DCU International Call Ups, DC Power Preview, and more: Tuesday Freedom Kicks
Good morning DC Footy Folk! It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to use the “rainy” Freedom Kicks theme. Make sure you have an umbrella ready with you most of this week!
Anyways, let’s go to the footy news!
DC Power are playing a rare (and rainy) weekday game today at Audi today. You can pop the second half on during lunch if you have Peacock.
Kang became the first woman to win the award. Previous winners include PSG president, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, and UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin.
DC United has four players called up for the three week long(!!!) international break. Baribo (Israel), Munteanu (Romania), and Peltola (Finland) have all been called up for their respective country’s Nation League matches. Additionally, Nathan Ordaz has been called up for El Salvador.
With both of DCU’s starting forwards (and one of the main attacking subs) out for the next few weeks, who will start against Vancouver this weekend?
Why this 3-week international break is longest ever (and why that’s a good thing) (ESPN)
I mean I guess this means less breaks overall, but still the same number of international games. I, for one, think players play in too many games already. We don’t need a three week long international break; we need less international games outside of World Cup qualifying. Let me know in the comments if you agree!
Messi announced his retirement from international football earlier this month, but he will play in his final Argentina game during this international break. It will be against Benin in Buenos Aires and he will wear a special kit.
ICYMI, Pulisic scored an absurd goal for Milan this weekend. Unfortunately, he won’t have a chance to do the same for the USMNT as he was not called up for the international break.
Has Gio Reyna finally found club home? USMNT midfielder thriving at Strasbourg (USA Today)
However, the mercurial Gio Reyna was called up and it seems that he having a bit of a renaissance in France this season.
Two years and one World Cup down, Mauricio Pochettino is still assessing (The Guardian)
Former DCU beat reporter, Pablo Maurer, has a few words to say about Pochettino and his body of work so far with the national team. Spoiler alert; it was all a fact finding mission?!
Welp. DCU (barely) alum, Caden Clark, started his Seattle Sounders career on a high note scoring the tying goal in a 3-3 draw against the Colorado Rapids this past weekend.
The women’s Champions League starts today. Will Sam Coffey and Man City, Lily Yohannes and OL Lyonnes, Emily Fox and Arsenal, or Alyssa Thompson and Chelsea be able to wrestle the trophy away from Barcelona?
Finally, to close out the day, who says American soccer doesn’t have #HERITAGE? Also we love commitment to a bit: “Other than the annual post, she has not posted on the social network since 2022” per USA Today.
That’s all from folks! See you in the comments!
We can lament the long international window and having to play through part of it, but let’s acknowledge the real reason that we can’t be fully off during the window: Leagues Cup. Without the entire league stopping accommodate that tournament, we’d have at least an extra off week to play with
Yeah, that plus the Campeones Cup is such a huge waste of time IMO.
Yeah like the existence of Leagues Cup is fine but when we already have to take off 2 months to accommodate the World Cup, its really unnecessary
Don’t think it’s unfortunate that Pulisic is missing at all.
We know what he’s got, beginning of the cycle, let’s look at the most obvious crop coming up and see who may be foundational by the latter stages.
Also, Pulisic is having torrid form after being starved for minutes early, and that’s not a coincidence. Amorim benched him, for him pissed, played pissed Pulisic, got results.
Have to at some point make plans around the character of Pulisic, which doesn’t have to be laudable as long as it’s competitive.
But it’s clear why even the squad acknowledge him as a vital weapon while going to the likes of Adams, Ream, and Richards for actual leadership.
Welp, indeed.
Also:
Missing Murrell yet?
No
Next
I know this is a rebuilding year or two so I am ok with clearing space to get new players, but it shows why they need a deep bench. I don’t think they have had that luxury this year. I still think the ownership should loosen the purse strings a little because I think this FO can do things better than recent years.
I do like Murrell, but he got plenty of chances to show something last year as a starter while Benteke was out injured and just… didn’t. His appearances were not frequent this year, but there were similar outcomes.
From a bodies perspective, we have sort of Jackson Hopkins, and maybe Peglow? available to be strikers against Vancouver. I’m more hopeful that we’ll see at least one of Turner, Avilez, or maybe Castillo get a decent run out in that game.
I think the real issue is limiting club games. That would reduce part of the justification for super clubs to have two full rosters (one for Euro competition or Cups one for club or the regular season) which might spread the talent a little more and make the better Euro leagues a bit more competitive. I think a 3 week break for international play should result in better NT matches since they’ll have more time together.
In the interest of self-responsibility, I have to say that my prediction that one of the fullbacks – likely Kurokawa – was injured and that’s what necessitated the Antley recall was 100% wrong.
I’m especially glad this prediction was wrong. And, as always, I know nothing.