I will keep this short. The first two matches taught us very little. The level of opposition was, frankly, not useful as a measuring stick. The Dominican Republic provided the only real test. They were physical, brave, and relentless.

Conditions also mattered. The field was hard and bumpy. It was humid. It was extremely windy. For a team that relies on connected ball movement to unlock opponents, that made execution more difficult. Still, that cannot fully explain the issues we saw.

Right-back needs to be addressed

This was not new information, but right-back remains a position that needs a serious look. Neither option offered much in the attack, and neither was a shutdown defender. Leadership and intangibles matter, but from a pure footballing perspective, the position needs more quality.

Midfield lacked industry and playmaking

The midfield struggled. More playmaking was needed from Garcia and Spivey, and more defensive coverage from Molinari. Too often, turnovers left the back line exposed, with midfielders slow to recover , though conditions and three games in seven days also played a role.

I also think there are spots up for grabs here. The decision to play Garcia up an age group feels premature. He has not looked ready for that jump. I would prefer to see him continue with his natural age group for now.

More 1v1 threat from wingers

In attack, the U.S. needs more consistent 1v1 danger from wide areas. Myles Gardner provided much of it in the first half, but was pulled at halftime. Whether that was fitness-related or tactical, it was surprising. He and Prince Forfor were the two best performers in the opening 45 minutes.

Ostrander recorded a nice assist, but overall did not consistently threaten defenders off the dribble. At this level, wingers have to tilt games.

Forfor and Jakupovic lived up to expectations

The two players who performed near the level expected were Prince Forfor and Malik Jakupovic.

Forfor ignited several counterattacks and was cleaner in possession than most of the team. He faded in the second half, and that showed defensively, but overall he was one of the few bright spots.

Jakupovic finished the tournament with eight goals in three games and scored again here. He did miss chances that could have put the match away and ran out of gas late, but service was inconsistent. Even so, he showed enough quality to remain a very exciting prospect.

Right-back
I was not aligned with either right-back selection on this roster. My top choice is Nash Dearmin from Inter Miami, who was originally an alternate but ultimately replaced by teammate Zidane Cadet. Dearmin brings electric pace and reliable 1v1 defending.

Other names worth exploring include Alexito Gomez, Linkon Ream, and Jack Francka.

Defensive-midfield
I was surprised not to see Landry Walker start against the Dominican Republic. He offers more defensive coverage, which would allow Spivey to operate higher.

This is a position that could use an upgrade. One player to monitor closely this spring is Jett Harrison at Philadelphia Union. If he adapts well to his new environment, he could bring a fresh dynamic to the group.

The dream option remains Adri Mehmeti. There are no signs he is currently interested in youth national team involvement, and if he earns significant first-team minutes with the New York Red Bulls, that should be his priority.

Attacking-midfield
While I rate Vinny Garcia highly long term, I do not believe he is ready to consistently impact games up an age group. Against the Dominican Republic, he was not particularly effective. The reality is I do not think U.S. Soccer will backpedal on that, so he is likely here to stay and likely will get more comfortable and effective the more opportunities he gets.

Judah Sequeira of the New England Revolution is one player I would like to see get a look. A former winger, he offers ball carrying and final-third execution. I would also love to see Brentford’s Jai Bansoodeb, a bigger attacking midfielder with set-piece value and playmaking range.

Ademar Chavez is another name. He was not tied to Mexico during this tournament, and his game feels polished enough to provide more consistent danger.

Winger
Outside of Gardner, it is unclear who from this group can consistently threaten the level of competition the U.S. will face in Qatar.

One name you hope returns to the fold is Omar Hassan. Once considered one of the top wingers in this class, he has been battling injuries but could be a major boost if healthy.

Makai Wells from the New England Revolution also felt like a miss. He had performed well in prior camps and could have offered additional balance.

Expect Aldaz and the Talent ID staff to explore the pool aggressively over the coming months. There should be at least five more camps before the World Cup and likely one or two international trips for stronger friendlies.

Qualification is secured. But if this group wants to compete, not just participate, meaningful adjustments need to happen quickly.