss. The Columbus Crew shot-stopper is clearly a rising star, but we still need to find out if he can be a USMNT star in the here and now. This is another test for him to prove it in a wide-open goalkeeping race.
AdvertisementGettyLB: Antonee Robinson
The Return of the Jedi.
After missing September camp to get some rest and recovery, Antonee Robinson is back to reclaim his USMNT spot. Even with the new coach, it's hard to imagine anyone else being the starting left-back given Robinson's success for club and country.
Could Pochettino take a shot on someone like Kristoffer Lund here? Maybe, but he'll also want to have the stability that comes with starting one of the USMNT's few undroppable players.
GettyCB: Mark McKenzie
With no Chris Richards, centerback is a bit of a mystery in this camp. All four call-ups could very well get the chance to play but, of the four, Mark McKenzie might be the one that needs to be seen the most.
McKenzie made his big move to Toulouse this summer, which puts him right on the edge of a regular role. He was a member of the Copa America squad earlier this year but didn't play – could the move to France, coupled with some good USMNT performances, change that?
The centerback could also be thrown into the cauldron in Mexico but, of the centerback options, he seems the most likely to play in both games. For Pochettino, it makes sense to give McKenzie a real run to see if he can be a potential starting candidate.
Getty Images SportCB: Auston Trusty
We'll pair McKenzie with someone he knows well. The Philadelphia Union vibes will be strong if he does indeed start next to Auston Trusty.
Trusty is another player who made a move this summer, leaving Sheffield United for Celtic. The recent Champions League thrashing at the hands of Borussia Dortmund was a bit of a wake-up call for the entire team, which is so used to coasting in the Scottish league.
That type of experience will help Trusty, though, as he looks to get a legitimate USMNT chance. He never really got one under Berhalter and didn't feature under Mikey Varas in September. The Panama game is a good one to give him that opportunity.
