USMNT Starting XI: Christian Pulisic is obvious, but what bold calls will Mauricio Pochettino make for debut vs Panama?

Pochettino will probably want to get a look at two different goalkeepers this camp and, given his experience, it makes sense to save Matt Turner for the game in Mexico. So who does he turn to for this first game then?

Zack Steffen makes a compelling case, but it should be Patrick Schulte, who was very good against Canada last month despite the USMNT's loss. The Columbus Crew shot-stopper is clearly a rising star, but we still need to find out if he can be a USMNT star in the here and now. This is another test for him to prove it in a wide-open goalkeeping race.

The Return of the Jedi.

After missing September camp to get some rest and recovery, Antonee Robinson is back to reclaim his USMNT spot. Even with the new coach, it's hard to imagine anyone else being the starting left-back given Robinson's success for club and country.

Could Pochettino take a shot on someone like Kristoffer Lund here? Maybe, but he'll also want to have the stability that comes with starting one of the USMNT's few undroppable players.

With no Chris Richards, centerback is a bit of a mystery in this camp. All four call-ups could very well get the chance to play but, of the four, Mark McKenzie might be the one that needs to be seen the most.

McKenzie made his big move to Toulouse this summer, which puts him right on the edge of a regular role. He was a member of the Copa America squad earlier this year but didn't play - could the move to France, coupled with some good USMNT performances, change that?

The centerback could also be thrown into the cauldron in Mexico but, of the centerback options, he seems the most likely to play in both games. For Pochettino, it makes sense to give McKenzie a real run to see if he can be a potential starting candidate.

We'll pair McKenzie with someone he knows well. The Philadelphia Union vibes will be strong if he does indeed start next to Auston Trusty.

Trusty is another player who made a move this summer, leaving Sheffield United for Celtic. The recent Champions League thrashing at the hands of Borussia Dortmund was a bit of a wake-up call for the entire team, which is so used to coasting in the Scottish league.

That type of experience will help Trusty, though, as he looks to get a legitimate USMNT chance. He never really got one under Berhalter and didn't feature under Mikey Varas in September. The Panama game is a good one to give him that opportunity.

Still no Sergino Dest, so Joe Scally gets the nod again.

He's obviously a very different player from Dest and, when the time comes, it'll be interesting to see how Pochettino chooses between them. Does he want Dest's game-changing attacking ability or Scally's defensive solidity?

Theoretically, if he does want more attacking in this particular game, Pochettino could turn to Marlon Fossey, who put in a fantastic performance in his first USMNT cap against New Zealand.

There's no Tyler Adams, but Aidan Morris showed that he can bring a similar sort of intensity with his performances in September.

That's a big buzzword for this camp: intensity. Anyone who wants to play under Pochettino will need to bring it in volumes. That's exactly what Morris showed last month. He's all effort and, under the tutelage of Michael Carrick at Middlesbrough, he's only getting better.

Another returning star, Weston McKennie is back after breaking back into the Juventus team. So much can change in a month, and McKennie is the perfect example.

McKennie is the type of player Pochettino will love, one that he will no doubt think he can get more out of. It'll be fun to see how the new coach sets up the midfield this camp, and what he does to get the most out of McKennie's ability to turn a game on its head.

The comparisons to Moussa Dembele are fair. The former Belgium midfielder was a monster under Pochettino at Tottenham and, given his profile, Yunus Musah is a player that could have a similar impact for the USMNT.

Much needs to happen to get there. Musah needs to become a bit more decisive and impactful on both sides of the ball. This feels like a player-coach relationship that could really work, though, and that starts this camp.

There are a number of ways Pochettino could set up without Timothy Weah in camp. He could rely on Brenden Aaronson's energy. He could go with Malik Tillman's playmaking. He could go with Ricardo Pepi out of position or injury replacement Alejandro Zendejas in position.

Or he could go with Haji Wright, who has developed into a dynamic winger in the Championship with Coventry. Wright brings goals, that's for sure, and you can't overstate how important that is.

This position is a toss-up, to be fair, and only Pochettino knows where he'll lean, but we'll go Wright due to his ability to make things happen in the attack.

There's no Folarin Balogun keeping him out, so this has to be Sargent's time to shine, right?

Injuries have so often robbed him of these moments but this is now Sargent's opportunity. He's been incredible for Norwich over the last two seasons but has hardly had a sniff of USMNT minutes. That changes this month.

Pochettino should give Sargent a legitimate runout, likely in both games, to see what he's got. Can he push Balogun for the No. 9 role? His club form says he can, but he needs the chance to show it in these international games.

This much is obvious: Christian Pulisic is starting. He's scoring goals for fun at Milan and is the best player this team has, hands down. Pochettino is going to lean on him to set the tone and be the star this team needs.