USMNT Actives vs Absentees XI: How would Mauricio Pochettino's actual Gold Cup squad stack up, theoretically, against a side of those missing from the current roster?

This was supposed to be one of the big position battles this summer, but injury issues forced both zack Steffen and Patrick Schulte out of the squad. As a result, the two MLS standouts won't get to make their case for the No. 1 shirt in this summer's Gold Cup.

The good news for the USMNT is that the reigning No. 1, Turner, is in camp, giving the Gold Cup group a reliable, experienced World Cup veteran in net, one that also has a point to prove himself.

Head-to-head winner: Turner.

Not a particularly fair fight here, as Robinson is far and away the best left-back in the pool and, realistically, one of the best at any level today. The Fulham star recently underwent surgery to fix nagging injury problems that slowed down what, at one point, looked like it would be a record-breaking Premier League season.

Tolkin, meanwhile, was a late call-up, but a deserved one, for sure. He thrived with Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga despite club's relegation, which makes him look destined for bigger and better going forward for club and country.

Head-to-head winner: Robinson.

Compared to other positions, the center-back position was largely unimpacted by injuries, leaving Pochettino with plenty of choices to fill out his roster. Ultimately, Trusty wasn't one of the lucky few called while McKenzie was.

At the moment, there's seemingly little to split the center-backs, which means World Cup spots will almost certainly come down to form. A strong showing from McKenzie at the Gold Cup, though, would do wonders.

Head-to-head winner: McKenzie.

Another Celtic defender left off the squad, Carter-Vickers is also in the mix at a crowded center-back position. At the moment, though, there's no one higher up on the depth chart than Richards, who took a big step forward for Crystal Palace this season.

Fresh off an FA Cup win, Richards will be the anchor of the USMNT defense at the Gold Cup this summer.

Head-to-head winner: Richards.

Dest looked set for a big summer just a few days ago, but it was ultimately decided that he should be left out of the squad to continue his recovery from last year's ACL injury. It's a shame, too, considering these would have been his first games under Pochettino.

These will also be Freeman's first games under Pochettino, as the Orlando City starlet joins the USMNT for the first time. Dest's absence makes this a big chance for him as he looks to make a stunning run to a World Cup spot.

Head-to-head winner: Dest.

The USMNT will be extra thankful that 2022 World Cup captain Adams is in the squad, giving a relatively inexperienced group the ideal backbone to build around. Finally back to full fitness after some tough years, Adams is back to being undroppable with the USMNT.

Musah, meanwhile, misses out this summer after a tough season with AC Milan. On his day, the young midfielder has a skillset unmatched by any in the pool, but this season showed he still has some fine-tuning to do. His versatility makes him a key player, though, and he'll no doubt have a part to play when he does get back into the team.

Head-to-head winner: Adams.

Cardoso is still one of the USMNT's big mysteries. He's played at a top, top level for his club, Real Betis, earning attention on the transfer market from some of the world's top clubs. His game has never really translated to the USMNT, though, but, given the absences, this might be the summer for him to really solidify his place as a defensive-minded midfielder with this group.

McKennie isn't exactly a defensive-minded midfielder; he's more of a "do everything" midfielder. Because of that, this isn't an apples-to-apples comparison. McKennie won't be in camp, though, as he joins Juventus for the Club World Cup.

Head-to-head winner: McKennie.

No doubt here: this is Tillman's summer to shine. Fresh off an Eredivisie season where he asserted himself as one of the league's best, Tillman heads into USMNT camp on a high, knowing that a few big games will be enough to really stake his claim for a spot heading into the final year or so of the cycle.

Reyna, too, needs to stake a claim, but the heavy-lifting of that process will have to be done on the club level. Currently bound for the Club World Cup with Dortmund, the midfielder is widely expected to be on the move in search of the minutes he needs to really compete for a USMNT spot.

Head-to-head winner: Tillman.

Let's not get fancy here: if Pulisic is in camp, he's starting and playing almost every minute. He isn't in camp, though, which means the USMNT will need to find an answer at left wing.

Wright could be that answer. Originally a striker, Wright has also thrived out wide with Coventry City, starting a bulk of his games this season in that wide spot. He could be an answer up top, of course, but given the lack of pure wingers in this team, he could see minutes out wide in this Gold Cup.

Head-to-head winner: Pulisic.

The top two strikers in the pool aren't in camp. You could argue it's the top three if you include Josh Sargent. However, even with Balogun and Ricardo Pepi out due to injury, the USMNT has some fun players up top.

Agyemang is chief among them, having broken through with big goals in January camp and the Nations League. It's a huge summer for the Charlotte FC star, who will have all eyes on him from both a USMNT and transfer perspective.

Head-to-head winner: Balogun.

No other winger in the pool can really match what Weah brings in terms of speed and dynamism, which is why the team needs to switch things up when he's not around. That's the case this summer as he joins Juve for the Club World Cup.

Luna isn't really a winger, but he sure as hell is a chance-creator. After strong efforts in January camp, MLS and the Nations League, his stock continues to sore as he heads into the Gold Cup as one of the most exciting players in the team.

Head-to-head winner: Weah.