Ricardo Pepi’s prime opportunity, Weston McKennie’s midfield mastery, Christian Pulisic’s prodigious play and five things to watch as USMNT take on Jamaica

There’s no Josh Sargent and no Folarin Balogun, due to injury, which leaves the USMNT shorthanded at striker. Now, the pressure will fall to Ricardo Pepi, who, to be fair, tends to score when he does have that spotlight on him.

Pepi is in fine form. He’s scored six goals in 420 Eredivisie minutes, including two goals against PEC Zwolle on Oct. 26 and one more against NAC Breda over the weekend.He also scored in his last USMNT appearance, netting the second goal in the friendly win over Panama in Austin.

Pepi is almost certainly the starter, likely in both games. It’s a major opportunity for him to prove himself, particularly with the two other top contenders out of camp due to injury. The USMNT does have firepower behind him, though. Brandon Vazquez is a fantastic supersub option, particularly if the USMNT needs a goal late. The Monterrey striker can provide instant offense.

Could Pochettino throw in a surprise? Someone such Weah in a central role? Perhaps, but Weah will miss the first of the two Jamaica matches on suspension from his red card in this summer’s Copa America. In all likelihood, the USMNT’s No. 9 duties will fall to Pepi for these two massive games.

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  Brenden Aaronson’s resurgence

  Brenden Aaronson started the season well, winning Leeds’ Player of the Month honors in August. Importantly, that level hasn’t dipped, which has led to several positive results for club and country.

  On the club level, Aaronson has won back the trust of Leeds fans by proving August wasn’t a fluke. He already has four Championship goals this season, double the amount he scored in the Bundesliga last season and quadruple what he scored in his first full season with Leeds. The goals are coming in wins, too, helping Leeds push for a run back to the Premier League.

  For Aaronson, that brings confidence – and that confidence brings USMNT opportunities. Throughout his time with the U.S., Aaronson has been known for effort and intensity which, despite what detractors may say, is required. The big question now is if he can add a few goals and assists to that hard-working approach. He has in the Championship; if he can with the USMNT, that would be a massive leap forward.

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  McKennie’s impact on the midfield

  It’s been too long since we’ve seen Weston McKennie in a USMNT jersey. He missed September camp and was forced out of October camp. In the time since McKennie last played for the USMNT, the Copa America, he has survived another potential Juventus sale to reclaim his place in the team once again.

  Now, he’ll be asked to reclaim his place in this team. Pochettino will no doubt have some fun ideas for a midfielder of McKennie’s caliber. McKennie, at his best, is a midfield master who impacts the game all over the pitch and can provide a legitimate goalscoring threat, particularly from set pieces.

  Pochettino, like any coach, can find a way to use that. What will the midfield look like?

  Tyler Adams is still in Bournemouth as he continues to work his way back to full fitness, with Pochettino saying Sunday, “He is an important player for USA, for us, and I consider him, personally, a very important player for the future of this team. But the most important thing now is to see the progression.”

  So that No. 6 spot is up for grabs. Will Pochettino go with a double-pivot ahead of one attacking midfielder? Will there be one lone six? In either scenario, where does McKennie fit, particularly in this roster as assembled?

  McKennie’s club form has been good. Now, it’s up to Pochettino to find the right way to unleash it.

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  Weah is back… almost

  McKennie isn’t the only Juventus star back in the U.S. squad for the first time since the Copa America. Weah is back, too, although his return is technically on pause.

  Weah will miss the first game in Jamaica due to his Copa red card, but he’ll be eligible to return for the second game in St. Louis. Weah’s return to the team gives Pochettino a weapon he didn’t have in October, one that, over the last few years, has been so important to how the USMNT attack has functioned.

  Weah’s ability to keep defenses honest opens up many doors. The winger is always a threat, which forces defenses to redirect attention or be punished in one of those moments where that threat becomes real. It’s a knock-on effect that previous boss Gregg Berhalter spoke about often: Weah’s ability to stretch the lines changes how everyone else on the field can operate.

  This is Pochettino’s team now, though. We’ve seen how Pochettino uses wingers on the club level, where he’s coached many of the best. From proven stars such as Heung-min Son, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi to rising stars such as Cole Palmer, Pochettino has found ways to get production out of wingers of different shapes and sizes.

  Weah is next up, even if he’ll have to wait one more match before actually taking the field.

  As for who starts the first game, Pochettino has options. Alejandro Zendejas impressed against Mexico, making him one of the few that can say that. The other contender is Cade Cowell, who provides an injection of pace that will be lacking with Weah out. Aaronson, too, could start out wide, as he did last camp.

  What will Christian Pulisic do next?

  It built from an encouraging start to fine form to flat-out greatness at AC Milan this season. And Christian Pulisic is bringing it to USMNT camp once again.

  With seven goals and four assists in 15 matches for AC Milan, Pulisic continues to play at the highest of levels. That showed itself for the U.S. against New Zealand in September, when he scored against New Zealand. It showed itself again in October, when he set up Yunus Musah for a goal against Panama. These games against Jamaica count, so Pulisic’s contributions more vital than ever.

  Right now, there isn’t a better player in the region than Pulisic, who will undoubtedly be the focus of Jamaica’s game plans this week. Stopping him is the first step to stopping the USMNT. It’s not the only one, but certainly the most important. And, even with that gameplan, with Pulisic at this level, there may not be much Jamaica can do.

  We’ll find out over these two legs, as Pulisic looks to once again be the player to lift his side in big games.