Mauricio Pochettino’s United States came through their international window with a perfect record: four wins from four matches and 12 goals scored. The results handed a platform to the youngest members of the squad and left several more established names facing uncomfortable questions about where they fit — the divide that shaped the camp’s winners and losers.
Chief among the winners was Cavan Sullivan. Much of the talk before the window about the 17-year-old’s possible debut centred on tempering expectations, but his play — particularly against Mexico — made it almost impossible not to fall back into old habits and anoint him as the next big thing. His movement, combination play and defensive work all drew attention, and even a casual observer would have been taken by his energy: he was eager, at times almost frenetic, when running at defenders. For US fans after this summer’s World Cup exit, it was a welcome change of tone.
Sebastian Berhalter, often among the first men off the bench during the World Cup, looked effective in that role again and fared especially well in a start against Mexico. His ability to break lines with his distribution is among the best in the pool, but the greater benefit is his dead-ball service: his delivery from indirect restarts and corner kicks is dependable and precise, a welcome reprieve after corners that too often found the first defender.
Diego Kochen seized his chance in goal. While Matt Freese and Chris Brady struggled, Kochen calmed the game down on his debut before a composed shift in the 3-0 win over Mexico. His command of his area is arguably already the best in the pool, and his defenders have spoken of inherently trusting him in possession, helped by his upbringing at Barcelona. Long touted as a goalkeeper of the future, he has left many wondering whether the future is now.
Julian Hall’s case reads differently from most US strikers. Scouting reports on the position tend to lead with physical traits, whether considerable strength or pace, but Hall’s edge is his spatial awareness and off-ball movement, which allow him to get dangerous looks, while his finishing continues to improve as he starts for New York. Folarin Balogun still looks like a comfortable first-choice striker, but Hall is a worthy young apprentice.
Among the losers, Christian Pulisic was the most conspicuous absentee from Pochettino’s roster this time around, though there were valid reasons floated for his exclusion. Some cited the need to evaluate younger players; others pointed to the fact that Pulisic had only recently recovered from the leg injury that sidelined him at the World Cup. Pochettino, asked straight away about the absence, declined to comment, telling reporters he would not offer insight into any individual roster exclusion — then, minutes later, spoke at length about Balogun’s omission, saying he had spoken with the Monaco striker personally, understandable given the drama surrounding his aborted transfer to Everton. Pochettino also offered extended thoughts during the window on what he wants from senior leadership: players who bleed for the badge, are desperate to be in a US camp and do not turn down call-ups. An actual mention of Pulisic was hard to come by; reading between the lines was not.
Those who argued against bringing Pochettino back for a second cycle may yet be proven right someday, but there was little reason to criticize him this window. The mix of youngsters and senior players he gathered was a joy to watch, and many of them spoke glowingly about the manager, who pulled all the right levers. Pochettino himself spoke openly about the “contagious” energy of his young charges, and the effect it had on him was readily apparent. It would be hard to imagine engineering a stronger start to a World Cup window.
Sergiño Dest, by contrast, ends the window with real questions about where he fits. He was woefully ineffective at the World Cup, failing either to provide width in possession up the right — a side the US failed to activate regularly across their five games — or to avoid becoming a liability in defense, something Belgium exploited to great success in the last-16. Pochettino had seemed to find a solution by advancing Dest away from right-back to the wing, but that is now a prime place for Sullivan to occupy opposite a left-flank playmaker such as Reyna or Malik Tillman, or the expected return of Pulisic. That also overlooks Tim Weah, who captains Marseille and was among the team’s most consistent performers under Gregg Berhalter.
Right-back is also looking like it has a new, serious contender, with Alex Freeman clearly ready to be the primary option given his versatility in the role, while Frankie Westfield, another debutant this window, offers a compelling alternative with his upfield passing. Dest remains ever-present for PSV and is bound to stick around the pool. But Pochettino tried utilizing him as an inverted left winger in the second half against Canada, where he could not change an ugly, foul-filled game, and while regulars such as Tyler Adams and Reyna saw involvement in each match, Dest was far more peripheral than usual.