Who’s In and Who’s Out of the USMNT World Cup Roster?

Speaker 1: Alright. What's up, everyone? Welcome into another episode of the Sunset Soccer Club. I'm Tyler Kern alongside Arman Kafai, and we are twenty nine days away from the World Cup kicking off here in 2026. Arman

Speaker 2: DK, one other thing. We're twenty nine days away from me turning 29. I turned 20 on June 11, so that's that, that's how I know when the world cup is starting because like, oh, that's also the day I was born.

Speaker 1: That's beautiful. Don't they call that something? Like when you're turning the age that like your, like birthday day is? People call that something.

Speaker 2: I have no idea.

Speaker 1: Okay.

Speaker 2: I have no idea.

Speaker 1: Might just be a white girl thing.

Speaker 2: Hey. I wouldn't be surprised, man. They they have something for everything.

Speaker 1: They do, don't they? That's just that's how things be. Anyways, we're here to talk about soccer. Let's talk about soccer. Man, Arvon, you and I, I think, both watched similar soccer over the weekend, specifically Arsenal West Ham. This was a matchup that was really, really important for a lot of reasons, but on both ends of the Premier League table. Boy, like, Arsenal going for, like, like, the the Premier League title, West Ham trying to avoid relegation, battling with Tottenham. There's drama all over the place in that. Right? Because Arsenal and Tottenham are rivals. And so, like, Arsenal wants to I mean, I I assume would probably love to see Tottenham get relegated, but at the same time, by beating West Ham, they help Tottenham out. Anyways, just drama all over the freaking place in the Premier League, and we love to see it. But in this particular game, there was, like, actual actual drama that occurred, like, towards the end of the match.

Speaker 2: This game was it was interesting, though, TK, because when Ben White got hurt, Arsenal lost. Yeah. Like, legitimately, the game flipped after that. When when Ben White got hurt. They tried Declan Rice at outside back. That didn't work. Then Savon Moskara, that kind of didn't work as well too until they got that breakthrough through Troisar. Like but West Ham had chances

Speaker 1: Mhmm.

Speaker 2: To score. I know Raya had a huge save right before the Troisar goal. But man that the VAR call that's the talking point that everyone's talking about. I know you had an opinion on it. I have an opinion on it But my opinion is more I think on the issue of corners themselves. We've kind of gotten through this point to where and I made this analogy on blue sky, John Arnold also made this analogy as well, where it's for those who watch basketball, Oklahoma City Thunder, they figure they've kind of mastered the way of playing really physical defense

Speaker 1: Mhmm.

Speaker 2: And saying, hey. You're gonna call every foul or, like, you're gonna allow us to play a little bit more physical. It feels like Arsenal and some other clubs across the world have been doing that with set pieces.

Speaker 1: That's yeah. That that's exactly right. Sorry. Didn't mean to cut you off.

Speaker 2: No. No. No. You're good. It's just insane because, like, you have this team that, that they'll drag, they'll pull, you watch stills of some plays and you're like wow how was it not a foul in that play? Yet Arsenal, clearly I think it was a foul. You can't grab a goalkeeper. Can't like, but if you watch the rest of that play, there's, like, a player hugging another player, a player grabbing another player. There's, like, seven fouls in that play. Yeah. But it seems like like that the first quote unquote foul was the goalkeeper, which is, like, yes, it's a foul. And, yes, it was, I think, again, rightfully kinda chalked away. But then you watch the rest of the clip, it's like, foul there, foul there, foul there, foul there. I think it's nuts.

Speaker 1: Yeah. No. It okay. So just to set the scene, like, arsenal's up one nil. We're getting late into the match. I think we might even be into stoppage time at this point. And West Ham gets a corner. They loop a corner towards the back post. Callum Wilson, I think, is the one who eventually finishes it off for West Ham. Ball in the back of the net. There was contact everywhere, like Armand is mentioning. And, eventually, VAR goes and looks at it and deems that there was there was at least one foul, maybe two fouls on Raya, the goalkeeper committed against, I should say, Raya, the goalkeeper for Arsenal. And so VAR rules out this goal that West Ham has that equalizes the match that is damaging to Arsenal's title hopes and to West Ham's desire to get out of the bottom three and get out of the relegation zone. And what Armand is describing here, I think, is absolutely right in that, like, what Arsenal has done all season long is basically dare referees to either give penalties to other teams based on how they're defending in the box or just absolutely maul the other team when it comes to, like, attacking set pieces for Arsenal. And it does seem like the rules are being adjudicated differently for Arsenal because they create so much chaos on every single one They're basically daring the referee to blow his whistle every single time there's a corner in either box.

Speaker 2: It's insane to me. And, like, I think you're starting to see it across other elements, like other leagues too. Mhmm. We're like, I see a guy grab a guy, see a guy do this, etcetera, etcetera. It's like corner kicks almost seemed referee differently than any other, like, facet of the game almost. Like, obviously, like, there's certain, like, areas in soccer, right, like a penalty. Right? Like, you're gonna have a higher bar to clear than, like, a foul in the middle of field. Mhmm. But penalty but for but for set pieces for me, TK, I'm just watching this, and I'm like, this is rugby. Not playing soccer anymore.

Speaker 1: Yeah. It's it's really, really regressive. And here was my big take on the play in general is that I think that in this case, like, Raya comes out to, like, go for, like, a punch or to grab it. He's trying to grab it with with two hands. And I think oftentimes in these cases, I've thought this for a long time, I think goalkeepers tend to get away with running people over in the box with any contact on a goalkeeper tends to be given as a foul, going the opposite direction. And I feel like goalkeepers are overprotected in the box, and that allows them to make really, really poor decisions and get bailed out often by the whistle. I don't know that that was the case maybe here, but that was, like, my first reaction is, like, Raya goes for it. If you go for it and you don't get it, then, like, you're asking, like, the referee to essentially essentially bail you out of making a bad decision and not following through on the play. I think that happens a ton in soccer. It's been one of, like, my longest held opinions is that goalkeepers get away with murder inside the box sometimes and simply just, like, rely on the referee to say, like, oh, there was contact on the on the goalkeeper, so it's got a foul going the opposite direction. And I don't feel like they should be protected quite to the extent that they are.

Speaker 2: But do you think that was the most consequential VAR check we've had, like, ever? With the relegation things and the Premier League thing, I can't really think of anything else that was, like, super consequential that we're like, oh my god. Like, I'm trying to think of, you World Cup. Can't really think of anything there. And the Premier League, it seems like VAR is just so controversial compared to other leagues. Like, MLS, like, to their credit, use VAR way better than Yeah. The Premier League in my opinion. Yeah. Because in my opinion, I'm watching that play right there, and it took them five minutes to figure out what happened, etcetera, etcetera. To me, even though there was a foul sorry to get me this is just finish I'm a finish up real quick. Is that clear and obvious error?

Speaker 1: Yeah. I know. I'm I'm with you.

Speaker 2: If it takes you five minutes to figure that out, is that really a clear and obvious error?

Speaker 1: Five minutes to figure it out, and then I think even longer it felt like for him to decide to actually go look at it himself.

Speaker 2: Okay. We're we're okay. We're at this point where, like, for me, like, I think there has to be, a cap, like, how long do you have to spend, like, to like, not to get it right, but, like, if you're really taking five, six, seven minutes to get a call, okay, maybe quote unquote was the, like, quote unquote right call, but, like, it feels like you're kinda looking for a foul at that point.

Speaker 1: I'm with you. Like, you're asking, like, what the bar is for clear and obvious, and, like, I've always been, like, kind of a VAR. I was in favor of

Speaker 2: bringing it Anti VAR.

Speaker 1: I was always in favor of bringing it in. I was pro VAR at the beginning. I just think like, now there's this technology and they say, well, guess if we can get it right, then we absolutely should. So then you end up with 10 reviews, which doesn't clear the clear and obvious bar to me. So they've made a little bit of a mess of it in the Premier League, and that's obviously, like, the highest profile. But to answer your question, I think it is the most consequential VAR review that maybe we've ever seen given, like, the stakes at the top and the bottom of the Premier League. I mean, if West Ham falls out of the Premier League, like, that

Speaker 2: This is it. I mean, there's obviously a million other things, but, like, you're gonna point to this and be like, we got screwed.

Speaker 1: Yeah. No. Entirely. Luckily for West Ham, Tottenham played leads on Monday, which yesterday, as we record this on Tuesday, but Tottenham played leads to a one one draw, which means that Tottenham really didn't take advantage of the fact that West Ham didn't pick up at any points against Arsenal. So that gap is now two points between West Ham and, and safety, which is Tottenham now who sits, like, just above the relegation zone. So insanity in the Premier League. A lot of fun.

Speaker 2: I mean, that was also insane, but I don't know, TK, if you keep up with League MX. The second leg of Puma's America was absolutely insane as well too.

Speaker 1: You're gonna have to fill me in on this one because I did not catch this.

Speaker 2: I got you. And for the listeners who don't follow Mexican soccer, right now we're in Liguilla. Liguilla is a playoff stage. One teams one through eight make the playoffs and they play each other in a two leg a a two leg series. So first leg is home. Second leg is well, first leg goes home for America. They all and and the second leg was home for Pumas. The first leg also ended up three three as well too with America storming back after being down three one. We go into the second leg. We're in Pumas. We're in the Olympic Stadium in Mexico City. I've been there. Amazing stadium. Awesome stadium. The fans are so passionate. It's actually funny. Good friends of the show, Daniel Robertson, John O and I, we sat in the supporters section on Total Accidents. The tickets were $10. And everyone is doing any drug you can think of over there. It's awesome. Like like it's just a great environment. Like an absolutely fantastic environment. But they're there in that stadium. It's raining. And Puma jumps out to a three o lead. And you're like, this series is over. This is over. America storms back once again through an American we're gonna talk about later Alejandro Zendez who had a goal or excuse me two goals and an assist in this comeback effort one penalty and then another ball into the box. He also created a penalty basically where he made a great brilliant individual move, chipped the ball into the box, forced a like a weird it was a weird honestly, it wasn't a penalty in my opinion. I can't remember who it was. We went for a header and the studs were high. Oh. But the studs never hit his head. So it was like, that's not really a penalty. And and Henry Martti missed a penalty, but that could have won the series for them. You might say, how did I end up six six and ended up with Puma advancing in Mexico? I actually found people think this is a little controversial. I don't think so. I think this is exactly how the rule should work. In Mexico, seeding is a tiebreaker in these two legged series matchups. So Puma's as a number one overall seed, yes they drew six six but Puma's basically walked in with a one goal advantage because of how they did in regular season. They fish 11 points above America in the regular season. So it was just an exciting game TK. They're going back and forth. Puma couldn't figure out how to defend America. They weren't sitting back and compact so they were being expensive and trying to go forward with the ball. While America was finding all these gaps and fans who watched watch MLS, my friend Rodriguez from LAFC starts America at the left wing. Was dynamic in those moments as well. And these were two teams that weren't really affected by the Mexico call ups. Remember Mexico has called up all their domestic players to a camp to be under Javier Guire. These two teams actually weren't affected by those changes and it was just an exciting back and forth affair. You felt the nervousness from the Puma's fans who have a super loyal fan base. You felt America trying to storm back and get this result and in the end like America just couldn't get that one goal and they drew six six on aggregate but Puma's with the seeding tiebreaker advanced on. So it was a great game from Alejandro Zandeias, it was a great advertising for Liga MX which I've told you and I've told other people many other people is my favorite soccer playoff format in the world. I don't care what any of you say. You might say Libertadores. You might say other things, etcetera. I don't care. I love Mexican soccer, and the way that they just play fearless. Well, might be kind of dumb sometimes too. They play kind of a man on man style of play. It's just it's just an exciting exciting atmospheres. It's exciting style of play. I just highly recommend everyone to go watch it if you do get a chance because these next two legs, the semi final, they're fast and furious. They go Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday. So it's quick. And then you got the final which is going to be an exciting two legged affair regardless. So that was my favorite soccer I watched. Arsenal West Ham was crazy, but this was just like a whole different level of craziness.

Speaker 1: Hell, yeah. We love it. We love to see it. Yeah. Watch watch Aliga MX. It is it is remarkable soccer. And, boy, Arman and I were talking before we hit record, dude there's just so much soccer on all over the place like you could be watching it nonstop.

Speaker 2: It's crazy like I mean for example like for listeners, we're based in Dallas. Dallas has a woman seeing the Dallas Trinity that have a really big game actually coming up on Saturday night. Yep. Where if they win or draw, I think they'll be depending on what happens with the team below them, they'll be in the playoffs for the first time ever. We have MLS going on. We I was at the RSL Dallas game, which was fun to see Diego Luna, who we're gonna talk about later play. Do you have Premier League, you have La Liga, you have the Bundesliga decision day coming up Yeah. This Saturday. There were some and in that, there's a relegation playoff basically between I think it's St. Paulie and Wolfsburg playing each other and like that's literally a relegation playoff battle. So there's just so much soccer on and like I need to kind of like calm down a little bit because I need get my brain ready for what's gonna happen in twenty nine days.

Speaker 1: Boy, we are twenty nine days away from the World Cup, which leads us nicely into what our next segment's gonna be. It is US men's national team roster talk. We have so much to dive into. When it comes to this, a little bit of news, some players that have made waves lately, all of those sorts of things. So that is coming up in the next segment. Before we get there, make sure to follow the show. Go check out the website, stolenwatermedia.com. Subscribe anywhere that you like to get your podcasts. The Sunset Lounge feed is generally where you can always find our episodes, but we also have a dedicated feed on Apple podcasts, on YouTube, all of those sorts of things. So make sure to follow along because we'll have a lot of World Cup talk and, a lot of things going on as we get closer to the tournament. Next week, Arman and I are gonna start our kind of World Cup previews, and we're gonna go group by group. We'll do the first four groups next week. So a, b, c, and d next week, and then we'll do four groups a week until we get to, early June, and then we'll be right there on the doorstep of the World Cup. And so, we're gonna have a lot of incredible soccer content for you. Just because the seasons are wrapping up, across across the world doesn't mean that, that soccer's going anywhere. We're gonna have a lot talk about over these next few weeks, including May 26, Arman, is when rosters will be released for the World Cup. That's when the US men's national team, Mauricio Pochettino, the the manager of the the US men's national team, will will release the 26 man roster for US soccer for the World Cup. And so let's dive in and do a little bit of roster talk. Let's do a little bit of math. We're gonna do that coming up next after this picture. Alright, everyone. We hope you enjoyed that very short break. Let's talk US men's national team roster. Now, when it comes to the roster, Mauricio Pacittino is going to name 26 players to the roster. The only kind of restrictions around the 26 players that can be named is that you have to name three goalkeepers to your roster per FIFA rules. And so, Mauricio Pochettino is gonna name three goalkeepers and then, presumably 23 additional kind of outfield players for The US. And so anytime we're having a conversation about should this player go, should this player not go to the World Cup, should they be on the roster, you're having a conversation around does this person merit going over another player. And so as Arman mentioned, Alejandro Zendijas earlier, he has a really strong case to make the national team for the World Cup, especially with how he's been playing lately. However, that means that comes at the expense of maybe a player that has had a more run out with the US men's national team lately, more minutes, more opportunities, who maybe is a little bit more trusted by Mauricio Pochettino. So I wanted to run down how many players I think at each position are gonna be called in, and then who maybe the locks are, who is on the bubble, and let's break it down kind of position group by position group to determine, like, who do we think is really going, where are some of these positional battles, and what should we be looking for kind of towards the ends of these seasons for certain players who were trying to vie to get into these spots. Arman, anything to add before we kinda jump into the position groups and kind of who's in, who's out, where are some of the big injuries, and those sorts of things?

Speaker 2: So let me ask you this, TK. Are we doing this based on who we think should go in or are we doing this based on who we think Mauricio Pochettino is gonna select? Because those are two different things.

Speaker 1: Those are two different things. That's a great question. Let's see who we think.

Speaker 2: I think we should do what we think. Yeah. Because this is our podcast and not Marissa Puccicino's podcast.

Speaker 1: He wants to come on and post his thirst trap pictures on our podcast. He's he's more than welcome. If he wants to come A

Speaker 2: little Instagram stories. Yeah. He can come. He wants to come. Him hitting the gym.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Work out. Podcast with us while he's working out, getting his pump in. We're cool with that. Absolutely. Yeah. Open casting call.

Speaker 2: But this is our podcast. So we need our opinions.

Speaker 1: You're damn right. So alright. You wanna stop it start a goalkeeper or you wanna start it forward?

Speaker 2: Just start a goalkeeper. Let's work back.

Speaker 1: Alright. Back to front. We'll start a goalkeeper. You bring three. I don't see any reason to bring more than three. So I think, like, your lock is Matt Fries. Right? Goalkeeper for NYC FC. I think, like, personally, I'm bringing him, and I feel very confident about that. Other potential players that could maybe fill out that that three, Matt Turner, Chris Brady from Chicago Fire, Patrick Schulte, perhaps. Am I missing anybody from that group of four right there? Matt Freeze, Matt Turner, Chris Brady, Patrick Schulte.

Speaker 2: You could make an argument for Roma Solatano, I feel like, maybe in there. But outside of that, I feel like maybe Sean Johnson too. I don't think he would get the call up, but he's actually been pretty decent for DC Interesting. To start the year. He was he was really good last year as well too. I mean, looking at this, if even from this group before that we have list right on the dock with Freeze, Turner, Brady, and Schulte, I would definitely like, if it's pushed to, you know, he's definitely gonna take Freeze, and I think you gotta take Freeze. You've been using it as starter all the time. Yep. Matt Turner's had a really good MLS season, so I would add Matt Turner to that, and I would go Chris Brady. I think those are your three.

Speaker 1: I think I think those are the I think those are the three also. I I find it hard to really, like, split hairs when it comes to goalkeepers. Like, we know Matt Friess is getting the majority of the minutes unless something wild happens. Like, I think Farice is probably your starter, and then Matt Turner is your immediate backup. And then whoever that third person is, like, I'm not gonna argue. Like, if you think it should be Schulte, great. If you wanna bring Sean Johnson for the experience, you know, for somebody who has a veteran presence who's, you know, played in a lot of tournaments and been around for a really long time, like, great. I I have no I have no problem with that. I think, like, your third goalkeeper position could be used as, like, a leadership kind of role, as much as it is, like, actually to play goalkeeper. So I don't have, like, a strong, strong opinion on who the third goalkeeper is.

Speaker 2: I like bringing Brady because he's a younger kid. Yeah. And you bring him in there, get that experience for World Cup, and maybe who knows? Like, this maybe he's your first or second keeper going into 2030. Right? Right. So for me, that's what I I I that's what I would do. And I think Turner has actually made it a little bit interesting, TK, between him and Freeze. I think pushing it to trust Freeze. Remember, Turner started that first game against Belgium. And I'll be honest, not I'm not gonna say none of those goals are really his fault even though they allowed five goals. The team kinda fell apart in the end. For me, I I think Turner could definitely make a case to start in the World Cup, which is really interesting.

Speaker 1: That's that's interesting to me. I kinda thought Matt Turner was a little bit at fault on the first goal right before halftime against Belgium. And I kinda thought, like, okay, Matt Turner. Again, goalkeepers, I don't think any of these none of these guys are Tim Howard or Braguzan Right.

Speaker 2: There's no, like, the gap is like this between them. It's not like this. Like, it's not like super low big between them in my opinion.

Speaker 1: You could you could talk me into Matt Turner starting and I'd be I'd be great with that. But yeah. Yeah. I'm talking Chris

Speaker 2: Brady starting. What? Can I talk in the Chris Brady starting? No. No. That's what I thought too. Yeah. Probably not.

Speaker 1: Had to had to give that one a good think. Center back, I think, is gonna be our next spot. And this is where I think it gets a little bit more hairy. I think the only lock for me at center back right now for me, I don't you know, Pochettino might have a different idea, but the only lock for me right now is Chris Richards. The other players I think you could consider, Tim Reem, obviously, who is everlasting, Mark McKenzie, Alex Freeman, Austin Trustee, and Miles Robinson. Actually, of those, I think Alex Freeman is the next closest to Bingalocke, for this roster. So I think if you take five of those players at center back, especially since The US seems to be rolling occasionally with more of a three center back look, I think you probably end up taking five. So of how many players are out of this? One, two, three, four, five, six. Of those six, who gets left out? Who all you taking? And am I missing anybody?

Speaker 2: Of those six, I don't think you're missing anyone. I think these are the clear cut guys. Like, I don't think there's anyone else that really has stood out. You can't really make an argument for Cameron Carter Vickers. I don't think he's had a good enough season. There's not been that much MLS players that have had good seasons either, I'd probably say. Looking at this, I think Richard Zerlock. I think Reem is also a lock just from how many minutes he's played for mister mister Porcino. I think Freeman has to be a lock because of his versatility.

Speaker 1: Yeah.

Speaker 2: You need players like that in the World Cup that can play multiple positions, and Freeman can do that. I think Mark McKenzie is also in there. Man, that's that's tough. I feel like

Speaker 1: Miles Robinson coming back from injury for

Speaker 2: next season, Anthony. One that worries me. I like Trustee. I'll like, I guess you could make an argument that Mae Freeman, like, could be also be a wingback. I don't know. Like, for me, I I would leave Miles Robinson off from this list that we have. Just I like what Austin Drusty has done. I like what Alex Freeman has done. Mark McKenzie and Reem. And Miles Robinson has kind of not impressed me in these games either. Gets kinda caught out of position as well too sometimes. He's kinda slow, which kinda surprised me a little bit. I when I went to that game against Ecuador, he was constantly kinda getting caught out of position. I would rather have Freeman in that role.

Speaker 1: No doubt.

Speaker 2: So for me, Alex Freeman. I I it's crazy, but, like, TK, to your point, I think if I were to go Locks, I'd go Richards, Reem, and Freeman.

Speaker 1: Yeah. No. Which is crazy

Speaker 2: to say Alex Freeman, by the way.

Speaker 1: It is absolutely crazy. He was I I this time last year, he had not earned his first US men's national team cap. So to go from that to feeling like he's he's a virtual World Cup block, and the same is actually true of Matt Fries. So both of those guys go from no caps to seeming like just kinda nailed on. They're on the plane. They're well, they're not well, yeah, they're on a plane. They're they are flying to California, but

Speaker 2: They'll be on

Speaker 1: a Yeah. Somewhere. They're going to the World Cup. And so I think that's absolutely wild. I I just don't

Speaker 2: Who's who's your preferred duo or trio, I guess?

Speaker 1: I think if we're going duo, I I I mean, it sounds wild to say. Think it's I think it's Richards and Ream, If it's a true I'm dude

Speaker 2: with you.

Speaker 1: Is which is crazy. Just Tim Ream defending in space, by god. Terrifying. I know. And if it's a trio, I think you roll Alex Freeman in there on the on the right side and have Richards in the middle and and Ream on the left. And I think you roll with that that trio with Mackenzie and Trustee as your as your depth. And then, yeah, Miles Robinson, like, I I I wish I could see the alternate universe what with like what happens with his career if he doesn't tear his Achilles, right before the last World Cup. I think that, like, he might be a completely different player. I just I I remember really, really loving his game at that point, and since then, I just don't think he's ever really been the same player. And so, I I think you bring Alex Freeman, basically call him the center back and bring that as your five. With wingbacks, I think, like, I think you have Anthony Robinson, you have Jedi, you know, and then, Sergino Dest, Tim Wea, Joe Scally, Max Arfston are all probably on that. I think you bring four of those guys, and I just listed five players. So, again, like, we're we're choosing the odd man out here when it comes to wingbacks. I think like Anthony Robinson, Sergino Dest as long as he's healthy, I think those are nailed on locks. I think Tim Wei is a lock to make this roster. And we're wingback is really just like the widest player on the field, and so, like, it's if on the right side, that player can be more attacking minded which is kind of where I think like Sriginio Dest and Tim Hueyah get deployed. And so I I think there's like a little bit of versatility in like what we wanna call this position but as far as wingbacks go, I think it's choosing from those five in particular.

Speaker 2: Yeah. I'm with you on this. This is where I think my answer and maybe Mauricio Pochettino's answer will differ. Mhmm. I think he'll take Arfstad. I would take Joe Scally. And just because Arfstin is I've been not really impressed by Max Arfstin's performance as a as a as a fullback. Right?

Speaker 1: Mhmm.

Speaker 2: So if you go in that back four, like, he just kind of is really shaky. Like I I don't like understand what it is but even when you try get him high up he just he doesn't he doesn't look comfortable as like in like a back four. Then you put him as a wingback, you're gonna definitely get cooked defensively and it's like okay you're gonna probably have him in as a sub. You have him as a sub and you're kind of all out of attack I feel like you're gonna leave some vulnerabilities in the back. At least with Scally he can play both. Remember Bocciano has deployed him as his center back and a or this full back and a back forward that shifts into a back three Yep. With Scali as that third center back. And then that makes Scali and Alex Freeman almost interchangeable to a degree. Like, for me, I I would take Scali, but that might be a little bit more of a conservative approach because, I mean, if we're looking for a game changer off the bench, right, like, I would probably tend more Arfstin than Scally. But I just I don't know what it is, TK. I have not been impressed by Max Arfstad when he plays for a national team. And I like him when he plays for Columbus a lot. But when he plays for a national team, it just feels a a little bit to be desired. Feels like he's just maybe just, like, a little like, maybe a second too slow with decision making, etcetera. I just I don't know if you agree with me on that.

Speaker 1: Well, so my impression of him with the national team is kind of what you mentioned. Like, he gets cooked defensively a little bit too often. It's slow to react on the defensive end, but offensively, he's actually shown a little bit for the national team in my opinion. And I was curious whether or not, like, his reputation kind of just benefited from playing with Wilford Nancy and playing for Columbus and, like, that elevated who he was. I mean, he's gotten a ton of time under Pochettino, which is, like, to me, like, if you're asking, like, what is Pochettino gonna do? I think you're right. I think Pochettino brings Arfstin because I think he trusts him. I think Arfstin's played a ton under Pochettino. Joe Scally brings so much versatility, and this is a guy that's starting game in, game out in the Bundesliga at, like, kind of a right wing back role, but can also slot in and kind of play a right center back role. And I think when you look at a World Cup roster, I think something that is so important is having versatility with your players that you bring because you have to be able to cover for injury. I mean, three games in, you know, a little over a week is a lot games.

Speaker 2: World Cup has one more game if you wanna make the final. Right? Yeah. Like, this is there's been a lot of talk about this might be the first World Cup where it's like a load management because not only is there going to be one more game, but the travels also gonna be worse for some teams. Right?

Speaker 1: Like Yeah.

Speaker 2: You're not going in Qatar like where it's like oh like a one hour drive or something where everything is super close to each other. You're in The US to where I mean I'm doing one of the trips hilariously where would you go from LA to Seattle back to LA that's two three that's three hour flight. That's a three hour flight which is crazy or like if some teams that are in I don't know like I'm trying to think of a team that plays somewhere else. Like, there's some teams that play, like, closer proximity. There's a lot of teams that play farther, and The US isn't playing super close, I'd probably say. So, like, I'm not saying travel will impact them that much, but just, like, maybe some food for a thought. Like, the the thing, TK, to your point about versatility, Arfstad seems like, hey. We need a goal. We need a chase. Put on a player. I feel like you have options on the bench in other positions that can help you in that.

Speaker 1: Yeah. I agree. Like, if you're bringing on a left wing back because you need a goal in a in a high pressure situation, then, like, boy, you might already be cooked if, like, that's where you're looking. It's it's kinda just, where my head's at. Hopefully, like that player exists like as one of the attacking mids that we'll talk about or something like that. But like bringing on Max Arfstad in a moment, like, you know, late in the twenty ten World Cup against Algeria kind of moment sort of thing. Like, boy, that's that's not a great indication, for how things are going.

Speaker 2: Right. Yep.

Speaker 1: So, okay. So, I I think like, so your four would be Anthony Robinson, Sir Junior Dest, Tim Wea, Joe

Speaker 2: Scally. Yep.

Speaker 1: I think I agree with that. We need

Speaker 2: to disagree. Kind of where I'm that's we need to fight a little bit.

Speaker 1: Yeah. We do need to fight a little bit. Let's talk let's talk center mids because there's a ton of center mid options. I think we take five from this group, but we have a lot more than five that we can talk about. So we have Tyler Adams, Tanner Testman, Seb Burhalter, Aiden Morris, Christian Roldan, Eunice Musa perhaps, and then RIP, Johnny Cardoso, who plays for athletic Madrid. You and I, like, we're we're on a text thread with our our buddies, John Arnold and Daniel Robertson. We were we were talking about this that Johnny Cardoso, I think maybe had kind of played his way into a role with this team. But for the entirety of his club career, it was just ascending, ascending, ascending through the club ranks. You know, went from playing in Brazil to playing for Real Betis in La Liga to then getting bought in a pretty high dollar transfer, to go play for Atletico Madrid and then looked really good for Atletico Madrid in the two leg semifinal against Arsenal in the Champions League. And I'm sitting there thinking, there's an American starting in central midfield for a Champions League semifinalist, and he's playing and looks completely like he belongs there. And I'm not positive how he fits into this US men's national team. But lo and behold, he goes in, like, has a high ankle sprain. He just had surgery, and he's out for the World Cup. So

Speaker 2: So bad. It's just so unfortunate too, the timing of it. It was in training too. Wasn't even a game.

Speaker 1: Gosh. That sucks. That really, really sucks. Sucks for him. I I hope at one point to kind of see Johnny Cardoso playing for the national team in a way that, like, makes it all make sense to me. Because for the longest time, just like his club reputation just did not match up what I was seeing with the national team. But RIP Johnny Cardoso, he is no longer in the picture, which now leaves us with I think maybe six midfielders, perhaps seven. Maybe there's six there that can be chosen from, to make the five. Again, I guess we're just leaving out an odd man, but it looks to me like Adams and Testament are the locks, and then you bring along guys like Seb Burhalter, Aiden Morris, Christian Voldan, and leave out Eunice Moussa. I think that's where I stand with center midfielders, which if you told me last World Cup, I'd leave Eunice Moussa off of the roster entirely for the next World Cup, I would have called you completely insane because at 19 years old, he was bossing midfield against England and looking like a total badass. But that's where I stand with with Eunice Moussa right now. Am I leaving anybody off of this list or what are your thoughts just on the the central midfield pool especially now that Johnny Cardoso is is not gonna be able to to make the trip?

Speaker 2: I'm a little worried when I see it. As weird as that sounds, like, I know we have guys that are playing in Europe but like, get Tyler Adams, what if he gets hurt?

Speaker 1: Oh my gosh. I hate to

Speaker 2: be that guy, but he always gets hurt. Like, just something happens and he always gets hurt. And, like, like, again, like, I don't I'm not saying it's his fault, but, like, just something happens and we, like, we have Tyler Adams for a bit. I like Tanner Tessman, like Aiden Morris. They kinda feel a little bit redundant, like, almost kinda like the same player to a degree. Seth Burhalter's had a great MLS campaign, like, absolutely fantastic. He worries me a little bit because sometimes when you see him play an international level, it just looks like he's not like, wasn't ready for it. He's great at set piece delivery. Absolutely fantastic in that regard, and that's gonna be a huge thing because The US doesn't really have. That means set piece maestros, and I think Berhalter plays a big role in that.

Speaker 1: Yep.

Speaker 2: But we have Christian Roldan who I like Christian Roldan as an MLS player. I like him a lot as an MLS player. I do not know how I feel about him being a rotational piece of the national team. There's just sometimes or I just watch him. I'm like, damn, dude. These are just like like, we we can't afford these mistakes in these moments. And I think looking at this, my pairing will be Adams and Testman. You have two rangy players, I think, in that regard. Morris is a bit more of a kind of a like a doggy ball winner. I know his Middlesboro got knocked out today by Southampton in the EFL playoff, but Morris is kind of like a ball winner. And then Burhalter, I mean, you can't I think you'd price on Burhalter as someone when you're chasing

Speaker 1: a game. Yep.

Speaker 2: You need someone going forward. And then Roaldon is kinda player you sub in for everything, kinda kill the game, slow it down, etcetera. I'm not confident. Look at the center mid lineup, DK. Don't know about you, man. Maybe it's maybe this could be the strongest, man. Maybe I'll be surprised. But, I mean, I think I'm with you with Adams, Testman, Burhalter, Morrison, Roald Dahlen. I think there's no other like, we're kind of pigeonholed to these options because I don't think there's any other players that have made notable movements. A player that I wish I mean, I'm a little biased. I grew up with this guy. It's Keaton Parks. If you look at his advanced metrics and MLS, he's absolutely outstanding. He's six three, very rangey. He get the ball forward. He just had some health issues, like, with, having blood clots in his, in his, like, calves, etcetera. So that definitely derailed him. He's a bit slow, so that probably hurts him at the international level. But, like, I'm looking at this. I'm like, ugh, man. I'm not I actually like, my first thought was maybe we'll miss Johnny Cardoso if you haven't seen him in so many games, but then I'm looking at then when I saw the lineup spelled out and I was like, I don't know, man.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Like, Cardoso coming in and then, like, pushing out. I think

Speaker 2: You want a competition. Right? Like, maybe push out Roland on. Maybe push out Burhalter or something. But, like, this is like there's competition in any of these spots anymore, which is crazy because I thought this US pool was gonna be so much we I mean, if I told you that we're like, oh, well, these guys are all locks or whatever, you'd be like, really? Like, we just talk about how much competition all these rules have.

Speaker 1: Well, so who's you you mentioned you mentioned Keaton Parks. Who who is out there? Like, who's who's performing in MLS that's maybe not getting noticed? Right? Like, is is there a player? Are there players along those lines who just, like, haven't gotten the the chance with the national team that you would

Speaker 2: have I feel like there's plenty of guys who haven't gotten the chance in some capacity. If I'm I'm I'm gonna pull up a list right now so I can, like, glance at a list

Speaker 1: of players. Because like like Johnny Cardoso, like, yeah, I think he pushes out. I think he probably pushes out. For me, maybe Roald Dhan. I don't know. I like Roald Dhan. I like Roald Dhan Swiss Army knife type. He's good

Speaker 2: as a Swiss Army knife for sure.

Speaker 1: And so maybe maybe Cardoso pushes out Morris, but I think Morris is your best like like for like replacement for what Tyler Adams does and I kinda think you need that. So I don't know. I think I think it's complicated, but

Speaker 2: I will say, don't think many people in MLS, I'm kind of been glancing at the list, have, like like, that our US players have impressed outside of Berhalter, Like, as a center mid, specifically, in that. Like and I don't think you'd ever get a call up to national team, but a guy like Mark Delgado, he's a very, very good MLS center mid. I just don't know if he's internationally ready for that. Actually, the thing that's interesting about Keaton Park is good. Like, there are no bias, but he's a six three, six four, like, huge center mid that can progressively play the ball. He can win new balls, offset pieces. He also is really good as an eight to make advancing runs forward as an eight. Mhmm. And just like a very unique skill set for a guy to be that tall, that lanky, that rangy, but to have a soft touch. He's very Tanner Testamentsque. Yeah. I'd probably say. Probably fall in the same family. So, like, from but, like, outside, like, TK, mean, to your point, like, there really isn't that many MLS players have, like, impressed that center mid spot. So for me, I think I think the five we talked about is pretty bang on.

Speaker 1: Yeah. And for those wondering maybe where Weston McKinney falls, we have them I haven't pushed up the field in more of an attacking mid spot because that's where we've seen him a little bit more.

Speaker 2: Where he's playing Juventus.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Where he's been playing at UVA. That's where we've seen him a little bit more with the US men's national team. So let's talk attacking mids because I think this is an interesting conversation as well. This is where we bring in Alejandro Zendejas and so I think locks, I think you bring maybe six guys here, which is crazy.

Speaker 2: I think it makes sense. Yeah. But

Speaker 1: that's that's a lot. But I think your locks are Pulisic and McKenney. And then other guys that we have to discuss, Brendan Aronson from Leeds, Diego Luna at Real Salt Lake, Gio Reyna at Barusi Monchengladbach, Malik Tillman at Bayer Leverkusen, Alejandro Zendejas, again, playing for playing in in Mexico. And then I've seen some people throw out McGlynn from, from He had

Speaker 2: a fantastic game over the weekend, so I can't really blame him.

Speaker 1: He scored two goals. I don't know. Is it is it is it crazy about Jack McGlynn?

Speaker 2: No. I think it's perfectly fine. Put him in there.

Speaker 1: Who is there anybody missing from this this group of of players? What do we got there? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight? Eight players for six spots?

Speaker 2: Don't think I don't think we're missing anyone. I think these are all the guys that are in consideration for it. I think outside of that, I don't think Paul Rothrock it's a joke. It's a joke. It's joke. It's joke. A joke. I'm I'm I'm joking, but I I I can't really think you know, it's crazy. Like, last like, 2022, we're we're talking about a guy like Jesus Ferreira. Like, oh, is this gonna be a star of his USMS national team career? And then now he's not even in the picture. Yeah. Crazy thing about how things can change in four years like that.

Speaker 1: It really is wild. Like, I I mean, going back to to Eunice Musa, like, if you told me that, like, the midfield of you know, we we call it the MMA midfield. Right? Musa, McKinney, and Adams. Like, that was the starting trio in the midfield for Burhalter across all of the games at the last world at the last World Cup. And, like, for a guy like Musa, who I was so excited about to be 19 and then Jesus Ferreira, who was in his early twenties at the last World Cup, and for those guys to just really not feel

Speaker 2: like the Earth on the national team. It's insane.

Speaker 1: Yeah. It's it's wild, and it it reminds you, like, there's no give ins when it comes to this sort of thing. That careers ebb and flow, and progress is not linear for these guys, and some guys you get really, really excited about. I mean, I remember when Jonathan Gonzalez committed to playing for Mexico.

Speaker 2: And we were so pissed about that and now he plays for the San Jose Earthquakes.

Speaker 1: Does he?

Speaker 2: Don't think I knew that. I think so. It could be San Jose or Minnesota, one of the two. I mean He plays in MLS now.

Speaker 1: People were apoplectic just that, like, US soccer would let this, like, generational kind of defensive mid talent, like, fall through their fingertips and just straight into Mexico and, like, we need to rethink, like, this entire organization because Jonathan Gonzalez chose Mexico over The US. And, boy, like, you just you just don't know. And so, it's kind of a wild thing. But okay. Back to our attacking midfielders. Pulisic and McKinney, I think, are the the obvious. I mean, they're the two best players, I think, on the national team. But then you've got interesting conversations. Like, you have to choose four from Brendan Aronson, Diego Luna, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman, Alejandro Zindejas, and Jack McGlynn. I actually think that that's a that's a pretty tough thing to do. So, Arman, I ask you, what do you what do you do? What do you do?

Speaker 2: Putting it on me. I love it. I love it.

Speaker 1: Not not what does Pacciatino do, but what does Armandke Phi do?

Speaker 2: So let me I just wanna kinda break down my logic behind this. Yes. Like, when you have an attacking mid, it's kind of a luxury player, but you kinda also don't want him to be a luxury player as well too. And for me, I don't take Aronson. I like Aronson. I think he's been a really good Premier League player. Interesting. But it seems like to me when I watch Brendan Aronson play, he is it it it almost is like he is chasing after the ball quite a bit. He's in there to press you super hard, force the turnover, and go from there. But offensively, with the national team, I I I haven't seen, like, that that offensive moment of brilliance you wanna see from attacking mid. I haven't seen it. Just that's I just I I I haven't seen it. The other one I'm now I've been stuck. I've been thinking about this quite a bit Mhmm. Is I think you I I taking Luna and Reyna both seems redundant. And I like Gio Reyna a lot. I would leave him.

Speaker 1: They get it's interesting you say, like, they feel redundant because, like, I feel like they could not be more different in terms of especially in terms of personality.

Speaker 2: Right personality wise I think they're they're they're two like they're two different things. Blake I think Luna can kind of just be a I saw the FC Dallas game I went to this weekend. He kind of wasn't doing much, Cam wasn't doing much and boom moment of magic with his goal a scored. And we had a sick view behind the goal too. Was like awesome. I feel like Reyna is the same way. Like, a guy that, you know, like, you can sub on to create some magic for you, but, like, he's not gonna impact all facets of the game. He's just gonna be off which is fine. I think he's really talented. I would leave Luna off, and I would go is it am I doing that right? Or am I well, or so it would be so we have six. So, actually, I would no. I think I'd only leave off Aronson and take Luna, Reyna, Tillmans, and Dejos. And Nomaglin. That's four. And Nomaglin. Okay. The reason why is I think Reyna is more talented than Luna, but Luna can also, I think, do a little bit more work off the off the ball. And, also, what else to track back. I will make my case for Alejandro Zindejas right now.

Speaker 1: Let's do it. Let's hear it.

Speaker 2: Everyone to

Speaker 1: hear it.

Speaker 2: First off, he's been incredible in Mexico. He's performed at at amazing level at Mexico for years. The reason why we didn't see him in the friendlies is because he was injured. The injuries really screwed him and have screwed him all throughout. He scored what I think six goals and four four assists in 12 matches. Remember he was injured for for America in this kind of mini season. He scored three goals and one assist in that two legged I talked about. I saw him make an impact, and not only he he is Brendan Aronson, but also with more offensive game, in my opinion. He'll chase you down. He'll press you. He'll also win the ball, but he'll also take on defenders and try to be that protagonist up the field. What's another thing that's also important? Who did he grow up playing with on the national teams? Christian Pulisic. Yeah. Weston McKinney. I went to a high school, Frisco Liberty, where FC Dallas sent out their kids to go to high school. And I was in the same grade as Alejandro Zarejas and Weston McKinney. They were boys. They were friends. Actually, McKinney says someone asked McKinney was fairly good at Mexican was and they America because of Alejandro Diaz. He's also dealt with the pressure of being a number 10 in Mexico, which is one of the hardest, I think, most underrated position to be in with America. The biggest one of the biggest, if not the biggest team in Mexico. He is someone that you can bring off the bench to go chase a game, to go press, but also to create some sort of offensive firepower. For me, him and Aronson are on the bubble and, like, while Aronson's on the Premier League and he's you I'm a lot and he's out of good year. Like, I was gonna be honest. Like but, like, if I'm wanting an attacking mid to come off the bench, I want someone that can create magic. Mhmm. Diego Luna can create magic. Gio Reyna, I don't like the way his game is sometimes, but he can create magic. Tillman, I think, is up there who'd compete for a starting spot with McKenney and Pulisic or with McKenney and Pulisic. Zendejas is a guy that you can bring off the bench or you can start him, and he will make an impact on her team because he's not afraid to try shit, for lack of a better word. Yeah. Like and I think you need that and I just don't see that from Aronson. And what does a US team kinda struggle to do? I think they struggle to create offensive moments. And I think you need that especially with who they're gonna play. Australia, a team that's gonna sit back. We saw it happen in the game that the friendly of The US played against them. They sat back and you had to break down a low block. Paraguay also sat back a little bit as well too. Turkey will be the protagonist but you'll need a guy be that can also take those risks and create magic because Turkiye is gonna set up I think in a much more different way, be a little more aggressive and want the ball. So you need guys that can kind of play off the ball and create magic. I keep saying it will create magic because, like, that's what you need from attacking mid.

Speaker 1: Okay. So That's my case. That's your case. I'm taking Aronson because I think there's I think there's multiple ways to create magic. Right? I think, like, chasing the ball, yes. Like that is a lot of what Aronson does. He presses really hard. He presses like a freaking main

Speaker 2: He presses By the way, he's a fantastic pressing player and shout out to Philadelphia Union for developing him that because like he that way that they played, that's how they were playing and he is excellent at pressing. So, yes, he is, like, top I am not dissing his pressing game.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. No. But, like, but I think, like, creating magic can look different ways. Like, there's the Brendan Ehrinson way of creating and then there's the Gioreno way of creating magic, and they look completely different. Aronson's all effort. It's all hustle. It's it's I'm gonna chase this ball down. I'm gonna run this thing. But sometimes, like, that is, like, the quote unquote, like, magic required to, like, win that ball, to create that chance, to get that goal, you know, from closing down a defender, like, before he was ready for it, you know, that sort of thing. And so I think I'd bring a guy who's willing to do that late on in a game, maybe that's, you know, tied or something like that and you're really, like, pushing for a goal, like, hurry the opposing defenders, you know, make them, like, feel your presence in that sort of in that case. And so, like, I think there's a world where Brandon Aronson like is there and like makes a difference for The US. I also think like, gosh, I hate that I'm saying this. I I I bring Gio Reina because like

Speaker 2: I hate saying it too but like I think you need to. There's just nobody there's no one in pool that can do what he does.

Speaker 1: Yeah. And, like, he's still just 23 years old, which is wild. So, yeah, I think you bring the guy who's maybe, like, the best player on the ball in the whole US men's national team pool. Doesn't matter that he doesn't play for Borussia Munchen Glideback like this. There's just nobody that can do what he does. And I you just pray that he's not a cancerous presence in the locker room. Right. Because the last World Cup was a bit of a disaster with Giarena. But I think you have to I I I again, I think you have to bring him because I think magic looks different ways. And so I bring Aronson for one type, I bring Reina for another. And then I bring Diego Luna. And here's the thing. I think I bring Zendejas over Tillman.

Speaker 2: Really?

Speaker 1: Yeah. You know, Tillman, Tillman's played like seventy minutes since the end

Speaker 2: of That's a take.

Speaker 1: It is a spicy take. Get it. Like, this is a guy that like regularly started throughout most of the year for for Bayer Leverkusen. For me, I this is this is another guy who, like, has production at the club level who I don't feel like he's ever really translated it to the national team.

Speaker 2: You feel like you've seen

Speaker 1: it in in the national Like, I don't I just don't know that I have and I don't know I don't know where he fits necessarily in a formation. Like, even we're doing most of this in our minds, I think, with, like, the idea that US is gonna roll out with, like, three center two wing backs, two center mids, two attacking mids, a striker. Right? And so those two attacking mids for the most part, you assume are gonna be pull a stick of McKenney. And maybe if you're chasing a goal late on in the game, you move McKenney back a little bit, have him play, like, next to Adams or something like that and bring on, you know

Speaker 2: Which is a beautiful versatility that I think Westin McKenny has or he can drop deeper. And then, like you're saying, have Gio Reino come in, to have Diego Luna come in and have him, have them be higher up the pitch or move McKinney higher up the pitch and maybe drop someone else instead, know, like these are all like total possibilities.

Speaker 1: Absolutely. Absolutely. And so I'm thinking of like, okay, what are the different scenarios? And I'm trying to think of a reason why I would bring Tillman into a game over bringing in Reyna if I'm chasing a game, over Aronson if we're in the eightieth minute and defenders have been playing out in the sun for that entire time and, like, he's gonna force turnovers and just what?

Speaker 2: It's a very good very good point about playing in the sun, playing in the heat. Yeah. A lot of players aren't I mean, even The US players won't be used to it.

Speaker 1: That's probably true.

Speaker 2: The US plays at noon against Seattle. It's noon local time. Like, that's gonna be an extremely hot game.

Speaker 1: Yeah. I think I think for reasons, like, I I think I'm almost closer to saying, like, McGlynn gives you something different that, like, no other player in the pool brings than Tillman, which is wild. But Jack McGlynn has like the sweetest left foot in the entire pool, right? So I don't think I bring him. I think I leave him and it's crazy leaving Tillman.

Speaker 2: Wow. That's that's that's that's I like that. Like, I like the like, decision I agree with your logic is what I'm saying. I just if it was up to me, I would have Zendaya's higher than Luna. I don't think Luna's been good. Like, he's coming off an injury to be fair, but I think he's been good this year. Again, coming off an injury, he's been kinda I think Zendaya's just kinda criminally underrated by US men's national team fans. And Yeah. Like, everyone just because the blind spot, I think, US men's national team fans have towards Liga MX. It's like, it's a Mexico league. Mhmm. It's a league for Mexico. We're not gonna watch it. And it's like, it was actually really good players that are I mean, you they're playing for Mexico right now, Brian Gutierrez looks fantastic Yeah. In League MX. So for me, I I'm with you on that. I mean, we're both figuring out ways to put Zandeos on the roster. I I don't think Pushino takes him. It sounds like Luna is a lock actually. That's that's kinda crazy

Speaker 1: to me, actually.

Speaker 2: Which which is based on the comments that that the assistant coach said on MLS three sixty where he was basically, like, he's been part of this core group, you know, blah blah blah, all this stuff. I mean, it sounds like he's a lock.

Speaker 1: I get it. He he he does he's also a guy that, like, gets the ball at his feet and, like, can just has that like weird Clint Dempsey quality where he just has a

Speaker 2: love Diego Luna, man. I think he's he's such a good personality. He joins the national team.

Speaker 1: He yeah. Absolute character. I mean yeah. If if you're listening to this and you don't know much, you know, you don't watch a lot of MLS, you haven't seen Diego Luna. Dude has

Speaker 2: Watch him.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Dude is one of the most unique looking soccer players that you'll ever see. I don't know what he's listed at height wise, but he's short, stubby, tattoos everywhere.

Speaker 2: And a freaking baller.

Speaker 1: Yeah. And just goes out there with like his socks, like all the way down around his ankles. I don't think he wears shin guards, to be honest with you. If they do, they're the size of like, I don't know, thumbtacks. And yeah, just goes out there and balls and it's yeah, it's awesome. All right. That's the attacking mids. I think forward is the most boring conversation of all of them, because I think you take three and I think the locks are balig and peppy and hot.

Speaker 2: If only Pat was healthy, I think you'd I think you'd have a conversation in here. I think you could you could make a conversation.

Speaker 1: Who would he have replaced in your mind? Would it be right?

Speaker 2: I didn't say to replace it. I think you just kinda get in there and be like, okay. Maybe I can make an argument for Pepe. Maybe I can make an argument for, against Haji. Right? I I I think he's still being the outside looking in, but I think, you know, his conversation interesting because I can't think of any other forwards that would fit this gap right now.

Speaker 1: Yeah. It's it's an interesting thing. Like, I think The US is in a better place when it comes to producing talent than, like, than we've ever been. But I also think that, like, it's a challenging spot because like there's not the depth across the board that I think that maybe I thought there was. And I don't think that there are quite the positional battles maybe that like we saw materializing in the past and injuries have had a little bit to do with that. Form has a little bit to do with that, but yeah, there's not quite like the the depth all the way up and down the roster that that maybe we would like to see in a US men's national team pool.

Speaker 2: Yep. No. I'm a 100% with you. I'm I've just been really surprised at, like, how set we are. Yeah. If that makes sense.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Like, I think there's there's very little that could be done that I think would catch me completely off guard at this point. I think we know the pool. I think we know the players, and I don't think that Pochettino can do too much two weeks from now to to change any of that. Alright.

Speaker 2: I'm with you.

Speaker 1: So that's some US men's national team roster talk, and I think that's gonna do it for a show. This is a long one, but it was a good one.

Speaker 2: It was a great one.

Speaker 1: Next week, we'll talk the first four groups of the World Cup and kind of, give you a little breakdown of those groups, some of the teams in them, and, and talk all the way through that so you don't wanna miss that next week. But for this episode from Uncify, I'm Tyler Kern. Thanks for tuning in to the Sunset Soccer Club. See you next week.