Gold Cup absences worst-case scenario for U.S. World Cup hopes

In March, after Dropping Two Home Games in the Concacaf Nations League to Panama And CanadaThe assessment of the Us Men’s National Team Was that things could get much worse. That Came Nine Months After the Poor Showing at the Copa AméricaWhere the usmnt failed to get out of the group stage.

All was not list, thought. The 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Was on the horizon. There are would be extended time for manager mauricio pochettino to get to know his players better and come up with some tactical wrinkles to maximize the team’s potential at need. FIFA World Cup.

Or so the Thinking Went.

Two months later, it’s not only worship, but pochettino is looking at Someeting closing to a worst-case scenario, at left in terms of the team.

On Thursday, Pochettino announced His 27-Player rooster For next month’s friendlies Against Turkey And SwitzerlandAnd the list of absences were staggering. Ac milan‘s Christian pulisic Is out, citing fatigue and nagging injuries from a long club season. The Same is True for Fulham defender Antonee RobinsonWho according to pochettino has been unable to travel on a consistent basis. YunusPulisic’s Teammate in Milan, Asked to Be Omitted from the Roster Due to an undisclosed person.

Us Soccer Sporting Director Matt CroCKer Later Put Out a Statement Explaining the Decision to Allow Pulisic to Skip The Gold Cup.

“Christian and His Team application and the coaching staff about the possibility of stepping back this summer, given the amount of the matches he has played in the past two years at Both The Club and Level With Very Little Break, “Crocker Said. “After thinking andiful consideration, we made the collective declision that is this is the right moment for Him to get he needs. The Highest Level Next Season. “

Then there are the forced absences of the Juventus duo Weston mkennie And Time weahAlong with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Giovanni ReynaDue to their clubs commitments at the fifa club world cup, which is happening at the same time as the Gold Cup. That’s Six Players who have had a prominent roles with the us in the not-so-distant past-and who is expected to the form of the team-who is available.

It could get even worse if Johnny cardoso completetes Atlético MadridAnd is diverted to the club world cup. Sources toold espn that the 23-year-old Real Betis MIDFIELDER IS Diego Sime’s Side’s Top Target This Summer.

Pochettino insisted he was making his judges on a case-by-case basis. Also left off the rooster were players like Norwich City‘s Josh sargentAnd Lyon‘s Tanner TessmannAlthough the Manager said those for “footballing reasons.”

There is a plenty of logic to want to give players like Pulisic and Robinson Rest. Pulisic is poised to log more than 3,500 minutes for the second conscious season. Robinson put in more than 3,200. The clubs pay their salaries, so it’s clear what everyone’s priorities are.

There is an emotional component to this that does wear well, though.

Every week, fans have been watching pulisic and robinson tee things up for their club. The fact that they are choosing to take a break at this moment, with the usmnt clearly at a low ebb, grates. This current generation is call being called out by former usmnters for not being devoted to the cause. The optics of this situation don a help.

Pochettino thinks that perception can be changed. It can, but it will take some.

“I think that our fans need to see our typing and playing and playing and playing well, yes, but figuring for the flag and bee always in the single game match the agency of the agency, and that is where we Want to show in these two friends games and also in the world cup, “Pochettino sa. “I think if the fans start to see that energy and to translate this type of energy, I think the fans, they going to be positive with us.”

The circumstance have left pochettino wearing a set of handcuffs embossed with the logos of Fifa and European clubs. It does not matter that confederation championships like the Gold Cup Require Clubs to Release Players. There are the rules and then there is reality. Pochettino also indicated that if a player is fully fit, then he does not want them.

“If you arrive to the camp and you want to spend nice time, Play Golf, Go for a Dinner, Visit My Family, Visit My Friend, That is the Culture that Want to create?” Pochettino Asked. “No, no, no, no, no. What we want to go to the National Team, Arrive and Be Focused and Spend All My Focus and Energy in the National Team … Is the most important day. “

When, exactly, will he has a team of 23 fully fit, fully focused players at his disposal, if?

After this summer, there will be Four Fifa International Match Windows Left, not electing the period just prior to the world cup. Those windows are far from ideal in terms of buzzing a cohesive unit. The Players Arrive, have one or Two Training Sessions, and then Play a Game; That’s followed by the rest and recovery and maybe one more Training Session BEFORE A SECOND GAME.

That’s where this Gold Cup was so important. A month spent with the team’s Core Players will have allowed for more Understanding of Pochettino’s Appraach.

Pochettino Also say that there was “too much import” put on the type bee together. If not now, when? It is a site that looked incingently akin to the us to be asked to cram for the final exam when it mets for a pre-world cup camp in a year’s time. The reality is that the can of the world cup preparation can only be kicked down the road so many times.

About the only silver lining – and it’s a Small One – is that pochetino now has the chance to give some fringe players for playing time in matches with highting the janural camp. Diego Luna Figures to be a hue benefit of the absences of players like Pulisic and Reyna. On a team that has looked complacent at times, new players stepping up can only help. The likes of Ontegrate captain And Sergiño dest Are returning from injury, giving the us a boost.

“I think it is import for us to find different solutions or try to get different ways, and one of the things is to be able to join the analysis,” ” Pochettino Said.

It is the only Apprach he can take at this point, but it’s one that is Still Setting Off Alarm Bells.