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Jonathan Gómez In San Sebastián

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4 years ago

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Jogo In San Sebastián – A Look Into The Numbers

Jonathan Gómez has had an expectedly rocky start to life at the Reale Arena, but no one expected him to cement himself into the starting XI for Real Sociedad B and adapt to a new environment so quickly. It is quite remarkable to see Jogo already averaging 89 minutes per game in 4 straight starts, playing as if he has known these players since he was a young boy. It was only natural that an 18 year old from USL would initially struggle with being thrown headfirst into a relegation battle, but it is strikingly unnatural for one to bounce back from those initial struggles after only 3 matches.

Arriving in the January transfer window, Jogo was included in the RSB matchday squad as an unused sub in both the 3rd and 4th matches for which he was available for selection. The following match, he made his debut, starting in a 3-2 loss away to SD Ponferradina on the 14th of February. Since then, Jogo has gone on to make four straight starts, playing the full 90 for all but the most recent match, in which he was substituted off in the 86th minute. Additionally, the flashes of quality that Gómez had shown in his first three matches were enough for Imanol Alguacil to see the value in beginning the process of integration into the first team, naming the young left back amongst the substitutes for Real Sociedad’s La Liga match against RCD Mallorca on the 2nd of March. Now, let’s take a look into the statistics behind Jogo’s performances, breaking down what they mean in terms of his development, concluding with a detailed overall analysis of the areas of his game which he needs to improve upon.

Matchday 27 – February 14, 2022 – SD Ponferradina 3-2 Real Sociedad B

Jogo had an impressive showing for his first outing with his new team, in a new league, and in a new country. He showed real quality on the ball, confidence, composure, and good decision making on both ends of the pitch. Putting his technical ability center stage, Gómez completed 87.5% of his passes, delivered dangerous balls into the box, and had a 100% dribble success rate. He was ever present on the left flank, making dangerous runs into the box, tracking back to defend, drawing two fouls, and even winning a penalty by cutting inside with a brilliant, lung bursting run into the box, forcing the keeper to commit to a sliding challenge. In the same vein, Jogo put on a solid defensive performance, winning 100% of his ground duels and tackles, as well as 50% of his aerial duels. Additionally, the young left back registered an impressive 8 recoveries, 2 interceptions, and 1 clearance in a performance that perhaps offers a glimpse into what Jogo at his best could look like. The only major criticism that I have of this performance is that he skied a massive chance right in front of goal on a low volley, he has lots of room to improve on his finishing, but as a player that often finds himself in the right positions, it is a great sign that he has the confidence to take those first time chances himself.

I rate this performance a solid 7.5/10, it would have been an 8.3/10 if he had put that shot on target, and a 9/10 if he had scored that.

Jonathan Gomez Real Sociedad B Debut vs Ponferradina

Matchday 28 – February 19, 2022 – Real Sociedad B 2-0 Málaga CF

This performance was a real struggle for Jogo, despite making some good runs and even getting a hockey assist, he really couldn’t get anything going for him technically. Likewise, excluding a performance saving goal line clearance, his defensive contributions left a lot to be desired. Now, before you go and write off his first performance as a fluke, allow me to provide you with some context as to the state of play in this match. Coming out of USL, it was expected that he would struggle his first time playing against a side that parks the bus and keeps possession. Málaga were playing for a 0-0 draw and tried to keep the ball in midfield, playing a 3-2-4-1 with wing backs, a flat 4 midfield, and a deep lying forward sitting just ahead of them. In the first half they had 49% possession, 0 attempts on goal, 0 corners, 0 crosses, and 3 yellow cards. You get the picture, they parked the bus, conceded in the 35th minute, and then made offensive minded changes in the second half after they conceded another goal in the 52nd minute. In need of two goals, they brought on a left winger and their first choice striker in place of a 19 year old striker and a wide midfielder in the 57th minute, switching to a 3-4-3. They had 80% possession, 7 attempts on goal, 6 corners, 3 big chances, 4 crosses, 1 yellow card, and out-passed RSB 332-83. The changes that they made in the 79th minute were all like for like. They couldn’t finish to save their lives, they scuffed two of the three chances that they had, and Jogo cleared the other one off the line. That being said, Gómez was kept quiet on the ball by a parked bus in the first half, held to only 14 from 20 passing, 0 from 4 dribbling, 0 from 3 crossing, and 0 from 4 attempts at long balls. In similar fashion, Jogo made poor decisions in the final third, opting not to make an early pass to set up a give-and-go with his striker on the counter, instead continuing his run. Once in the 18-yard box, rather than making the cut back to an unmarked teammate just outside the arc with an open look on goal, Gómez slowed the counter with unnecessary dribbling. In the second half, the young left back got torn apart defensively by grown men playing dominant attacking football, he went 0 from 6 in his ground duels and got dribbled past on his lone tackle attempt. Much the same, he lost possession 16 times and was directly dispossessed once. There were however some redeemable parts of his performance, including the aforementioned pre-assist and spectacular goal line clearance with his trailing right foot while sliding in towards goal. Other standouts were a good shot block, a clever back-heeled flick to win a throw-in, and a clearance from inside the arc. He also made 6 ball recoveries, an interception, and won 50% of his aerial duels. Jogo has much to improve on from this performance, particularly his physical strength, vision, and decision making in the final third.

I rate his performance against Málaga a 7.3/10.

https://twitter.com/USMNTZ/status/1495159740695216131?s=20&t=9PutwkP5fL2EzA_cSUs_2w

Matchday 29 – February 26, 2022 – Real Oviedo 0-1 Real Sociedad B

This was easily Jogo’s worst performance so far with Real Sociedad B, he made a massive defensive error in the 90th minute that would have cost his team two points, if not for an excellent penalty save by Andoni Zubiaurre. Gómez committed a handball inside the penalty box while defending against a 40-ish yard indirect freekick from 10-man Real Oviedo. This is basic defending, you don’t contest a header leading with your hands way above your head. He ends up handling the ball a few times here. Jogo has awful technique when contesting aerial duels, even when he wins them. Adding onto that, another shortcoming of his is that he lacks physical strength, this is quite apparent from the fact that he was dispossessed three times and only won 37.5% of his ground duels. In addition, he lost possession a concerning amount of times for a defender, while only recovering the ball twice. Just the same, his tackling was poor, he once again couldn’t buy an accurate long ball, and he registered a well below average passing accuracy of 60.9%. The kid has real quality on both ends of the pitch, but he gets bullied off the ball very easily. On the contrary, despite the glaring issues, Jogo did put in some good line breaking runs, drew two fouls, and completed a nice little dribble. He even put in a good cross and made a key pass, as well as registering an average amount of clearances and interceptions. His defending was very poor here, at one point he even let his mark get past him, and who would have been in on goal 1v1 with the keeper, if it wasn’t for his poor ball control.

Anyway you slice it, this performance is a 6.3/10.

Matchday 30 – March 7, 2022 – Real Sociedad B 2-1 Sporting Gijón

Jogo really bounced back from his slump with this performance, there were a lot of visible improvements from the last two matches. He started the match off brightly, making a dynamic run in the 13th minute from his own half into the 18-yard box, ending with a low-struck effort towards the far post which was met with a block by a defender. Gómez made numerous line breaking runs into the box, constantly finding himself in good positions to receive and progress the ball. He progressed the ball well against Sporting, registering an impressive 2 key passes, a solid 73.3% passing accuracy, and delivered 1 accurate cross from 3 attempts. Jogo seems to have learned to stick to his strengths, avoiding attempting any long balls, in favor of carrying the ball up the pitch himself and making quick give-and-go passes. He looked really good on the ball, kept his dribbles tidy, and made 6 ball recoveries. Just as well, Gomez tidied up his defense as he won 66.7% of his ground duels and made 1 clearance. Equally, the young left back made good use of his pace to make an interception, and then draw a foul 30 yards out from the opposition goal. In doing this, he won a freekick in a good position and snuffed out a potential counter attack. On the other hand, the only criticisms that I can make about this performance are that Jogo lost possession 15 times and was dispossessed once.

I rate this performance a 7.4/10.

Room For Improvement

Jogo would particularly benefit from increasing his physical strength inorder to become less susceptible to being muscled off the ball in contact situations. In addition, while Gómez has good ball-striking technique, he often delivers crosses to where he expects his teammates to be, rather than where they actually are. Similarly, his decision making in the final third needs improvement as he tends to lean too heavily on his dribbling, opting to take extra touches to cut into the box and deliver the ball with crosses or cut-backs, rather than making the early pass or playing the give-and-go when the opportunity presents itself. Building on that, when a cut-back does present itself, sometimes Jogo ignores it in favor of dribbling further into the box and squaring the ball to a teammate that isn’t in a good position to score. Lastly, he is a good defender, but my biggest concerns are that he just isn’t strong enough yet and his aerial technique is awful. Nothing that good coaching, a change diet, and physically maturing can’t fix.

First Team Debut? A World Cup Qualifiers Call Up?

This is a hard no for me, as he hasn’t even completely settled into La Liga 2 just yet. And, while his first and fourth performances were solid, the other two were very poor. To make it clear. Jogo is not yet ready for La Liga, he has had growing pains and is still adapting to his new team in a new environment. I firmly believe that rushing Gómez into the first team at Real Sociedad without fully integrating him would only hurt his development, and the coaching staff there seemingly agree. Just the same, if not more so, rushing an 18 year old, especially one who hasn’t even broken into the first team at his club yet, into USMNT set up for World Cup Qualifiers will only serve to hinder him. Although Jonathan Gómez is a fantastic prospect, he is nowhere near developed enough to play in WCQ, this fanbase needs a reality check.

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USMNT

From Maradona to Messi

Published

5 days ago

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October 31, 2025

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From Maradona to Messi: A Quick Look at World Cups 1986–2022 

Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

A quick look back at the last ten World Cups reveals how the world’s greatest sporting event has evolved and grown through the decades. With over 200 days until the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off, here’s a high-level recap of the tournaments that shaped its legacy, and a glimpse of what’s next.

1986 – Mexico


Diego Maradona delivered a World Cup for the ages, scoring both the “Goal of the Century” and the infamous “Hand of God” in the same match, then leading Argentina past West Germany to claim their second World Cup title.

1990 – Italy

** FILE ** Argentina’s Diego Maradona and West Germany’s Guido Buchwald tangle with one another during the World Cup soccer final in Rome on August, 7, 1990, won by the Germans 1-0. Argentina and Germany will meet Friday June 30 in Berlin in a quarterfinal match of the 2006 soccer World Cup. (AP Photo)

The USA returned to the World Cup after a 50-year absence in what became the lowest-scoring tournament in history, as West Germany edged Argentina 1–0 on a late penalty. It marked West Germany’s final World Cup before reunification.

1994 – United States

The USA hosted its first-ever World Cup, setting all-time attendance records as Brazil defeated Italy in the tournament’s first final decided by a penalty shootout in front of the largest crowds in US since the 1984 Olympics.

1998 – France

FIFA’s first 32-team World Cup saw host nation France capture its first-ever title, becoming the seventh country to win the trophy. Led by Zinedine Zidane triumphed on home soil with a commanding victory over defending champions Brazil.

2002 – South Korea/Japan

The first World Cup with co-hosting nations saw South Korea stun many by reaching the semifinals, while Brazil claimed their fifth title, powered by Ronaldo’s two goals in the final against Germany.

2006 – Germany 

Germany came up short on home soil, losing in extra time to eventual first-time finalist Italy in the semifinal. Italy went on to claim its fourth World Cup, edging France on penalties in a final forever marked by Zidane’s infamous headbutt in extra time.

2010 – South Africa

The first World Cup hosted by a CAF nation, South Africa, saw the host nation become the first ever to fail to advance past the group stage. Meanwhile, Spain captured their first World Cup, showcasing their tiki-taka mastery and defeating the Netherlands in extra-time with Andrés Iniesta’s decisive goal.

 

2014 – Brazil 

Host nation Brazil reached the semifinals on home soil but suffered a shocking 7–1 defeat to Germany and then fell 3-0 to the Netherlands in the third-place match. Germany went on to defeat Argentina in extra time, with Mario Götze scoring the decisive goal, while Lionel Messi claimed the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.

2018 – Russia

France’s golden generation, spearheaded by tournament Best Young Player Kylian Mbappé, captured their second World Cup title with a thrilling 4–2 victory over Croatia, led by Golden Ball winner Luka Modrić.

2022 – Qatar

Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Semi Final – Argentina v Croatia – Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar – December 13, 2022 Argentina’s Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring their second goal with Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Nahuel Molina as Croatia’s Dominik Livakovic and teammates look dejected REUTERS/Carl Recine

The 2022 World Cup, overshadowed by controversies over migrant worker treatment and extreme heat, which pushed the tournament to November and December, ultimately delivered a historic finale. Lionel Messi achieved crowning glory as Argentina triumphed on penalties in a thrilling 3–3 final against France, highlighted by Kylian Mbappé’s hat-trick.

2026 – United States/Mexico/Canada

The 2026 World Cup will feature a major expansion from 32 to 48 teams and, for the first time ever, be hosted by three nations. Mexico will make history as the first country to host matches in three different World Cups, while the United States becomes the sixth nation to host at least twice. What unforgettable moments will define this landmark tournament?

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USMNT

One Home or Many? The Debate Over a Primary Venue for U.S. Soccer

Published

3 weeks ago

on

October 16, 2025

By

Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

The logics of the United States make it almost impossible for the USMNT or USWNT to have a primary venue to play all of their home matches but a trend of playing in a handful of stadiums has been developing over the last couple of cycles. US Soccer says there are specific factors behind where matches are played, some make sense, while others come across as lazy or lacking creativity.

If and when Major League Soccer aligns with the FIFA calendar and observes international breaks, more MLS stadiums could become available for matches. While not all MLS venues currently feature natural grass, US Soccer has indicated they would be willing to invest in installing grass, though at a cost of around $500K and with potential concerns about surface reliability.

Global Approach to Scheduling

Many of the top-tier international teams play their World Cup qualifiers and other critical matches in a primary venue or two. Here’s a sample of some of those countries and generally where they play based on my research.

Here are some of the more notable nations that play nearly all of their home matches at a single venue, a setup made practical by their smaller size and simpler logistics, which also makes it easier for fans.

Germany and Spain are known for rotating their non-critical home matches across multiple venues.


Argentina-Estadio Monumental (River Plate)

Belgium– King Baudouin Stadium (Brussels)

Colombia-Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez

England-Wembley Stadium

France– Stade de France (Saint-Denis, near Paris)

Italy-Stadio Olimpico

Northern Ireland-Windsor Park (Belfast)

Norway-Ullevaal Stadion (Oslo)

Portugal– Estádio da Luz (Lisbon)

Republic of Ireland-Aviva Stadium (Dublin) 

Scotland-Hampden Park (Glasgow)

Uruguay-Estadio Centenario

Wales-Cardiff City Stadium

What’s in a location?

Here’s a look at the past few cycles, highlighting the USMNT’s home matches and the venues they’ve used. While US Soccer has clarified that they don’t control Gold Cup or Nations League venue selection, a point still under debate, they do manage the locations for Friendlies and World Cup qualifiers and continue to review and adjust those choices.

2026 Cycle (Matches Scheduled Through the end of 2025) – 46 Home Matches – 30 unique cities

So far, half of the USMNT’s home matches in the 2026 cycle have been held across eight venues. Only two more windows, March and May/June, remain for Friendlies before the 2026 World Cup.

  • 4-AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
  • 4-Energizer Park, previously CityPark, St. Louis, Missouri
  • 4-Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas
  • 3-Inter&Co Stadium (previously Orlando City Stadium and Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Florida
  • 2-Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada
  • 2-Geodis Park, Nashville, Tennessee
  • 2-Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Connecticut
  • 2-TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio


AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

2022 Cycle – 43 Home Matches – 24 unique cities

I can almost give US Soccer a pass on city and venue selection during the 2022 cycle, given the global circumstances at the time. That said, it’s interesting that they scheduled three consecutive home World Cup qualifiers in Ohio, with final round two matches in Columbus. Columbus has been a recurring choice, hosting multiple qualifiers in 2014, 2018, and 2022, handling one match each during both the semifinal and final rounds of qualifying in 2014 and 2018.


Lower.com, Columbus, Ohio

2018 Cycle – 47 Home Matches – 33 unique cities

During the 2018 cycle, the USMNT played in a wider variety of cities and venues. Aside from four matches in Carson, California for the January camp, they only repeated a location eleven times.


Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA

2014 Cycle – 43 Home Matches – 29 unique cities

During the 2014 cycle, the USMNT repeated cities twelve times, but only two cities hosted more than two matches: Carson, California, where two of three games were for Camp Cupcake, and Kansas City, Kansas, which hosted three matches.


Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas

2010 Cycle – 35 Home Matches – 18 unique cities

One of the leanest home schedules in recent cycles saw the USMNT play in just 18 different cities, with 11 of them hosting only a single match. Over half of their home games were concentrated in four cities: Carson, California (7 matches); Chicago, Illinois (5 matches); and Foxborough, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. (3 matches each).


Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

2006 Cycle – 44 Home Matches – 24 unique cities

The USMNT played eight matches in Foxborough, Massachusetts—double the number held in the next two cities, Columbus, Ohio, and Miami, Florida, which each hosted four matches. Notably, the team has excelled in Foxborough, losing only once in 22 games played there.


Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, MA

2002 Cycle – 38 Home Matches – 16 unique cities

During the 2002 cycle, California was clearly a preferred destination for the USMNT, hosting matches in five different cities across twelve games. Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. each hosted five matches as well. 

GENERAL VIEW OF THE CROWD AND THE STADIUM 1994 WORLD CUP FINAL BRAZIL V ITALY FOOTBALL ROSEBOWL LOS ANGELES USA PHOTO: CRISPIN THRUSTON ©SPORTING PICTURES (UK) LTD TEL:+44 020 7405 4500 FAX:+44 020 7831 7991 www.sportingpictures.com Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Sporting Pictures


Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA

1998 Cycle– 40 Home Matches – 21 unique cities

Washington D.C. was the city of choice for the USMNT during the 1998 cycle playing six matches. The USMNT would also play more than two matches in Los Angeles, California (5 matches), Foxborough, Massachusetts (4 matches) and Pasadena, California (3 matches) while playing only one match in twelve other cities.

Southeast (Washington DC) RFK Stadium

RFK Stadium, Washington, DC

Long Term Venue Strategy

While US Soccer may favor a single venue for most USMNT and USWNT matches, doing so would limit access for thousands of fans across the country. However, with the move to Georgia and the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center set to open in early 2026, ahead of the World Cup, it’s likely that future matches will focus on venues within three to four hours of Atlanta. We can expect the majority of games to continue taking place in roughly ten to twelve core cities.

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The constructing of a World Cup roster

Published

2 months ago

on

September 13, 2025

By

Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

With the September FIFA window now in the rearview mirror, and only three more windows left before final rosters are set in late May or early June 2026, Mauricio Pochettino has drawn a clear line.

He’s stated that September’s camp was the “last camp to have the possibility for new faces.”

If we take him at his word, the nearly 70 players who’ve been called across six camps and the Gold Cup will form the pool from which he selects the 2026 World Cup squad.

Of the 60 players named to the 2025 Gold Cup provisional roster, only five, Maxi Dietz, Richie Ledezma, Tim Tillman, Caleb Wiley, and Griffin Yow, have yet to appear on a #USMNT roster under Pochettino.

Comparing the 2025 Nations League provisional roster to the Gold Cup list reveals over a dozen different players, raising the question: are these minor differences simply the edges of the player pool Pochettino intends to draw from?

Goalkeepers 

Nine goalkeepers have been called into Pochettino’s camps, but it’s clear that Matt Freese is his first-choice right now, with Matt Turner likely the No. 2 as we sit just 10 months from the World Cup.

  • Chris Brady
  • Drake Callender
  • Roman Celentano
  • Matt Freese
  • Ethan Horvath
  • Jonathan Klinsmann
  • Diego Kochen
  • Patrick Schulte
  • Zack Steffen
  • Matt Turner

Fullbacks

Outside of Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson, the USMNT’s fullback depth remains a concern. Pochettino appears high on MLS defenders Alex Freeman and Max Arfsten, while Caleb Wiley, though yet to feature in a USMNT camp but named to recent provisional rosters, could still be on his depth chart.

  • Max Arfsten
  • Sergino Dest
  • Alex Freeman
  • Marlon Fossey
  • DeJuan Jones
  • Kristoffer Lund
  • Shaquell Moore
  • Antonee Robinson
  • Joe Scally
  • John Tolkin

Centerbacks

Center back remains another position with uncertain depth. Chris Richards and the veteran Tim Ream look like locks for now, leaving three spots up for grabs. If Pochettino opts for a back three, that tactical shift could influence which players ultimately make the cut. Notably, Jackson Ragen and Maxi Dietz are the only center backs from the recent provisional rosters who haven’t been called into a USMNT camp.

  • Noahkai Banks
  • Tristan Blackmon
  • George Campbell
  • Cameron Carter-Vickers
  • Mark McKenzie
  • Tim Ream
  • Chris Richards
  • Miles Robinson
  • Auston Trusty
  • Walker Zimmerman

Central Midfielders

The central midfield position is the deepest for the #USMNT, with many players in the pool capable of also playing fullback, center back, or winger. Although Richie Ledezma has primarily played as a right back and right wing-back for his current club and for PSV last season, USMNT coaches view him primarily as a midfielder. This likely explains why he hasn’t yet been called into a USMNT camp.

  • Tyler Adams
  • Sebastian Berhalter
  • Gianluca Busio
  • Johnny Cardoso
  • Ben Cremaschi
  • Luca de la Torre
  • Emeka Eneli
  • Jack McGlynn
  • Weston McKennie
  • Aidan Morris
  • Yunus Musah
  • Tanner Tessmann
  • Sean Zawadzki

Attacking Midfielders

There are several players at this position who could add real quality and play pivotal roles for the #USMNT at next summer’s World Cup. Gio Reyna remains a major question mark, but his talent is undeniable. With his recent club change, there’s hope he can return to the high level of form we’ve seen from him in the past.

  • Brenden Aaronson
  • Paxten Aaronson
  • Brian Gutiérrez
  • Djordje Mihailovic
  • Matko Miljevic
  • Gio Reyna
  • Malik Tillman

Wingers

The winger position remains thin for the #USMNT, though several players there can also slot in as attacking midfielders, strikers, or even fullback. Notably, two young wingers, Cole Campbell and Griffin Yow, appeared on provisional rosters but have yet to be called into any Pochettino camp.

  • Cade Cowell
  • Diego Luna
  • Christian Pulisic
  • Quinn Sullivan
  • Indiana Vassilev
  • Tim Weah
  • Haji Wright
  • Alejandro Zendejas

Strikers

Another area of concern for the USMNT is striker depth. While the top options have all produced well for their clubs when healthy, injuries have kept the pool thin. If everyone is fit, the primary competition for the starting role likely comes down to three players: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Josh Sargent. Haji Wright and Tim Weah can also step in as center-forward options if needed.

  • Patrick Agyemang
  • Folarin Balogun
  • Damion Downs
  • Jesus Ferreira
  • Ricardo Pepi
  • Josh Sargent
  • Brandon Vazquez
  • Brian White

Conclusion

It’s tough to read Pochettino’s mindset right now. Many expect fewer MLS players to be called for the October window, partly because the league continues through FIFA dates and the regular season ends mid-October.

Most World Cup rosters largely select themselves, with only a few surprising omissions, think of the 1994 squad, which left out several players many felt deserved a spot.

But with Pochettino still showing a shaky grasp of the USMNT player pool, this cycle could produce more notable snubs than ever, though there’s still time for him to get it right.

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