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The international break has come to an end and while it was a disappointing period for the United States Men’s National Team, it was a good time for the USMNT to see what a Mauricio Pochettino lineup requires. They talked about the differences in training style under him and there was a clear goal with the tactics for players to get each other into space.
While it didn’t deliver the results Pochettino or the team would have liked, it does show what the squad members need to work on. Pochettino is a coach who is great at development and under his leadership these players should be able to reach their full potential, but what are some things they may need to work on with their squads?
Haji Wright: Preston North End vs Coventry City
Saturday, October 19 (7:30 AM ET Biggest+)
Consistency is the name of the game. Haji Wright is someone who can be hot or cold for both club and country and you don’t know what will happen at what time. He is capable of scoring a hat-trick or making three touches in every game and needs to iron out that part of his game. Now that he is at a consistent club in Coventry, where he is also getting minutes, it is the perfect time for Wright to take the next step in his career.
Christian Pulisic & Yunus Musah: Milan vs Udinese
Saturday, October 19 (12:00 PM ET Biggest+)
There was a lot of discussion about whether Christian Pulisic’s return to Milan was the right decision, but if it keeps him fresh to continue scoring for Milan and return to the USMNT in good form, it’s hard to argue against it that Pochettino will give him some rest. Pulisic has shown time and time again that he is the most important player in the USMNT lineup and he could become that for Milan, so just continuing what he is doing will be great. Yunus Musah will be hoping that the versatility he showed on international duty will help him get more minutes under Paulo Fonseca as he needs reps more than anything.
Weston McKennie & Tim Weah: Juventus vs Lazio
Saturday, October 19 (2:45 PM ET Biggest+)
Like Pulisic, Weston McKennie was given some rest during this international spell. Nowadays he is fully back in the plan for Juventus and shows why he should play. With the remainder, it gives McKennie the chance to continue to start most matches in the hope of heading into the November international break healthy and in good form. For Tim Weah, things are a little more complicated. He has been injured on and off since scoring for Juventus on the opening day of the season. While he should still be in Thiago Motta’s plans, it will become easier for Juventus to get by without him the longer Weah is on the sidelines. He shouldn’t rush back to the field, but he should insist on showing why he is key to this side.
Tanner Tessmann: Le Havre vs Olympique Lyon
Sunday, October 20 (9:00 AM ET beIN Sports en Fubo TV)
The common theme here is playing time and Tanner Tessemann is no different from the rest of the team in that regard. He has made a big step to Ligue 1 and now he needs to play for consistent minutes. With the USMNT midfield in flux, anyone who is in good shape for their team and plays consistently will get a chance. That’s where Tessmann’s cup of coffee with the USMNT could open some doors during this period.
Brenden Aaronson: Leeds United vs Sheffield United
Friday, October 18 (3:00 PM ET CBS Sports Network & Biggest+)
With Leeds United, Brenden Aaronson has been able to show his technical skills, but where he needs to grow is in the physical side of the game. Getting more reps in the championship will help with that as it is a similar bruising style to Concancaf. If Aaronson can do that, there’s no reason why he won’t be playing in the USMNT in the coming years due to his technical skills, but the physical side of the game needs to catch up for Aaronson to stay in the central areas of the court.