LOS ANGELES — When the U.S. men’s national team announced its roster for the Concacaf Nations League finals last week, there was plenty of attention placed on the return of some former mainstays. AFC Bournemouth’s midfield-destroyer extraordinaire Tyler Adams was on the list. So was Giovanni Reyna, who for all of the concerns about his lack of playing time at Borussia Dortmund, was the Nations League MVP just 12 months ago.
The best-laid plans of USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino have sustained some body blows in the past 48 hours, though. Stalwart left back Antonee Robinson is out, as are midfielder Johnny Cardoso and center back Auston Trusty.
That has forced Pochettino to dig into his depth a bit more than he might have otherwise in terms of call-ups. The same is true for getting on the field, and the opportunity is there for some players to get some unexpected minutes. Good thing that Pochettino has spread out some playing time since he came on board and collected plenty of data as it relates to the player pool.
Here are some roster wild cards who could further make a name for themselves as the USMNT chases its fourth consecutive Nations League crown.
Luna didn’t get on the field as much as he would have liked during the January camp, but that was mostly down to a broken nose he sustained against Costa Rica. And in the 70 minutes of time he did log over two matches, he showed enough creativity and clever touches — including an assist to Brian White against the Ticos — to catch Pochettino’s eye and earn a second invite, this time with a trophy on the line.
It seems unlikely that Luna will start. That still seems to be the domain of players such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Reyna, but if the USMNT is in need of some magic to break down a stout opposition defense — and in the recent past, Panama have fit that description — then one could easily see Pochettino summoning the RSL attacker off the bench.
Luna has made significant strides in his career over the past 12 months, winning MLS’ Young Player of the Year award. A stellar cameo appearance in this tournament will see him continue that upward trajectory.
Cardoso’s injury opened a spot on the roster for the Houston Dynamo’s Jack McGlynn, yet it is Tessmann who figures to benefit the most from Cardoso’s absence, in that his game bears a closer resemblance to the Real Betis midfielder’s. Except that Tessmann has been even tidier on the ball this season and has as many progressive passes and carries as Cardoso does in about half the minutes.
Tessmann has endured some ups and downs during his first season in Ligue 1 with Lyon, but he also has the confidence of Pochettino, having started both legs of the Nations League quarterfinal series against Jamaica last November and logging considerable minutes in each match.
Does Pochettino start Tessmann on Thursday? Adams’ presence on the roster makes that unlikely, but if the manager finds himself needing another steady and imposing midfield presence late in a match, Tessmann would seem to be the primary candidate.
White is this generation’s Chris Wondolowski: a late bloomer who has developed into the ultimate phantom menace in the box. Turn your head for just a second, and White is gone, using his intelligent movement to pop up in prime scoring position and leaving defenders wondering just how it is that the Whitecaps forward got there.
White’s stat line this season reads just one goal in four league matches, but he’s scored three times in the Concacaf Champions Cup, including a vital away goal in the second leg against Liga MX powerhouse Monterrey to move Vancouver into the quarterfinals. This is a man thriving in tough situations.
Josh Sargent is expected to start up top, but White could provide a spark off the bench if some guile in the box is needed late.
In Robinson’s absence, there are myriad backline personnel combinations that Pochettino could utilize. He could shift Tim Ream to left back in a four-man backline. He could slide Joe Scally to the left side and use Yunus Musah or Marlon Fossey at right back. Tim Weah’s versatility is such that he could be moved closer to his own goal as an outside back.
The option that seems most like-for-like is using Arfsten as a hybrid left back/wingback. That is the role that Robinson has filled often under Pochettino, with the likes of Ream, Mark McKenzie and Scally staying home. And it’s similar to the way Arfsten is used in Columbus. He could also play as a wingback in a pure three-man backline.
Does Arfsten have the defensive chops to play there at international level? That is the big question. Columbus plays a lot on the front foot. That won’t necessarily be the case in the Nations League, but with a veteran like Ream in close proximity, he might have enough defensive support to make it work.
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