“I believe it’s a ‘handicap’ that needs to be corrected.” This is how Mauricio Pochettino emphasized the importance of gaining playing time at the club level to secure a place on the national team—a justified and non-negotiable expectation from any national team manager. Yet, it makes us wonder why Pochettino still considers Matt Turner the No. 1 choice for the USMNT.

For context, ever since arriving at Crystal Palace on loan from Nottingham Forest in the summer, the goalkeeper has made just one appearance across all domestic competitions this season. Yet, on the international front, he has received call-ups in every international window.

This led former USMNT star Charlie Davies to question Pochettino as to why the Argentinian tactician continues to favor a rather domestically out-of-favor player.

“It’s been made pretty clear that Pochettino thinks that Matt Turner is number one and trusts Matt,” began Davies on the latest episode of CBS Sports Golazo’s Call it What You Want podcast. “You could see it in every damn game. Matt Turner plays, he’s the first cheerleader to go, and something that could be so simple and basic that not in a million years would a European coach go, ‘Yeah, great job Matt.'”

“He’s making it a point to say, ‘Hey, I’m back, I’m with you, I’m giving you that confidence’,” added Davies, underlining how Pochettino gives special honor to Turner by calling him up for the national camp. Interestingly, when fellow co-host and former US goalie Tony Meola questioned the validity of Matt getting such support from Poch, Davies replied, “No, it ain’t a good thing. It’s the reality.”

Clearly, the former USMNT striker is upset over Pochettino’s backing of Turner, even though the goalkeeper is barely being utilized by his current domestic side. Interestingly, Matt made his first appearance for Palace not in the Premier League, but in late October, when he helped his new club secure a 1-2 win over Aston Villa in the EFL Cup fourth round. However, the Premier League side is no longer competing in the tournament after suffering a 3-2 defeat to Arsenal in the quarterfinals.

Now, it’s in the Premier League where he may try to vie for his spot, though that remains unlikely, as Dean Henderson is expected to retain his place at Palace. No wonder his transfer to the Eagles has been labeled one of the biggest mistakes of the summerr!

Matt Turner is lucky he still gets favored by Mauricio Pochettino for the USMNT spot!

Absolutely there is no doubt about it. Since Matt Turner left the New England Revolution for Arsenal in 2022, his career has recorded a decline in terms of playing time. After just 7 appearances for the Gunners, he moved to Nottingham Forest for more playtime, featuring 21 times. Despite Forest’s rise from relegation struggles to the top four, the 30-year-old joined Crystal Palace this summer—a move that has placed him in a worse situation.

This is surely the most disappointing thing for Davies, who had earlier slammed the USMNT star for joining Palace. “You’re 30 years old as a goalkeeper, it’s a fail, it’s an F. You don’t have time to waste. You are a backup. It’s a horrible move.”

That’s not all as another pair of USMNT icons, Tim Howard and Landon Donovan, had also once cited their concerns regarding the Stars and Stripes’ goalkeeping fiasco. While Howard urged Pochettino to call 40-year-old Brad Guzan, Donovan said, “Goalkeeping to me is a massive concern. We don’t have anyone playing at a high level consistently right now that I would say is absolutely just said, ‘This is my spot.’”

This makes it a much graver situation. Regardless, it remains to be seen how Pochettino and Turner handle this situation.