USMNT takeaways: Pochettino's youngsters shine, but lineup questions linger

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As international windows go, the just-concluded fall slate of games couldn't have gone much better for the U.S. men's national team.

Just about all of manager Mauricio Pochettino's goals were accomplished. Over the window, all 28 players saw the field. Thirteen players earned their first cap. Seven players scored goals and of those 12 goals scored, the team's teenagers scored seven.

It's why, at the conclusion of the window, with Tuesday's 1-0 win over Canada tucked away, Pochettino was effusive in his praise for all involved.

"They deserve the credit," Pochettino said about the players. "I think it's not talking only about the result; it's about the way that we compete, and the way that we made that journey together."

Here's what else stood out over the course of the four matches and two demanding weeks.

Never mind "all right" -- the kids were darn good

When Pochettino announced his roster on Sept. 17, the roster's inexperience stood out. Not that this was a negative in any way. The World Cup cycle is just beginning, which means now is the time to experiment, as well as begin to fill in the gaps on the roster.

But Pochettino's choices added intrigue to the proceedings. Yes, the group was talented, but how would the young players hold up? And perhaps more pertinently, how would they manage the inevitable ups and downs that their first forays into international soccer would bring?

As it turned out, just fine, thank you.

Julian Hall scored three goals to lead the U.S. during the window, and while he needs to convert his chances more consistently -- what forward doesn't? -- he showed off his uncanny sense of how to exploit time and space. His goal against Mexico might have looked like the soccer equivalent of a two-foot putt, but getting into that position is a skill, just as much as touch and striking are. Justin Ellis did his bit as well, adding finishing ability to his already impressive link play.

Then there was Cavan Sullivan. The Philadelphia Union attacker was accompanied by a tsunami of hype coming into the window, and those expectations seemed impossibly high. Yet he showed plenty of quality over the course of his three appearances and delivered a goal against Mexico that will live long in the memory. He picked off a wayward pass from El Tri goalkeeper Raúl Rangel and then, in a moment of sublime improvisation, lobbed the Mexico goalkeeper from 35 yards.

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How far can USMNT's Cavan Sullivan go?

For a player, there was no better way to announce oneself to the U.S. fanbase. Yet what stood out most of all for the entire group was something more foundational than dazzling. It's that each of the young players looked like they belonged.

Sure, there were moments where inexperience showed. Marking wasn't always as tight as it needed to be. Some passes were overambitious. Touches under pressure weren't always clean. But the starting points, be it physical traits or the ability to adapt to situations, are there. That is an exciting prospect as the games now get more difficult, and the stakes get raised.

There are still some holes in the U.S. lineup

Pochettino's goals for this camp went beyond the international baptism of young players. There was data to be collected, and spots of positional need to be tested with faces both new and familiar.

Heading into the window, the two biggest question marks were in goal and the center of defense alongside locked-in starter Chris Richards. Four games later, that's still the case.

Pochettino certainly has more information about players in those spots than he did before. Four different center backs saw time, as did the same number of goalkeepers. While it was always going to be unlikely that the current window would provide anything definitive, the performances in total were inconclusive.

In defense, George Campbell played well enough -- especially in combining with Richards to grind out the Canada win -- to get another look. He even showed off his passing ability by releasing Hall on a clear breakaway in the 70th minute that wasn't converted. Neil Pierre is an enticing prospect, dominating in his duels, but needing more precision in terms of passing out of the back. He looks like a raw prospect who needs more seasoning, but at 19 years of age, time is his ally.

Auston Trusty took one for the team against Canada by standing in at left back, but his inconsistent distribution means he still looks short of being the answer next to Richards. Miles Robinson falls into a similar category, though his issues were less about his distribution and more about some shaky touches in his defensive third.

The goalkeeper position is either wide open or muddled, depending on how you look at it. Chris Brady seemed to take a step backward this window in terms of his decision-making -- the lifeblood of any keeper -- as well as his ability to defend set pieces. Both Diego Kochen and Brian Schwake delivered when called upon, though neither was relied upon too heavily.

Then there is Matt Freese. He played the first 45 minutes against Peru and then wasn't seen again during the window. Granted, Pochettino and his staff know Freese better than anyone, but it still seemed noteworthy that he was a healthy scratch for the finale against Canada. The coming weeks should provide more clarity.

Looking ahead to the Nations League quarterfinal

The just-concluded window seemed to drag on at times with the unprecedented fixture list and the travel that accompanied it. But in about four weeks, Pochettino will be putting his roster together for the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal against Haiti, with games scheduled for Nov. 14 and Nov. 17.

It's a near certainty that there won't be nearly as much room on that roster to accommodate young players as this one did. The likes of AC Milan's Christian Pulisic and Juventus' Weston McKennie will likely be back in the fold, health permitting, of course. The same is true for AS Monaco's Folarin Balogun and PSV's Ricardo Pepi.

Some other names that jump out are Atlético Madrid's Johnny Cardoso and Marseille's Tim Weah, though the latter name seems to have fallen out of favor with Pochettino, at least at the moment.

That still leaves a few spots for some of the standouts from this window. Hall looks to have done enough to be the third forward if Balogun and Pepi are called in. The same seems true of Sullivan out on the flank, though it looks like he might struggle to log heavy minutes.

The reason for that is one of the window's other big storylines, that being the resurgence of Gio Reyna. Reyna played in all four matches, logging 259 minutes, which is stunning given his injury history. He played well in a variety of roles too, including that of a deep-lying playmaker against Canada. But his skill set is better suited closer to the opposition goal, which would likely take minutes away from Sullivan.

This amounts to a champagne problem for Pochettino, or given his tastes, a fine red wine problem. Given how everything panned out during this window, it wouldn't be a surprise if last Tuesday night, the Argentine hoisted a glass or two.