HARRISON, New Jersey — You possibly can say this about the US males’s nationwide workforce: They’re singing from the identical songbook of positivity, even because the gamers seemed like they’re removed from being on the identical web page in a 2-0 defeat to South Korea.
USMNT supervisor Mauricio Pochettino mentioned his workforce was “higher than South Korea” as a result of having created extra probabilities and permitting only one shot on course within the second half. Tyler Adams added that getting new faces into the nationwide workforce and bringing again some previous standbys was a optimistic. “I do not suppose it was a foul efficiency,” the U.S. captain added.
This is not to say that Pochettino & Co. ought to be ripping one another in entrance of the assembled press, however the public pronouncements flew within the face of the accessible proof.
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The Taegeuk Warriors stretched the U.S. protection from the outset, going direct at first to Son Heung-Min however that solely served to melt up the People’ midfield and backline and shortly sufficient there was area beneath to be exploited. Lee Jae-Sung, underneath zero strain, discovered U.S. defender Tristan Blackmon on an island, and his via ball discovered Son in stride to fireside previous goalkeeper Matt Freese within the 18th minute. Then simply earlier than halftime a intelligent mixture put Son via on objective. He was upended by Freese, just for Lee Dong-Gyeong to backheel the unfastened ball into the web.
On each objectives the U.S. backline was stretched too far aside alongside the again, leaving defenders remoted. U.S. defender Tim Ream did not dispute that assertion.
“There have been moments the place guys had been getting pulled [out] just a little bit greater than we normally do and just a little bit greater than we work on,” Ream mentioned. “And once more, it is a type of issues that you just have a look at just a few guys who it is their first sport again with the nationwide workforce. Tristan [Blackmon], it is his very first sport, first cap, so it was certain to occur just a little bit, I believe just a little little bit of eagerness to attempt to get to areas that we possibly essentially could not get to.”
Whereas Blackmon is deserving of criticism, this goes past one participant making his USMNT debut. Sergiño Dest did not supply a lot assist defensively, displaying that for all of his attacking skill, he can nonetheless be a defensive legal responsibility. The midfield was at fault as properly, providing little when it comes to backline safety, and was a lot too passive.
“I believe our roles obtained just a little bit twisted,” midfielder Adams mentioned. “They discovered options fairly simply within the first half. We talked about it at halftime … And I believe we simply missed our [defensive] triggers on plenty of them and we had been just a little bit too late to leap and if you’re too late to leap, you find yourself chasing shadows and that is what it felt like at occasions.”
There was enchancment within the second half, particularly across the hour mark when the U.S. introduced in defender Chris Richards — who Pochettino mentioned wasn’t absolutely match — and went to a three-man again line (a formation the coach hinted that he would possibly use once more sooner or later.) However the U.S. might by no means discover the one objective to make South Korea sweat — with Richards and fellow substitute Folarin Balogun lacking clear probabilities — at the same time as the house aspect completed the match with a 17-5 shot benefit. The 2-goal cushion meant South Korea by no means needed to open up and have their protection uncovered.
All of for this reason it is arduous to take too many positives away from the match. It is also tough to not really feel alarm over the path this U.S. workforce is heading. Ask your self, when was the final time the U.S. delivered a formidable efficiency in opposition to a FIFA World Cup-caliber opponent? The 0-0 draw in opposition to England on the 2022 World Cup? The following 1-0 win over Iran? It is arduous to consider any match since then. Definitely not within the 12 months that Pochettino has been in cost.
Pochettino tried to clarify the defeat by stating that gamers like Son are world-class. Certainly, the LAFC attacker is, and he tormented the U.S. protection on the night time. However the 2026 World Cup will likely be plagued by such gamers. It is not just like the U.S. will get a break from that sort of competitors subsequent summer time.
Pochettino even went as far as to say that outcomes will not be necessary till subsequent summer time’s World Cup, recalling how the 2002 Argentina workforce he was a part of entered the match on a roll, solely to flame out within the group stage. Granted, pre-World Cup kind is not a assure of something. However internet hosting a World Cup on house soil is a uncommon alternative to drive the game ahead on this nation. Producing some momentum is not going to solely do this, but in addition instill some confidence in a aspect that’s at a low ebb.
“I imply I really like the sensation of successful, so I want to win video games earlier than the World Cup,” Adams mentioned. “However I perceive [Pochettino’s] thought course of and we talked about it in there’s you could possibly nonetheless have good performances and never essentially get the outcome. However yeah, I believe at a sure time it is necessary to have some outcomes.”
A part of the problem is that preparation time for the World Cup is evaporating, but Pochettino appears to suppose that there’s time to nonetheless hunt for various gamers. That is a laudable objective, and one that will make good sense in a standard World Cup cycle. However this cycle has been compressed from the get-go, on condition that the final World Cup did not occur till the top of 2022. Mixed with the teaching change that noticed Pochettino employed, this cycle is something however regular.
The mixtures of gamers aren’t at all times making sense both. Final cycle, the pairing of Tim Weah and Dest on the proper aspect labored as a result of Weah is a participant keen to trace again and supply some defensive safety. Pairing Christian Pulisic and Dest on the identical aspect dangers exposing the U.S. protection. You don’t need Pulisic having to trace again anyway. However it was no accident that South Korea’s first objective got here from Dest’s aspect. He was left ball-watching on the second.
In some ways, Pochettino is taking an immense gamble. He is betting that he’ll discover the mandatory on-field chemistry earlier than the clock on his World Cup preparations runs out. That runs the chance of encountering situations on the match that he did not put together for together with his first-choice gamers, all as a result of he is given reps to performers which are longshots to make the squad.
For now, Pochettino insists that wins are simply across the nook. “I believe the outcomes will arrive quickly for positive,” he mentioned. What’s nonetheless unknown is which nook. The hope is that it begins on Tuesday in opposition to Japan.