The Mauricio Pochettino era is soon to begin as the United States take on Panama and Mexico in international friendlies this month. Ahead of the all-Concacaf showdowns, the new USMNT boss has revealed how he will set up his side in the games to come.
Much had been made of former United States head coach Gregg Berhalter’s tactics in the waning months of his tenure as some fans criticized the conservative nature of his sides.
Pochettino, on the other hand, has been known for deploying attack-minded tactics, though they have varied from one team to the next. But speaking this week in a press conference, the Argentine coach gave some insight into how the Stars and Stripes will look.
“We will use two systems. 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3. And from there to develop our way to play. (We will) see how we can adapt and create the partnership between them to find the best way to play and be exciting going forward. I think soccer needs to be an exciting game for the USA citizens, they need to enjoy every time they go to the stadium.
“We have amazing players but the most important thing is they need to believe. There are two phases of the game you need to control. With the ball, we are a coaching staff that loves to dominate the games and the possession. To have the ball because I believe it is the best way to defend, and second because we want to win by playing closer to the opposition’s goal.”
It will be music to the ears of the United States fans as they look forward to getting the Pochettino era underway in the coming weeks. In Panama and Mexico it will be two matches against familiar opposition for the players, but for the new boss and his staff it will be a first taste of Concacaf play.