Connect with us

Club News

How the USMNT climate needs to change the way we evaluate our talent pool.

Published

on

@BalltruisticVue

So we sit here on March 28, 2020, not a sporting event in sight, and the world hastily/abruptly coming to a screeching halt. I found myself thinking about the United States Men’s National Team (shocker) talent evaluation. Specifically, the way we determine whether or not a particular player has a future in the national team picture.

Now, if you spend enough time on twitter (and lord knows we all do) you start to notice certain trends about #USMNT twitter. USMNT twitter is the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Nothing bears that more honestly then the talent evaluation spouted out about the nation’s player pool. Players are revered one day by a group of people, and then those same players are berated and ridiculed the next week when they either don’t play or don’t produce up to what the previous week’s results were.

This style of rash judgement and, quite frankly, wrong judgement got me thinking that over the course of the last 15-20 years (my fan-hood dates back to 2002-2003ish. So forgive me for not being a complete nutcase about the 90s teams. The way we evaluate our talent pool is way out of whack and wildly ineffective.

For the most part, our evaluation of players relies on their club performance, which is the way it is in most countries across the world. And we absolutely should rely on that because, quite honestly, that’s a bulk of their play we get to see. However, because our nation’s talent pool is spread out across the globe, it’s hard to track progress and get an accurate feel for the pool itself across the different leagues. Then, when all the players come together for a camp, we expect certain players to rise above because they were going nuts for their club team, and when they don’t it becomes a massive debate throughout the USMNT universe.

We’re actually making this process more complicated than it needs to be/should be.

So, with all that being said, I have a few simple solutions to judge our talent pool and who should be in or out, considered or cast away, rated or not rated.

1 ) THE EYE TEST

This for me is the number one evaluator of USMNT players in our system, and it’s really quite simple…. The player should JUMP off the screen if they are to be included in the USMNT rosters.

Now, this may seem easier said than done, but hear me out. (Also, is anything ever easier DONE than SAID?)

When I watch a game, in any game, there are players that are playing and there are players that are leaping off the screen. It may not be a significant number of players, but each game has someone that you notice and say, “Huh, that’s interesting.”

Here’s a smaller scale example:

I was an NYCFC ticket holder for the first 4 seasons of the club and EVERY time my buddies and I went to watch a game there were a few guys who jumped off the field. One of those players was Jonathan Lewis, a recent call up of a couple January camps and a much criticized player across the talent pool. Everytime Lewis was subbed on, he created a spark, he created energy, and he made something happen out of nothing. Is he a polished player? No. Is he a full 90 minute player? Probably not. But the point still stands that someone who’s being evaluated on the international level should have an impact every time they step on the field.

Larger scale example:

Clint Dempsey

2006 World Cup group stage game against Italy. The US had a ton of hype going into the tournament and pretty much laid an egg, but managed a draw against Italy in the group stage. There was this right midfielder for the US who kept bombing and attacking Italy’s left back. He had no fear, he had swagger, he had an attitude like he thought he belonged on the field with, arguably, the world’s best team. He LEAPT OFF THE SCREEN. Turns out that guy went on to have a pretty great career.

Newest examples:

Christian Pulisic

On that fateful night in October 2017, it wasn’t veterans Dempsey, Bradley, and Altidore the team was looking for. It was an 18 year old kid who showed no fear and supreme skill level that they were looking for to right the ship.

Gio Reyna

Immediately steps on the field at one of the biggest clubs in one of the biggest leagues on the planet and starts running at defenders, picking out needle passes, and then does things like this. Gio Reyna wondergoal vs Werder Bremen

We don’t need to complicate the evaluations of our players in the talent pool any further than this: They don’t show the way Pulisic and Reyna show. It’s really not more complicated than that. They both play in the top leagues in europe, and they both flash every time they get on the field.

We need to stop coddling our young players and “easing” them into the program if they are already the best players in the pool. And we need to stop over analyzing the trajectory of what players are going to be and start realizing what they are now.

2 ) Are they getting minutes for their team, regardless of where that team plays?

This is a simple one for me. You have to be getting minutes to be getting better. If you aren’t getting minutes you need to move to a different team/league or fight for a spot. Pulisic made the big move to Chelsea and wasn’t getting time in the beginning of his tenure there. He fought, scrapped, clawed his way into some time and then when he got the time, absolutely lit it up.

We need that type of fight and competitive drive in our players no matter if they are in MLS or if they are in the Premier League.

A perfect example of this is Matt Miazga, a player that the USMNT world appears to be obsessed with. Whenever he steps on the field for his club team he looks solid, and his few stints with the USMNT he’s been solid as well. But he’s been the subject of 3 loan moves since 2016, which tells me his home club, Chelsea, don’t have a plan for him. We can also incorporate rule 1 with Miazga as well… Does he leap off the screen? Maybe? It seems as though our fan base has penciled him in as one of our leading center backs and in my opinion, someone like Aaron Long has earned that spot much more than Miazga has.

The thought process behind this rule is: Get on the field and produce.

3 ) Gamers vs Practice Players

Now to be fair, much of the USMNT media and twitter universe doesn’t have access to practices, especially because there are so few of them. However, we can make some assumptions based on coaches lineup selections that there are some players who just show really well in practice and then step on the field and don’t produce.

Two examples: Timothy Chandler and Christian Roldan.

Timmy Chandler

Jurgen Klinnsman used to ALWAYS call him into camps and constantly put him in the lineup as the first choice right back. He plays and has played well for his club team, but whenever he put on the US shirt it seemed to shrink him to a below average player. I’m willing to bet he was someone who stood out in practice and did everything the coaching and technical staff asked, but when the lights came on, he was supremely ineffective. (For what it’s worth, my least liked player of the last 10 years for the US)

Christian Roldan

Another player who’s been in nearly every one of, current coach, Gregg Berhalter’s plans. A player that produces weekly for Seattle Sounders in MLS so he checks evaluation boxes for 1 and 2. But when it comes time to step on the field for the USMNT, the international game just seems like it’s too much for him. He has been given ample opportunity and time and time again he has come up short. At some point we know what we have in players like these. They have been given their shot and didn’t do anything with it. Time for the next guy’s chance.

In turn, we have guys in our program who came in and just constantly did their job and produced on the international level.

Aaron Long & Reggie Cannon

Both Long and Cannon have been fixtures in Berhalter’s recent rosters and both started out as head scratchers and then blossomed into, arguably, two members of the USMNT starting XI. Long isn’t the fastest, strongest, best in the air, but he’s constantly in the right spot and always making great defensive plays. The same goes for Cannon. Cannon isn’t the best going forward, isn’t the best positionally on defense, but he has a quality about him that most of our players don’t have: He gives zero F’s (as the kids say).

At some point we have to stop waiting and waiting for the players we THINK are going to be good for the US, and start putting forward the guys who produce when the lights come on for our country. It’s really as simple as that. Guys like Roldan, Chandler, Lovitz, and even Wondolowski from the past have been given their chances multiple times and multiple times have failed to live up to it.

Meanwhile players like Dempsey, Bradley, Pulisic, Long, Cannon have been given their opportunities and you can tell within the first 5 minutes that they belong on the field. THAT is what we need to get back to when we evaluate our talent. Enough of the analytics and the over analyzing of what each player does in practice or for what system. Let’s get the guys with some bite, some swagger, and some attitude back on the field for the USMNT so we can return to what made us rock in the first place.

Our fight.

Club News

From Louisville to Lisbon: Joshua Wynder’s Journey with S.L. Benfica

Published

on

The current state of the USMNT has been at an all-time low since Couva in 2017.  One of the positions in dire situation is Center Back.  Tim Ream will be 38 by the time of the 2026 World Cup.  Chris Richards has too many highs and lows and has not shown his club form with the US.  Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty have yet to perform for the national team.  Miles Robinson, despite what many MLS fans want to believe, is not good enough and makes too many errors, like the second Turkish goal on June 7th, 2025.  Walker Zimmerman has one World Cup left in him and he has a history of making critical errors as well, like the penalty against Gareth Bale in the 2022 World Cup.  Lastly, Mark McKenzie has improved his game since his move to Toulouse, but he is lacking the deserved opportunities and a good partnership.

Our U20 CBs will need to be called up sooner rather than later, either before or immediately after the 2026 World Cup.  The top 3 prospects by fans and analysts are Noahkai Banks, Matai Akinmboni, and Joshua Wynder.  Of the three, Joshua Wynder is the oldest at 20 years old and is part of a club that is world-renowned for their development, S.L. Benfica.

How did Wynder manage to accomplish such a move from Louisville City in the USL Championship to Benfica?  To summarize, Wynder had a breakout season for Lou City at 17 years old in 2022, so much so that he was included in the US U20 World Cup team in 2023. 

LOUvOKC.Photographer: EM Dash Photography

Wynder secured a spot to go on trial at Benfica and passed.  On June 8th, 2023, Benfica officially acquired Joshua Wynder from Lou City for a record-breaking $1.2 million transfer fee, which still stands today.

Louisville City FC, LOUvPIT.Photographer: EM Dash Photography

Benfica registered Wynder with the second team for the 2023/2024 season, who participate in Liga Portugal 2.  Due to Portuguese rules (players play in the youth system until they are 19 years old), he spent the season with Benfica’s UEFA Youth League team and U23 team and only received 21 minutes with the B team until a season-ending injury.  What began as a promising start, with the support of the fans, was cut short after just six matches.  The following season went according to plan for Wynder.  Wynder became a consistent starter for the B team where he started in 29 matches and appeared in a total of 31 matches.  He also scored four goals, all headers from corners. 


His success with the B team made him a fan-favorite and several calls to be called up to the first team by fans on social media.  That day came on April 9th, 2025, when he made the team sheet for Benfica’s Taça de Portugal Semi-Final match against FC Tirsense.  Wynder made his first team debut when he was subbed in at the 76th minute mark of that match.  He made a following appearance on the bench for the first team in their second leg match against FC Tirsense.

As early as November 27, 2024, it was reported by Glorioso 1904 that Joshua Wynder had gained the attention of the Benfica manager, Bruno Lage.  The report further said that Wynder was becoming an option for the next season’s first team.  A similar report surfaced on March 25, 2025, by Record, in Portugal, that Wynder is on track to be with the first team for the 2025/2026 season.  That day may be coming sooner rather than later.  Joshua Wynder will be joining Benfica on their 2025 Club World Cup campaign.  This will be a true test for him to prove to Bruno Lage that he is ready to be part of the first team for the upcoming 2025/2026 Liga Portugal and UEFA Champions League season.  If he is given serious minutes with the first team and performs, Joshua Wynder needs to be considered for the 2026 World Cup or immediately following the World Cup.


Benfica is in Group C of the Club World Cup with Auckland City, Bayern München, and Boca Juniors.  Their first match is against Boca Juniors, 33-time Argentine champions, on June 16th.  Game two is on June 20th against 10-time New Zealander champions, Auckland City FC.  Lastly, their 3rd group stage match is against the 6-time UEFA Champions League winners, Bayern München, on June 24th.

Continue Reading

Club News

American Transfers: Stock Up & Stock Down

Published

on

The 2024 summer transfer window closed on September 1st and over a dozen Americans made a move in the two-month span.  These players range from youth players, like Mathias Albert, to veteran players like John Brooks.  Some moves were great, and some were not.  This article will review several of these transfers and determine if it was a stock up or stock down.

Sergiño Dest & Malik Tillman to PSV- Stock Up

Both Dest and Malik Tillman went on loan (with option to buy) to PSV in the Eredivisie at the start of last season.  Both had a great season where they could have gone to a better league for this season.  PSV decided to trigger both player’s buy option, making them permanent players for the Dutch club.  These are good moves in my opinion because Dest had a regrettable loan to Milan two seasons ago and a difficult relationship with Xavi Hernandez. 

Dest needs another season (in his case, half a season) with the Dutch club to develop, recover his young career, and show clubs that he can compete in the UCL.  The same goes for Tillman, who needs to further develop his attacking, work rate, and ability to compete in the UCL.  If both can replicate and/or take a step up from their performance from last season, they should return to a top 5 league.  (Note: Bayern has a buy-back option for Malik Tillman)

Santiago Castañeda to Paderborn- Stock Up

The Tampa-born Colombian-American spent last season with the 3. Liga with Duisburg where he appeared in 31 matches with 2 goals and 2 assists.  This season, he is with Paderborn, a consistent 2. Bundesliga club and he already has a goal in 5 starts across all competitions.  This is impressive when you realize that Santiago will be turning 20 years old on November 13th.  US fans (who do not follow USL closely) are just now learning about him and some probably have already written him off because of his background. 

He is taking a similar path as Lennard Maloney, who played in both 3. Liga and 2. Bundesliga before moving back up to the Bundesliga.  In Santiago’s case, he started with Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL Championship before moving to Duisburg.  To add to the move being a stock up because of moving up a league, he is also a CDM, a position that the US is lacking depth at.  Other American CDMs who are in about his age (+/- 1 years old) are Daniel Edelman, Moses Nyeman, Marcel Ruszel, and Ethan Kohler (although, he is being converted to an RB) to name a few.  If he continues down this path, he can become the #1 American CDM in his age group followed by Pedro Soma (who is 2 years younger than Santiago) in the next age group.

Paxten Aaronson to Utrecht- Stock Up

The Paris Olympian will be heading back to the Eredivisie, but this time, he will be joining fellow Americans Taylor Booth and Rickson van Hees at Utrecht.  Paxten had a successful half season with Vitesse where he had 4 goals in 14 appearances.  As a CAM, he is competing against Gio Reyna and Malik Tillman (both being only a year older) for a spot on the USMNT.  Right now, he is not beating either one of them out, even with Gio being injury prone and Tillman’s lack of producibility for the USMNT. 

Gio has had several occasions of great moments with the national team and Tillman is coming off a 24-goal contribution season.  Going back to the Eredivisie would greatly help his development before heading back to Eintracht Frankfurt.  Also, if he has a more productive season than Tillman, then there is an argument to make Paxten the #2 CAM for the USMNT.  Currently, Tillman has 4 goal contributions in 5 matches across all competitions to Paxten’s 1 assist in 4 matches.

Caleb Wiley to Chelsea with loan to Strasbourg- Stock Up

This is one of the players who needed a move this summer and who was able to get an upgrade.  Caleb Wiley arguably has the highest ceiling amongst our U23 LBs.  Now, Strasbourg is employing him more as an LWB, which is, in my opinion, his best position.  Last season at Atlanta, Wiley started as a LW that led to a fantastic form.  When he moved to LB, he became inconsistent and stagnated, but he played more as a LWB and his form went back up.  Along with that and with him turning 20 in December, he needed to get out of MLS. 

We see what happens to players who stay in the MLS too long, i.e. John Tolkin, who has struggled to transition his club form to the USMNT, and Brandon Vazquez, who is now struggling to start for Monterrey and out of the USMNT picture.  Playing in a top 5 league and being developed into an LWB can help him unlock his full potential.  To add, Wiley already has 2 starts, a halftime substitution, and an assist for Strasbourg.

Rodrigo Neri to Atlanta 2- Stock Down

This is one of the most disappointing moves for those who follow the USYNT U20 team and the future state of the USMNT striker position.  Neri’s young career has dramatically fallen in just one year.  He was part of the Atletico de Madrid academy since 2021 but left their U19 team for Valencia U19 to now Atlanta 2.  Based on Be Soccer, Neri had 0 goal contributions in just only 11 matches for both Spanish U19 teams.  7 games in and Neri already has 3 goals and 1 assist for Atlanta 2.  This can either mean he has improved, returned to his Atletico U19 B form (where he had 17 goals in 32 matches), and/or that MLSNP is weaker than División de Honor Juvenil (the league that Atleti U19 is part of).  Either way, we can already see that his lack of goals has impacted his international career. 

The last time that he was part of the team was the U19/20 March camp against Morocco and England.  He was left off the CONCACAF U20 Championship for Keyrol Figueroa and Marcos Zambrano.  This is after being part of the U19 team that participated in the 2023 PanAm Games where he had 1 goal in 5 matches.  Besides that, he had scored a goal against England and a brace against Norway when he was part of the U17 team in 2022.  AS USA even had a piece on Neri back in 2022 calling him the next big thing for the US. 

Usually, this far of a drop would almost take you out of the international conversation but knowing US Soccer’s habit of calling up MLSNP players like Sergio Oregel Jr., there is still a chance that Neri can be back in the conversation in time of the 2025 U20 World Cup.  The only positive thing about this move is that it could help him get his career back on track.

Vaughn Covil to Las Vegas- Stock Down

For Covil’s career, this was the right move to make.  For his international career, it only leaves the Philippines for him.  His chances with England were never going to happen.  2-3 years ago, you could have said he had a chance with the US and even more with Canada with the right development.  Now, he is better off committing to the Philippines if he wants to have an international career. 

It’s a stock down move because it would’ve been better if he had made a deal with an EFL League 2 club than coming to the USL Championship and because he is limited to just one national team instead of four.  Hopefully, he does well at Las Vegas and can get a call-up by the Philippines.

Jonathan Gomez to PAOK- Stock Down

This move is one of the most disappointing of all the transfers this summer by an American.  While at Louisville and with the USYNT, he looked like a future LB/LWB option for the USMNT and another dual national battle with Mexico.  When he went to Real Sociedad and after his successful loan to Mirandes in La Liga 2, things were in an upward trajectory.  He left Real Sociedad (likely because they didn’t want to extend his contract, so they opt to sell him to make a profit) for reigning Greek champions, PAOK.  When it should have been a positive that he will be playing in his first season at a 1st division, it is a negative because of it being the Greek Super League 1.  PAOK is also in the Europa League and that should’ve been a positive for his career, but the Greek champions left him off their UEL roster. 

He is still only 21 years old and if he does well enough for them, then he can move up to a better league in a season or two.  At this moment, he has slipped out of the conversation to compete with Lund, Tolkin, and Wiley to be the future #1 LB/LWB.  To make matters worse, Caleb Wiley’s 2024/25 season has started off well at Strasbourg with 2 starts and an assist.  You could argue that during the 2023 U20 World Cup that JoGo was the better of the two at the LB/LWB position but now Wiley is above him on the depth chart.

Aidan Morris to Middlesborough- Stock Up

Like Caleb Wiley, Morris needed to leave MLS to further his development and avoid the situation that John Tolkin is in.  Even though Morris has been underwhelming for the USMNT, he has the potential to be a consistent player of the 23-26 men roster.  So far this season with Boro, he has been a standout and quick favorite amongst the fans.  Going to the EFL Championship was one of the best choices he could have made as his next stop.  The physicality of the league will teach him how to become more physical and his quick decision-making.  The development could easily put him in the top 4 CDM options for 2026. 

The biggest question for him is, can he transition his great club form to the national team.  If he can pull it off, he can jump ahead of Lennard Maloney and Tanner Tessmann, depending on how he does with Lyon this season.  This is a top 3 move by an American player not just because how the season is going so far for him but because Boro will be competing for promotion and development potential.

Tanner Tessman to Lyon- Stock Up

Tessmann’s transfer saga is one for the books.  He was closely linked to Inter Milan and Fiorentina until both fell apart because of disagreements.  Towards the end of the transfer window, he got a move to a top Ligue 1 club, Lyon.  If he had stayed with Venezia, he still would’ve been playing in a top-five league, but Lyon is the better option.  Venezia will be fighting to stay in the Serie A like they did in 2021/22, whereas Lyon is consistently a top 10 French club, and in many cases a top 5 club. 

To add to that, Lyon is in the UEL.  The season is not going well for Lyon right now, but they can recover and compete for UEFA qualification.  The club and the fans will be more demanding than Venezia because of their prestige, he can learn from veteran players like Matic and Veretout and it would require him to compete for starts.  It’ll be a real test for him after his last time in a top 5 league did not go as well and two great seasons in the Serie B.

All of these will help him take the next step and help him be in the top 3 CDM USMNT conversation.  The battle Tessmann, Aidan Morris, Maloney, Johnny Cardoso, and Tyler Adams (once he returns) for the top 2 CDM spots on the USMNT will be a joy to watch this season.

Continue Reading

Club News

Who’s a Keeper?

Published

on

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

The USMNT has had a solid track record with goalkeepers over the last three decades. There seems to be a problematic situation with their current group. Is this an overreaction or a real concern for the USMNT which is less than 2 years away from hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The average age of the last seven USMNT goalkeepers to regularly start in one of the top two tiers in Europe is 27.5 years old and while it took several seasons for Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, and Brad Guzan to settle and have continued success they did while all having the opportunity to be the number goalkeeper for the USMNT.

Where there has been a lot of deserved criticism towards Matt Turner’s play with the USMNT lately it’s clear that he remains the best shot-stopper in the pool, but also clear that a transfer from Nottingham Forest is desperately needed to provide regular playing for Turner. Turner’s foot skills remain weak along with the rest of the USMNT goalkeeper pool very much an area that needs improving. Something they could learn from Tony Meola who was hands down the best USMNT goalkeeper with his feet.

Struggles also continue for Ethan Horvath whose transfer to Cardiff City last February was supposed to provide him with the needed playing time to push Turner for the number one goalkeeper spot of the USMNT but, his performance at Copa America didn’t inspire many, along with a recent match for Cardiff City where he conceded five goals.

DOHA, QATAR – NOVEMBER 27: Matt Turner (L) and Ethan Horvath of United States interact during the United States Training Session at Al Gharafa Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)


November 27, 2022, in Doha, Qatar (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

USMNT Youth Goalkeepers

The current group of USMNT goalkeeper prospects appears to be solid, but if history has proven anything there are no guarantees. The list of the failed USMNT youth keepers over the last decade is long. It includes names like Joe Bendik, Alex Bono, Cody Cropper, Tally Hall, Clint Irwin, Dan Kennedy, and Luis Robles, of the over 15 USMNT prospect goalkeepers who have only been capped 18 times, eight of those held by Bill Hamid.

At the moment goalkeepers Antonio Carrera (20), Matt Freese (25), Chituru Odunze (21), and John Pulskamp (23) are on the outside looking in compared to the goalkeepers listed below.

Currently playing for Fulham U-21 Premier League 2 (Reserve League) Alex Borto (20) who was part of the 2023 U-20 World in May and June, but didn’t receive any playing time will need to increase his current playing time to get more opportunities but, I feel Borto is much lower on the youth USMNT depth chart at the moment.

A regular starter for the Chicago Fire over the last couple of seasons Chris Brady (20) is another highly touted USMNT goalkeeper, who has been held back from regularly being called into USMNT youth camps by his club. A move to Europe would provide him with the next level of competition needed to continue his growth as a goalkeeper.

Who would trust a now 18-year-old who hasn’t had any professional experience to start for the USMNT? Not many but Diego Kochen (18) who is currently with FC Barcelona Atlètic in the Third Division is a name that continues to be mentioned, but highly unlikely in my opinion.

As the starter for all four of the U-23 USMNT Olympic matches Patrick Schulte (23) has earned a call-up to the USMNT. Schulte has had a very strong season with the Columbus Crew which accounts for 8 clean sheets over all matches at the time of this article.

Many fans think Gaga Slonina (20) is the best U-23 goalkeeper in the player pool and is destined to be the number-one goalkeeper after the 2026 cycle. Slonina is currently playing in EFL League One the third division in England. Slonina was the starting goalkeeper for U-20 USMNT where he had four straight clean sheets helping lead the US to the quarter-finals. He also was part of the U-23 USA Olympic team but failed to receive any playing time.


October 4, 2022, (Photo by Christian Hansen/Chicago Fire FC)

Aging or Bridge Goalkeeper Options

The list of recent third and often injured USMNT goalkeepers Drake Callender (26), Roman Celentano (23), Sean Johnson (35), and Zack Steffen (29) provide little to no confidence when looking at a current solution and none are likely to break into the top two of the depth chart but, stranger things have happened in the world of USMNT goalkeepers.

Looking Ahead

With less than 2 years until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it’s unlikely that any of the younger USMNT goalkeepers will be able to play at higher levels and contend for the number one spot, which I believe still belongs to Matt Turner, but, Turner needs to do whatever possible to get a transfer to another top five leagues or worse case Eredivisie or EFL Championship as he needs to be playing matches every week to ensure he’s in form and improving headed into the World Cup with the backup position is up for grabs.

Continue Reading

Trending