796 minutes—that’s the total playtime Chris Richards has managed on the domestic front this season. Beyond constant long-term injuries, his sporadic form has left the USMNT star struggling to find his rhythm. Even though this has unsurprisingly fueled calls for Mauricio Pochettino to drop him, Richards himself admits how “frustrating” it is to deal with such inconsistency in his performances.

To be fair, one cannot completely blame the Crystal Palace star for getting less game time. If injuries continue to take a toll on a player then expect their form to get derailed, let alone the mental pressure it creates on them to make a comeback on the pitch. No wonder Richards is agitated over being in and out of the team with constant injuries, combined with irregular team selection.

“I’d say a bit frustrating,” said the 24-year-old in an interview compiled by journalist Andrew McSteen. “Last year, at least towards the end of the season, I played a lot, but we’ve been on a little run this season and I had an injury spell as well. I just want to take my chances whenever possible and hopefully continue to fit in,” added the former Bayern Munich center-back.

Notably, last season saw the former Dallas Academy star secure over 31 appearances across all competitions, coupled with a goal and assist each. This season, things have been rather slow for the ex-TSG 1899 Hoffenheim defender, having played just 11 games across the Premier League and EFL Cup. More recently, he has played two consecutive games for Palace, including a 2-1 win over Southampton and a 1-1 draw vs Chelsea.

Meanwhile, on the international stage, Richards featured in all three games the US played during the 2024 Copa America and participated in the September friendlies against Canada and New Zealand. However, the former Dallas Academy prospect was notably absent from Pochettino’s first October window squad for matches against Panama and Mexico.

Likewise, during the CONCACAF Nations League fixtures against Jamaica, Richards remained an unused substitute on the bench. While Chris may be regaining form on the domestic front, he might start worrying about his international spot, especially as the USMNT boss faces growing calls to take action and drop him.

Mauricio Pochettino urged to steer clear of Chris Richards for the 2026 World Cup!

In one of the previous podcast episodes of the State of the Union, Alexi Lalas questioned the selection of the American defender. “When it comes to Chris Richards, I have said time and time again, my jury still remains out as to whether he is the future for the USMNT,” questioned Lalas. As a former defender, Lalas emphasized that the center-back position has been a long-standing weakness for the USMNT.

He argued that including Richards in the roster might not strengthen the Stars and Stripes’ defensive line, which remains an area in need of improvement. Further expressing his doubts about Richards’ current abilities, Lalas added that he is not yet confident in relying on the Palace center-back for the 2026 World Cup. Finally questioning his lack of game time, the US icon added, “And again, if he’s not playing, it’s not a complete problem, but it is a problem.”

This is surely a bigger problem for Chris Richards. Nevertheless, do you think he will be able to turn things around in his favor? Let us know in the comments.