The USMNT returns to action two weeks from today for a critical training camp and set of matches. The schedule for the WC being in the winter (during most leagues season) means that there won’t be a traditional training camp with a couple of friendlies just prior to the WC. In fact there will be barely a one week training window. What that means is that the next two camps are ultra critical. These two camps being the one coming up in June and then one in September.
The camp starting next week is realistically the last opportunity for the coaching staff to get a good look at any new players (or those who have not been called in to a camp in awhile). Plus there will be 4 matches to give the squad some good game experience. Two friendlies (Uruguay and Morroco) and two CONCACAF Nations League (Grenada and El Salvador). The September camp is expected to include two friendlies but they have not been scheduled as of yet. And the expectation is that those friendlies will be to get the team together one last time and fine tune preparations for the WC. Not impossible that some new face emerges between now and then and makes a strong enough case for a look in September. But its certainly not very likely.
The good news is that the US is going to Qatar. Certainly their play during the final qualifying stage was erratic and inconsistent. But we also saw some excellent work that gives fans some solid basis to expect we can advance out of the Group Stage in Qatar (yes we got a difficult draw and we will look at that closer this fall). Additionally the majority of the roster has been pretty well determined. Injuries and form this fall will play a role in that for sure but by and large we have a solid handle on the back line, the midfield, and the wings. But we have two positions where, while we have some talent, lots of questions are outstanding. That being at the two ends of the field. Goalkeeping and striker. So in this two part series lets take a look at those two positions and just what we have and what the issues are. This week we’ll look at the goalkeepers. What they have going for them and factors against them. Simply put nobody has stood out in the last 6 months as the clear #1.
Zack Steffen
Going into the Ocho Steffen was the apparent #1 keeper. Some would suggest that Turner seemed to have a leg up in that he started 8 of the final 14 qualifying matches to 6 for Steffen. A good question but in my book if you want to know what the US coaching staff is thinking then look at who they play against Mexico. And Steffen started both of the Ocho matches against Mexico and played quite well. However all is not well with Steffen either. He didn’t look sharp in the final two matches against Panama and Costa Rica. Then he returned to club play for Manchester City and made one of the worst gaffes by a keeper ever in their FA Cup semi-final match against Liverpool. They all make mistakes but this one was a real howler.
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The problem with Steffen is two fold. First, he just isn’t playing much with Man C having only made 9 appearances in all competitions this season. Hard to stay sharp. Training with a superb team and coaching staff like Man C only goes so far. Keepers need to see the field of play. Then there is his back injury. It caused him to miss some of the Ocho and in the last window he still didn’t look right. Back injuries are one of those things that can linger and return in a heartbeat so it bears watching. Moving forward the best thing for Steffen and the USMNT would be for him to get loaned out to a club for the fall where he would be the #1 and get a lot of playing time. The advantage Steffen has over any of the other keepers in the fold is his familiarity with the players and the system coach Gregg Berhalter is using. A major part of that system is playing out of the back and Steffen is our best keeper using his feet, Steffen will be on the WC roster. The question is how much will he play come Qatar?
Matt Turner
The apparent #2 but also a keeper with a lot going for him and plenty of chances to push for the #1 spot. He started the first 5 matches in the Ocho and played quite well. However, his one major weakness (coming out for the ball) reared its head down in Panama. Now it was also a defensive error resulting in the goal. But that corner kick was into the 6 yard box. You want your keeper to get on that ball. But Turner also showed some off some of his great shot stopping abilities. Then came that frigid night in Minnesota. Turner suffered frostbite on one of his feet and was out for quite awhile. Then just as he returned to training he hurt his other foot. He has just recently returned to the New England Revolution lineup and has looked good. But like Steffen he has a major issue coming up. He is transferring to Arsenal this summer. Good for him but it likely means he too will be riding the bench this fall as Arsenal has a very good keeper in Aaron Ramsdale. Very unlikely that Turner could beat him out for the starting slot so best hope is that he playes well enough to get all their cup matches this fall. Also would be good for him if Arsenal doesn’t not earn a berth in the UEFA Champions League. Arsenal would probably play Ramsdale in their UCL matches. However, if they fail to reach a top 4 spot in the English Premier League then they will end up in the UEFA Europa League and much higher chance they would use Tuner in those matches (AND that assumes that he beats out their current #2 Bernd Leno or that Leno transfers out this summer). Turner’s best attribute is his ability to make reaction saves. He is very very good at that, And making a save is after all the main jov of a keeper. His weakness, besides coming out, is his play with the ball at his feet. He’s not as good there as you’d like. Turner will be on the roster for Qatar. Will he unseat Steffen as the #1 is the question.
Ethan Horvath
Poor Ethan. The guy just can’t seem to find a club situation where he can excel. He went to Club Brugges in Belgium and played very well in his limited opportunities. But Brugge also had Simon Mignolet who just happens to be the starting keeper for the Belgian National Team. Then last summer Horvath transferred to Nottingham Forest in the English Championship. But just like the two guys above he seems to be stuck as their #2. Their #1, Brice Samba, got injured this winter and Horvath stepped in and played very well. Many Nottingham fans hoped he would step into the #1 spot. But a couple of weeks after returning to duty Samba was back in the starting role. Now there is a real plus to Horvath. Besides, being perhaps the best overall keeper in our current stable, he has shown a superb ability to come off the bench and play with very little rustiness. That is a remarkable capability for a keeper. A prime example being last summers CONCACAF Nations League Final against Mexico. Zack Steffen started that match but got injured and had to be taken out in the 67th minute. In came Horvath. Horvath came up with two terrific saves to get the match to extra time. Christian Pulisic scored a penalty to put the US on top 3-2. But late in the extra time Mexico was awarded a penalty and shot to tie the game and send it to penalties to determine the winner. Except Horvath said not so fast.
The ability to come off the bench and play like that is special. Will we see Horvath on the roster in Qatar? Hard to say but right now he’s got a great shot to be one of the three keepers.
Sean Johnson
The starting keeper for New York City FC (MLS) has made a number of appearances for the USMNT over the years. Johnson has played 9 matches for the USMNT but only once since 2020. The positive side for Johnson is his size and quickness. At 6 ‘3″ he’s a big boy but is still able to get low for shot stoppage. He is reliable and steady. But right now the best thing he has going for him is that he is playing lots of matches with 10 so far in this MLS season. At a time when none of the suspected top US keepers are playing much he’s a good commodity to have as an option. The problem going forward is with the limited number of matches the USMNT will have before the WC. With at best having 6 matches its hard to see him getting any starts over the top 3 but Berhalter might see things differently. As for Qatar, he is certainly capable of being on the roster as the #3 and would be serviceable in the event he had to play.
Gabriel (Gaga) Slonina
A lot of fans (too many in my opinion) really want to see Gaga get some time in this upcoming window. He came into the MLS with the Chicago Fire last season and played with his hair on fire and that continued into the early parts of this season. But goalkeeping is a learned and high pressure position. He only turned 18 a few days ago! But his fans kept pointing out how he was leading the MLS in clean sheets and save percentage and was looking terrific. All true statements. Then the wheels fell off. In his last 4 MLS matches he has allowed 11 goals and his save percentage has been a woeful 39%. Now goals allowed and save percentage are just basic metrics and there is a lot more to the picture than just the pure stats. But even the eye test says that he isn’t ready for international duty. However, it is interesting to note the Poland (he’s has dual citizenship) has called him into their June camp as a 5th goalkeeper. Will be interesting to see next week if he gets a call into the US camp and in any event does he accept the Poland call, Realistically his a huge long shot to make the WC roster for Qatar for either country but certainly should be expected to be in the mix for the WC in 2026. My advice to Slonina is to play where your heart lies. Don’t take a call up to Poland just because they asked. The biggest question I think he has to look at this summer is if he gets a chance to move to Europe does he take it or not. Much depends of course on the club he’d move to and how well they develop young players. But that aside unless the ideal move were to come about I think he’s best served to stay in the MLS for another year (at least).
So in those are the top 5 candidates at the moment. We will get to know a lot more come next month and the September windows. Plus seeing what happens with their club situations this summer. But if I had to set the roster today its goes like this:
#1/2 – Steffen and Turner. I still think Steffen is slightly ahead if nothing more for his international experience but Turner could overtake him this fall.
#3 – Horvath. He’s too valuable in his ability to come off the bench and take over #1 duties. And if the club situations go all his way he could end up being the #2 or maybe even the #1. He can be that good,
Next week will be Part 2 on the #9.
Soccer Analyst
Steve is an avid fan of all things soccer and the O’s. Originally from the west, he grew up in the Baltimore area. He returned to the west for college where he earned a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Montana State University and spent 36 years working at the Idaho National Laboratory prior to retiring in 2013. It was during his school years in Baltimore where he learned to play soccer and that developed into a life long passion. He played competitively for over 40 years and was a four year starting goalkeeper at MSU. He also coached and refereed in the Idaho premier soccer and High School programs for many years.