USMNT Lingering Questions: Forehand battle now a good problem, reserve Tyler Adams, seeking good 90 minutes

The October international break was a job well done by the US men’s national team, which provided several signs that they are headed in the right direction with the World Cup looming just eight months away. While this month’s matches, which ended in a 1-1 draw with Ecuador and a 2-1 win over Australia, have provided some answers about coach Maruisio Pochettino’s tactical vision and which players might be up to the task, there are naturally still some lingering questions as the countdown to the World Cup continues.

Pochettino’s version of the USMNT appears to be at its best as it relies on a three-man centre-back, while a selection of World Cup regulars rise to the top. Mainstays like Christian Pulisic – Who came out in the first half against Australia With an obvious hamstring injury — Chris Richards Tim Weah forms a group of regular starters that includes rising talent Malik Tillman, while… Matt Freeze and Tim Ream They seem to be the first in their position. However, this still leaves a small number of places available, and Pochettino admitted on Tuesday that competition for places on the list remains “open to every American player”.

Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that the United States still does not look like the finished product and some disparity is against it. Ecuador Australia showed some clear areas for improvement regardless of the personnel on the field. It’s all setting up for an exciting time as next summer’s World Cup approaches, and each upcoming US friendly is likely to reveal more and more about what Pochettino’s team actually looks like – and how far they can go.

With the countdown to the friendly matches scheduled for November against Paraguay and Uruguay Ahead, here’s a look at the lingering questions still facing the USMNT.

1. Who starts attacking?

It feels as if the question of which USMNT forward will begin to transform almost overnight from a desperate plea for the ether to a near embarrassment of riches. For the first time in a long time, the United States may have two players looking to play a starting role, with both Folarin Balogun Al-Hajj Wright is making a convincing case for himself after combining for the team’s three goals this month.

Balogun was a regular in the starting XI, marred by an injury-plagued year, but he wasted no time registering two goals and an assist in his last four matches for the national team, saving the team from facing Ecuador in an encouraging but somewhat wasteful attacking game from the group. Wright showed his creativity by scoring twice against Australia, while his second goal in particular provided a glimpse of his individual talents as he created a chance for himself before scoring. If the two continue at this level, they will likely make a World Cup roster, but dividing playing time could be the most pressing question facing Pochettino in the final stages of his World Cup preparations.

Wright’s success only makes Josh SargentSargent’s recent projects with the national team are even sadder – both are in great form for their clubs, and while Wright translated that into an impressive outing against Australia, Sargent’s USMNT career may now be defined by the fact that he is almost six years away from his last international goal. Sargent’s ship may have sailed at this point, but the big unknown in terms of personnel is Ricardo Pepe, who scored in Pochettino’s opener for the United States a year ago, but has also played out most of the time since his injury. If Pepe returns to his pre-injury form in time, Pochettino will face one of those proverbial good problems.

Anyone can replace Tyler Adams?

Tyler Adams missed October’s friendlies due to the birth of his second child, providing a real chance for someone to step up and at least make their case as an uncontested replacement. It will come as no surprise that Adams remains the best player of the group in his defensive midfield role, but after the matches against Ecuador and Australia, it is difficult to argue that a standout candidate has emerged from the group.

Tanner Tessman W James Sands Each got a shot at the job, with Tessmann replacing Ecuador alongside him Aidan Morris And Sands does so against Australia alongside Cristian Roldan. Tessmann fared better in this isolated comparison, with Pochettino saying on Friday that “the quality is there and the ability to understand the game, the tactical way we want to apply and prepare it.” [in] “The game and the principles.” Meanwhile, Sands was one of the players caught watching the ball on Tuesday when the Socceroos scored the first goal.

As in front-line roles, there is a notion that they are often injured Johnny Cardoso He can have a say in this competition and there is no real shame in admitting that Adams has fully earned his right to his starting job. Building a World Cup roster is all about preparing for less-than-ideal situations, however, the fact that a backup doesn’t feature at No. 6 remains one of the USMNT’s longest-running unanswered questions, one that long predates Pochettino’s history.

When will the USMNT perform together in full?

Slowly but surely, US forces in North America are assembling an encouraging and cohesive identity, but at this stage of its preparation, it looks more like a patchwork than a finished product. Even if the positives have outweighed the negatives in October, there is still very clear room for improvement – the fact that they have yet to deliver a full 90-minute performance.

Pochettino pointed to this as the obvious next step for his group, as some humbling moments against Ecuador and Australia cost them. The Socceroos in particular appeared to be outmatched by the AFL in the opening half-hour of the game, with Pochettino saying the group was a bit slow in making their moves at the start of Tuesday’s win.

“One of [ones] What we need to improve is, [for] 90 minutes, try to be aggressive and [be] “More solid,” Pochettino said. “I think we started the game thinking too much, didn’t we? When you’re on the pitch and thinking too much, you start not playing normally, it’s always late, you move the ball too slowly. When you want to press, you arrive late, and then when we concede a goal, it’s a big relief. It’s not the case anymore, pressing. We need to start playing and I think the team is starting to play.” [with] “More freedom. Then we scored a great goal and equalized. Then in the second half, we conceded through some behavior at the beginning but in the end, the game was always under our control, but I think it’s about improving and trying to control the game in a better way and that’s the thing we need to improve on.”

Cohesion seems like a natural sacrifice when experimentation is the priority, but the USA has paid the price for every mistake it has made in recent months, which is perhaps unlucky, but also a problem that seems solvable to a certain degree. However, how quickly they figure things out may be the biggest indicator of their success at the World Cup.