Pulisic’s absence is just one of several challenges Pochettino is facing this summer.
Yunus Musah, Pulisic’s former Milan teammate, has taken time this summer to resolve his club situation and other personal issues. Injuries are sidelining Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson, two players who would normally feature in the starting back four; Dest is still recovering from an ACL tear, while Robinson is undergoing knee surgery.
Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi are also absent due to injuries, severely depleting the options available in the forward positions.
This situation adds to an already lengthy list of players who are anticipated to be unavailable this summer, coinciding with FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup being hosted in the United States. Players like Weston McKennie and Tim Weah from Juventus, along with Borussia Dortmund’s Gio Reyna, remain with their clubs instead of participating in international fixtures.
This could create openings for other players to make an impression on Pochettino and his coaching staff as they gear up for fierce competition for the final places on the World Cup roster. However, the initial performances in friendly matches against Turkey and Switzerland were not encouraging.
Nonetheless, additional matches will provide players with further opportunities to highlight their contributions to the national team.
Diego Luna captured Pochettino’s attention partly by persevering through a broken nose during a friendly in January. Although he was notably absent from last summer’s Olympic team that traveled to Paris, this snub seems to have fueled his determination.
At just 21 years old, Luna possesses creativity in attack and has improved his defensive contributions, though he may still find himself on the outskirts compared to other offensive talents.
The competition for outside-back spots appears to be wide open, as none have significantly challenged the current starters during the rigorous friendly matches.
Alex Freeman from Orlando City has caught attention with his speed and potential, but he will face a tough test should he receive significant playing time in the Gold Cup.
John Tolkin and Max Arfsten possess slightly more international experience and will look to demonstrate to Pochettino that they can be reliable options not just this summer but moving forward.
Image Source: Mauricio Pochettino @ Instagram
