Alexi Lalas & Stu Holden's USMNT Starting XI vs New Zealand | SOTU

hello sunshine I'm Alexi lws and welcome to a special mini State of the Union here as we react to the debacle that was US Canada and look forward to the US New Zealand game my good friend Stu Holden is joining me for this little quick uh mini State of the Union and keep in mind that he will also join us on the full State of the Union which you will find in your feed all right Stu my head's exploding here US versus Canada obviously a failure on multiple fronts uh not the least which is losing to our friends Canada and losing in a way that I just thought was um there was there was a lack of urgency I thought there was a rudderless type of performance from this 11 I thought very few players stood out and at a time when we should be excited with the imminent announcement of Mauricio portino becoming the new coach of the US Men's National Team this was a dud from start to finish a couple and only a couple shining lights when it comes to the performances out there but all in all like I said a complete and utter failure quick thoughts on the US Canada game yeah well if it feels in the aftermath like this was a waste of time with the imminent and hopeful signing of Mauricio poino as the coach to have an interm head coach and for the team and these this group of players to have their first opportunity off the back of having such a an embarrassing performance at the Copa America this past summer that that is what we saw against a Canadian team that is on the rise with Jesse Marsh one of our bigger Rivals now in conap between them and Mexico I I was disappointed that we didn't see an intensity and a fight and from a group of players to have a response to make us once again believe that they can get this back on track coach or no coach you have to have inner motivation at this point especially if you're representing the US Men's National Team so that's why I came away from this and and my my feeling at the end of that Lex was why did I watch that why why did I watch that but in saying that there were some mixed performances but some guys that even amongst that did stand out and and maybe left an impression on the new coach all right let's take a look at the 11 uh that we saw come out and again very very few bright spots I will say uh you know Matt Turner right now is the incumbent however I do think there is an opportunity for someone to come along in the same way that Matt Turner did a few years ago and take it take a hold of it Patrick schy I thought he was great in this game even letting two goals in I thought he made saves it could have been much worse so I thought he was good and I thought Lund over there on that left side was good other than that Stu I'm I'm hardpressed to find anybody else out there that did anything that warranted any type of Praise yeah so what I would say for generally for guys like schy and London players that you didn't normally see in the starting lineup necessarily under Greg berhalter these are the games to do it right because now a lot of these guys schy is a great example MLS Cup champion leagues Cup champion does he make a move to Europe there's a lot of interest in him as well the most important thing for goalkeepers I think is to play and that's why you've now seen Matt Turner stalled a little bit in his career after moving to Forest he doesn't play now he's at Palace he's a backup once again it leaves an opportunity for a guy like shy and that's why I love that he got the start in this game once again because in order to keep growing as a player you need experience and I would love to see somebody get that opportunity now in the Nets and it's going to be fascinating to see what poino does there but yeah look Johnny cardoso is a player that I feel didn't get enough opportunities under Greg berhalter and for what he had done in La Liga with ra Bettis with Tyler Adams injury status uncertain he's a guy that I think can have an opportunity but in his minutes with the us he's been so underwhelming and once again he's the guy who gives the ball away out of the back and Canada score their first goal and so look these guys even Malik Tilman everybody gets biged up about him when he performs in PSV in in in Holland he didn't do it again speaking of being bigged up balagan again just still not there and we remember not too long ago where he was the savior he was coming in and going to fill that number nine position so it's still wide open I'm still not buying Richards in the back we know who ree is Christian polistic isn't going anywhere but again nobody really stood out and I was left feeling that this group of players was and again I'm going a grumpy old man it was was soft and ultimately looked spoiled in the way they went about this game but they have the opportunity to come back and I guess redeem themselves in terms of result and performance we were recording this right before they take on New Zealand this is what I would do and it it's it plays to your your point about seeing some new things so I continue on with schy and Gul give him that opport opportunity we know who Matt Turner is and Matt Turner is a good goalkeeper but who knows maybe this is the a parent or maybe this is the new starting goalkeeper we are less than two years away from the 26 World Cup uh I am changing out the backline my good friend David mossi has said that this is a glaring problem for the US and I agree nobody has stepped up in terms of that Center back position as I said I know who ree is and I'm just not convinced yet on Richard so I would put trusty in there and I would put McKenzie in there I wish there were some more options when it came to this camp this roster in the back but there aren't Aiden Morris give him a chance in the Midfield again to your point about Johnny he just might be one of those players that as great as he is in a club situation it just doesn't translate to the national team so I'm putting deat Toya in there in a starting position keeping Musa in there Bisk on the left cowl out there on the right again and we know we have waya coming back at some point too there but I'd like to see cowl he's still young he's still raw but I like the energy that he brings and then up top give the mutant jeene some love finally he's healthy I can't believe he didn't get in against Canada up top Josh Sergeant starting in that number nine position as position as this continual rotating cast and try out happens for the number ninth position I'm going to go through uh your your lineup here and what I like and don't like and I think Chris Richards is a guy that he's having a good season again in Crystal Palace he worked his way into the team last year I think his talent alone his physical ability he needs more games to become a leader and mature and I think you got he's going to be Center back so it's to me it's about finding the partner with Richards and I Tim ree I love him man he's been one of the best center backs he's a teammate former teamate of mine but it's time to move past re when we're thinking about 2026 which is ultimately where we're heading and in order for for players to get opportunities you've got to shift somebody to the side he should maybe still in this be in the squad but you've got to give guys games McKenzie's made a move to League one Le trusty made the move to Scotland these guys are guys that should be battling it out for that other Center back and I agree with David masi that's a big glaring hole right now in our team so let's find out who can play Unice Musa man I could not have been the biggest mus fan the last couple of years but we just seen his career stall a little bit because he lacks a position that I think he really owns has understood and has had minutes at even at AC Milan you see him as a right back you see him in Midfield you see where does he play for the US what's his best position I think it's an eight I don't think he's a six so he needs more games in that position Luca delator is not playing for his Club he's on the outs at saligo I'm not I'm not big on him for the next two years aen Morris I'm really interested what a great start to to his career in in Middlesboro right now and a player with a bit a big ceiling and then go up front I absolutely love your front line here Lex Kate cows having a great second season right now with Chivas Josh Sergeant I've been saying for about a year now he should be the starter in that position scoring goals whenever he's hit fit and healthy has had some untimely injuries and then polistic is polistic he's he's the best player the only thing I don't see in this team at all a leader yeah a leader I mean Christian's the closest you've got to that and even he at times is a reluctant leader well hopefully uh we see some more energy and that results in a better performance and ultimately a better result for this uh this this us team remains to be seen ultimately what that 11 is going to uh look like but we want to be inspired we want to be energized we want to be excited about this team going forward so they have another opportunity against New Zealand because we cannot see another performance the likes of which we saw against Canada again less than two years until the summer of 2026 and the men's World Cup my thanks to Stu Holden you can hear a whole lot more of Stu Holden on the Big Show if you want when it comes to the State of the Union that will be in your feed until then and as always my friends though size the day you like that clip well my state of the union podcast drops twice a week right here on my very own own YouTube page the only way to stay up to date is to hit that subscribe button down below size the day and see you soon