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'It's vitally important for Matt Turner' - Tony Meola says USMNT goalkeeper made the right call with reported move to Ligue 1 giants Lyon

USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner has made just 31 club appearances since leaving MLS to play for three European sides - Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace. Now, with a reported transfer to Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon), U.S. legend Tony Meola says Turner could see a resurgence."It's vitally important for Matt Turner, vitally important for the national team," Meola told GOAL. "Right now, I don't think we're getting the best version of Matt Turner, because he's not playing. I suggested at one point, if you can't make a move to England, he's got to come back to MLS. And he's got to get games before the World Cup... It looks like it's a move to play full-time at the club, because they're going to lose their goalkeeper."There is speculation around the current Lyon No. 1 goalkeeper Lucas Perri. The Brazilian had a breakout campaign in his first - and likely only - season with the Ligue 1 side and has been linked with <a href="https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/transfer-news/nottingham-forest-transfers-lucas-perri-10255418" target="_self">Nottingham Forest and AC Milan.</a>Meola has been outspoken about Turner's struggles, pointing to rust as a factor in his Nations League performance."I'm going to say this until the World Cup, it's sharpness," Meola <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/that-ball-can-t-end-up-in-the-back-of-the-net-usmnt-legend-tony-meola-questions-goalkeeper-matt-turn/blte1761a1f4d6b3545#cscf87d48c197437c6" target="_self">said in March.</a> "It's sharpness, the toughest thing for a goalkeeper is when you have nothing to do and then all of the sudden, you have something to do. That's the sharpness at the end. When you're training every day [as a starter], it's a rhythm, you're getting five, six shots your way. You're finding timing. Now [in Turner's situation], it's one shot you're way."

WHAT HAPPENED?

Despite the criticism, the 56-year-old broadcaster says he admires Turner."He's another guy who came out of the system here in the U.S. You talk about a story - like, he's a story," Meola said. "He wasn't a kid who grew up with soccer, and then comes through New England, and [former U.S. star goalkeeper] Brad Friedel was the coach at the time when he discovered him. And hell, he's played in one World Cup already. With starting that late, pretty cool story. And, by the way, from the great state of New Jersey, too. So that is always pretty good."

WHAT MEOLA SAID

Turner's struggles continued in his start against Switzerland Tuesday, as a mistake yielded one of four goals. Meola also sees promise in other goalkeeping contenders, including Columbus Crew's Patrick Schulte and New York City FC's Matt Freese. He had hoped Chelsea FC's Gaga Slonina would be further along."I pegged Gaga Slonina a year ago, and then this thumb injury must be worse than we all thought, right? Because it's been a long time - I don't know if he has enough time to come back here," Meola said. "We'll see at the start of the year. Remember Toni Jimenez, the goalkeeper coach for the national team, had Gaga [at Chelsea]. They were the ones who took him to Chelsea, so they scouted him."Matt Freese, I really liked I thought last year was, was kind of hard done by not getting a call based on his work at NYCFC. Schulte, he's been there. Those are the candidates."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Meola pointed to the opening 20 minutes of the U.S.'s performance against Turkey as a sign of their potential, but he's concerned about how the Americans reacted once they conceded a goal."I liked the pressing for the first 20 minutes. What I didn't like is when we took the first gut punch, we didn't know how to react right away," Meola said. "That's going to happen in the World Cup, right? You're going to take a gut punch at some point."Meola believes the struggles are due to inexperience, not Mauricio Pochettino's tactics. Seven of the 26 players called up to the Gold Cup had zero caps and 12 players had five or fewer caps. In total, 17 players have five or fewer caps on the squad."The more players are in those kind of scenarios, the more they can deal with it, and not only the national team level, but the club level," he said. "So clean that part up and just kind of continue to improve. You've got to stack a couple of wins here coming up, especially in the Gold Cup, right? Playing well is one thing. Knowing how to win is another thing. And this particular group, to young group, they got to learn how to win. And hopefully we'll get there."

OUTLOOK FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM

After a winless stretch of friendly games, the U.S. are hoping to bounce back Sunday when they play Trinidad and Tobago in their 2025 Gold Cup opener.

WHAT NEXT FOR USMNT?

'It's vitally important for Matt Turner' - Tony Meola says USMNT goalkeeper made the right call with reported move to Ligue 1 giants Lyon | Goal.com

Meola says Turner will benefit from consistent playing time at Lyon - as long as the club actually sells Lucas Perri

&apos;It&apos;s vitally important for Matt Turner&apos; - Tony Meola says USMNT goalkeeper made the right call with reported move to Ligue 1 giants Lyon