Gold Cup

[Windham4th]

Early WC exit for sure.

 

[ZooCougar]

Early WC exit for sure.

As if this is the team that will be playing in the World Cup. Luna will be coming off the bench next summer.

 

[Palatine]

How many games would this apply to?

The defense committed numerous unforced turnovers. We have no striker.

 

[ZooCougar]

Perspective:

Josh Sargent (unspecified)
Weston Mckennie (club World Cup)
Tim Weah (club World Cup)
Christian Pulisic (personal)
Gio Reyna (club World Cup)
Antonee Robinson (knee surgery)
Yunus Musah (personal)
Folarin Balogun (ankle injury)
Sergino Dest (ACL recovery)

Also the the summer before the World Cup Good Cup is dumb.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Perspective:

Josh Sargent (unspecified)
Weston Mckennie (club World Cup)
Tim Weah (club World Cup)
Christian Pulisic (personal)
Gio Reyna (club World Cup)
Antonee Robinson (knee surgery)
Yunus Musah (personal)
Folarin Balogun (ankle injury)
Sergino Dest (ACL recovery)

Also the the summer before the World Cup Good Cup is dumb.

I am hoping we can find a keeper by next summer. It's amazing that the one position that used to be a U.S. strength has become a weakness.

 

[Vowelguy]

I am hoping we can find a keeper by next summer. It's amazing that the one position that used to be a U.S. strength has become a weakness.

That guy was amazing on PKs though.

 

[Vowelguy]

What a joke. CONCACAF must be really weak if a US team this bad is in the final.

Where u been? CONCACAF is always weak. Mexico can be quality and Canada can be ok, but that's about it. Panama is the only other team in the top 50.

But this was very much the US 2nd or 1.5 team.

 

[ZooCougar]

What a joke. CONCACAF must be really weak if a US team this bad is in the final.

As if this is news. CONCACAF isn’t Conmebol or UEFA.

 

[ZooCougar]

Where u been? CONCACAF is always weak. Mexico can be quality and Canada can be ok, but that's about it. Panama is the only other team in the top 50.

But this was very much the US 2nd or 1.5 team.

It was more like the 2nd/3rd team.

 

[History Geek]

If Poch can integrate those who weren't there this summer with those who were able to use this summer to show they belong, we could be OK. That is a big if though. Some of the stuff that made it into the public sphere was cringey, so the contention below the surface was likely worse than cringey.

 

[gtcam]

Early WC exit for sure.

Lets wait and see who is actually starting and playing in 2026 before we make these predictions. What you saw the past few weeks is not what you will see in 2026 - Poch knows it.

 

[Excalibur]

Lets wait and see who is actually starting and playing in 2026 before we make these predictions. What you saw the past few weeks is not what you will see in 2026 - Poch knows it.

Biggest issue is that the projected WC lineup hasn't played together at all under Poch, and likely won't until kickoff next June.

 

[Plebe]

Early WC exit for sure.

A lot less likely with the expansion of the field. 32 of the 48 teams will advance from group play, including more than half of the 3rd place teams.

 

[Kolumbo]

Is the Club World Cup meaningful at all? I didn't want to start a new thread but I never followed it. Chelsea beat PSG 3-0 yesterday for the title. I saw that in the Round of 16 PSG beat Miami 4-0.

https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/club-world-cup/usa-2025/standings

 

[meyers7]

Is the Club World Cup meaningful at all? I didn't want to start a new thread but I never followed it. Chelsea beat PSG 3-0 yesterday for the title. I saw that in the Round of 16 PSG beat Miami 4-0.

https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/club-world-cup/usa-2025/standings

That Chelsea - PSG game was surprising. But Chelsea really outplayed them.

But to answer your question, since I don't like Chelsea, no, the Club World Cup is not meaningful at all.

 

[meyers7]

A lot less likely with the expansion of the field. 32 of the 48 teams will advance from group play, including more than half of the 3rd place teams.

 

[meyers7]

I am hoping we can find a keeper by next summer. It's amazing that the one position that used to be a U.S. strength has become a weakness.

Well part of it is GK's used to be shot stoppers and kick or throw the ball down the field. We could do that, well. Now however, they are expected to play the ball out of the back. We can't do that.

I think Schulte is about as good as we have at that.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Well part of it is GK's used to be shot stoppers and kick or throw the ball down the field. We could do that, well. Now however, they are expected to play the ball out of the back. We can't do that.

I think Schulte is about as good as we have at that.

You are reminding me why I dislike how frequently we play the ball back to the keeper. It almost never works out.

 

[SubbaBub]

No elite keeper (Turner is the best of a mediocre, but Poch will pick whomever is playing for the friendlies and that person will have the inside track)

Richards is OK, not great. Ream is old and slow. No one has stepped up to grab these spots and it doesn't appear anyone will. Clearly the weakest spot on the pitch.

Dest and Robinson are the fullbacks/wingbacks depending on the formation. Poch should at least try a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-2-1 formation with 3 centerbacks. Clogging the middle with mediocrity might be the best approach.

Adams didn't play great in the gold cup whether that was fatigue after a long but successful run in the EPL season is tbd.

Attacking midfield is another area of extreme mediocrity. The Mexico debacle was primarily due to an inability to possess, hold, or move the ball through the middle third. The turnovers and loose passing is going to mean a quick exit. Poch has a ton of (too many) options that are all the same player and none seem to have the quality necessary to impact the offense. That includes McKennie. I just hope Poch decides not to dwell on Musah. He can dribble and hold, but does both for way too long and he hasn't been involved in creating enough chances for the runtime that he's been given. Needs to really show at the club level to change my mind on this. Berhalter seems a lot more dangerous. McGlynn and Luna, too despite Mexico.

Pulisic is going to be the focus, Weah will probably start the opposite side but any of the above midfielders could probably do just as well, but Weah does actually score and create from time to time. Still would like to try Weah at right fullback or wingback in case Dest isn't 90 minutes a game fit. We will need depth there. None of the guys from the GC or past callups meet the bar.

As for Striker, whether pure 9 or with a withdrawn midfielder formation, Poch is going to pick the guy scoring the most adjusted for level of competition at the end of the club season. We will see everyone until then, so there really isn't much to discuss. The question is will he pick one of the EPL or Championship guys if someone has 20 goals in a lesser league.

If we are going to advance, I think Poch is going to have to play multiple styles and rotate the mediocre guys based on matchups, the GK will need to be hot, the D better than we've seen, and someone is going to have to score.

 

[Windham4th]

I don't agree with your assessment of Richards. He was a key player for CP in EPL and for the FA Cup. Huge improvement over prior seasons.