May 25, 2026 • 46 mins
Tom Bogert and Tab Ramos react to the USMNT’s FIFA World Cup roster, with Tom explaining the reporting behind the reveal and how the news got out ahead of schedule.
The guys then go position by position through Mauricio Pochettino’s squad decisions, including the heavy emphasis on defenders and outside backs, and the shocking midfield selections of Cristian Roldan and Sebastian Berhalter over Tanner Tessmann and Aidan Morris. They break down what those choices reveal about the way the U.S. plans to play heading into the tournament.
Tom and Tab also debate who should wear the captain’s armband and why the omission of Diego Luna raises questions about loyalty within the program.
Plus, the guys preview the upcoming friendly against Senegal, and give their projected Starting XI's against the African champions.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Although it's a great team. We have excellent players, they
all play in big clubs, it lacked a little bit
of that American spirit, right, and I think Luna had
that and Luna helped Pulchettino bring that back. And I
think by not selecting him to this roster, he was
not as loyal to Luna as Luna was to him.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
What's going on, everybody, Welcome back to Inside American Soccer.
I am USMNC insider Tom Bogert, and I'm joined by
one of the greatest players in US soccer history, better
than three World Cups, my friend tab Ramos Tab. We've
got a big show today. The United States official roster
reveal is coming on Tuesday in New York City, but
that didn't stop us from getting to find out the
whole twenty six man roster. Reporting from myself and Paulton Orio,
(00:44):
as well as the guardians Jeff Ruter and Pablo Mauer,
means that we have the twenty six players who have
been informed they have made the squad and the rest
who did not.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Tab. We didn't have to wait for the roster.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
How are you feeling, I'm I'm pretty good, and you know,
we've been waiting this for for this for a long time.
I'm glad it's finally here, but I have to say,
you know, I you know, I keep reading all these
articles about how the Guardian found this out and and
and knowing how I know you Listen, I know at
the end of the day, you and you and Paul
(01:16):
did all the work. And I know you you were
the first. So whatever credit anybody else is getting the
Guardian or whoever else, they can say whatever they want,
but I know that you were the guy that found
out who the roster was. So tell us a little
bit more about it.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yeah, so not to got to try to be vague
here to protect sources, but like to be clear, Paul
and I and I know Jeff and Pablo too, I
know that they did the same thing. I can't tell
you how many people I called it right, Like, it's
this wasn't from one person or two people or three people.
This is sources and relationships built up over a long time,
and you keep piecing together, keep asking the questions, and
(01:53):
you keep on reporting it out. It's not as if
we just saw our list and was like all right, cool,
copy and paste. Like it was a painstake process. To
go through to get to make sure every detail was
right and everything was as perfect as it could be,
because if you get one small thing wrong, man, like
that is it's not something that we can live with.
And that's also why like we've been careful with the
framing as well, Like even after Tuesday night, like that
(02:18):
doesn't bind the United States. You can still like the
official roster does not need to be submitted until June first. Now,
the only thing I could see happening is injuries, right
for that to change, but to be clear, and all
of the roster reveals for all the World Cup teams
that have happened already, nothing is set in stone until
June first, so just legality purposes and if they wanted
to make a change last minute. But yeah, this is
(02:39):
not something that was handed to zed. This was not
something that was handed to my pals at the Guardian, right.
This was painstaking and difficult reporting.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Now, I'll say this, so obviously there's a lot of
work on your part. I assume forty fifty calls at least,
that you're you're calling people all the time, because I
know that's what you do. But that's the only way
to do it, really right, you have to you have
to get the information. Now. I will say this too,
you know there's something to say about and I don't
know if you saw this, but you know, Spain releases
(03:09):
roster just sort of like Brazil did it too. And
I saw a video of Gavi right finding out that
he made it, and I think lamnha male. They gave
Lamina Mile the credit for recording gave finding out that
he made the that he made the World Cup team.
And if you saw his face, he's kind of crying,
He's so happy. The teammates are clapping for him. Why
(03:30):
do we not have that? Why don't we do it
that way? Why do the players have to know before
there is an actual announcement, because there's something to that,
like and maybe just me because you know, obviously I
love the game so much, but I kind of I
think it would have been nice to live that with
the players. Right. What about you have cameras almost like
(03:51):
like an NFL draft, Right, you have players and now
you find out, hey, you made the team. And this
is like, because Tom, I have to say, you know,
I go into a World Cup. There's been many great
players in US soccer and in other countries. Obviously, but
making it to a World Cup is not easy. You know,
a lot of things have to add up for you
to make it at that time. Not only do you
have to be a great player top twenty in your
(04:14):
country or whatever, but you have to be in good
shape at the moment. You have to be playing well.
So many things have to be going and in place
for you to make it. And I think it's such
a special moment that I feel for the players that
kind of just found out by getting an email or
a phone call. I'll say that.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
So that's the thing.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Like, so the reason why the US didn't do I
guess it's overly choreographed all twenty six point everybody but Richards.
Because Chris Richards is hopefully playing for Crystal Palace this
week in the Conference rut final. All the players who's
who are or either the season is done or MLS
has taking a break, they'll be in New York City
for this announcement. I just think it's overly choreographed it
And that's fine. You make that decision, but you run
(04:53):
the risk of this exact thing happening. I think that
it would be naive if US Soccer did not expect
this to come out, and like again if if if
people aren't some people aren't thrilled. Most people understand and
most people were excited by it. But I got a
few comments of like f you, like why did you
ruin this moment?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
All right?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Well, if it wasn't me, it was gonna be The Guardian,
And if it wasn't the Guardian, it would have been
another one of the excellent journalists covering this team.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
And if it wasn't one.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Of us, it would have been somebody on social media,
because we've seen that happen before, so it's part of
the job.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
I get it. I don't love doing like roster news
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
But again, if it wasn't me, if it wasn't a Guardian,
if it it wasn't Pultonoria, it was gonna be somebody else.
And the only like I thought that it was cool too,
like finding out that way for all the players at
the one time. The only thing is is like I
don't know if you saw there's a video of Joel Pedro.
I was expecting to make the Brazil roster, had one
of those like little parties that was expecting to hear
(05:46):
his name called, and it wasn't I have not been
able to watch the video. I have no interest in
watching the video of what of him being heartbroken, right,
But that is the only way all of that being said, though,
what I can report is it's not as if the
coaching staff was giving a personal touch and calling all
of these guys. At one pm on Friday, the fifty
five players in the preliminary roster got an email. Twenty
(06:06):
six of them their dreams came true. It said you're
going to the World Cup. The rest of them was
you have not made the final roster. They didn't get
a phone call, they didn't get an explanation. And again,
if that's how you want to do it, whatever, that's fine.
I'd probably disagree with it. But like then, you could
have done a thing where that everybody found out kind
of at the same time, and you wouldn't have to
worry about this getting reported out. But I mean, it's
(06:29):
it's delicate. I get it on both sides. It's just listen,
if you want to overly choreograph the event, people are
gonna find out. And that is it is what it is.
It's our job, it's my job. And now let's talk
about that roster. So tab I'm gonna I'm gonna just
list off at twenty six and to the listeners. We're
gonna say it a bunch of times on this show,
so if you miss it here, you don't have to rewind.
(06:49):
We're gonna reset the roster as many times as possible.
But I just want to set the table before TAB
we go into your biggest surprises, whether that's inclusions or omissions,
starting at goalkeepers Matt Freeze, Matt Turner, Chris Brady, center
backs Chris Richards, Tim Reim, Mark McKenzie, Austin, Trusty Miles Robinson,
wing backs, fullbacks Anthony Robinson, Sergenio Desk, Alex Freeman, Joe Scally,
(07:13):
Max Arfsen, Deeper midfielders Tyler Adams, Weston McKinney, Christian Rodond
Sebastian Buralter, attacking midfielder, slash wingers Christian Poolsick, Tim Wayer,
Malik Tilman, gior Reina, Brendan Ronson, Alexon Dejas, center forwards,
Flow Balgan, Ricardo Peppi, Hajji Wright. The biggest omissions are
(07:34):
Diego Lunah Tanner, Tessaman, and Aiden Morris. So TAB, what
was the most surprising thing for you whether it's omissions
or inclusions.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Well, I'll start. I'll start by saying first that, you know,
I'm really happy for the guys that made the team.
Obviously it's a huge moment for them. You know, for
for most players, is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
I know that half the roster, exactly half the roster,
thirteen of them participated in the last World Cup, so
half of them are coming back, but for thirteen of them,
(08:05):
it's the first opportunity to participate. So I'll say that
it's a it's a great honor and congratulations to them.
In terms of what I see here, I'll also say this,
I don't see anyone on the roster that doesn't belong there, right,
So I'll start with that because they there. I think
all the players who are there are deserving. I mean,
can you potentially say, well, you know, gi Arena hasn't
(08:27):
played enough, is that deserving of a position? I think
it is because I think he's he's proven out and
off that he's a little bit different. But here's here's
where I'm going to go with this. Roster. Number one
is is very I think that it's it's sort of
easy to tell that we are going to play with
three center backs, yes, because you don't. I mean we
(08:47):
have we have ten defenders on this roster, and potentially
you can say that eleven if you consider that way
I played the last window as outside back, that would
make it eleven. Right. The other thing that really sort
of draws my attention. There's three things. The second one
is the outside outside back overload, right, so many of
(09:09):
them right there, there's there's you know, potentially and again,
both Scali and Alex Freeman are deserving of making this team.
But I just didn't see in what world that could happen.
I just don't see it. I think it's a repetitive.
I think they both can play both positions, and they're
both not starters in either position likely, right. So that's
(09:32):
the second one, and then the last one I have
to tell you, I don't see where if you're not
going to have a deep central midfield as we planned,
I don't see where you picked Christian rolldown in Sebastian
Burholter ahead of Tanner Testament and Aiden Morris. I just
don't see that. And by the way, they're all deserving
(09:52):
of going. But if you're going to have depth. Then okay,
of course rolled Down is your guy. Of course Burholter
is your guy because he deserves But I don't see
that in a world where Testament is not there, Morris
is not there, and Johnny Cardozo's injured. I didn't see that.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Coming, Tad.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
We can go back to previous episodes. How many times
did you or I have Tanner Testament in our strongest
eleven for this team? The question was is he going
to start? Not is he going to be on the roster?
I'm I was really shocked by that one, so I
think I would start with that. But the defenders, right,
it's too many, so they better be playing with three
(10:29):
enterbacks because if not, you took too many. If Chris
sources tell me Chris richards Is, there is not a
question unless that he plays on Wednesday and gets reinjured,
if a new thing happens. That's the only way that
his status were his availabilities in doubt that he is
going to be fine for the World Cup. And again,
the first game is on June twelfth.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
We got some time and as you said, and as
you said, you have until June want to replace them,
So if you were to get hurt, in the final,
you can still bring someone.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Else and if he's available as expected, he's playing every
minute unless there's an injury suspension. Right Mark McKenzie, if
he's your starter, like he could play every minute. Tim
Reim same thing. So you have five natural center backs
Richard's Reem mackenzie, Trusty Robinson in a back three, Alex
(11:18):
Freeman and Joe Scalley can play there. In fact, Joe
Scally in a back three is not a wingback, he's
a He's an outside center back or stay at home fullback.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
That's how his game is.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
And again I'm good with him being there, but you
so that I view him more as a sixth center
back than a fifth wing back. But either way, right,
like we can either way, it's too many. You didn't
you didn't need a fifth wing back and a fifth
center back like that's it's it's too much.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Well, what what makes it even more confusing is the
fact that in the last window, way I played in
that position. Why so many outside backs that play that
in particular right backs? Right, Because and then you can say, okay,
well if you're taking that many on the right, and
then then then you could be thinking, well, maybe he
was thinking that he'll use desk on the left side
if he needs them, but you also have Arson on
(12:04):
the left side, so you don't really need them. So
it's it's a little bit, it's a little bit confusing,
but I have to say it just goes along the
lines of everything we've seen for the last year and
a half.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Honestly, tap like I don't want to I'm gonna iso
that back to you, like the explain he called up
seventy one players in the calendar year twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
That's insane.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Yeah, I mean it's too many. But now this is
a little bit what starts to worry me, right because
now we're starting to think, because we're gonna have to
start playing with Okay, what's the lineup? Now we in
a three three five two sort of what that's what
we looked at. If you look at you know, Polisic
as that second guy, and now are we looking at
(12:46):
McKinney as the guy next to Adams, Because I can't
see it any other way unless he's seeing roll down
in that position or he's seeing Berholter in that position, which,
by the way, again I will say it again deserving
of going. But I take sort of backups as you
get into maybe a second round. Then you start, you know,
meeting more important teams. You know, I have a little
(13:10):
bit of trouble of putting this together and making it
makes sense to me at this point.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
So so tab the other side of my like you
brought too many defenders, is one of those spots. It
should be Tanner Testament or or Aiden Morris.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Wes.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
McKinney in this setup has to be the starter next
to Tyterer Adams, and I think he is best when
he is playing as an attacking midfield in this setup
because if you're playing the three four two one, he
to get the best out of him and Adams, he's
got to be further forward. And then you put a
Tanner Testament in Aiden Morris well on this team, it's
going to be a burl to or rolled down.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Next to him.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
But if McKinney isn't being viewed as a partner, the
partner next to Adams rather than in front of Adams,
Like that's probably why you only bring.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Four unless Malik Tillman is playing back there.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
But he's been on the record like he hates playing
deeper in that spot, So it's just a surprise to
me and how quickly it could get thin.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
I would have probably.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Said this no matter what because of how much I
rate Tyler Adams, but particularly so now if he doesn't
play literally every single minute, this team is in real,
real trouble. And then moving forward on the field talking
about surprises, actually, let me say poor Aiden Morris, right,
I want to I feel bad for all the guys
who were the last cuts, but in particular because Aiden
Morris finds out on Friday like everybody else, like that
(14:27):
that was just the timing. The next morning or the
next afternoon in England, he's playing in the promotion playoff
final with Middlesbrough.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
And by the way, by the way he ran the show.
Yeah he ran really really good for Burrow and yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Like just just to reset this because I don't want
to make it incendiary or like I'm saying just because
he went to England that he deserves to be definitely
deserves to be in the Ros four rol down in Buralter.
But if you're Aiden Morris, he went to Burrow the
first time he had a chance. Even let's look at
his teammate Max Orson. Max Orston has ambitions, good to Europe.
Max often signed a new contract to get a well
deserved pay raise, but that's going to make it harder
(15:05):
for him to leave Ada. Morris didn't do that, or
his contract was up earlier so he had a smaller
extension and then he went to Europe.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Rodin didn't. Burhalter hasn't yet. His contracts up at the
end of year. Maybe he will. I don't blame either
one of them.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
By the way, if you're Christian Rolldon you will have
more important and we'll make more money playing for a
very very good Seattle ZONND. Just team Burhalter, let's see
what happens. But he's in a fantastic spot with the
Vancouver White Cops. But Ida Morris is like I could
have stayed in Columbus and made more money, and would
that have made it better for me to make the
like he's like, I'm playing I want to be Riot.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
It's not like I spoke to him.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
This is more just the assumption of I'm playing every
week for Middlesbrough, a very good championship team.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I was almost named captain this year. What more can
I possibly do? So it's very very tough And then
to have for Diego Luna.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
He appeared in seventeen of the eighteen USMNT Games in
twenty twenty five, he was a cult center in addition
to everything else. I understand, like I again, we can
if it ends up ended up being himbvers in Dejas,
I get it, like you can.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
You can talk into that. It's just incongruent.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Decision making process from the coaching staff that leaned on
him so much and publicly spoke about him as not
just somebody important on the field. He's a culture center.
The Broken Nose moment, He's got big balls, like that
quote from Pots like, for him to not be selected
in a twenty six man roster is a shock.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Yeah, I think. I think that hurts a little bit
because I will say this about that. You know about
Luna not being selected, he if you recall the day
of the Broken Nose, he was the guy that made
us think back to past national teams. You know, we
(16:53):
for the last six five or six years, we've been
talking about how this team, although it's a great team,
we have excellent players, they all play in big clubs,
it lacked a little bit of that American spirit, right,
And I think and I think Luna had that and
Luna helped Pulchettino bring that back. And I think by
(17:14):
not select on selecting him to this roster, I think
he he is not He was not as loyal to
Luna as Luna was to him, and that's unfortunate because Luna.
I think in a way, we were all rooting for
Luna to make the team because he sort of brought
that American spirit back and.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
This poor kid man he was.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
I still don't understand how he got caught from the
Olympic team, but pretty much the last cut in the
Olympic team and pretty much the last cut on the
World Cup squad.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
It really hurts.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
And by the way, like I'm just throwing out information
for like, I'm not saying that he deserved to make
it ahead of Reina or Tilman necessarily, but Patch has
always said, I don't care where you're playing. I just
cared that you're playing, and you're playing well. In this
calendar year, well, first of all, he's had more minutes
for his club, like in league play. In MLS, he
(18:06):
didn't debut until March because of an injury. From March
till May, he played more minutes than Giororana played in
the Buddhistliga from August until May from Malik Tillman. Since
March first, Diego Luna has played double the amount of minutes.
And again I'm good with Raina and Tilman being there,
and we're gonna talk about that more in the next segment.
But for all of the like, if you're Diego Luna,
(18:29):
you did everything that the coach asked you to and
you proved it in camps, you proved it with your club.
And he's again one of I think three, probably gonna
particular him Morris and Testament, being like, there was not
leading anything more that I could have done. Maybe for
Testaman and Morris played better in March, right, but nobody
played well in March. Those are two really bad performances.
(18:49):
So I feel for those guys. But we need to
take a really quick break. We're coming up next. We're
gonna break down position by position, talk about the tournament
management theory, game theory, whatever it is. We'll be right
back and please rate, review and subscribed Inside American Soccer
with Tom Boger and Tab Brownless where you get your podcast.
(19:14):
Welcome back to Inside American Soccer again. We've got the
reported twenty six man roster that will not be officially
revealed until Tuesday, but myself and Pultinari at the Athletic,
as well as Pablo Mara and Jeff Ruter at The
Guardian have flit this out and we feel pretty good
about it, barring anything that have changed. So let's talk
about this roster. Let's go position by position. Goalkeepers, we
(19:35):
haven't talked about them at all. Matt Freeze, Matt Turner,
Chris Brady. I want to say in one why we
started the show by me giving a little bit into
my process. One of the things that I heard, and
I've talked to enough people that I wasn't going to
want to hurt hear this. There was a rumor going
around the week before the roster was conveyed to the players.
It's like, is Matt Turner? Like have you heard Matt
(19:56):
Turner might not be on the team? Like that was
a hot like kind of buzz going around. Obviously that
was nothing that I reported, because it wasn't anything that
ended up being true. But I thought that was very
odd and would have been a shock if he didn't
make the team. What I was told is the rationale
would have been. We believe in Matt Freeze. We don't
want it to be a one A, one B thing.
We're going to Matt Freeze. But I get tabbed. That
would have been dumb to leave Matt Turner off for
(20:18):
that reason. Matt Turner is a backup. Chris Brady I
think deserves to be the third, but Matt Freeze is
going into this camp as the starter.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
So we believe in Matt Freeze. The guy that didn't
play the last window. That's that a little bit what
we're talking about, right, the guy that doesn't play all
the time. But no, yeah, I think the the top
two guys in this obviously, Freeze and Turner were really
a no brainer, and I didn't think that that would change,
you know, although they you know, we're surprised all the time.
(20:48):
I am hoping that now we have Matt Freeze and
we don't have to worry about that for the next
uh hopefully three, four, five, six games or more.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Yeah. Well see, I would have I would have thought
the same about Turner. I was from twenty two.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I will say though Turners has led MLS in all
the shots stopping metrics like the goals minus expected goals
stuff like that, this is what he was in New
England before he went to Europe. Like he's just an
elite shots soopper and it's cool to see him rediscover that.
Center backs Chris Richards, Tim Reim, Mark McKenzie, Austin, Trusty,
Miles Robinson. Tab I pretty much gave my host spiel
(21:22):
at the top that I just think that there's too
many center backs. My couple notes here is again, Richard's
gonna be fine. That's what we've been told, That's what
Pultonoyo's reported that as well. I believe his agent even
kind of came out and said that publicly too. Miles Robinson,
he liked Luna. They were just holding him out this
weekend for c Cincinnati had of an abundance of caution.
But he hasn't played ninety minutes since early March. I
(21:45):
think that's a bit of a concern at this point,
but obviously US Soccer feels good about where he is physically.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
That'll be fine. But any further thoughts on the center.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Backs, No, not really, just what you just mentioned about
Miles Robinson. You know, normally center backs aren't held out
for precautionary reasons and it's been surprising that it's not
just one game. We've seen this now for a little while,
and as you said, since March, so I'm surprised, and
this may be the reason. Obviously, you know Coacho always
(22:14):
has a reason for selecting who he selects. It's not obviously,
it's not like Marisio Pochettino and his staff are winging it.
So there there's got to be a little bit. I
feel it's got to be a little bit of a
concern for Miles Robinson's fitness. So when you add Miles
Robinson's and and then and then Richard's potential potentially not
being one hundred percent, then you can see why the
(22:36):
extra defender probably is selected.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Outside back slash wingbacks Anthony Robinson and Max Arson on
the left, so genior desk, Alex Freeman Joe Scaley on
the right. Alex Freeman has shown he could play as
that like right sided center back slash right back position
and out of out of possession, that kind of elbow
back that Pochatino has used, which I didn't know he
had this game because he's so good at going far,
(23:00):
particularly with Orlando City, he was an attack minded wing back,
so that was cool versatility. And then Joe Scalie. He's
been somebody who has been able to play as like
a right sided center back in a back three or
a stay at home full back in a back four.
But again we've got five options for these positions. Though
if it is the three four to two one that
we expect it to be, scali for me is under
the center back group, not the outside back group.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Yeah, I would agree with all that, you know, the
fact that I mean, there's no question we're deep in
that position if we want to look at it that way,
because on this roster, we have four players that can
play that position, you know, starting with Waya, who you
know obviously he plays wide for Marseille and this is
uh and he played he played in that position during
the last window. So we have four options for that position.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Central midfield that we talked about in the first segment.
But again Tyler Adams, Weston McKinney, christopherro Don Sebastian Burhalter.
It's Adams and I guess mckenny's partnering him, and I'm
not sure that's the best use for the both of them,
because again McKenny is best when he has not a
free role, but he has the ability to roam and
(24:05):
create action. I think that's where he's been his best
for Juventus as well as the national team. And again
he's had his best season ever. I don't want him
to be kind of tied down to Hey, hold the
Ford be like again, I think Morris and Testaman do
that better. Rolled on as well. Burhalter is a little
bit more like McKinnon in terms that like when he
has the ability to kind of have free range in
free rome. Tyler Adams he one of his superpowers. The
(24:30):
first is defensive transition and just groundcovering and blowing up
anything like that. He's groundcovering and winning the ballback is excellent.
His other superpower for me is when he's with the
stay at home type of six next to him and
he gets to go hunt out of possession. He gets
to help meat the press when it's Adams and McKinnie,
Adams has to stay home, So you're taking away one
of the things he's great at.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Yeah, and there's almost not another possibility there right unless
he's thinking of starting roll done. Roll Done would be
the only one that potentially could free up Taler Adams
to get to get out of let's say his position.
But you said it absolutely right about McKinney and bur
Holter on the other side. If those are gonna be
(25:12):
if that's going to be an eight position, not like
a double six, if that's an eight position, obviously, I think,
you know, I would have used the same exact word
that you use, would just roam. You know, that's what
he does, That's what McKenny likes to do. That's what
he's good at. And you know we've said it on
this show before, where you know, you know, McKinney is
really good at coming from behind and getting into the box.
(25:34):
And I think if he plays this deep, I just
think he won't be able to do that. And that's
one I believe one of his best qualities me too.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
That's like we're going to talk about the lineup after,
but like that that role of like playing underneath the
forward or like it more of like an eight and
a half because he's not a true ten, because that's
not how he plays, but he does so many things.
Well you look at where you ventus have used him
all over the pitch, even as a false nine, or
I guess not even a false nine. It was just hey,
you're really good in the air, why don't you try
playing forward for us? He did that pretty well too,
so I don't think. I don't think that there's anything
(26:03):
on the field that he can't do. Maybe we'll toss
some some gloves if the emergency comes attacking midfield, as
Christian pool is, k Tim Waya, Malik Tilman. Giorana, we
haven't talked about much yet. Brendan ronson alex In Dejas Rena. Again,
he's looked pretty good for motion glidback, albeit coming off
the bench over the last five league games to close
out the Bunes League season. He can give you something
(26:25):
special off the bench. Maybe he'll play more minutes. Who knows,
but the idea or even the hypothetical ceiling. If Giorana
can be some of the moments he showed leading into
the twenty twenty two World Cup, that would be an
absolute asset to this team.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
In particular because I think, you know, the first round games,
although I think we're the favorites in probably most of
the games, in particular I think Paraguay and Australia games.
I think it's good to know that you know, gi
Arena has been playing the last thirty minutes of games
basically for the last five games, and that he can
give you a solid He can give you a solid
(26:59):
to thirty minutes and come in and potentially make plays
that that are gonna win the game.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
Malik Tilman has not been discussed much. He He started
the last Bundesliga game in the season for Levrakusen. Before
that he completely lost his spot in the starting lineup.
I know that they've been in a bit of turmoil.
Leverkusen does not spend big money on players. They invested
a large sum of what they got for Florian verts
on Malie Tillman. It hasn't been a good season for
(27:25):
him at the club level. I think that that makes
it difficult to see him maybe necessarily as a starter.
But like tab It's it's some to predict anything with
his coaching staff. And maybe he starts the first game,
the first friendly, maybe he plays well, or maybe he
somebody else starts and they played poorly, and all of
a sudden he's starting against Paraguay.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Yeah, I mean I think when you when you look
at the roster and you look at the midfielders that
we have, I think he'll get a chance, you know,
in the in the friendlies, and if he gets that
chance and he does well, I think, you know, we
can forget about whatever happened at the club. There's no
question that Tillman is a good player. He can make
a difference for us. So hopefully, yeah, hopefully he gets
(28:06):
it going in the friendly games and is a starter
by World Cup time.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Very happy for Brendan Ronson, who I interviewed him a
couple of weeks ago and he said this was what
he believed to be his best season ever, definitely the
most rewarding season as well. It was he didn't have
to come back to Leeds he did last year. The
fans hated him, they were in the championship and he said,
you know, I've unfinished business here. He came back, won
the fans back over and leads very comfortably comfortably for
(28:32):
them at least survived the drop and are saying in
the Premier League. Large part Brendan Harson he played more
games than anybody in the team. He played thirty seven
or thirty eight. I believe, just what a season for him.
Another great season for Alex in Dejas for Club America.
Tap when you did your artificial roster projection, you Headzin
de haas In. I tried to politely say, I don't
think it's even really possible, but I'd like it, and
(28:54):
you were right.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Uh yeah, it's good to be right every once in
a while. No, it just it just seemed like, you know,
and I was thinking of Sindejas, you know, just like
the other players in those positions, you know, they're good
connectors in between lines. But I think Sin Davis is
a little bit more special in the sense that he
(29:17):
can find the goal and he can score goals, and
I think there isn't another player like him in those positions. Uh,
And so I think it's a It's a good selection
and well deserved.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
I agree.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
With Pulisic left out of the starting lineup in a
game AC Milan had to have to qualify for the
Champions League, breaking news. They did not have the game
and they missed out on Champions League, which is a
disaster given that they already were not in Europe this year,
they had the advantage of not having midweek games. They
started off really strong and by the end of the
season Pulls sicks Drought became so impactful that they didn't
(29:51):
start him they didn't start rapidly out in that final
game either, Santi him and as the Mexican striker started,
he made history, becoming the first ever forward in Syria
to start ten games at least ten games and not
score goal. So tough end of the season for Poolsick.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Yeah, and I was watching the game actually, and to
be fair, Milan should have lost by a lot more
goals than just two to one. You know, the you
know goalkeeper was standing on his head to keep them
in the game. It was not a good showing for Milan.
They were in a bad decline the last two three
months as a team. Let's forget you know, Polisics form
as a team. They were just not in a good
(30:30):
place and they were just dropping where you know, if
the season kept going now, they would go into the
middle and into the middle of the table because they're
just they're just not I mean, they ended the season
probably in the worst form they had all year.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
Christian Polsik twelve more months I left on his contract.
We'll see what happens this summer after the World Cup.
But center forwards Baligan, who's been in fantastic for him
for Cardipappy scoring goals is always for PSV and how
do you right who's going to the Premier League with
Coventry City Balgin His goal scoring form is going to
be I think extraordinarily important for this team at the
World Cup. But I want to highlight recorder Pappy for
(31:04):
a second. He was one of, if not the absolute
last person cut from the last World Cup squad in
twenty two.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
He makes it now for twenty six.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Yeah, you know, very happy for him because I remember
after the twenty two World Cup saying that that's the
one player that I was most disappointed for because I
thought he deserved to go at the time. But of course,
you know, like like I said before, there's likely always
thirty thirty five players that deserve to go. Someone unfortunately
(31:36):
gets caught in the end and it's really difficult because
it sticks with you. But now he made this team,
so he can forget about twenty two and I'm happy
to see him go.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Let's talk about a few big picture questions that come
out when we have this roster. So let's have based
on this group that has been called what does this
tell you about Marisa Pochatino on the staff and kind
of how they want to play going into the World Cup.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Yeah, well, I mean I think it'd be hard to
not think, you know, when I started to I took
the roster and I started to put lineups together, it's
hard for me to number one, think how we're we
wouldn't be playing with three center backs, right, So we're
really pretty much looking at playing what I would call
a five three two or if you wanted to call
(32:25):
it a three four three. But the bottom line is
we have to play with three center backs. And I
think that's what's happening here. We have I think, regardless
of what this election is, in terms of the outside backs,
I think we have good ones on either side, and I.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Think we different profiles too, which I really.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Like, and we can really hurt teams with those guys.
So really important that we play those three center backs.
And I think that's what it showed. And then the
other thing is that obviously he relies on Tyler Adams
being the stay at home number six, likely by himself,
and so having three center backs that covers the middle,
having their atoms right in front of them, now you
(33:02):
have four guys that are always covering the middle, and
you're giving a little bit more on the outside but
that's sort of that's sort of what it looks like
at the moment. Obviously we can go through the rest
of the lineup, but that's that's the first If I
had my first impression of okay, you have the full
this is the full selection. What are you seeing, I
have to say that I'm seeing five across the back.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
Yeah, I think so too.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
When I look at this roster, I think of there
is a lot of unplanned things or you can try
to plan by based on the profiles that you put
in the roster. So what is the optionality and the
versatility of Like, Okay, either we're chasing a game thirty
minutes left to go, when we're playing a team like
Paraguay or Australia that we're expected to have were possession,
what do we do if it's a game against Turkey
(33:47):
A or in the knockout rounds when maybe we're not
going to have more than half of possession. Like when
you look at the different profiles that we talked Abu
already about at wing back, but as well as like
the attacking midfielders and all the like, what are the
different combinations that posteam you can go to in different scenarios.
Speaker 1 (34:03):
Well, that would have to say and let's just say
what we let let's predict what's going to happen in
the first game. First game, we're going into the last
maybe twenty twenty five minutes, and now we're we're in
a todd game and we need to win it. So
you have the option of bringing Geo Rain out because
we just talked about him being to connect lines, or
(34:26):
you have the option whereas if you really have to
win a game, you could potentially put Way out the
right wing and play out of let's say like a
like a three three four right, So you keep your
three center backs at home, you keep three in the
middles with let's say that's Adams mckinnee, and potentially either
Tillman or you brought in raina right. So now you
(34:48):
have you have five waiting and you have five attacking,
and in the five attacking, you would put maybe rain
a little bit behind. And then now you have you
have the opportunity of having you know, Way on the right,
have Peppy and Baaligan in the middle, and you can
have Polisic on the left, or you can have Polisic
come into the tent spot and put how'd you right
on the left, So it gives you a lot of
(35:09):
opportunity to get Bulls into the box and to have
both Peppy and Bowligan in the game at the same time.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Yeah, like we said it earlier, you can't plan for,
you know, if who might pick up an injury or
who might you know, get Yello card accumulation. Thankfully, yell
card accumulation is a higher bromber. The cards wiped earlier easier,
but still it's not that difficult to pick up a
couple of yell cards in the group.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
Stage and at miss a game.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
But if Tyler Adams is not available for literally any minute,
I don't like this team. I could probably have said
that no matter who else was on the roster, like
because of how good I think he is and how
your placement I think is. Similar could be said for
Richards and maybe Polistic and Bowigan, but there are just
a lot of different attack options to attack. Like, it's
difficult to kind of plan for Tyler Adams Chris Richards
(35:58):
missing it literally even a minute.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
Right, And I think at this point there's really no
need to plan for that because I think we have
to go with our best guys and and you know,
and play them the whole time. And that's really what
the World Cup is about. We've you know, you and
I have been saying this for a long time now.
This is going to be you know, you know, fourteen
fifteen sixteen players that will really lead us into wherever
right and and so obviously Tyler Adams is a very
(36:23):
important one at that and he and he will play
a significant role before you go into the break. Who's
going to be the captain of this team?
Speaker 3 (36:31):
Yeah, we know that that's a great question. No, we don't.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
Tyler Adams was the captain in twenty two. He has
not won the armband one single time at MSA. Pochettino,
I don't understand why I think that there is a leadership.
You know that he's a leader. Poolsick is a leader,
Richard's Anthony Robinson in his own ways, but like McKenney
obviously part of that group.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
I want to see the armband on Tyler Adams.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
Tim Reim has worn it most under Pochatino's maybe he's
gonna be that.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Guy, But I don't know. For me, it's time. It's
just weird to me that he hasn't won the arm band.
What do you think that I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (37:01):
I think Adams is the guy because I think you
want you want a personality with your captain, and not
that Richards could couldn't do it. I think he can.
But I think Adams is the right guy because you
want guys following that attitude on the field.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
I couldn't agree more. So let's take that quick break.
Next up, we're gonna give our projected starting elevens for
the Senegal friendly. That's right, United States are playing in
less than a week to kick off preparations for the
World Cup with a friendly against Senegal. So thank you
for listening to Inside American Soccer. Please rate, review, and
subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Welcome back to Inside
(37:43):
American Soccer again. We've got the reported twenty six man
roster for myself, Paulton Orio, as well as the guardians
Pablo Mara, Jeff Ruter that we broke down and discussed.
It's going to be officially unveiled on Tuesday and it
will be locked in on June first, when the United
States and all other countries submit their official final rosters
to FIFA. Before June first, the United States has their
(38:04):
first friendly before the World Cup. They were playing Senegal
on Sunday at three thirty pm Eastern Time in Charlotte.
Senegal are the reigning Afghan champions. I don't care if
lawyers are trying to take it away and give it
to Morocco.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
I know what I saw.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Senegal lifted the trophy. Senegal still has the trophy. I
believe that they gave it to their armed forces. It's
pretty much like, yeah, come and take it if you
want to try to take it. Senegal or the Afghan Champions,
they are a very very good team for me. Tab
I'm very curious what this lineup is going to be.
Senegal obviously doesn't play like Paraguay or Australia or Turkey.
All the teams are different, but there isn't a lot
(38:36):
of overlap, particularly with Paraguay in that first game, well
they play, the United States plays Germany and Chicago a
few days later. There's no overlap with Germany to some
of these teams either. So what I want to see
and what I hope to see is Pochettino and his
staff are going to put out what they believe to
be who's going to start that first World Cup opening
game against Paraguay. But tab you never really know if
that's what's gonna happen because he changed a lineup every game.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Yeah, and they're quite as you said, they're quite different,
right if you if you look at uh at Senegal
and what we're gonna find against Paraguay, because you know Senegal,
let's not forget they have money, Nicholas Jackson, sur guy
coming from behind. I mean, this is this is the
ultimate like transition team, and and they can get you.
(39:22):
They're a very good team, and I think we'll have
a tough time defending. Of course, you know, as I
put the lineup together, as we always say, we're let's
try to figure out what Pochettino is gonna do, not
what I'd like to do. Uh So I'll give it
a shot. I'll give a shot at the lineup. I
think we're gonna have three center backs in this game,
and because of the injuries and maybe some guys not
(39:43):
being one hundred percent, this is what I think we
probably do the first game. I think I'm gonna say
that he's gonna go with Freeman at the right center
back spot, McKenzie in the center, uh and Reim on
the left side. I think that's how he'll start the
the Senegal game, and the reason for that is Richards
will be coming off obviously he's been injured, but also
(40:05):
coming off the final, so it's likely that he gets
arrest the first game, so I don't think he'll play,
but that's that's what I'm thinking. If Richards were to play,
then Richards goes right into the middle, and I think
McKenzie goes on that left side and then Reim would
be out.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
So okay, interesting and I'm glad that you brought that up.
I should have said that off the top again. Palace
play ryle Vaikano on Wednesday May twenty seven in the
Conference League final. This game is Sunday, the thirty first.
Chris Richards is hoping to be able to play in
that game with his injury, but against habit if he
plays that game, you're right, maybe I'd be surprised. And
obviously he's going to be in the lineup against Paraguay
(40:41):
if he's available to play. So that's interesting. Can you
freezing goal right? And then that trio in defense?
Speaker 3 (40:49):
So back three?
Speaker 2 (40:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (40:52):
Yeah, and I forgot the goalkeeper as usual, Thank you,
thank you for that. I think I agree that it
will be a Freeze on the right side. I think
he's gonna go with Weea yeah, although we have obviously
Mane to deal on that side. To deal with on
that side, I think having three center backs and having
a little bit of help, hopefully we learn from the
(41:13):
experience against doku Uh in the last window when we
played Belgium. Mane at this point is not at the
same level as Dokuiz right now, but nevertheless, obviously he's
one of the great players U in the world and
uh he'll be hard to deal with. But I think
I think he'll go with Way on that side. I
think he'll go with Robinson on the opposite side. In
(41:34):
the middle of the field. I have to say that
I and I know, I don't know if I'm hopeful,
but I'm I'm thinking that he may do this. I'm
gonna say that Adams will be the holding six, with
McKinney and Tillman sort of switching that eight role. When
one goes one stays yeah, and then up top it'll
be Polisic in Balidan.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
I have a very similar team the freeze and goal.
I would put McKenzie. Actually, reminding my own self about Richards. Yeah,
McKenzie in the middle, Alex Freeman right center back, Tim
Ream left center back. If this is a game that
Richards was available to play, I would probably drop Freeman
from the lineup, move McKenzie over to right center back
(42:17):
with Richards in the middle, but anyway, Freeze h Freeman,
mackenzie and Reim wing back. The midfield four I would
go through Genio dest At right wing back, McKenny and
Adams in the middle, Anthony Robinson on the left, and
then the attacking trio would be Balgon up top with
(42:38):
Polistic and Waya underneath.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Oh very good. I mean I like that too. I
like that because the way I gives you something a
lot different than Tillman in that position. Way, it gives
you the way I can get to the end line
and can provide that speed on the counter that you
know that Tillman doesn't really it's not his think, that's
not what does and so and so. Yeah, that that
(43:02):
that you know, that seems like it could be as well.
And putting Desk as a starter obviously, I think he's
ultimately he's our best right back. But I'm just trying
to read what Pushatino is thinking and having played way
up both games on the last window, I'm thinking maybe
that's what he's thinking for for the World Cup. So
but yeah, that could be as well.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
They like I do like the combo of of Weya
and Desk because like you said, like Weya can get
to the end line, like the verticality and the like
intelligence of his off ball movement is good. But you
have Desk who, like Anthony Robinson on the left, what
he's great at is endline to endline, overlapping. He stays
in that kind of widest channel. Desk is very creative.
He can pinge in, so when you have Weya can
(43:46):
naturally stay wide, whereas, like on the left, you have
Pulisic who obviously you want him to cut in. You
want him to have the whole field in front of him.
And then that that lends really nicely when it's Anthony
Robinson and him, because Anthony Robinson fills that widest channel,
whereas on the right it could be a situation where
Desk pinches in to the half space, whereas Weya is
the one saying whyest and giving the verticalty. So I
(44:06):
think there are a lot of options, Like I wouldn't
be surprised in any way. If if Molie Tillman starts,
don't even listen, let me say this, I wouldn't be
surprised at pretty much anybody on the twenty six manut
ross of starts. If maybe he says, you know what,
I'd rather this be the game where I give Turner
a game and goal, and Miles Robinson, let's see how
fit you are us and Trusty would you like going
(44:28):
out rolled On and Burrow to like? I hope that
it's the first choice eleven, but maybe he'll save that
for Germany. I honestly don't know. I would like to
see both. I think that these players are out a
stage where they can play a good amount of minutes.
Maybe not all the starters going under and eighty minutes,
but I think it's me for me more valuable to
see some of these guys, and particularly the combinations they're in.
Speaker 3 (44:47):
But tab who knows.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
Yeah, And I to be fair, I like your lineup
better for the Paraguay game because I think death is
extremely unpredictable. I mean, he doesn't know what he's doing next.
That's a sign and by the way, that's a sign
of good players. That's what they do. The creative players,
they don't know what they're doing next, so you can't
coach that. But because of that, I think that Desk
(45:10):
can create his own plays and his own danger like
on his own, whereas Weea is more of a team player.
He's gonna be making the run that you see and
you're gonna get them the ball right behind, or he's
gonna be taking somebody on one v one down the
line and getting across in a lot more predictable. Desk,
you just don't know. He could cut inside and shoot,
he can go into midfield and help, or he can
(45:31):
stay wide and dribble. So I think Dess would be
uh would be a you know, a great option for
the Paraguay game.
Speaker 2 (45:38):
Yeah, always looking forward to it. Listen, we've been since
our very first episode.
Speaker 3 (45:43):
Tap.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
This is the time that we've been talking about. When
the roster comes out and the camp commences ahead of
the World Cup. This is historic times. This is what
kids will be growing up talking about the twenty twenty
six World Cup and how special it was. Maybe they'll
be talking about their memories from this tournament. Some of
these players are going to become heroes and be looking
up for the next generation. I can't wait. We are
here tab finally listen. Thank you for listening to Inside
(46:06):
American Soccer. Please rate, review, subscribe wherever gets your podcast.
We'll be back on Sunday, sometime around then Sunday or
Monday with a reaction show after the Senegal match.
Speaker 3 (46:17):
Games are here, Trainees coming.
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Maybe we'll see if there's any surprises from this roster
reveal on Tuesday night, but if not, we'll talk to
you all again.
Speaker 3 (46:23):
Very basic,
Although it's a great team. We have excellent players, they
all play in big clubs, it lacked a little bit
of that American spirit, right, and I think Luna had
that and Luna helped Pulchettino bring that back. And I
think by not selecting him to this roster, he was
not as loyal to Luna as Luna was to him.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
What's going on, everybody, Welcome back to Inside American Soccer.
I am USMNC insider Tom Bogert, and I'm joined by
one of the greatest players in US soccer history, better
than three World Cups, my friend tab Ramos Tab. We've
got a big show today. The United States official roster
reveal is coming on Tuesday in New York City, but
that didn't stop us from getting to find out the
whole twenty six man roster. Reporting from myself and Paulton Orio,
(00:44):
as well as the guardians Jeff Ruter and Pablo Mauer,
means that we have the twenty six players who have
been informed they have made the squad and the rest
who did not.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Tab. We didn't have to wait for the roster.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
How are you feeling, I'm I'm pretty good, and you know,
we've been waiting this for for this for a long time.
I'm glad it's finally here, but I have to say,
you know, I you know, I keep reading all these
articles about how the Guardian found this out and and
and knowing how I know you Listen, I know at
the end of the day, you and you and Paul
(01:16):
did all the work. And I know you you were
the first. So whatever credit anybody else is getting the
Guardian or whoever else, they can say whatever they want,
but I know that you were the guy that found
out who the roster was. So tell us a little
bit more about it.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yeah, so not to got to try to be vague
here to protect sources, but like to be clear, Paul
and I and I know Jeff and Pablo too, I
know that they did the same thing. I can't tell
you how many people I called it right, Like, it's
this wasn't from one person or two people or three people.
This is sources and relationships built up over a long time,
and you keep piecing together, keep asking the questions, and
(01:53):
you keep on reporting it out. It's not as if
we just saw our list and was like all right, cool,
copy and paste. Like it was a painstake process. To
go through to get to make sure every detail was
right and everything was as perfect as it could be,
because if you get one small thing wrong, man, like
that is it's not something that we can live with.
And that's also why like we've been careful with the
framing as well, Like even after Tuesday night, like that
(02:18):
doesn't bind the United States. You can still like the
official roster does not need to be submitted until June first. Now,
the only thing I could see happening is injuries, right
for that to change, but to be clear, and all
of the roster reveals for all the World Cup teams
that have happened already, nothing is set in stone until
June first, so just legality purposes and if they wanted
to make a change last minute. But yeah, this is
(02:39):
not something that was handed to zed. This was not
something that was handed to my pals at the Guardian, right.
This was painstaking and difficult reporting.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Now, I'll say this, so obviously there's a lot of
work on your part. I assume forty fifty calls at least,
that you're you're calling people all the time, because I
know that's what you do. But that's the only way
to do it, really right, you have to you have
to get the information. Now. I will say this too,
you know there's something to say about and I don't
know if you saw this, but you know, Spain releases
(03:09):
roster just sort of like Brazil did it too. And
I saw a video of Gavi right finding out that
he made it, and I think lamnha male. They gave
Lamina Mile the credit for recording gave finding out that
he made the that he made the World Cup team.
And if you saw his face, he's kind of crying,
He's so happy. The teammates are clapping for him. Why
(03:30):
do we not have that? Why don't we do it
that way? Why do the players have to know before
there is an actual announcement, because there's something to that,
like and maybe just me because you know, obviously I
love the game so much, but I kind of I
think it would have been nice to live that with
the players. Right. What about you have cameras almost like
(03:51):
like an NFL draft, Right, you have players and now
you find out, hey, you made the team. And this
is like, because Tom, I have to say, you know,
I go into a World Cup. There's been many great
players in US soccer and in other countries. Obviously, but
making it to a World Cup is not easy. You know,
a lot of things have to add up for you
to make it at that time. Not only do you
have to be a great player top twenty in your
(04:14):
country or whatever, but you have to be in good
shape at the moment. You have to be playing well.
So many things have to be going and in place
for you to make it. And I think it's such
a special moment that I feel for the players that
kind of just found out by getting an email or
a phone call. I'll say that.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
So that's the thing.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Like, so the reason why the US didn't do I
guess it's overly choreographed all twenty six point everybody but Richards.
Because Chris Richards is hopefully playing for Crystal Palace this
week in the Conference rut final. All the players who's
who are or either the season is done or MLS
has taking a break, they'll be in New York City
for this announcement. I just think it's overly choreographed it
And that's fine. You make that decision, but you run
(04:53):
the risk of this exact thing happening. I think that
it would be naive if US Soccer did not expect
this to come out, and like again if if if
people aren't some people aren't thrilled. Most people understand and
most people were excited by it. But I got a
few comments of like f you, like why did you
ruin this moment?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
All right?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Well, if it wasn't me, it was gonna be The Guardian,
And if it wasn't the Guardian, it would have been
another one of the excellent journalists covering this team.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
And if it wasn't one.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Of us, it would have been somebody on social media,
because we've seen that happen before, so it's part of
the job.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
I get it. I don't love doing like roster news
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
But again, if it wasn't me, if it wasn't a Guardian,
if it it wasn't Pultonoria, it was gonna be somebody else.
And the only like I thought that it was cool too,
like finding out that way for all the players at
the one time. The only thing is is like I
don't know if you saw there's a video of Joel Pedro.
I was expecting to make the Brazil roster, had one
of those like little parties that was expecting to hear
(05:46):
his name called, and it wasn't I have not been
able to watch the video. I have no interest in
watching the video of what of him being heartbroken, right,
But that is the only way all of that being said, though,
what I can report is it's not as if the
coaching staff was giving a personal touch and calling all
of these guys. At one pm on Friday, the fifty
five players in the preliminary roster got an email. Twenty
(06:06):
six of them their dreams came true. It said you're
going to the World Cup. The rest of them was
you have not made the final roster. They didn't get
a phone call, they didn't get an explanation. And again,
if that's how you want to do it, whatever, that's fine.
I'd probably disagree with it. But like then, you could
have done a thing where that everybody found out kind
of at the same time, and you wouldn't have to
worry about this getting reported out. But I mean, it's
(06:29):
it's delicate. I get it on both sides. It's just listen,
if you want to overly choreograph the event, people are
gonna find out. And that is it is what it is.
It's our job, it's my job. And now let's talk
about that roster. So tab I'm gonna I'm gonna just
list off at twenty six and to the listeners. We're
gonna say it a bunch of times on this show,
so if you miss it here, you don't have to rewind.
(06:49):
We're gonna reset the roster as many times as possible.
But I just want to set the table before TAB
we go into your biggest surprises, whether that's inclusions or omissions,
starting at goalkeepers Matt Freeze, Matt Turner, Chris Brady, center
backs Chris Richards, Tim Reim, Mark McKenzie, Austin, Trusty Miles Robinson,
wing backs, fullbacks Anthony Robinson, Sergenio Desk, Alex Freeman, Joe Scally,
(07:13):
Max Arfsen, Deeper midfielders Tyler Adams, Weston McKinney, Christian Rodond
Sebastian Buralter, attacking midfielder, slash wingers Christian Poolsick, Tim Wayer,
Malik Tilman, gior Reina, Brendan Ronson, Alexon Dejas, center forwards,
Flow Balgan, Ricardo Peppi, Hajji Wright. The biggest omissions are
(07:34):
Diego Lunah Tanner, Tessaman, and Aiden Morris. So TAB, what
was the most surprising thing for you whether it's omissions
or inclusions.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Well, I'll start. I'll start by saying first that, you know,
I'm really happy for the guys that made the team.
Obviously it's a huge moment for them. You know, for
for most players, is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
I know that half the roster, exactly half the roster,
thirteen of them participated in the last World Cup, so
half of them are coming back, but for thirteen of them,
(08:05):
it's the first opportunity to participate. So I'll say that
it's a it's a great honor and congratulations to them.
In terms of what I see here, I'll also say this,
I don't see anyone on the roster that doesn't belong there, right,
So I'll start with that because they there. I think
all the players who are there are deserving. I mean,
can you potentially say, well, you know, gi Arena hasn't
(08:27):
played enough, is that deserving of a position? I think
it is because I think he's he's proven out and
off that he's a little bit different. But here's here's
where I'm going to go with this. Roster. Number one
is is very I think that it's it's sort of
easy to tell that we are going to play with
three center backs, yes, because you don't. I mean we
(08:47):
have we have ten defenders on this roster, and potentially
you can say that eleven if you consider that way
I played the last window as outside back, that would
make it eleven. Right. The other thing that really sort
of draws my attention. There's three things. The second one
is the outside outside back overload, right, so many of
(09:09):
them right there, there's there's you know, potentially and again,
both Scali and Alex Freeman are deserving of making this team.
But I just didn't see in what world that could happen.
I just don't see it. I think it's a repetitive.
I think they both can play both positions, and they're
both not starters in either position likely, right. So that's
(09:32):
the second one, and then the last one I have
to tell you, I don't see where if you're not
going to have a deep central midfield as we planned,
I don't see where you picked Christian rolldown in Sebastian
Burholter ahead of Tanner Testament and Aiden Morris. I just
don't see that. And by the way, they're all deserving
(09:52):
of going. But if you're going to have depth. Then okay,
of course rolled Down is your guy. Of course Burholter
is your guy because he deserves But I don't see
that in a world where Testament is not there, Morris
is not there, and Johnny Cardozo's injured. I didn't see that.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Coming, Tad.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
We can go back to previous episodes. How many times
did you or I have Tanner Testament in our strongest
eleven for this team? The question was is he going
to start? Not is he going to be on the roster?
I'm I was really shocked by that one, so I
think I would start with that. But the defenders, right,
it's too many, so they better be playing with three
(10:29):
enterbacks because if not, you took too many. If Chris
sources tell me Chris richards Is, there is not a
question unless that he plays on Wednesday and gets reinjured,
if a new thing happens. That's the only way that
his status were his availabilities in doubt that he is
going to be fine for the World Cup. And again,
the first game is on June twelfth.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
We got some time and as you said, and as
you said, you have until June want to replace them,
So if you were to get hurt, in the final,
you can still bring someone.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Else and if he's available as expected, he's playing every
minute unless there's an injury suspension. Right Mark McKenzie, if
he's your starter, like he could play every minute. Tim
Reim same thing. So you have five natural center backs
Richard's Reem mackenzie, Trusty Robinson in a back three, Alex
(11:18):
Freeman and Joe Scalley can play there. In fact, Joe
Scally in a back three is not a wingback, he's
a He's an outside center back or stay at home fullback.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
That's how his game is.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
And again I'm good with him being there, but you
so that I view him more as a sixth center
back than a fifth wing back. But either way, right,
like we can either way, it's too many. You didn't
you didn't need a fifth wing back and a fifth
center back like that's it's it's too much.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Well, what what makes it even more confusing is the
fact that in the last window, way I played in
that position. Why so many outside backs that play that
in particular right backs? Right, Because and then you can say, okay,
well if you're taking that many on the right, and
then then then you could be thinking, well, maybe he
was thinking that he'll use desk on the left side
if he needs them, but you also have Arson on
(12:04):
the left side, so you don't really need them. So
it's it's a little bit, it's a little bit confusing,
but I have to say it just goes along the
lines of everything we've seen for the last year and
a half.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Honestly, tap like I don't want to I'm gonna iso
that back to you, like the explain he called up
seventy one players in the calendar year twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
That's insane.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Yeah, I mean it's too many. But now this is
a little bit what starts to worry me, right because
now we're starting to think, because we're gonna have to
start playing with Okay, what's the lineup? Now we in
a three three five two sort of what that's what
we looked at. If you look at you know, Polisic
as that second guy, and now are we looking at
(12:46):
McKinney as the guy next to Adams, Because I can't
see it any other way unless he's seeing roll down
in that position or he's seeing Berholter in that position, which,
by the way, again I will say it again deserving
of going. But I take sort of backups as you
get into maybe a second round. Then you start, you know,
meeting more important teams. You know, I have a little
(13:10):
bit of trouble of putting this together and making it
makes sense to me at this point.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
So so tab the other side of my like you
brought too many defenders, is one of those spots. It
should be Tanner Testament or or Aiden Morris.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Wes.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
McKinney in this setup has to be the starter next
to Tyterer Adams, and I think he is best when
he is playing as an attacking midfield in this setup
because if you're playing the three four two one, he
to get the best out of him and Adams, he's
got to be further forward. And then you put a
Tanner Testament in Aiden Morris well on this team, it's
going to be a burl to or rolled down.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Next to him.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
But if McKinney isn't being viewed as a partner, the
partner next to Adams rather than in front of Adams,
Like that's probably why you only bring.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Four unless Malik Tillman is playing back there.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
But he's been on the record like he hates playing
deeper in that spot, So it's just a surprise to
me and how quickly it could get thin.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
I would have probably.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Said this no matter what because of how much I
rate Tyler Adams, but particularly so now if he doesn't
play literally every single minute, this team is in real,
real trouble. And then moving forward on the field talking
about surprises, actually, let me say poor Aiden Morris, right,
I want to I feel bad for all the guys
who were the last cuts, but in particular because Aiden
Morris finds out on Friday like everybody else, like that
(14:27):
that was just the timing. The next morning or the
next afternoon in England, he's playing in the promotion playoff
final with Middlesbrough.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
And by the way, by the way he ran the show.
Yeah he ran really really good for Burrow and yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Like just just to reset this because I don't want
to make it incendiary or like I'm saying just because
he went to England that he deserves to be definitely
deserves to be in the Ros four rol down in Buralter.
But if you're Aiden Morris, he went to Burrow the
first time he had a chance. Even let's look at
his teammate Max Orson. Max Orston has ambitions, good to Europe.
Max often signed a new contract to get a well
deserved pay raise, but that's going to make it harder
(15:05):
for him to leave Ada. Morris didn't do that, or
his contract was up earlier so he had a smaller
extension and then he went to Europe.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Rodin didn't. Burhalter hasn't yet. His contracts up at the
end of year. Maybe he will. I don't blame either
one of them.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
By the way, if you're Christian Rolldon you will have
more important and we'll make more money playing for a
very very good Seattle ZONND. Just team Burhalter, let's see
what happens. But he's in a fantastic spot with the
Vancouver White Cops. But Ida Morris is like I could
have stayed in Columbus and made more money, and would
that have made it better for me to make the
like he's like, I'm playing I want to be Riot.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
It's not like I spoke to him.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
This is more just the assumption of I'm playing every
week for Middlesbrough, a very good championship team.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I was almost named captain this year. What more can
I possibly do? So it's very very tough And then
to have for Diego Luna.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
He appeared in seventeen of the eighteen USMNT Games in
twenty twenty five, he was a cult center in addition
to everything else. I understand, like I again, we can
if it ends up ended up being himbvers in Dejas,
I get it, like you can.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
You can talk into that. It's just incongruent.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Decision making process from the coaching staff that leaned on
him so much and publicly spoke about him as not
just somebody important on the field. He's a culture center.
The Broken Nose moment, He's got big balls, like that
quote from Pots like, for him to not be selected
in a twenty six man roster is a shock.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Yeah, I think. I think that hurts a little bit
because I will say this about that. You know about
Luna not being selected, he if you recall the day
of the Broken Nose, he was the guy that made
us think back to past national teams. You know, we
(16:53):
for the last six five or six years, we've been
talking about how this team, although it's a great team,
we have excellent players, they all play in big clubs,
it lacked a little bit of that American spirit, right,
And I think and I think Luna had that and
Luna helped Pulchettino bring that back. And I think by
(17:14):
not select on selecting him to this roster, I think
he he is not He was not as loyal to
Luna as Luna was to him, and that's unfortunate because Luna.
I think in a way, we were all rooting for
Luna to make the team because he sort of brought
that American spirit back and.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
This poor kid man he was.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
I still don't understand how he got caught from the
Olympic team, but pretty much the last cut in the
Olympic team and pretty much the last cut on the
World Cup squad.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
It really hurts.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
And by the way, like I'm just throwing out information
for like, I'm not saying that he deserved to make
it ahead of Reina or Tilman necessarily, but Patch has
always said, I don't care where you're playing. I just
cared that you're playing, and you're playing well. In this
calendar year, well, first of all, he's had more minutes
for his club, like in league play. In MLS, he
(18:06):
didn't debut until March because of an injury. From March
till May, he played more minutes than Giororana played in
the Buddhistliga from August until May from Malik Tillman. Since
March first, Diego Luna has played double the amount of minutes.
And again I'm good with Raina and Tilman being there,
and we're gonna talk about that more in the next segment.
But for all of the like, if you're Diego Luna,
(18:29):
you did everything that the coach asked you to and
you proved it in camps, you proved it with your club.
And he's again one of I think three, probably gonna
particular him Morris and Testament, being like, there was not
leading anything more that I could have done. Maybe for
Testaman and Morris played better in March, right, but nobody
played well in March. Those are two really bad performances.
(18:49):
So I feel for those guys. But we need to
take a really quick break. We're coming up next. We're
gonna break down position by position, talk about the tournament
management theory, game theory, whatever it is. We'll be right
back and please rate, review and subscribed Inside American Soccer
with Tom Boger and Tab Brownless where you get your podcast.
(19:14):
Welcome back to Inside American Soccer again. We've got the
reported twenty six man roster that will not be officially
revealed until Tuesday, but myself and Pultinari at the Athletic,
as well as Pablo Mara and Jeff Ruter at The
Guardian have flit this out and we feel pretty good
about it, barring anything that have changed. So let's talk
about this roster. Let's go position by position. Goalkeepers, we
(19:35):
haven't talked about them at all. Matt Freeze, Matt Turner,
Chris Brady. I want to say in one why we
started the show by me giving a little bit into
my process. One of the things that I heard, and
I've talked to enough people that I wasn't going to
want to hurt hear this. There was a rumor going
around the week before the roster was conveyed to the players.
It's like, is Matt Turner? Like have you heard Matt
(19:56):
Turner might not be on the team? Like that was
a hot like kind of buzz going around. Obviously that
was nothing that I reported, because it wasn't anything that
ended up being true. But I thought that was very
odd and would have been a shock if he didn't
make the team. What I was told is the rationale
would have been. We believe in Matt Freeze. We don't
want it to be a one A, one B thing.
We're going to Matt Freeze. But I get tabbed. That
would have been dumb to leave Matt Turner off for
(20:18):
that reason. Matt Turner is a backup. Chris Brady I
think deserves to be the third, but Matt Freeze is
going into this camp as the starter.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
So we believe in Matt Freeze. The guy that didn't
play the last window. That's that a little bit what
we're talking about, right, the guy that doesn't play all
the time. But no, yeah, I think the the top
two guys in this obviously, Freeze and Turner were really
a no brainer, and I didn't think that that would change,
you know, although they you know, we're surprised all the time.
(20:48):
I am hoping that now we have Matt Freeze and
we don't have to worry about that for the next
uh hopefully three, four, five, six games or more.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Yeah. Well see, I would have I would have thought
the same about Turner. I was from twenty two.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I will say though Turners has led MLS in all
the shots stopping metrics like the goals minus expected goals
stuff like that, this is what he was in New
England before he went to Europe. Like he's just an
elite shots soopper and it's cool to see him rediscover that.
Center backs Chris Richards, Tim Reim, Mark McKenzie, Austin, Trusty,
Miles Robinson. Tab I pretty much gave my host spiel
(21:22):
at the top that I just think that there's too
many center backs. My couple notes here is again, Richard's
gonna be fine. That's what we've been told, That's what
Pultonoyo's reported that as well. I believe his agent even
kind of came out and said that publicly too. Miles Robinson,
he liked Luna. They were just holding him out this
weekend for c Cincinnati had of an abundance of caution.
But he hasn't played ninety minutes since early March. I
(21:45):
think that's a bit of a concern at this point,
but obviously US Soccer feels good about where he is physically.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
That'll be fine. But any further thoughts on the center.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Backs, No, not really, just what you just mentioned about
Miles Robinson. You know, normally center backs aren't held out
for precautionary reasons and it's been surprising that it's not
just one game. We've seen this now for a little while,
and as you said, since March, so I'm surprised, and
this may be the reason. Obviously, you know Coacho always
(22:14):
has a reason for selecting who he selects. It's not obviously,
it's not like Marisio Pochettino and his staff are winging it.
So there there's got to be a little bit. I
feel it's got to be a little bit of a
concern for Miles Robinson's fitness. So when you add Miles
Robinson's and and then and then Richard's potential potentially not
being one hundred percent, then you can see why the
(22:36):
extra defender probably is selected.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Outside back slash wingbacks Anthony Robinson and Max Arson on
the left, so genior desk, Alex Freeman Joe Scaley on
the right. Alex Freeman has shown he could play as
that like right sided center back slash right back position
and out of out of possession, that kind of elbow
back that Pochatino has used, which I didn't know he
had this game because he's so good at going far,
(23:00):
particularly with Orlando City, he was an attack minded wing back,
so that was cool versatility. And then Joe Scalie. He's
been somebody who has been able to play as like
a right sided center back in a back three or
a stay at home full back in a back four.
But again we've got five options for these positions. Though
if it is the three four to two one that
we expect it to be, scali for me is under
the center back group, not the outside back group.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Yeah, I would agree with all that, you know, the
fact that I mean, there's no question we're deep in
that position if we want to look at it that way,
because on this roster, we have four players that can
play that position, you know, starting with Waya, who you
know obviously he plays wide for Marseille and this is
uh and he played he played in that position during
the last window. So we have four options for that position.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Central midfield that we talked about in the first segment.
But again Tyler Adams, Weston McKinney, christopherro Don Sebastian Burhalter.
It's Adams and I guess mckenny's partnering him, and I'm
not sure that's the best use for the both of them,
because again McKenny is best when he has not a
free role, but he has the ability to roam and
(24:05):
create action. I think that's where he's been his best
for Juventus as well as the national team. And again
he's had his best season ever. I don't want him
to be kind of tied down to Hey, hold the
Ford be like again, I think Morris and Testaman do
that better. Rolled on as well. Burhalter is a little
bit more like McKinnon in terms that like when he
has the ability to kind of have free range in
free rome. Tyler Adams he one of his superpowers. The
(24:30):
first is defensive transition and just groundcovering and blowing up
anything like that. He's groundcovering and winning the ballback is excellent.
His other superpower for me is when he's with the
stay at home type of six next to him and
he gets to go hunt out of possession. He gets
to help meat the press when it's Adams and McKinnie,
Adams has to stay home, So you're taking away one
of the things he's great at.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Yeah, and there's almost not another possibility there right unless
he's thinking of starting roll done. Roll Done would be
the only one that potentially could free up Taler Adams
to get to get out of let's say his position.
But you said it absolutely right about McKinney and bur
Holter on the other side. If those are gonna be
(25:12):
if that's going to be an eight position, not like
a double six, if that's an eight position, obviously, I think,
you know, I would have used the same exact word
that you use, would just roam. You know, that's what
he does, That's what McKenny likes to do. That's what
he's good at. And you know we've said it on
this show before, where you know, you know, McKinney is
really good at coming from behind and getting into the box.
(25:34):
And I think if he plays this deep, I just
think he won't be able to do that. And that's
one I believe one of his best qualities me too.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
That's like we're going to talk about the lineup after,
but like that that role of like playing underneath the
forward or like it more of like an eight and
a half because he's not a true ten, because that's
not how he plays, but he does so many things.
Well you look at where you ventus have used him
all over the pitch, even as a false nine, or
I guess not even a false nine. It was just hey,
you're really good in the air, why don't you try
playing forward for us? He did that pretty well too,
so I don't think. I don't think that there's anything
(26:03):
on the field that he can't do. Maybe we'll toss
some some gloves if the emergency comes attacking midfield, as
Christian pool is, k Tim Waya, Malik Tilman. Giorana, we
haven't talked about much yet. Brendan ronson alex In Dejas Rena. Again,
he's looked pretty good for motion glidback, albeit coming off
the bench over the last five league games to close
out the Bunes League season. He can give you something
(26:25):
special off the bench. Maybe he'll play more minutes. Who knows,
but the idea or even the hypothetical ceiling. If Giorana
can be some of the moments he showed leading into
the twenty twenty two World Cup, that would be an
absolute asset to this team.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
In particular because I think, you know, the first round games,
although I think we're the favorites in probably most of
the games, in particular I think Paraguay and Australia games.
I think it's good to know that you know, gi
Arena has been playing the last thirty minutes of games
basically for the last five games, and that he can
give you a solid He can give you a solid
(26:59):
to thirty minutes and come in and potentially make plays
that that are gonna win the game.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
Malik Tilman has not been discussed much. He He started
the last Bundesliga game in the season for Levrakusen. Before
that he completely lost his spot in the starting lineup.
I know that they've been in a bit of turmoil.
Leverkusen does not spend big money on players. They invested
a large sum of what they got for Florian verts
on Malie Tillman. It hasn't been a good season for
(27:25):
him at the club level. I think that that makes
it difficult to see him maybe necessarily as a starter.
But like tab It's it's some to predict anything with
his coaching staff. And maybe he starts the first game,
the first friendly, maybe he plays well, or maybe he
somebody else starts and they played poorly, and all of
a sudden he's starting against Paraguay.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Yeah, I mean I think when you when you look
at the roster and you look at the midfielders that
we have, I think he'll get a chance, you know,
in the in the friendlies, and if he gets that
chance and he does well, I think, you know, we
can forget about whatever happened at the club. There's no
question that Tillman is a good player. He can make
a difference for us. So hopefully, yeah, hopefully he gets
(28:06):
it going in the friendly games and is a starter
by World Cup time.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Very happy for Brendan Ronson, who I interviewed him a
couple of weeks ago and he said this was what
he believed to be his best season ever, definitely the
most rewarding season as well. It was he didn't have
to come back to Leeds he did last year. The
fans hated him, they were in the championship and he said,
you know, I've unfinished business here. He came back, won
the fans back over and leads very comfortably comfortably for
(28:32):
them at least survived the drop and are saying in
the Premier League. Large part Brendan Harson he played more
games than anybody in the team. He played thirty seven
or thirty eight. I believe, just what a season for him.
Another great season for Alex in Dejas for Club America.
Tap when you did your artificial roster projection, you Headzin
de haas In. I tried to politely say, I don't
think it's even really possible, but I'd like it, and
(28:54):
you were right.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Uh yeah, it's good to be right every once in
a while. No, it just it just seemed like, you know,
and I was thinking of Sindejas, you know, just like
the other players in those positions, you know, they're good
connectors in between lines. But I think Sin Davis is
a little bit more special in the sense that he
(29:17):
can find the goal and he can score goals, and
I think there isn't another player like him in those positions. Uh,
And so I think it's a It's a good selection
and well deserved.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
I agree.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
With Pulisic left out of the starting lineup in a
game AC Milan had to have to qualify for the
Champions League, breaking news. They did not have the game
and they missed out on Champions League, which is a
disaster given that they already were not in Europe this year,
they had the advantage of not having midweek games. They
started off really strong and by the end of the
season Pulls sicks Drought became so impactful that they didn't
(29:51):
start him they didn't start rapidly out in that final
game either, Santi him and as the Mexican striker started,
he made history, becoming the first ever forward in Syria
to start ten games at least ten games and not
score goal. So tough end of the season for Poolsick.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Yeah, and I was watching the game actually, and to
be fair, Milan should have lost by a lot more
goals than just two to one. You know, the you
know goalkeeper was standing on his head to keep them
in the game. It was not a good showing for Milan.
They were in a bad decline the last two three
months as a team. Let's forget you know, Polisics form
as a team. They were just not in a good
(30:30):
place and they were just dropping where you know, if
the season kept going now, they would go into the
middle and into the middle of the table because they're
just they're just not I mean, they ended the season
probably in the worst form they had all year.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
Christian Polsik twelve more months I left on his contract.
We'll see what happens this summer after the World Cup.
But center forwards Baligan, who's been in fantastic for him
for Cardipappy scoring goals is always for PSV and how
do you right who's going to the Premier League with
Coventry City Balgin His goal scoring form is going to
be I think extraordinarily important for this team at the
World Cup. But I want to highlight recorder Pappy for
(31:04):
a second. He was one of, if not the absolute
last person cut from the last World Cup squad in
twenty two.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
He makes it now for twenty six.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Yeah, you know, very happy for him because I remember
after the twenty two World Cup saying that that's the
one player that I was most disappointed for because I
thought he deserved to go at the time. But of course,
you know, like like I said before, there's likely always
thirty thirty five players that deserve to go. Someone unfortunately
(31:36):
gets caught in the end and it's really difficult because
it sticks with you. But now he made this team,
so he can forget about twenty two and I'm happy
to see him go.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Let's talk about a few big picture questions that come
out when we have this roster. So let's have based
on this group that has been called what does this
tell you about Marisa Pochatino on the staff and kind
of how they want to play going into the World Cup.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Yeah, well, I mean I think it'd be hard to
not think, you know, when I started to I took
the roster and I started to put lineups together, it's
hard for me to number one, think how we're we
wouldn't be playing with three center backs, right, So we're
really pretty much looking at playing what I would call
a five three two or if you wanted to call
(32:25):
it a three four three. But the bottom line is
we have to play with three center backs. And I
think that's what's happening here. We have I think, regardless
of what this election is, in terms of the outside backs,
I think we have good ones on either side, and I.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Think we different profiles too, which I really.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Like, and we can really hurt teams with those guys.
So really important that we play those three center backs.
And I think that's what it showed. And then the
other thing is that obviously he relies on Tyler Adams
being the stay at home number six, likely by himself,
and so having three center backs that covers the middle,
having their atoms right in front of them, now you
(33:02):
have four guys that are always covering the middle, and
you're giving a little bit more on the outside but
that's sort of that's sort of what it looks like
at the moment. Obviously we can go through the rest
of the lineup, but that's that's the first If I
had my first impression of okay, you have the full
this is the full selection. What are you seeing, I
have to say that I'm seeing five across the back.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
Yeah, I think so too.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
When I look at this roster, I think of there
is a lot of unplanned things or you can try
to plan by based on the profiles that you put
in the roster. So what is the optionality and the
versatility of Like, Okay, either we're chasing a game thirty
minutes left to go, when we're playing a team like
Paraguay or Australia that we're expected to have were possession,
what do we do if it's a game against Turkey
(33:47):
A or in the knockout rounds when maybe we're not
going to have more than half of possession. Like when
you look at the different profiles that we talked Abu
already about at wing back, but as well as like
the attacking midfielders and all the like, what are the
different combinations that posteam you can go to in different scenarios.
Speaker 1 (34:03):
Well, that would have to say and let's just say
what we let let's predict what's going to happen in
the first game. First game, we're going into the last
maybe twenty twenty five minutes, and now we're we're in
a todd game and we need to win it. So
you have the option of bringing Geo Rain out because
we just talked about him being to connect lines, or
(34:26):
you have the option whereas if you really have to
win a game, you could potentially put Way out the
right wing and play out of let's say like a
like a three three four right, So you keep your
three center backs at home, you keep three in the
middles with let's say that's Adams mckinnee, and potentially either
Tillman or you brought in raina right. So now you
(34:48):
have you have five waiting and you have five attacking,
and in the five attacking, you would put maybe rain
a little bit behind. And then now you have you
have the opportunity of having you know, Way on the right,
have Peppy and Baaligan in the middle, and you can
have Polisic on the left, or you can have Polisic
come into the tent spot and put how'd you right
on the left, So it gives you a lot of
(35:09):
opportunity to get Bulls into the box and to have
both Peppy and Bowligan in the game at the same time.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Yeah, like we said it earlier, you can't plan for,
you know, if who might pick up an injury or
who might you know, get Yello card accumulation. Thankfully, yell
card accumulation is a higher bromber. The cards wiped earlier easier,
but still it's not that difficult to pick up a
couple of yell cards in the group.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
Stage and at miss a game.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
But if Tyler Adams is not available for literally any minute,
I don't like this team. I could probably have said
that no matter who else was on the roster, like
because of how good I think he is and how
your placement I think is. Similar could be said for
Richards and maybe Polistic and Bowigan, but there are just
a lot of different attack options to attack. Like, it's
difficult to kind of plan for Tyler Adams Chris Richards
(35:58):
missing it literally even a minute.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
Right, And I think at this point there's really no
need to plan for that because I think we have
to go with our best guys and and you know,
and play them the whole time. And that's really what
the World Cup is about. We've you know, you and
I have been saying this for a long time now.
This is going to be you know, you know, fourteen
fifteen sixteen players that will really lead us into wherever
right and and so obviously Tyler Adams is a very
(36:23):
important one at that and he and he will play
a significant role before you go into the break. Who's
going to be the captain of this team?
Speaker 3 (36:31):
Yeah, we know that that's a great question. No, we don't.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
Tyler Adams was the captain in twenty two. He has
not won the armband one single time at MSA. Pochettino,
I don't understand why I think that there is a leadership.
You know that he's a leader. Poolsick is a leader,
Richard's Anthony Robinson in his own ways, but like McKenney
obviously part of that group.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
I want to see the armband on Tyler Adams.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
Tim Reim has worn it most under Pochatino's maybe he's
gonna be that.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Guy, But I don't know. For me, it's time. It's
just weird to me that he hasn't won the arm band.
What do you think that I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (37:01):
I think Adams is the guy because I think you
want you want a personality with your captain, and not
that Richards could couldn't do it. I think he can.
But I think Adams is the right guy because you
want guys following that attitude on the field.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
I couldn't agree more. So let's take that quick break.
Next up, we're gonna give our projected starting elevens for
the Senegal friendly. That's right, United States are playing in
less than a week to kick off preparations for the
World Cup with a friendly against Senegal. So thank you
for listening to Inside American Soccer. Please rate, review, and
subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Welcome back to Inside
(37:43):
American Soccer again. We've got the reported twenty six man
roster for myself, Paulton Orio, as well as the guardians
Pablo Mara, Jeff Ruter that we broke down and discussed.
It's going to be officially unveiled on Tuesday and it
will be locked in on June first, when the United
States and all other countries submit their official final rosters
to FIFA. Before June first, the United States has their
(38:04):
first friendly before the World Cup. They were playing Senegal
on Sunday at three thirty pm Eastern Time in Charlotte.
Senegal are the reigning Afghan champions. I don't care if
lawyers are trying to take it away and give it
to Morocco.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
I know what I saw.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Senegal lifted the trophy. Senegal still has the trophy. I
believe that they gave it to their armed forces. It's
pretty much like, yeah, come and take it if you
want to try to take it. Senegal or the Afghan Champions,
they are a very very good team for me. Tab
I'm very curious what this lineup is going to be.
Senegal obviously doesn't play like Paraguay or Australia or Turkey.
All the teams are different, but there isn't a lot
(38:36):
of overlap, particularly with Paraguay in that first game, well
they play, the United States plays Germany and Chicago a
few days later. There's no overlap with Germany to some
of these teams either. So what I want to see
and what I hope to see is Pochettino and his
staff are going to put out what they believe to
be who's going to start that first World Cup opening
game against Paraguay. But tab you never really know if
that's what's gonna happen because he changed a lineup every game.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Yeah, and they're quite as you said, they're quite different,
right if you if you look at uh at Senegal
and what we're gonna find against Paraguay, because you know Senegal,
let's not forget they have money, Nicholas Jackson, sur guy
coming from behind. I mean, this is this is the
ultimate like transition team, and and they can get you.
(39:22):
They're a very good team, and I think we'll have
a tough time defending. Of course, you know, as I
put the lineup together, as we always say, we're let's
try to figure out what Pochettino is gonna do, not
what I'd like to do. Uh So I'll give it
a shot. I'll give a shot at the lineup. I
think we're gonna have three center backs in this game,
and because of the injuries and maybe some guys not
(39:43):
being one hundred percent, this is what I think we
probably do the first game. I think I'm gonna say
that he's gonna go with Freeman at the right center
back spot, McKenzie in the center, uh and Reim on
the left side. I think that's how he'll start the
the Senegal game, and the reason for that is Richards
will be coming off obviously he's been injured, but also
(40:05):
coming off the final, so it's likely that he gets
arrest the first game, so I don't think he'll play,
but that's that's what I'm thinking. If Richards were to play,
then Richards goes right into the middle, and I think
McKenzie goes on that left side and then Reim would
be out.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
So okay, interesting and I'm glad that you brought that up.
I should have said that off the top again. Palace
play ryle Vaikano on Wednesday May twenty seven in the
Conference League final. This game is Sunday, the thirty first.
Chris Richards is hoping to be able to play in
that game with his injury, but against habit if he
plays that game, you're right, maybe I'd be surprised. And
obviously he's going to be in the lineup against Paraguay
(40:41):
if he's available to play. So that's interesting. Can you
freezing goal right? And then that trio in defense?
Speaker 3 (40:49):
So back three?
Speaker 2 (40:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (40:52):
Yeah, and I forgot the goalkeeper as usual, Thank you,
thank you for that. I think I agree that it
will be a Freeze on the right side. I think
he's gonna go with Weea yeah, although we have obviously
Mane to deal on that side. To deal with on
that side, I think having three center backs and having
a little bit of help, hopefully we learn from the
(41:13):
experience against doku Uh in the last window when we
played Belgium. Mane at this point is not at the
same level as Dokuiz right now, but nevertheless, obviously he's
one of the great players U in the world and
uh he'll be hard to deal with. But I think
I think he'll go with Way on that side. I
think he'll go with Robinson on the opposite side. In
(41:34):
the middle of the field. I have to say that
I and I know, I don't know if I'm hopeful,
but I'm I'm thinking that he may do this. I'm
gonna say that Adams will be the holding six, with
McKinney and Tillman sort of switching that eight role. When
one goes one stays yeah, and then up top it'll
be Polisic in Balidan.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
I have a very similar team the freeze and goal.
I would put McKenzie. Actually, reminding my own self about Richards. Yeah,
McKenzie in the middle, Alex Freeman right center back, Tim
Ream left center back. If this is a game that
Richards was available to play, I would probably drop Freeman
from the lineup, move McKenzie over to right center back
(42:17):
with Richards in the middle, but anyway, Freeze h Freeman,
mackenzie and Reim wing back. The midfield four I would
go through Genio dest At right wing back, McKenny and
Adams in the middle, Anthony Robinson on the left, and
then the attacking trio would be Balgon up top with
(42:38):
Polistic and Waya underneath.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Oh very good. I mean I like that too. I
like that because the way I gives you something a
lot different than Tillman in that position. Way, it gives
you the way I can get to the end line
and can provide that speed on the counter that you
know that Tillman doesn't really it's not his think, that's
not what does and so and so. Yeah, that that
(43:02):
that you know, that seems like it could be as well.
And putting Desk as a starter obviously, I think he's
ultimately he's our best right back. But I'm just trying
to read what Pushatino is thinking and having played way
up both games on the last window, I'm thinking maybe
that's what he's thinking for for the World Cup. So
but yeah, that could be as well.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
They like I do like the combo of of Weya
and Desk because like you said, like Weya can get
to the end line, like the verticality and the like
intelligence of his off ball movement is good. But you
have Desk who, like Anthony Robinson on the left, what
he's great at is endline to endline, overlapping. He stays
in that kind of widest channel. Desk is very creative.
He can pinge in, so when you have Weya can
(43:46):
naturally stay wide, whereas, like on the left, you have
Pulisic who obviously you want him to cut in. You
want him to have the whole field in front of him.
And then that that lends really nicely when it's Anthony
Robinson and him, because Anthony Robinson fills that widest channel,
whereas on the right it could be a situation where
Desk pinches in to the half space, whereas Weya is
the one saying whyest and giving the verticalty. So I
(44:06):
think there are a lot of options, Like I wouldn't
be surprised in any way. If if Molie Tillman starts,
don't even listen, let me say this, I wouldn't be
surprised at pretty much anybody on the twenty six manut
ross of starts. If maybe he says, you know what,
I'd rather this be the game where I give Turner
a game and goal, and Miles Robinson, let's see how
fit you are us and Trusty would you like going
(44:28):
out rolled On and Burrow to like? I hope that
it's the first choice eleven, but maybe he'll save that
for Germany. I honestly don't know. I would like to
see both. I think that these players are out a
stage where they can play a good amount of minutes.
Maybe not all the starters going under and eighty minutes,
but I think it's me for me more valuable to
see some of these guys, and particularly the combinations they're in.
Speaker 3 (44:47):
But tab who knows.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
Yeah, And I to be fair, I like your lineup
better for the Paraguay game because I think death is
extremely unpredictable. I mean, he doesn't know what he's doing next.
That's a sign and by the way, that's a sign
of good players. That's what they do. The creative players,
they don't know what they're doing next, so you can't
coach that. But because of that, I think that Desk
(45:10):
can create his own plays and his own danger like
on his own, whereas Weea is more of a team player.
He's gonna be making the run that you see and
you're gonna get them the ball right behind, or he's
gonna be taking somebody on one v one down the
line and getting across in a lot more predictable. Desk,
you just don't know. He could cut inside and shoot,
he can go into midfield and help, or he can
(45:31):
stay wide and dribble. So I think Dess would be
uh would be a you know, a great option for
the Paraguay game.
Speaker 2 (45:38):
Yeah, always looking forward to it. Listen, we've been since
our very first episode.
Speaker 3 (45:43):
Tap.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
This is the time that we've been talking about. When
the roster comes out and the camp commences ahead of
the World Cup. This is historic times. This is what
kids will be growing up talking about the twenty twenty
six World Cup and how special it was. Maybe they'll
be talking about their memories from this tournament. Some of
these players are going to become heroes and be looking
up for the next generation. I can't wait. We are
here tab finally listen. Thank you for listening to Inside
(46:06):
American Soccer. Please rate, review, subscribe wherever gets your podcast.
We'll be back on Sunday, sometime around then Sunday or
Monday with a reaction show after the Senegal match.
Speaker 3 (46:17):
Games are here, Trainees coming.
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Maybe we'll see if there's any surprises from this roster
reveal on Tuesday night, but if not, we'll talk to
you all again.
Speaker 3 (46:23):
Very basic,
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