2026 World Cup: How worried should USM be as an imminent tournament? |USA

Is the panic around USMNT necessary recently?

Yes, every time the World Cup host country and a generation of prodigy lose several consecutive games as A-Team, or one game for one person, it should be heard. This does not mean that everything is lost. Mauricio Pochettino’s optimism is South Korea loses 2-0 One disturbing time, and more feelings 2-0 defeated Japan. Still, it was a game. There are many regular customers in Japan. (The United States then has little full power.) LS

Usually, I preach the reasons and patience, but the frustration after losing to South Korea feels reasonable. This version of USMNT has many opportunities to prove to fans that they may be a team that will win multiple knockout matches in one team World Cup They will co-chair. They hardly take advantage of these opportunities. Will it be important whether they still win those knockout rounds? No. This will be the party time. But there is a need to worry during this period. JA

I mean, this is the host country with talented players and one of the most compelling coaches in the world who look awful. I know until June that the results weren’t really important, but the performance was still important. But I don’t think it’s unreasonable for people not to want to get more excited. aa

This is. Often, the team hopes to end a year before the World Cup, solidify the roster and maybe tinker on the edge. Add a bright newcomer here and there, or return a veteran from injury to the fold. But USMNT has been making considerable changes from match to match. Perhaps some of these can be attributed to Pochettino’s limited window with the U.S. men’s national team’s restricted window, but if the situation is not ironed out, the overall chemistry and disconnected back-row game should be wary of fans. JF

Who has maximized his USMNT case on this window?

Can I say Pochettino? No, OK, very good. Folarin Balogun. When he was against South Korea, his influence was obvious, and suddenly there was a striker in the United States who actually had the ability to create opportunities for themselves. While Ricardo Pepi is a clinical terminator, Balogun is the only one who always plays under his feet, carves out the space pocket or opens the corridor. He could have achieved several goals in this window – his three-point turnover against South Korea was particularly unfortunate – but he finally packed his first USMNT goal against Japan in more than a year. Balogun is the current striker. LS

Alejandro Zendejas. Debate over whether MLS players belong to the national team has masked Liga MX, whose top teams keep lifting the CONCACAF Champions League at the expense of MLS competitors. Zendejas got some quick performances from Pochettino, but maybe not that much, maybe not one of the best teams in the region América. He got the biggest chance in this window, a highlight against South Korea, and then scored a goal against Japan. Pochettino himself pointed out that he was “in the game”. JA

Matt Freese. Matt Turner lacks game time and So-so Form creates a wide range of matches for USMNT’s No. 1 shirt, Freese seems to step into the window after two solid matches and plays the entire Gold Cup as a starter. Freese has been one of the best shooters in MLS for years, combining better footwork compared to Turner. There are still questions about the organization, both South Korea’s goals come from basic defensive defeats, but it seems that the starting job is that he loses now. aa

Can you say so Christian Pulsewho has been the star of the national team since at least 2018? Never doubted that he would be the World Cup roster, but Controversial break From the national team and the 2025 Golden Cup, the Milan man has many problems. He criticized Landon Donovan throughout the summer (rest from the national team), but he proved his importance to the team again. He was core in the accumulation of USMNT in both games and provided important assists for Japan. JF

Who hurt his case the most on this window?

Sebastian Berhalter. Stand out of the CONCACAF Championship Cup with the Vancouver White Cup, this window felt like a test of Berhalter during his viewing of the Golden Cup from Pochettino and staff to see if he could hang with the more daunting opposition. It wasn’t a test he passed, struggling with his son Heung-Min in the Korean competition to showcase the type of connective tissue that made him a summer asset. While his suit abilities are so unique in the pool, it feels like he can still compete for a place, the fact that he is not competing with Japan is unlucky. LS

Any forward who is not Balogun, but Josh Sargent especially. Who can even say why the national team Sargent is the trembling of Club Sargent? All we know is that it’s been nearly six years since his last US goal, and there’s no time to fix him, especially with a few viable strikers in the pool. JA

Yes, I have to agree with Jon. Sargent Perhaps the best form of Norwich’s club career this season is six goals in five games. If there is a window that can translate it to an international level, it will be one. Nothing happened. If this is not his last chance, then you must get close. aa

Tim Ream Sometimes I look at South Korea’s first goal out of time. He will be 38 years old at the World Cup and is the most experienced figure on the team, so his position on the roster is unlikely (should not be). Still a little worried that he will count on whether the United States will have any impact on the World Cup. Ream’s distribution is crucial to the transition and he needs to be stronger in future games. JF

What is the biggest weakness of the United States now?

this Crashing press and Unable to create opportunities. I guess these are two questions, but I’m going to stick to two questions because I think one person will tell the other. The U.S. fights against South Korea in these regions, but has achieved better results in Tuesday’s match against Japan. Still, endless turnover in the lineup is still difficult to form the urgent cohesion in most games, which often leads to transition difficulties and lacks downstream scoring opportunities. LS

Defensive Immediately after losing the ball. This seems odd, as the American midfielder looks like a force, allegedly the MMA midfielder of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams. Only one of these guys was summoned to this window, and despite Adams’ performance, he needed to have a partner in the midfield with his partner who could cover him as he advanced – and prevent the centre-back from having to run a lot. The addition of Cristian Roldan to the roster feels like a panic move designed to reverse the return there, but sometimes the panic move works, right? JA

Chemistry and Representative – Another separate but related nomination. I think the so-called greatest strength in the United States entering 2026 is not only that they have more talented players than ever before, but that these players will play against each other internationally for about seven years. This is an advantage that few countries can match, but Pochettino has confiscated many countries to attract untested players to increase competition. There is enough debate to do this, I just feel like time stopping experiments is before the Golden Cup. aa

Lineup consistency. Every national team has to struggle with travel and na player injury, which makes it nearly impossible to get the same 11 starters. Pochettino joined the helm midway through the World Cup cycle, which made this even more difficult as he had to catch up with the efforts of familiar players. JF

Where will the United States end next year’s World Cup?

I think they survived the group stage – two-thirds of the team will be achieved in the diluted opponent pool – in large part because once the U.S. wakes up and realizes there is a World Cup in the World Cup, it will inspire energy and excitement. Then I think they ride that motivation The first knockout championship since 2002. Maybe another, luck in brackets. LS

Leaving the group should be minimal, and the right draw means a chance to win in the knockout round. So, let me down 16 eliminations If anything, this will only make the team and experts successful in this era whether success rates are the best, which will only make the team debate more around the team. JA

I can’t see this team being eliminated in the group stage because they’ve been seeded and the expanded game means at least one, probably all three opponents can beat. But I haven’t seen enough words to convince them of their real knockout in a high pressure knockout. Today, I think they performed well, but 32 rounds of exit. aa

If the results of the game continue as in 2025, I don’t believe we will be better than the typical situation First knockout round export American fans are used to it. JF