USMNT’s Luna, Tillman Have Impressed Most At Concacaf Gold Cup

SportsMoneyUSMNT’s Luna, Tillman Have Impressed Most At Concacaf Gold CupByMichael Lewis, Contributor

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights

Men's national team fares against Mexico in the Concacaf Gold Cup final in Houston on Sunday, one thing is

The tournament has allowed several players not only to be seen, but heard, as well

The two standouts have been midfielders Diego Luna and Malik Tillman

That doesn't mean they will earn a spot on the 26-man FIFA World Cup roster next May, but they took important steps to be considered seriously considered to be part of the mix

We need to remember that several key performers were not included on the roster, including Christian Pulisic, who wanted the summer off to regenerate himself for another difficult Italian A Serie A before next summer, and three players who were unavailable due to their respective teams participation in the FIFA World Cup - Juventus' Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, and Borussia Dortmund's Gio Reyna

But for head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the more the merrier, in terms of depth at just every position

He would prefer to be forced to make difficult decisions when naming a roster than picking someone just to fill it out

Here is a quick look at each player: Top LevelMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 29: Diego Luna #10 of United States celebrates after scoring a goal

Luna has tallied three goals in his last two matches, including two in the 2-1 semifinal victory over Guatemala on Wednesday

What has stood out 21-year-old midfielder has been ability to take risks and not being afraid to make mistakes

Hasn't had a player that for years

While a different player than Tab Ramos, he reminds this writer of the National Soccer Hall of Famer in that he is fearless on attack and not being afraid of taking risks and failing

It might be difficult to believe, but Luna was left off the U

Under-23 team that competed in the Paris Summer Olympics last year

Yes, that is a head scratcher, given what he has accomplished this year

While Luna has been a focal point of the U

Attack, it must be noted that he has excelled against Concacaf competition

There is no doubt that Luna has lifted his level, but he needs to take another step against more sophisticated defenders, midfielders and teams

That next big step would be a transfer from his MLS team to a European for the upcoming season

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 22: Malik Tillman #17 of United States celebrates after scoring his

And in this tournament, you can add Concacaf and international soccer to the list

He has struck thrice for the USA in the tournament, twice in the 5-0 triumph over Trinidad & Tobago in the group stage on June 15, and the first goal in a 2-1 quarterfinal win over Haiti on June 22

Beyond his God-given ability to make life miserable for opposing midfielders and defenders, Tillman has displayed a sense of unique positioning, being in the right place at the right time

You can't teach that to players

They are either born with it or it just comes with experience

And he is doing it for and country

Tillman is coming off his finest PSV season, having tallied 12 goals in league play and 16 across all competitions for his

Two others to considerARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 22: Patrick Agyemang #24 of the United States celebrates scoring during the

One has been his duction since making his international debut in January

The Charlotte FC forward has scored five goals in 11 international appearances, and another six (and one assist) in 16 MLS matches

In some games, he has been difficult to knock down

He has gotten fouled, giving the USA some free kicks, even if his ball skills aren't always first class

Still, he is too good to ignore

Agyemang also has scored twice for the USMNT, against Trinidad and Haiti

Unfortunately, we did not see enough of the 24-year-old Agyemang's ability against Guatemala

The good news is that it seems that Agyemang reportedly is close to be transferred to Derby County of Championship, the second tier In England, for a reported $8 million

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 29: Matthew Freese #25 of United States dives for the ball during the

The New York City FC goalkeeper has done OK

Even against Guatemala he looked a bit shaky, leaving rebounds after s

Elite sides and strikers will slice and dice goalkeepers and teams who do that

Freese grabbed the spotlight in the shootout win over the Central Americans in the semifinals after the team played to a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes

Freese was impressive in the shootout, making three s in the six-round tie-breaker

But being superb in penalty kicks is just one part of a goalkeeper's skillset

Perhaps the Mexicans will test the 26-year-old Freese in the final and we'll get an opportunity how he deals with pressure against a quality side in a final

Whether Freese will start or be one of three keepers on next year's team could come down to whether another goalie named Matt, Matt Turner, will see plenty of action in Europe this upcoming season

He was a non-entity with Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League, and the team he recently signed with Lyon, has been relegated to the French second division due to financial breaches, although the team is appealing the decision

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 22: Head coach Mauricio Pochettino of United States attends the Group Stage

Gathers for its next international window in September against Japan and the Korea Republic it will be intriguing to see which players are called in

With so few opportunities to have the team playing together before the World Cup, it is mandatory to bring in the best players, even for friendlies

Between now and next May, Pochettino and his staff will be evaluating the U

Squad on a regular basis

So many factors will go into their decision as to who to select for the team and those to leave out

Well beyond a player's reputation, the top factor is his form and how he can work with his USMNT teammates

There will be dreaded injuries suffered by players between now and then

That's part of the game

That's why getting an opportunity to see some other players just might give the USA a little depth and a better chance to advance deep into the knockout round next year

Every little bit helps

You never know who is going to come off the bench and become an unly hero

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