How will Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT line up versus Turkiye?

NBC Sports

2 days ago

The United States men's national team begins a summer of intrigue and opportunity on Saturday when dangerous Turkiye hit Connecticut for a terrific test.
This was going to be the first summer where a higher-powered USMNT competed in the Gold Cup after using a second-choice, MLS-heavy team for the past few iterations of that tournament, and that's still part-true.
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But Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, and Antonee Robinson are out of the team due to either Club World Cup commitments or rest, so Mauricio Pochettino has what let's call a 1.5-choice team that will see mainstays on the pitch with some new faces.
Also out? Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent, Joe Scally, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and now the injured Folarin Balogun.
The situation made more fascinating by the tests provided by Turkiye and Switzerland, who will also face Club World Cup absences but are two of the best nations on a USMNT schedule outside of a Copa America or World Cup. The Swiss are ranked 20 by FIFA and 24 by ELO, while Turkiye are 27 and 18 under the same metrics.
Pochettino's full-strength men will still be tested by Japan and South Korea amongst others prior to the 2026 World Cup on home soil next summer, so Pochettino will have plenty of chances to measure his best. That makes these matches against Turkiye and the Swiss even more fun for fans of experimentation — Pochettino has little to lose over the next month (at least until the Gold Cup knockouts).
Which absent USMNT stars could lose ground this summer?
Christian Pulisic and Antonee Robinson are safe as the Yanks' two best players, and there's almost nothing that could happen over the next month-and-a-half that could cost the AC Milan and Fulham stars their place as a nailed-on World Cup starter under Pochettino.
Frankly the remaining quartet named above — Musah, McKennie, Weah, and Reyna — are also largely safe at least in terms of their spots at the core of a squad, but only Weah truly feels like a surefire, no-doubt starter. McKennie would seem safe, but what if the midfield looks better with someone more traditional filling a role? Musah is also a versatile player with no clear home.
Reyna is also in an awful spot, as he's put little on film this season. He's almost always in the Borussia Dortmund team but almost never on the field. He needs a move for both his club and country careers.
How will USMNT line up vs Turkiye? And what's Pochettino's summer Best XI?
Matt Turner is almost certainly in goal now that Zack Steffen has suffered a knee injury and is out through the Gold Cup.
The center back duo will be two of Tim Ream, Chris Richards, and Mark McKenzie, with Sergino Dest almost certainly getting run at fullback following a long injury absence. But will he be left- or right-sided? Max Arfsten is an attack-minded left-sided player while Alex Freeman and Nathan Harriel would be right back fits. Richards and Ream have also played out wide.
There's competition in the middle of the pitch, where Tyler Adams and Johnny Cardoso are front-runners to play quite a bit. There are plenty of familiar faces in the group — Luca de la Torre, Brenden Aaronson, Malik Tillman — and a who's who of 'who's next' including Jack McGlynn, Diego Luna, Paxten Aaronson, Quinn Sullivan, and MLS star Sebastian Berhalter, son of the previous USMNT head coach.
Up top the chance is massive with Folarin Balogun pulling out through injury and Josh Sargent also outside the squad. This is center forward central, and recent camps hero Patrick Agyemang will be challenged by Coventry City's Haji Wright, Vancouver's Brian White, and Koln 20-year-old Damion Downs.
That last group is the trickiest to project, as Pochettino is familiar with Agyemang and the Charlotte youngster is in great league form. White is burying goals in MLS, Downs did the same in 2.Bundesliga, and Wright in England's Championship. Wright also has a history of big goals with the USMNT, so we'll nudge him forward here even though he hasn't been a regular Pochettino selection.
Let's assume that Pochettino is ready to test iron vs iron and challenge Turkiye with his best, most-experienced team. This would seem the look:
Matt Turner
Sergino Dest — Chris Richards — Tim Ream — Max Arfsten
Tyler Adams — Johnny Cardoso
Brenden Aaronson — Malik Tillman — Diego Luna
Haji Wright