GOAL writers break down MLS transfer window, examine who can rise under Pochettino, make Premier League picks
The MLS summer transfer window wrapped with some intriguing signings and trades across the league. Olivier Giroud and Marco Reus moving to the two Los Angeles clubs grabbed the headlines, but there were plenty of impactful moves throughout the league that could have big implications come playoff time.
With Leagues Cup wrapping up on Sunday, the final stretch of the MLS season will be upon us and fans should be in for an exciting path to the playoffs.
Meanwhile, more details are emerging of the soon-to-be-confirmed hiring of Mauricio Pochettino as the USMNT boss. The Argentine may have to wait a few weeks to take charge, but excitement is already palpable at the idea of a truly elite coach taking charge of this intriguing group of players.
Elsewhere, the Premier League concluded its first week of play. Some got the job done, others not so much, and Tottenham, drawing with newly-promoted Leicester, somehow got it exactly right.
It's yet another hectic week in the game, and our GOAL US writers break it all down in the latest edition of… The Rondo.
AFPWhich USMNT player are you most excited to see play for Poch?
Tom Hindle: Christian Pulisic. Do not even remotely overthink this. Pochettino is a proven developer of talent, with an excellent track record of making the very good absolutely elite. Son Heung-Min, Harry Kane and Dele Alli all became world beaters under his tutelage. Even Moussa Sissoko looked like half a footballer with Poch at the helm at Spurs. Pulisic, right now, is very, very, very good. Give him an elite coach who knows what to do with funky and fun attacking players, and he could be world-class.
Jacob Schneider: Johnny Cardoso. It might be a hot take, but Poch could turn him into a world-class midfielder. He developed the likes of a young Adam Lallana and Alli, had Conor Gallagher flourishing at Chelsea and made the most of his midfielders with little resources while at Spurs. Moussa Sissoko's best-ever seasons were under Poch, while Christian Eriksen and Harry Winks were standout performers, too. We're already seeing glimpses of a sensational midfielder in there, and with time, Cardoso could flourish. That said, the likes of Yunus Musah, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Gio Reyna could all benefit from the tactician that he is. There's just something about Cardoso that could be really special over time.
Ryan Tolmich: There are plenty, but we'll go with Folarin Balogun. Throughout Gregg Berhalter's tenure, it felt as if the U.S. didn't know how to get the best out of the Monaco man, although that feeling changed a bit during the Copa America. He was a bit miscast in Berhalter's system, which was based around wing play and maintaining possession.
Pochettino, meanwhile, is a coach that will be willing and able to unleash Balogun, who is a much better player when running at defenses. Under Poch's watch, for example, Heung-min Son became one of the best in the world at doing exactly that. How will Pochettino use Balogun? What can he do to put him in positions to succeed? It's one of many storylines to watch.
AdvertisementUSA Today ImagesWho won the MLS transfer window?
TH: Let's go really, really, really boring, and say that the team who signed the best player won it. And yes, that best player is Reus, not Giroud. It's fair to say that the Galaxy just about edged it this summer. Giroud will hopefully give LAFC the boost at striker they've needed and gives them an aerial threat on attack they haven't had in years. But Reus is the razor-sharp edge for an already fun team. Throw the German legend in a side that Riqui Puig is already cooking for, and this could be an immensely fun team.
JS: A few good answers here. Giroud could be the MLS Cup-winning piece for LAFC, while Miami brought in David Martinez at CB – a position at which they desperately needed help. The Herons also managed to keep a hold of Diego Gomez until January, which immediately boosts their MLS Cup odds. The real winner, though, is the Columbus Crew. They didn't splash, they didn't spend a ton, but they brought in arguably the best transfer of the summer in DeJuan Jones. He is one of the best wingbacks in the league, a U.S. international, and an absolutely perfect fit in Wilfried Nancy's system. The Cup holders got better, without wasting a DP spot, an international roster spot, or a ton of cash. So, so smart.
RT: The rich get richer, huh? The Crew's window didn't have the star power of Los Angeles, but the league's best team somehow got a little bit better. Yes, they lost Aidan Morris, which stinks, but they're equipped to handle it. Bringing in Jones, Aziel Jackson, Andres Herrera, and Dylan Chambost, meanwhile, gives this team crazy, crazy depth.
Despite losing a Homegrown star, the Crew are still better than they were a few weeks ago, which is bad news for everyone else in MLS.
MLS MediaIs it healthy for Leagues Cup to have four MLS semifinalists?
TH: Not even slightly – not that MLS's best teams are to blame here at all. The competition is a fun idea that hasn't quite been executed correctly in its two years of existence. There are too many MLS teams involved, and there really should be some games played on the other side of the border – logistical concerns notwithstanding. Yes, it's fun to see sides such as the Colorado Rapids getting a shot at Silverware. But in an ideal world this is a 2-2 split in the final four, not just an MLS midseason tournament with some guests.
JS: Absolutely not. Tournament attendance is already down, and it felt like 90 percent of the supporters in cross-league matches were from Liga MX clubs. There's a conversation to be had on that, but right now, the tournament hands Liga MX teams disadvantage after disadvantage. From asking them to play on artificial turf, to traveling thousands of miles, to enter the competition after just three or four matches into their league season, it's not set up for them succeed. Now, on the other hand, job well done to some of the MLS sides have found success against top Mexican opposition, like the Rapids.
RT: For the casual fan, definitely not. The fun of this tournament is to see teams from MLS and Liga MX play each other. Unfortunately, this summer, that battle has been one-sided. That's for a variety of reasons, home-field advantage being the biggest, but it does take a little bit of the luster off, doesn't it? In the end, winning Leagues Cup is great, but MLS Cup is still the ultimate prize – so the MLS-on-MLS clashes in the final games just don't have the juice as a result.
Getty ImagesWho wins the Premier League?
TH: Manchester City … probably. Too good, too much money, too inevitable. It seems like Arsenal get a bit closer every year, but it's not quite clear if they bought that one spark plug that can really ignite their attack when things get a bit stale. The arrival of Riccardo Calafiori is helpful, and the Mikel Arteta machine will continue to be fine tuned. But they need a world-class striker to take them over the edge. Until then, City probably win it by two points or something – no matter how much the fogging standards are raised in North London.
JS: Unfortunately, it's probably City. But for the sake of optimism, excitement and every other positive word out there in the world, let's say Liverpool. Why not have Arne Slot come in, during his debut season, and give Mo Salah the potential send off he deserves? They need another signing or two, but if they can bolster the squad, they're contenders.
Now, if there's one thing that won't happen, it will be Arsenal contending. Arteta's squad will step back this year and struggle a bit in the final-third with the players they have in attack. A proper dark horse is a team such as Aston Villa, who look fantastic so far, while the likes of Manchester United, West Ham and Chelsea will trail behind – along with Tottenham.
RT: Barring any off-field punishments, which may very well come, it's City. They're too talented not to, right? Even with a lack of motivation and potential complacency, this team is still too good to fail. They have the best striker in the league, the best midfielder in the league and the best manager in the world. Erling Haaland is going to score a billion goals. Kevin De Bruyne is going to provide as many assists as he wins. Pep Guardiola will tinker with this team just to keep them honest and to send the tactics sickos into a frenzy. Anyway, it feels like it's theirs to lose, whether that's on the field or, as it may turn out, in the courtroom.