USMNT Gears Up to Face Trinidad AND Tobago 🇺🇸

“The feelings and connection I have for this team and for this country run deep. I’ve dreamed about coaching the USA for a long time so to get this opportunity is a dream come true. I know there is work to do to achieve our goals of winning consistently at the highest levels. To get there, it will require dedication, devotion and collaboration from the players, staff and everyone at the U.S. Soccer Federation.”

—Newest member of the U.S. Soccer Family, and Englander Abroad, Emma Hayes, on what it means to her to become USWNT head coach. For more on Hayes’ coaching journey and her thoughts on the U.S. program, watch Rog’s interview with her from 2022.

USMNT Gears Up to Face Trinidad AND Tobago:

Another international break upon us. Another chance for our boys to play two teams at once, as we prepare to face Trinidad AND Tobago in the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals on Thursday in Austin, Texas (9 p.m. EST, TNT) and on Monday in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (7 p.m. EST, TNT). A chance at a CNL threepeat on the line. And another chance to exorcise the ghosts of non-qualifying demons past.

As for the squad to face T&T, Gregg’s roster for this window is 95.8333% Americans Abroad (Miles Robinson being the only MLS player), which is quite incredible. Consider that the 25-player roster that fell to the Soca Warriors on Oct. 10, 2017 had 17 MLS players on it. Making it just 32% Americans Abroad. An astounding overhaul in the six years since.

While we come into this two-legged quarterfinal on the month-old heels of a 4-0 win over Ghana, we’re going to look a bit different from the side that scored at will against the Black Stars, as three starters from that match — Christian Pulisic 🇮🇹 (25; Hershey, PA), Tim Weah 🇮🇹 (23; Rosedale, NY) and Johnny Cardoso 🇧🇷 (22; Denville, NJ) — are all absent from this window. The attacking formation in particular will need an overhaul, as Puli and Weah are generally locked-in starters as our wingers.

So does Gregg stay rigid, and rely on a “system” here? Or does he craft a strategy based on the players he has available? Well …

Sergino’s Attacking Dest-iny?

With Pulisic and Weah out, one wild idea would be to move PSV’s Sergino Dest 🇳🇱 (23; Almere, NED) up to an attacking role on Thursday. Normally a right back for the USMNT, he filled in as an attacker on occasion with AC Milan last season, and has been an absolute handful for Dutch defenses this season. Need proof? Watch this mixtape from Sunday’s 4-0 thumping of Zwolle.

Gregg could even consider starting Dest’s club mate Malik Tillman 🇳🇱 (21; Nürnberg, GER) in the front four as well. The Bayern loanee has been sweeter than a crate of Stroopwafels this season, with five goals and two assists in all comps for PSV. And playing them together would give the pair a chance to recreate this bit of Absolute Campine Wizard Filth from the weekend. Janet Jackson levels of Nasty. Dag levels of Nasty, even.

(Note: If Ricardo Pepi 🇳🇱 gets on the pitch with Dest and Tillman, and the PSV trio combines for a goal, last one to shout “Holland Tunnel!” at the TV has to pound a beer. We don’t make the rules. But we do abide by them.)

The Rise of Long Island Lahm:

Stay with us here. But pushing Dest up wouldn’t just give him a chance to bolster the attack. It would also give Gregg a chance to start Joe Scally 🇩🇪 (20; Lake Grove, NY) — another player who’s been On Feuer 🔥 as of late — at right back.

Scally had an assist (WATCH) and four passes into the final third in Gladbach’s 4-0 win over Wolfsburg on Friday, and has been instrumental in the Foals’ form of late, which has seen them win three and draw one in their last four, all matches that had Long Island Lahm in the XI.

US Shotstopper a Showstopper for Manchester United:

Congrats to Phallon Tullis-Joyce 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (27; New York, NY) for getting her first career start for Manchester United in their 7-0 League Cup win over Everton. “It was an incredible team effort, I mean seven goals, the team just showed out tonight,” said Tullis-Joyce after the win. “I'm just so happy to be part of the club. It was just about as good as it can get, so I am super happy for the team.”

And while it may be tough for the Miami Hurricanes product to get minutes ahead of England No. 1 Mary Earps, Man Utd boss Marc Skinner has been seriously impressed by PTJ’s play in training.

🗣 “She's been great, to the point where some of the saves she makes [in training], the forwards stop and admire the save rather than follow the rebound.”

News and Notes:

• Brenden and Paxten Aaronson can become just the eighth pair of brothers to feature in a USMNT match, should they play together against Trinidad & Tobago. Brenden talked to Rog about what it would mean to him to play alongside Paxten during an interview in October. “I think that’s a whole (different) kind of special. Being on the national team with your brother, and hopefully being able to play a game with him. And for him to be at the same camp with me. I think that’s a different kind of feeling.” (Watch the full interview here.)

• Big love to Auston Trusty 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (25; Media, PA) for getting his fifth-straight start for Sheffield United. While the first three were losses, the Blades have now won and drawn in their last two. Prior to this four-point run, they’d managed just one point all season. Trusty the Process, Sheffield.

• Weston McKennie 🇮🇹 (25; Little Elm, TX) got his 10th straight start in Juventus’ 2-1 win over Cagliari on Saturday. Juve have won six straight, and enter the break in second place in Serie A. For Wes, this meant a time to dance.

• Yunus Musah 🇮🇹 (20; London, ENG) played the second half at right back in Milan’s 2-2 draw at Lecce on Saturday, before making his way to ATX, where he expressed interest in playing for the U.S. Olympic team.

• Folarin Balogun 🇫🇷 (22; London, ENG) didn’t get the start in Monaco’s 0-0 draw at Le Havre on Saturday, though he did sub on in the 73rd minute. One to track coming out of the break.

• Congrats to Johan Gomez 🇩🇪 (22; Arlington, TX) on getting his first goal of the season for Eintracht Braunschweig in their 3-2 win over VfL Osnabrück on Saturday (WATCH). It was Eintracht’s first win after five straight losses.

• Rokas Pukstas 🇭🇷 (19; Stillwater, OK) scored a backheel beauty in Hajduk Split’s 3-1 win over Varazdin on Sunday (WATCH). Puki! Puki! Sic! Sic!

• Ensuring at least one American score in Italy each week, Andrija Novakovich 🇮🇹 (27; Muskego, WI) put one in the net for Lecco in their 3-2 win over Parma on Sunday (WATCH).

• Bryan Reynolds 🇧🇪 (22; Fort Worth, TX) and Kahven Zahiroleslam 🇧🇪 (21; Saratoga, CA) had assists for Westerlo and St. Truiden, respectively, in the sides’ 3-3 draw on Friday (WATCH). Griffin Yow 🇧🇪 (21; Clifton, VA) started alongside Reynolds for Westerlo.

Parting Shots:

Team Bradley in Norway Update! Father-son coaching duo Bob and Michael Bradley led Stabaek to a vital 0-0 draw at Valerenga — the side that’s one spot below them in the table — on Sunday. Stabaek are now in the relegation playoff spots at 14th place in the 16-team Norwegian top flight, with two matches left. For Stabaek (26 points), those final two games are against 13th-place Sandefjord (28 points) and 12th-place Haugesund (30 points). 

To Bobby and Mike: Treat these last two like Egypt and Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup and you’ll be fine. Come. On. You. Bradleys.