Key takeaways from the USMNT’s 5-2 aggregate win over Jamaica

“It’s beautiful to see it come together,” winger Tim Weah said of the USMNT’s performance in this international window, via Jeff Carlisle of ESPN. “I’m really excited to see where we can take it.”

The USMNT has two months off before it faces Venezuela in a friendly in January, giving Pochettino and his players plenty of time to analyze what went well (and what didn’t) in this Jamaica double header. Here are the issues that should be top of mind as they enter the holiday break.

“Ocular dominance” is more than just talk

Pochettino shocked USMNT fans by making some bold positioning choices: he moved Tim Weah, traditionally a right winger, to a deep left position, pushed left winger Christian Pulisic into a more central attacking role and encouraged left-back Antonee Robinson to invert toward the center of the field. The reason? Ocular dominance. 

“It’s a dominant eye that brings you in a position to feel comfortable with the ball,” Pochettino explained, via Charles Boehm of mlssoccer.com. 

Weah, apparently, has a dominant left eye, so Pochettino pushed him to the left to make it easier for him to spot runs in the final third (and moved Pulisic and Robinson around to accommodate that change.) The impact was positive and immediate: Weah had one of the best games of his USMNT career from a position he’d never tried before.

The USMNT has more depth than it thought it did

Several key players were missing from this USMNT camp, from defender Sergino Dest to midfielder Tyler Adams to forward Folarin Balogun, but if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t have guessed it. Their substitutes—Joe Scally, Tanner Tessmann and Ricardo Pepi, respectively—looked completely at home in the USMNT starting eleven, and some of them even outplayed their better-known peers.

Tessmann just might be the most interesting case of the three. Tyler Adams is a difficult player to replace, but Tessmann deputized for him with ease. He brought some much-needed grace, maturity and intelligence to the young USMNT midfield. 

“We have really liked his [Tessmann’s] quality, his ability to understand the game, everything, the balance that he brings,” Pochettino told The Athletic. “He has enormous potential. We have to help him to continue growing.”

Questions remain about the USMNT’s goalkeeping

Embattled USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner had a great first game against Jamaica, saving a penalty and helping the team hang onto its 1-0 victory. But he struggled mightily in Game 2, letting in two easy goals from Jamaica’s Demarai Gray and lending some doubt to the USMNT’s otherwise strong performance. That’s precisely the kind of year it’s been for Turner: confidence-building and confidence-destroying in equal measure.

The inconsistency isn’t all Turner’s fault. He’s not starting for his club team (Crystal Palace) and simply isn’t getting the minutes he needs to stay sharp. But it does raise an important question: should the USMNT make a switch to a more reliable keeper? 

The Columbus Crew’s Patrick Schulte looked great with the U. S. Olympic Team this summer and deserves a shot with the senior team. Barcelona’s Diego Kochen is just 18, but he looks like an excellent option for the future. So does Barnsley’s 20-year-old Gaga Slonina. If Pochettino is going to make a goalkeeper change, he needs to make it soon.

The USMNT returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 18 against Venezuela in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.