You Have To Listen To The Notes Mauricio Pochettino's Not Playing

There's a lot of shpilkes about the US's September roster. There really shouldn't be.

I was listening to a podcast not so long ago, and one of the hosts was talking about how European fans find it strange just how much American soccer fans care about the national team. Fans in the larger nations are more wrapped up in their leagues than they are their national teams, at least until it's time for a major tournament. Fans in smaller countries aren't really under the impression that their national teams are going anywhere. They don't really notice the international breaks.

In addition, some club rivalries just can't be overcome. Columbus and Cincinnati fans may not like each other, but when it's time for the national team to come together, they don't have much problem standing side by side or cheering players from the opposite side.

I think about that when watching fans and pundits lose their shit about a USMNT roster for a couple friendlies in the first weekend of September. I won't say these games against Japan and South Korea don't matter. But whatever happens come the World Cup, no one's going to go back and say, "Man, if only they'd called up Player A in September, they would have to got to the quarterfinals!" Or, "Man, it's a great thing that Poch called up Player B in September, otherwaise we never would have made the quarterfinals!" If it's not a nothing, it's really close to one.

Beyond these two friendlies, Poch will get six more games before the initial camp for the World Cup is convened, and even a game or two more before the official roster has to be named. That should be more than enough to suss out who belongs, who doesn't, and how they're going to play.

That's not to say there aren't a fair amount of goofuses and fuckwits on this USMNT roster. What Klinsmann's kid is doing here, fuck knows. However, we have to go back to the summer to see the justification. When a host of first-choice players pulled out of the Gold Cup, Pochettino made it clear that no one's roster spot was guaranteed. and those who stepped up for the Gold Cup should have every chance to make the World Cup roster as those who fucked off.

Well, that kind of decree doesn't work if, at the first opportunity, Poch just reverts back to the pretty comfortable core that shit it at Copa America and everyone says had become complacent. He's got to back it up, which is probably what this roster is getting at.

There are a host of injuries as well, but some clear omissions where the point is the omission. First on that list is Weston McKennie. Whenever anyone thinks of the phrase, "complacent on the national team," McKennie would almost certainly be first on the list. We've seen how McKennie plays during national team friendlies. There are slow lorises that show more passion. McKennie is just about the only player on Earth who can be vice-captain for Juventus, and also possibly on his way out the door in the next week. What's his best position for the national team or his club team? No one can answer.

One could throw Jhonny Cardoso on this list. But Cardoso has been a borderline-abortion for the national team whenever he comes up for air.

That doesn't mean there aren't some curious omissions. It's one thing to wave away McKennie for this window. Aidan Morris and Tanner Tessman should then be around, because they play those positions. Especially for the former in Morris, as Poch just went on a rant about how MLS is more competitive than some European leagues, but the English Championship tends to rank equal or higher on a world scale than MLS. Tessman starts regularly for a Big 5 league team in Lyon.

I was clear that Sebastian Berhalter is just another word for "Kellyn Acosta," which basically means he's overblown trash. This is a level beyond Jack McGlynn, and Sean Zawadski (not Jay Zawaski) is a lottery ticket. Perhaps the USMNT's biggest problem is chance-creation, and it starts in the middle. It sure looks like Diego Luna will be playing as a #10 with this set-up. The midfield is definitely a worry.

What's clear is that this is the last window that Pochettino thinks he can "try shit." Noahkai Banks and Tristan Blackman are experiments, and ones worth trying. We'll obviously know more come the October window, as will Poch, because everyone who plays in Europe will have another month to establish themselves with their clubs.

It's not as big of a deal as some are making it. It won't be as big of a deal if they lose these two games as some will make it. Maybe the US will suck come June. Maybe they won't. It won't hinge all that much on what happens next week.