The international break has come to an end and while it was a disappointing one for the United States men’s national team, it was a good time for the USMNT to see what a Mauricio Pochettino setup requires. They spoke on the differences of the training style under him and there was a clear goal with the tactics for players to get each other into space.
While it didn’t have the results that Pochettino or the team would’ve liked to have, it does show members of the squad what they need to work on. Pochettino is a coach who is great at development and under his lead, these players should be able to hit their full potential, but what are some things that they may need to work on with their squads?
Haji Wright: Preston North End vs. Coventry City
Saturday, Oct. 19 (7:30 a.m. ET Paramount+)
Consistency is the name of the game. Haji Wright is someone who can run hot and cold both for club and country and you don’t know which will happen at any time. Capable of scoring a hat trick or taking three touches in any game, he needs to iron out that area of his game. Now at a consistent club in Coventry where he’s also getting minutes, this is the perfect time for Wright to take the next step in his career.
Christian Pulisic & Yunus Musah: Milan vs. Udinese
Saturday, Oct. 19 (12 p.m. ET Paramount+)
There was plenty of discussion around whether Christian Pulisic going back to Milan was the right decision, but if it keeps him fresh to continue scoring for Milan and come back to the USMNT in good form, it’s hard to argue with Pochettino giving him a rest. Pulisic has shown time and time again that he’s the most important player to the USMNT setup and he may also be becoming the same for Milan, so just continuing what he’s doing will be great. Yunus Musah will hope that the versatility that he displayed on international duty will help him get more minutes under Paulo Fonseca because more than anything, he needs reps.
Weston McKennie & Tim Weah: Juventus vs. Lazio
Saturday, Oct. 19 (2:45 p.m. ET Paramount+)
Like Pulisic, Weston McKennie got some rest during this international window. He’s fully back in the plan for Juventus these days and is showing why he should be playing. With the rest, it’ll give McKennie a chance to continue starting most matches with the hope of entering the November international break healthy and in good form. For Tim Weah, things are a little more complicated. He’s been injured on and off since scoring for Juventus on the opening day of the season. While he should still be in Thiago Motta’s plans, the longer that Weah spends on the sidelines, the easier it will be for Juventus to get by without him. He shouldn’t rush back to the pitch, but he does need to be on it to show why he’s key to this side.
Tanner Tessmann: Le Havre vs. Olympique Lyon
Sunday, Oct. 20 (9 a.m. ET beIN Sports and fubo TV)
The common theme here is playing time and Tanner Tessemann is no different from the rest of the squad in that regard. He’s made a big move to Ligue 1 and now he needs to break into the starting XI for consistent minutes. With the USMNT midfield in flux, anyone in good form for their teams that is playing consistently will get a shot which is where Tessmann’s cup of coffee with the USMNT during this window could open some doors.
Brenden Aaronson: Leeds United vs. Sheffield United
Friday, Oct. 18 (3 p.m. ET CBS Sports Network & Paramount+)
With Leeds United, Brenden Aaronson has been able to show his technical skill but where he needs to grow is in the physical side of the game. Getting more reps in the Championship will help with that because it’s a similar bruising style to Concancaf. If Aaronson can do that, there’s no reason why he won’t be in the USMNT for years to come due to his technical skills, but the physical side of the game needs to catch up for Aaronson to stick in central areas of the pitch.
