U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams will be sidelined for the friendly against Switzerland on Tuesday evening due to a foot injury.
“I hope it’s not a significant issue,” coach Mauricio Pochettino remarked on Monday. “I believe we can manage it well, give him a few days of rest, and then assess if he’ll be prepared for the Gold Cup.”
Adams participated in the second half of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Turkey.
The Americans will begin their CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday. They are already without Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest, Yunus Musah, Folarin Balogun, and Gio Reyna. Some players are injured, others are taking time off, and a few will be competing in the Club World Cup.
The U.S. aims to avert its first four-game losing streak since they fell in five consecutive matches back in 2007.
Pochettino commended goalkeeper Matt Freese, who made his debut against Turkey as a substitute for Matt Turner, who has been the U.S. starter since 2022. Turner has not seen playing time with Crystal Palace since March 1.
“He was very, very good,” Pochettino stated. “Are there things he needs to prove? Certainly. But he must play and gain experience with the national team. … He has tremendous potential. Yes, this is an excellent opportunity for us to see how he handles the pressure of representing the national team.”
Pochettino elaborated on his previous remarks about the team’s culture, stating, “If you come to the camp wanting to have a nice time, play golf, dine out, visit family or friends, that’s not the culture we want to create. No, no, no, no, no.”
“I’m very supportive of young players taking time for themselves and having fun,” he added in Spanish. “You can spend time with family, enjoy dinners, and play golf. But ultimately, I want to have 11 fierce competitors, whether lions, wolves, or whatever aggressive animal you prefer, ready to fight as if it’s life or death on the field.”
Image Source: Tyler Adams @ Instagram
