EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Following a 2-1 friendly loss to Turkiye in the first of two matches preceding the Gold Cup, U.S. men`s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino arrived at the post-match press conference. He expressed relief that the focus was finally on the football itself.
“We need to be positive because today, I think only we can talk about football action, soccer action,” he commented, the first of several similar remarks that carried the weight of previous uninspired defeats in the Concacaf Nations League finals in March.
Those earlier matches were dominated by discussions of competitive edge rather than the tactical identity Pochettino was hired to implement in a squad widely seen as having significant potential for the 2026 World Cup on home soil. On Saturday, however, his vision was clearly visible – the aggressive pressing and high defensive line, hallmarks of a Pochettino side for the past decade, were evident. This approach allowed the team to control possession and outshoot their opponents 13 to 11.
The USMNT`s ability to execute this plan was particularly impressive considering the inexperience of the current roster. Only six players entering Saturday`s match had 30 or more international appearances. Just one game into what is hoped to be a month-long camp culminating in the Gold Cup, Pochettino admitted that players are “at different levels” regarding fitness and international experience, making chemistry building challenging, especially with new ideas being introduced. Yet, he noted that the group responded well to the task, pointing out how the game plan facilitated Jack McGlynn`s goal just two minutes in.
Pochettino elaborated on the specific tactical instructions, describing movements for players such as Diego Luna, Malik Tillman, Luca de la Torre, Johnny Cardoso, Jack McGlynn, Max Arfsten, and Alex. The strategy involved central associations, using one flank for overlaps, and allowing players like McGlynn the freedom to move inside or associate. “For the first time, we tried it [after] a few days and then you need to go and compete [against] a team like Turkiye. I think what we got, playing this way, is to control the possession, control the game,” he explained.
Veteran midfielder Tyler Adams, who entered as a second-half substitute, revealed that defensive organization was a key focus during their first week together. “We`ve been working a lot on our backline and the spacing of the backline and when they`re stepping, when they`re dropping, when we`re in a deep block, how we defend the area as well, and you can see we didn`t concede goals through that today,” Adams said. He acknowledged that the second goal resulted from a missed clearance, but emphasized the progress in tightening the defense, stating, “It`s still a little bit loose at times but we`re working on the right things.”
The goals conceded highlighted areas needing refinement, stemming from individual errors. Johnny Cardoso was notably involved in the mistake leading to Arda Guler`s equalizer. While Pochettino dismissed it as a typical game occurrence, it points to a need for greater precision on both ends of the field. Turkiye`s coach, Vincenzo Montella, admitted adjusting their press early on to exploit the USMNT`s defense, leading to them taking nine shots between the 19th and 35th minutes after taking none initially. This raises questions about whether this inexperienced USMNT squad is fully equipped for Pochettino`s preferred high-line approach, although he insisted it was too early for such judgments.
“In this type of competition, experience is important,” Pochettino stated, emphasizing that these preparatory weeks are crucial for the Gold Cup.
The USMNT attack, led on Saturday by Patrick Agyemang, also requires improvement. Despite outshooting Turkiye, they only put three shots on target and lost the expected goals battle (1.19 to 1.42). The challenge now is whether they can refine their attacking play over the next month, regardless of their outcome in the Gold Cup.
Tyler Adams concluded by emphasizing the team`s high standards. “Today, in a friendly game, we`re able to test more things and take more risks but we need to be comfortable taking those risks that when it`s in actual competition, we`re able to execute,” he said, highlighting the importance of converting friendly experimentation into competitive effectiveness.