1. Mauricio Pochettino is apparently operating on a different timeline
It was widely assumed that the September international window would mark the unofficial start of the U.S. men’s national team’s World Cup preparations. The key European-based players who were not involved this summer would return so the “A” squad could have as many games as possible together. Mauricio Pochettino had different ideas and is using the September camp to continue his extensive evaluation of the player pool.
Christian Pulisic is back in the squad, so this is not some kind of punishment for the guys who asked to have the Gold Cup off. Pochettino claims this is the last camp where “new faces” will be added. Fans of this team want something to believe in after two poor tournaments in a row by the “A” team. They want to see those players improving together to quiet the negativity. Pochettino and the federation keep acting like everything’s fine. They’re running out of time to prove it.
2. The weekend’s results made the final hours of the transfer window even more compelling
There are several Premier League clubs involved in different unresolved transfer drama as the summer transfer window enters its final hours. The Manchester teams. Liverpool. Newcastle. Aston Villa. Many of them lost over the weekend, and none of them will come away from their games feeling confident about the current status of their squad. Arsenal will be left wondering if they’ve done enough as well.
The futures of some of the league’s best players are still up in the air. Ederson. Marc Guehi. Alexander Isak. Emi MartÍnez. Yoane Wissa. Do Manchester City do something drastic after losing back-to-back games? What happens with all the goalkeepers? Can Liverpool really land Guehi and Isak? There is going to be a flurry of huge deals or a lot of unhappy players stuck in places they don’t want to be.
3. It could actually be getting worse at Manchester United
Even in one of the worst seasons in club history, Manchester United managed to get to the Europa League final. They played well enough against Arsenal to be confident this campaign would at least be slightly better. Their next two games featured their captain blaming the referee for skying a penalty in a 1-1 draw against Fulham and a shootout loss to Grimsby Town in a game they trailed 2-0 after 30 minutes.
Ruben Amorim’s comments after the loss were extraordinary. He seemed like a defeated man without any answers and hinted at a managerial change during the international break. Needing a stoppage-time penalty to beat Burnley at home Saturday didn’t help either. The gap between England’s elite and United has never been larger in the Premier League era, and it appears to be getting wider.
4. Inter Miami are still struggling to transcend MLS
In Lionel Messi’s two years with Inter Miami, the club has one Leagues Cup and a Supporters' Shield. They've undeniably been one of the best teams in Major League Soccer but have only won a single tournament. In Sunday’s Leagues Cup final loss to the Seattle Sounders, they didn’t put a shot on target. They recorded one victory at the Club World Cup, though it did come against Porto.
To be fair, the Herons can only play the teams placed in front of them. They've gotten to multiple Leagues Cup finals; the Mexican giants have not. The arrival of Messi provided MLS with something it's never had before. There was a chance to change the global perception of the league – and the continent it plays on. That hasn't really happened. Maybe it was unrealistic to think it could. It's just hard not to reflect on what Messi could mean for MLS compared to the impact he’s actually had.
5. That was a massive win for the Philadelphia Union
The Philadelphia Union have at most seven games left before the playoffs begin. By the time they do, Bradley Carnell’s team could have two trophies in the cabinet and home-field advantage the rest of the way. A treble was certainly possible when the Union kicked off in Cincinnati on Saturday night. It feels much more attainable now. Their 1-0 victory makes them the clear favorites in the East, and their chances of becoming the first American MLS franchise to complete the treble are increasing by the week.
Philadelphia played down a man for a third of the game and still created more expected goals than Cincinnati. Every time it feels like the magic might be running out, the Union deliver another huge performance and regain control of the Supporters' Shield race. Their schedule is manageable the rest of the way too. It may not ultimately end in a boatload of trophies, but they are giving themselves the best possible chance to wind up with at least one.