Mauricio Pochettino got off to winning ways in his debut as United States men’s national team head coach.
But what did we learn from the new-look Stars and Stripes against Panama on Saturday? Let’s dig into some of the main takeaways.
A change in intensity on both sides of the ball
In the waning months of the Gregg Berhalter era, most United States fans had the same complaint — the intensity seemed to have dropped and the attacking patterns became stale. Yet against Panama Saturday evening, we saw that intensity increase with and without the ball.
Out of possession there was a clear emphasis from the United States to win the ball back quickly, and when they did the emphasis turned to quickly attacking the opposition defense. Were it not for some bad finishing, Pochettino’s side could have scored a few quality goals on as a result of their counter-pressing.
High-intensity pressing is not typically a staple of international football, but the Argentine coach does seem to be looking to instill his club tactics on the Stars and Stripes.
It will take time to gel
Pochettino will have to make one major adjustment as he eases into life as an international manager, he’ll have to find a way to make his changes in short bursts. International breaks may feel like a chore to many football fans, but for the United Staes men’s national team in 2025 and early 2026, they will be vital.
We saw plenty of pretty patterns and moments of high-energy from the players against Panama, but there was also long stretches of sloppy passing, perhaps some tactical confusion, clear signs of a team in transition.
On top of those signs, Pochettino was without as many as five players we would consider automatic starters in the United States’ best starting XI.
The signs are positive, but it will be some time before we see this team truly play in his image.
Poch is keeping his options open
One thing you can say about Saturday night in Austin, we saw a real variety in players used by the new United States boss. Pochettino used 17 different players against Panama, some of whom are really only on the outskirts of a major role in the team.
But those preconceptions of which players will be his most important will have to be dropped, as a change of scenery and a fresh message can change the trajectory of any player’s career.
And after sending Marlon Fossey, Weston McKennie, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic and Zack Steffen back to their clubs ahead of the trip to Mexico, we’ll likely see even more variety on the pitch this week.