What Happened
Former USMNT player Herculez Gomez has publicly questioned head coach Mauricio Pochettino`s choice of goalkeeper for the Gold Cup. Matt Freese has been the starter for all three U.S. matches so far, keeping clean sheets in the first two but committing a crucial mistake during the 2-1 win against Haiti on Sunday.
Coach Pochettino explained that the established starting goalkeeper, Matt Turner, is already well-known, and the Gold Cup is being used to assess Freese, a prominent goalkeeper for NYCFC in MLS. Gomez, conversely, argued that Turner, who hasn`t played regularly for his club recently, is the one who needs playing time in these matches to maintain his form.
Appearing on Futbol Americas, Gomez stated, “I cannot grasp why Matt Freese is playing. If Matt Turner is the goalkeeper with the most international caps, and his current deficit is game time and match sharpness, then why isn`t he being given these opportunities, these minutes? Realistically, Freese is currently your fourth or fifth choice – considering Patrick Schulte, Zack Steffen, and others from the previous squad aren`t present. And you opt for Matt Freese? I genuinely don`t understand why he`s starting these matches. If I were Matt Turner, I`d be asking myself, `What am I doing here? Why am I not with Lyon right now? I could be improving my situation, striving for a starting spot in case their current starting keeper (Lucas Perri) doesn`t move to Roma. I need to compete with him, gain an advantage. What purpose does it serve for me to be at the Gold Cup supporting this player?`”
The goal scored by Haiti, which equalized the match at 1-1 in the first half on Sunday, resulted directly from a poor clearance by Freese. Gomez commented that this error highlights Freese`s current performance level. He elaborated, “This isn`t club football; you should anticipate dealing with such situations, clearing the ball effectively, whether by striking it hard or letting it run across your body to play it elsewhere. You simply cannot make that kind of error. For a goalkeeper, mistakes like that inevitably result in goals. And if I were Matt Turner, I`d be utterly frustrated not to be the starting goalkeeper in this tournament, feeling that Mauricio Pochettino is unfairly taking away my opportunity. Regardless of how you perceive his recent form, Turner remains the best option available, and he`s being denied the crucial playing time he desperately requires.”
What Maurice Edu Said
However, not everyone shares Gomez`s viewpoint. On Alexi Lalas` State of the Union podcast, fellow former USMNT player Maurice Edu argued that Freese should retain his starting position for the upcoming quarterfinal against Costa Rica. Edu stated, “If there was a prior plan for Matt Freese to play the group stage and Matt Turner the knockout rounds, that would be a different discussion. But if the aim is to learn about a goalkeeper other than Matt Turner, whose abilities I am already familiar with – then at the first instance your keeper faces a test and shows a slight deficiency under pressure – I don`t believe in simply discarding that player.”
He continued, “My view would be, alright, he experienced that moment. But now comes a true test of resilience over ninety minutes or more in a knockout match, where such a mistake would have even greater repercussions. I want to observe how he performs in that challenging environment.”
Edu further commented that he thinks Pochettino will gain insight into Freese`s reaction. He explained, “I will learn more about this player from that specific moment because he`s made that error. Therefore, I will see how he handles that pressure, how he bounces back. I will gain more knowledge from his performance in that single game than from the three group stage matches he played. This is why, personally, I would keep him in the starting lineup for the quarterfinal… I don`t believe that selecting him jeopardizes the U.S.`s opportunity to win the match.”
What`s Next?
After defeating Haiti, the USMNT secured first place in Group D and is scheduled to play against Costa Rica in the Gold Cup quarterfinals on June 29.
Rupert Caldwell 
Tristan Blackwood