Rog on Poch Roster Drop 🇺🇸; McKennie Tackles the Champions League 🇮🇹

(Meme artist’s rendition of Mauricio Pochettino meeting Antonee Robinson for the first time in a restaurant.)

P.O.C.H. In The USA:

Oasis wasn’t the only big name from abroad to announce some huge American tour dates this week. Mauricio Pochettino’s U.S residency became really real on Wednesday, as the former Spurs/PSG/Chelsea boss released his first-ever USMNT roster for upcoming friendlies with Panama (Oct. 12) and Mexico (Oct. 15). 

The list of call-ups was followed by a video press conference in which Poch fielded questions from journalists. Highlights of the media session included:

• Poch announcing that he has received a visa

• That he’s only spoken to one USMNT player since taking the job (Antonee Robinson, which was only after bumping into him in in a restaurant) 

• Sharing what formations he plans to use with the USMNT

But how well did Poch work the virtual room from a leadership perspective? Here are Rog’s thoughts on our new coach and savior:

“The first Pochettino squad has been announced. The big surprise was that there was none. Those predicting a signal to be sent — a big name dropped or a young star brought in for the first time — will see few signs of a shake-up. Poch was straightforward and honest in his press conference. He admitted he has spoken to just one player since taking the job — and that was because he ran into Antonee Robinson at a London restaurant. The big takeaway is, this is not going to be an era of words. Of bold proclamations. Of side-quests, to ‘change the way the world views American soccer’ or ‘change soccer in America forever.’ This is going to be a period in which will be evaluated solely by progress on the field. The tactical flexibility of the squad. The idea at the heart of the football team, which Pochettino assures us will be “very simple in the ideas and the concept … when they have the ball they play really well, but when they dont they work like a team to recover it.” There is little to be said until that first whistle blows. Bring on October 12. Bring on Panama.” 💪

More:

• Who has a chance to make a big impression? (The Athletic)

• Steffen, Busio notable additions to Pochettino’s first roster (The Guardian)

Gen Zeagles in the Champions League:

While UCL Match Week 2 didn’t provide any of the Puli-Wes goal-filled parlays of Match Week 1, there were still plenty of USMNT players in European action this week.

Christian Pulisic started and played 80 minutes in AC Milan’s 1-0 loss at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday … Weston McKennie went the full 90 in Juventus’ 3-2 win at RB Leipzig on Wednesday, and made an outstanding tackle that eventually led to a goal for Juve … Malik Tillman was a standout performer (Fotmob gave him an 8.2 out of 10) in PSV’s 1-1 draw with Sporting Club on Tuesday. Richy Ledezma (78’) and Ricardo Pepi (90’) were both subs for the Dutch side; El Tren perhaps questionably did not get the start despite scoring a brace in the previous match against Willem II … Similarly, Folarin Balogun did not get the start for Monaco at Dinamo Zagreb despite scoring in the two games prior, but he did play the entire second half in the French club’s 2-2 away draw on Wednesday … Auston Trusty played the full game in Celtic’s rough 7-1 loss at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.

News and Notes:

• Is Josh Sargent the best striker in the Championship? After a week in which he scored a goal and notched two assists over two games, he’s at least statistically the best of 2024. 🫡

• Paxten Aaronson’s first-ever goal for FC Utrecht was a Medford Missile of a winner against AZ Alkmaar (watch here and above). 

• Damion Downs had a brace in FC Köln’s 4-4 draw with Karlsruher SC on Sunday. The 20-year-old German-American striker now has four goals in seven appearances for The Billy Goats. 

• After going five league games without a goal, Haji Wright ended his mini-drought with an authoritative strike in Coventry’s 3-0 win over Blackburn on Tuesday.

• Chris Richards missed Palace’s 2-1 loss at Everton on Saturday, and will apparently be out of action for the near future. "We have lost [Richards] this week and he is not available for the next few weeks with a hamstring injury,” said manager Oliver Glasner.

• According to ESPN Netherlands (article in Dutch), since joining PSV, Malik Tillman has been involved in more goals per 90 minutes than any other attacking midfielder or winger in the Eredivisie. 🙌

• Tanner Tessmann made his first-ever start and played 66 minutes for Olympiqe Lyon in their 2-1 win at Toulouse on Sunday.

• More from good ol’ OL … Lindsey Horan had a brace — including this perfectly-placed free kick — in Lyon’s 6-0 win over Strasbourg on Friday. The 30-year-old USWNT midfielder now has four goals in her last two games for the defending French champions.

• Phallon Tullis-Joyce (27; New York, NY) got her second-straight shutout since replacing England No. 1 Mary Earps in Manchester United Women’s 1-0 win at Everton on Sunday.

• This Gaga Slonina double save for Barnsley against Stockport County is very much worth your 37 seconds. 🧤

• Quincy Butler scored from a tough angle in WSG Tirol’s 3-1 win at Wolfsberger AC on Sunday. The 23-year-old winger from Sacramento, Calif. has two goals and two assists in eight appearances this season for the Austrian top-tier side.

• Houston Dynamo product Marcelo Palomino (23; Houston, TX) rocketed one home for GIF Sundsvall in the Swedish second-tier side’s 2-1 win over Skovde AIK. 🚀

Parting Shots:

The International Society of Footballer-Actors has a new member. Joining the likes of Vinnie Jones, Eric Cantona, and Andrew Shue in this select group is none other than USMNT and Eintracht Frankfurt right back Timothy Chandler. The 34-year-old defender recently made a cameo appearance on the long-running German police procedural TV series, “Tatort”, in which he plays a … well, you’ll just have to watch the clip. But suffice it to say that if they ever do a German remake of “Who’s the Boss?”, Chandler should at least get a chance to read for the role of Herr Tony Micelli.

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