The September international window was a bit all over the place for the U.S. team, though it did finish on an upbeat note. A poor first-half performance Saturday against South Korea condemned the Americans to a 2-0 defeat, but the team rebounded Tuesday against Japan as attackers Folarin Balogun and Alex Zendejas made the most of their rare starts, contributing a goal each in a 2-0 victory. A change in formation -- let's call it a 3-4-3, with the presumed wingers taking up positions in the pockets underneath the center forward -- provided increased defensive stability, though there is still room for improvement.
Such performances, combined with injuries and some players changing clubs, mean there has been movement in the second edition of ESPN's USMNT World Cup Big Board. There's also the fact that U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino has said that the time for looking at new players is over, and that he'll be bringing in a closer approximation of his first-choice squad for the next international window in October.
So let's take a look at the predicted 26-man squad and which bubble players might still find a way through.
Goalkeepers (3)
Matt Freese | 27 years old | New York City FC
Freese was solid in the two September friendlies, so it's not a stretch to think that he's the starting goalkeeper until further notice. However, that's not to say his role as the No. 1 keeper is completely sewn up. Pochettino's insistence that no starting spot is safe must be believed given some of the players omitted from recent rosters, but Freese has strengthened his position.
Matt Turner | 31 | New England Revolution (on loan from Lyon)
Turner recently told ESPN, "[I'm] confident that I'll be back in October if I continue the level I'm playing at." His form has cooled off a bit after his impressive start to his second stint with the New England Revolution, with his goals prevented per 90 minutes dropping from 0.50 earlier this season to 0.06. He'll need to return to top form if he is to get back to the top of the U.S. goalkeeping heap.
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Zack Steffen | 30 | Colorado Rapids
Steffen has remained consistent throughout the season, and his underlying numbers are slightly better than Freese's in terms of goals prevented per 90 (0.20 to 0.15), though Freese has been better in terms of save percentage (74.3% to 68.2%). Either way, Steffen figures to be in the mix when October rolls around.
Center backs (5)
Chris Richards | 25 | Crystal Palace
Richards cemented his status as a one of the starting center backs during the September window, as he wasn't on the field for the Americans' poor first half against South Korea. The move to a three-center-back system seems to suit him given that he plays in a similar alignment with Palace, though with the U.S. he's in a slightly different role as the most central of the three.
Tim Ream | 37 | Charlotte FC
Ream is another player for whom the three-back alignment seems a good fit. The formation means there's less chance he'll be exposed in terms of pure foot speed, and his leadership and steady passing can be emphasized. Ream's age has been brought up often as making him a possible liability at next year's World Cup. But until someone pushes him out, his spot is secure, and he has the trust of Pochettino. At club level, he has helped Charlotte to eight straight wins.
Mark McKenzie | 26 | Toulouse
McKenzie and Toulouse were off to a good start in Ligue 1, posting shutouts in their first two matches. That is, until they ran into the goal-scoring machine that is Paris Saint-Germain, who hammered Les Violets 6-3 in a match that was essentially over at halftime.
PSG have done that to a lot of teams lately, so no shame there. But McKenzie will be one of the players looking to reestablish themselves over the next few weeks.
Cameron Carter-Vickers | 27 | Celtic
Though Carter-Vickers wasn't responsible for the flameout in the qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League to lightly regarded Kairat Almaty from Kazakhstan -- Celtic didn't concede a single goal and were beaten via a penalty shootout -- the fact that he'll be playing in the Europa League instead doesn't necessarily help his cause in terms of the level of competition he'll face. We'll see how much his previous history with Pochettino helps or hurts him.
Miles Robinson | 28 | FC Cincinnati
Robinson just signed a new long-term contract, so he's obviously held in high regard in Cincinnati, but he has yet to really make many inroads under Pochettino. An injury saw him omitted from the September window, and he didn't play much during the Gold Cup, either. Will the likes of Tristan Blackmon supplant him?
Outside backs (4)
Sergiño Dest | 24 | PSV Eindhoven
Dest has been excelling at club level for PSV Eindhoven, but the September window showed the highs and lows of his game. He looked dynamic going forward, but his positioning contributed directly to the two South Korea goals. That said, the change in alignment should suit him well, emphasizing his strengths in attack while mitigating his defensive weaknesses.
Antonee Robinson | 28 | Fulham
Robinson's recovery from offseason knee surgery came too late for the September window even as he finally saw the field for Fulham. The expectation is that by October, he will be back to his marauding best, regardless of how the U.S. team lines up.
Alex Freeman | 21 | Orlando City SC
Freeman continues to get reps from Pochettino and looked solid in the Japan victory. But his inclusion on the final roster might come down to whether Pochettino prefers Yunus Musah in a wing back spot. If that's the case, the Atalanta player looks set to get the nod given his greater level of experience.
Max Arfsten | 24 | Columbus Crew
Arfsten continues to get steady playing time under Pochettino, and the change in formation puts him in a role nearly identical to the one he fills with his club. The fit was evident against Japan, as it was his cross that Alejandro Zendejas hammered home for the first U.S. goal. With Robinson returning to full fitness, Arfsten's minutes should decrease. But he has still come a long way in terms of World Cup consideration, and his defending has shown steady improvement.
Midfielders (5)
Tyler Adams | 26 | AFC Bournemouth
Adams finished the window better than he started it. Good thing, because questions were beginning to be asked given his recent performances in a U.S. shirt, particularly against Mexico in the Gold Cup final and Saturday against South Korea. The season has started well for Adams at club level, and his form should continue to improve.
Weston McKennie | 26 | Juventus
Of all the players that Pochettino left home in September, McKennie is one whom the U.S. manager seems most intent on lighting a fire beneath. Right now, the midfielder is very much a squad player for Juventus, having been a late-game substitute in both of Juve's league matches. He was also part of the Nations League debacle in March, which Pochettino admits caused him to rethink the national team.
McKennie remains a talented player, but he needs to break through (again) at Juve to make sure he retains his spot.
Johnny Cardoso | 23 | Atlético Madrid
Last month, the Big Board called Cardoso an "enigma" because of how he's been unable to replicate his club form with the U.S. Nothing has changed in that regard. Cardoso makes the cut because of the club he plays for, and the potential that he carries. So far, he has been used consistently by Atletico manager Diego Simeone, but at some point, Cardoso will need to deliver for Pochettino. October would be the perfect time for him to pull a Zendejas or a Balogun and stake his claim for more minutes.
Yunus Musah | 22 | Atalanta (on loan from AC Milan)
Musah's desire to stay with AC Milan finally gave way to reality, as he completed his loan to Atalanta just before the closing of the summer European transfer window. The irony is that Musah was starting to get some decent playing time with Milan at wing back, but the hope is that his versatility will see him get minutes in Bergamo. That trait also sees him go from bubble player in the last version of the Big Board to making the squad now.
Tanner Tessmann | 23 | Lyon
Tessmann was another omission for the September window, which was confounding since he seemed to be the next man up to replace McKennie. He's off to a solid start with Lyon, most recently in an impressive 1-0 win over Olympique Marseille.
Attackers (5)
Christian Pulisic | 26 | AC Milan
"All is forgiven" was the message coming out of the window regarding Pulisic and Pochettino's relationship. The new formation also seemed to fit the Milan attacker well -- he was back to running in the open field against Japan, and he benefitted from having Zendejas by his side. He's one of the few players whose spot on the roster is written in ink, not pencil.
Tim Weah | 25 | Marseille
Could Zendejas' gain be Weah's loss? It's possible. The Marseille defender/winger has been rather ordinary of late with the U.S. and squandered some decent chances against South Korea. He was an unused sub against Japan, clearing the way for Zendejas to shine. Weah's pace is not easily replaced, so he'll likely have a spot on the roster, but there's real competition now for his spot in the starting lineup.
Malik Tillman | 23 | Bayer Leverkusen
Tillman was another injury casualty, though he returned to the Leverkusen lineup right before the start of the window. He even scored his first goal for the club in a wild 3-3 draw with Werder Bremen on Aug. 30. Tillman appears to be a Pochettino favorite, but he'll need to continue to deliver for Leverkusen for him to keep that label.
Diego Luna | 22 | Real Salt Lake
Has Luna hit his ceiling at the international level? He might very well have, given his inability to influence the South Korea game much in a starting role. He fared better coming on as a sub against Japan, and that might be his best role going forward: a late-game chaos agent who can change the tempo of a match. For now, it's time to retrench with his club.
Alejandro Zendejas | 27 | América
Zendejas was probably the biggest winner of the window for the U.S., parlaying a rare start into a Man of the Match performance against Japan. Pochettino himself said Zendejas is "in the race" for a World Cup roster spot. But Zendejas knows now is no time to take his foot off the gas, and a stellar month with Club América would further cement his spot.
Forwards (4)
Folarin Balogun | 24 | AS Monaco
Balogun was the other player (next to Zendejas) who did plenty to raise his stock in September. The U.S. attack just looks so much more dynamic with him on the field thanks to his ability to stretch defenses, as well as hold the ball up and give teammates an outlet. Pochettino would never say this, but the starting striker spot is now Balogun's to lose, as long as he can stay healthy.
Ricardo Pepi | 22 | PSV Eindhoven
Like for Robinson, the September window came a little bit too soon for Pepi, as he had just returned to the field after a lengthy recovery from knee surgery. The goal for Pepi this month is to build on the 49 minutes he has logged so far this season, as well as get on the scoresheet. That would make it difficult for Pochettino to leave him at home.
Champions League tilts against Union Saint-Gilloise on Tuesday and Bayer Leverkusen on Oct. 1 should reveal plenty about where Pepi's form is.
Josh Sargent | 25 | Norwich City
The club vs. country conundrum continues for Sargent. He leads the English Championship with five goals but can't for the life of him find the net for the U.S. team. Now he looks to have fallen down the depth chart underneath Balogun and could fall further if Pepi regains his form. All Sargent can do is continue to toil away for Norwich City and hope he finally breaks his international streak at some point. One wonders, though, if he has run out of chances with the U.S. team.
Haji Wright | 27 | Coventry City
Wright is hot on the heels of Sargent for the goal-scoring lead in the Championship, having tallied four times in the league this season. His ability to play on the wing helps his case, but he's another player whose spot looks vulnerable.
On the bubble
Patrick Schulte | Goalkeeper | 24 | Columbus Crew
Timing has proved to be everything for Schulte, with Freese seizing the starting spot after Schulte got injured before the Gold Cup. Columbus has been scuffling a bit of late too (just 1-3-2 in their past six games). Barring someone else getting hurt, he figures to be on the outside looking in.
Auston Trusty | Center back | 27 | Celtic
Celtic's aforementioned elimination from the Champions League hit Trusty the hardest. The center back already lost his starting spot to Liam Scales, and while the Europa League still beckons for the Hoops, it's not the same platform as the Champions League. He's basically waiting for others to falter so he can get another look.
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Tristan Blackmon | Center back | 29 | Vancouver Whitecaps
Blackmon rebounded from having shaky moments against South Korea to a solid, if unspectacular, performance against Japan. It's possible he gets called back in, but that is in many ways dependent on the performances of others. A strong finish to the club season will give Pochettino something to ponder.
Joe Scally | Outside back | 22 | Borussia Mönchengladbach
This is one player whom the formation change doesn't help. It's not that Scally can't play as a wing back at all -- he has done so at times in the past for Gladbach -- it's just that players such as Dest, Musah and Freeman seem better suited to the role. Scally wouldn't be an ideal fit as one of the three central defenders, either. Hence a move to the bubble list.
Caleb Wiley | Outside back | 20 | Watford (on loan from Chelsea)
Wiley was in line to be the primary backup to Robinson at left back, but a back injury has delayed his start to the season. With other candidates stepping up, he's got some serious catching up to do.
Cristian Roldan | Midfielder | 30 | Seattle Sounders
Roldan's 90-minute stint against Japan was the surprise of the window, given that he was a late addition. In that match, he provided tenacity and range -- his seven recoveries were a team high -- and was involved in the buildup to Zendejas' goal. Is there more to come? That seems a reach given the likely return of several players, but Pochettino is now known to be an admirer, so anything is possible.
Luca de la Torre | Midfielder | 27 | San Diego FC
De la Torre was expected to get more time in September, but Pochettino opted to deploy Sebastian Berhalter and Roldan alongside Adams instead. The San Diego midfielder is still in contention for a World Cup place because of how he keeps possession, but he seems to be sliding down the depth chart and thus moves to bubble status.
Sebastian Berhalter | Midfielder | 24 | Vancouver Whitecaps
It was always going to be an uphill battle for Berhalter given the candidates he was going to have to get past, but he slid further down the pecking order during the September window, mostly because of his performance against South Korea. It's one thing to succeed in the Gold Cup, and quite another to do it against World Cup-caliber opposition. Aside from his ability on set pieces, there's not enough else in his game to warrant getting called up in October.
Gio Reyna | Attacker | 22 | Borussia Mönchengladbach
Reyna finally secured a move away from Borussia Dortmund and has been reunited with childhood friend Scally at Gladbach. Good for him. The relationship with Dortmund was bad for both parties. Now comes the hard part: actually getting onto the field and then staying healthy once that happens. Neither of those things is guaranteed, but succeeding on both counts will determine whether Reyna gets called in for the October friendlies.
Patrick Agyemang | Forward | 24 | Derby County
Agyemang's move to Derby County was hailed as a necessary step in his development. We haven't seen him since the move was completed in July because of hernia surgery. Meanwhile, other forwards are either finding form (Balogun) or healing up (Pepi). There still seems a need for a battering-ram type of forward, but Downs seems further ahead at the moment.
Damion Downs | Forward | 21 | Southampton
Downs looked lively coming on as a sub against Japan and probably should have scored late after working a slick one-two with Luna. He's still waiting for his first goal with new club Southampton, and he needs to make an impression now with other forwards healing.