The Guardian
· collected 2026-09-15 · by Pablo Iglesias Maurer and Jeff Rueter
This is probably the easiest position on the field to predict, but that’s not necessarily a good thing.
asserted
that → predict → field
Turner seems likely enough to retain his starting role for the time being, though Kochen’s age (20) and form seem likely to earn him minutes this window, given Pochettino’s insistence that he wants to use this window to season several Olympic hopefuls.
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he → seem → hopefuls
I’d be shocked not to see Schwake in the picture; he has been lights-out for the presumptive Supporters’ Shield winners.
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he → see → winners
Pochettino did mention Nashville last week in a list of players producing promising young talent – at 25, Schwake doesn’t quite fit that descriptor, though as a rule, US keepers tend to skew a bit on the elderly side.
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keepers → mention → side
Otherwise, I have no idea who on earth Poch could be talking about.
uncertain
Poch → have → earth
Turner is the only returnee from the World Cup trio thanks to his excellent record in MLS, leading all goalkeepers with 10.7 goals prevented (per FotMob).
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Turner → lead → FotMob
Andrew Thomas (9.6) and Brian Schwake (8.2) rank second and fourth in that metric with Seattle and Nashville.
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Thomas → rank → Seattle
Both are mid-20s alternatives to Matt Freese with success at the club level, with Thomas having won the Leagues Cup final over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Schwake having backstopped Nashville to the U.S. Open Cup.
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Schwake → win → Cup
Brady’s positioning leaves plenty to be desired with Chicago, while Diego Kochen began the World Cup as a training goalkeeper and is now getting regular games on loan with Lyngby.
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Kochen → leave → Lyngby
Defenders
Maurer: Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union), Justin Che (Red Bull New York), Auston Trusty (Celtic), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Tim Weah (Marseille), Max Arfsten (Middlesborough), Peyton Miller (New England Revolution),
Rueter: Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps), Luca Bombino (Stoke City), Alex Freeman, Neil Pierre, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Tim Weah
Rueter: Robinson (left) and Freeman (right) should enter this cycle as the presumptive starters on their respective sides of the defensive line.
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Robinson → enter → line
Their alternative on each side also considers where each is at in their career: Robinson is 29 and a younger backup should be identified soon, so I’m going with Luca Bombino, who earned a move to Stoke City on the back of his breakout with San Diego FC.
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who → consider → FC
Bombino has been comfortable operating as a left back in a back-four, dependable in his positioning and a lesser factor for chance creation than most modern wide defenders.
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Bombino → operate → defenders
Freeman is the rising option where a more veteran alternative makes sense, and Marseille captain Tim Weah should remain part of this core regardless of a disappointing World Cup.
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Weah → rise → Cup
All of his starts this season have come as the right back in a back four.
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All → come → four
Centrally, Richards enters this cycle with clear status as the defensive bedrock, and Auston Trusty larged fared well this summer.
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Trusty → enter → bedrock
Tristan Blackmon struggled to acclimate in a September crash-course, but has continued to perform at a high level as the lead defender in a possession-dominant Vancouver Whitecaps.
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Blackmon → struggle → Whitecaps
Ream – the oldest player in USMNT history to appear at a World Cup – would seem easy enough to leave off of this (and future) rosters but he has said he won’t retire international until he retires completely, and Pochettino clearly values him.
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Pochettino → appear → him
I also believe he’ll prove a useful tutor to players like Miller, Pierre and Che as they get their footing with the national team.
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they → believe → team
Though Pierre’s composure on the ball remains suspect (a potential issue given how Pochettino likes to play) a 6ft7in, 18-year-old prospect will likely prove irresistible to a program that badly needs help in central defense.
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that → remain → defense
In the course of two months Sullivan has gone from a maybe, to a certainty, to looking like he could contribute for the US immediately (though I disagree with his assertion that he would have made a difference against Belgium – sorry, kid).
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he → go → Belgium
His remarks and Pochettino’s ensuing reply to them in the media (though he didn’t name Sullivan directly) convinced me of one thing: that Poch is watching, and perhaps providing a little early guidance for a very useful player.
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Poch → ensue → player
Musah has become a regular contributor for Milan this season – in large part due to the club’s injury issues elsewhere – I for one would love to see him retain his form and would welcome him back.
Rueter
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him → become → him
McKennie has been sidelined through injury, but Adams has gradually increased his workload early in Bournemouth’s season and has a clear role to own at the base of midfield.
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Adams → sideline → midfield
Mehmeti, 17, enters as the apprentice to Adams, although his approach to defensive midfield is far less physical.
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approach → enter → midfield
Busio has thrived in his Serie A return, now captaining Venezia at age 24.
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Busio → thrive → age
His combination of on-ball facilitation, comfortably drifting throughout the midfield to impact a game, and ability to play the final ball makes him a natural alternative in the free-roaming role that Tillman thrived in this summer.
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Tillman → drift → that
Tillman was arguably the team’s player of the World Cup, and his assist on Leverkusen’s equalizer this weekend suggested it’s still worth running things through him.
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it → suggest → him
Sullivan has arguably been the best player in MLS – of any age or nationality – since play resumed in July.
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play → resume → July
We have yet to get a look at Balogun this year at Monaco, but his inclusion seems as certain as ever, and the empath in me wants to see him thrive with the US after his aborted transfer to Everton and all of the drama that accompanied it.
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that → have → it
Hall, once the preferred hype vehicle for any number of US fans, has fallen off a bit this year at Red Bull (perhaps understandably, given the fact that he is, you know, a teenager) but remains a promising contributor regardless and seems a certain Olympic selection, if he remains healthy.
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he → fall → fact
Yes, I omitted Christian Pulisic, who is still slowly getting back to involvement at Milan.
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who → omit → Milan
More time to train under Amorim and get back to fitness ought to be the priority.
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time → train → fitness
Dest was again a liability in defense at a World Cup, this time most glaringly against Belgium, and keeping him further upfield may be necessary for a team with a thinner defensive corps.
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keeping → keep → corps
Gozo is a tricky on-ball operator who’s capable of setting up his own shot wherever he receives the ball.
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he → ’ → ball
A natural option at the thinner right wing, the 19-year-old could offer greater scoring threat from wide areas than Pochettino has enjoyed in his tenure to date.
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Pochettino → offer → date
The 22-year-old was among Pochettino’s best players at the Gold Cup and a World Cup hopeful before his September ACL tear, and is already contributing to Philadelphia’s attack.
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old → contribute → attack
Pepi is still a regular goalscorer for dominant PSV, although his performances for the national team still leave much to be desired beyond his hold-up chops.
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performances → leave → chops
The Aporia
