Predicting the USMNT's World Cup roster...and the fringe candidates who could flip it on its head

The Gio Reyna of it all: Yes, Reyna has played just 510 minutes for Monchengladbach this season. Yes, other players in his position would miss out on the roster altogether with stats like that. But Reyna has always been a special case, and his ceiling-raising highs — coupled with his genuinely mature and team-oriented performances for the USMNT in November and March — make him a valuable roster addition despite his lack of playing time.

The wild-card candidates on the fringe

Zavier Gozo (winger/wingback, Salt Lake): The Gozo hype train is barreling off the rails at the moment: Blame the USMNT media for that one, as it's been calling for his inclusion in this roster despite Gozo being a) 19 years old, b) without a single senior USMNT cap to his name and c) still figuring out the ins and outs of his defensive positioning in real time.

Gozo is a remarkable talent, and he'll play for the USMNT soon enough. But it's worth asking whether playing for the USMNT right now — at this age, with this much pressure — is the best thing for his development. We don't think it is, so we've left him out of our predicted roster to allow him to grow at his own pace. The USMNT will be better off with a healthy, confident, adult Gozo in the future than it would be with an undercooked, overstretched teenage Gozo this summer.

Damion Downs (striker, Hamburg) and Brian White (striker, Vancouver): The USMNT could definitely use another striker now that Derby County's Patrick Agyemang is out injured. Is there a chance Pochettino could leverage one of these two? Both Downs and White played for the USMNT at last summer's Gold Cup, and while neither lit that tournament on fire, neither looked out of their depth, either. They've both been consistent performers for their club sides ever since and might be a useful option off the bench.

Jackson Ragen (central defender, Seattle): With stalwart Chris Richards recovering from a sprained ankle, Pochettino could use another brick-wall defender in his back line. Toronto's Walker Zimmerman, Vancouver's Tristan Blackmon and Cincinnati's Miles Robinson have represented the USMNT more recently, but Ragen has outplayed all of them in MLS this season. He'd be a fascinating depth choice for this team's defense.

Diego Kochen (GK, Barcelona): The entire USMNT sphere has been waiting for 20-year-old goalkeeper Kochen to step into the senior team. It would be just like Pochettino to decide, after months of back-and-forth between Turner and Freese between the sticks, that Kochen's moment is now.