Pochettino wraps up October with the US, buoyed by a youth movement

When a coach is asked to sum up a camp and responds with praise that's almost unqualified, something went right. That's what happened with Mauricio Pochettino at the close of the October window with the US national team: four matches, 28 players used, 13 debutants and a sweet ending against Canada, 1-0, on Tuesday.

The numbers tell much of the story. Of the 12 goals scored during the window, seven came off the feet (or the head) of the group's youngest players. Seven different players found the net, and the coach didn't hide how he felt watching so many young guys rise to the occasion.

They deserve the credit. It's not just about the result, it's about the way we competed and the journey we went through together.Mauricio Pochettino

The kids weren't good, they were great

When Pochettino announced the roster on September 17, what stood out most was how inexperienced the group was. Nothing negative in itself: the World Cup cycle is just getting started, and it's time to test pieces. But there was a natural question hanging over everything: how would these kids respond to their first call-ups with the senior national team?

Julian Hall put that question to rest with three goals in the window. He still needs to be sharper in front of goal (like any forward), but he showed a real knack for reading timing and space. His goal against Mexico looked simple, almost lucky, but getting into that position is a skill in its own right. Justin Ellis chipped in too, adding a goal to the combination play he'd already been showing.

And then there's Cavan Sullivan. The Philadelphia Union player arrived under enormous expectations, the kind that seem impossible to live up to. Even so, he delivered across his three appearances and scored a goal against Mexico that will stick in the memory: he picked off an errant pass from Mexican goalkeeper Raul Rangel and, in a flash of pure improvisation, chipped it from about 35 yards out. There's no better calling card.

But the most valuable part wasn't the highlight reel, it was the basics: all of these young players looked like they belonged at this level. There were loose marks, passes that were too ambitious, the occasional sloppy touch under pressure. Normal stuff. What matters is that the physical foundation and the ability to adapt are there, right as the games start getting tougher.

Holes still need filling

Beyond the kids' debuts, Pochettino was also after concrete answers at two hot-button positions: goalkeeper and the center back spot alongside Chris Richards, the undisputed starter. Four matches later, the picture still isn't clear. Four different center backs and the same number of goalkeepers got run out, and while it was never realistic to expect definitive answers from a single window, the situation remains wide open.

On defense, George Campbell played well enough, especially pairing with Richards to see out the win over Canada, to stay firmly on the radar. He even flashed his passing range, setting up Hall on a clear counterattack in the 70th minute that didn't end in a goal. Neil Pierre, just 19, is an interesting prospect: he wins individual duels but needs to sharpen his ability to play out from the back. Time is on his side. Auston Trusty sacrificed himself at left back against Canada, though his uneven distribution still leaves him short of the mark next to Richards. Miles Robinson faces a similar issue, though in his case it's more about some shaky touches in his own box.

The goalkeeper spot, meanwhile, remains contested ground. Chris Brady seemed to take a step back in decision making and defending set pieces. Diego Kochen and Brian Schwake answered the bell when called upon, though without facing major tests. And then there's Matt Freese, who played the first half against Peru and didn't appear again for the rest of the window, left out even for the finale against Canada. The coming weeks should bring more clarity to this puzzle.

Eyes on Haiti

In roughly four weeks, Pochettino will have to put together the roster for the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal clash with Haiti, with matches set for November 14 and 17. That call-up is almost certain to leave much less room for the kids: health permitting, names like Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco) and Ricardo Pepi (PSV) should be back, along with Johnny Cardoso (Atletico Madrid). Tim Weah (Marseille), on the other hand, appears to have lost ground with the coach for now.

Even so, there's a bit of room left for the standouts from this window. Hall looks ready to be the third attacking option if Balogun and Pepi get the call, and something similar could happen with Sullivan out wide, though he's likely to find minutes hard to come by. The reason has a name: Gio Reyna, who played all four matches and logged 259 minutes, a notable number given his injury history. Reyna performed well in a variety of roles, even as a withdrawn playmaker against Canada, though his best form shows up closer to the opposing goal, exactly the area where Sullivan also wants to make his mark.

A good problem for Pochettino to have, the kind that gets celebrated with a glass of red wine.