New manager, but the USMNT is still suffering from the same old problems

There was a haunted look on the face of Mauricio Pochettino as the US Men’s National Team toiled in their defeat to Canada on Sunday. It was the look of a manager that had seen the same thing just three days earlier against Panama, when his side suffered a damaging defeat in the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Nations League.

The match against Panama was meant to be an opportunity for the USMNT to demonstrate how far they had come under Pochettino. It was, after all, Panama that effectively dumped the US out of last summer’s Copa America. Los Canaleros also defeated the USMNT in the Gold Cup the year before that.

Instead, the USMNT showed that despite the change of head coach the same old problems persist. These are the problems Gregg Berhalter failed to get on top of and Pochettino has now had his eyes opened to the fundamental flaws within the group. At this rate, the 2026 World Cup on home soil will be an embarrassment for the USA.

Against Panama and Canada, the USMNT lacked attacking ideas. It was too easy to play against a team that never looked like posing much of a threat in the final third. Christian Pulisic was a shadow of the player who has dominated countless matches at club level for AC Milan this season. He was such a non-factor that Pochettino substituted him against Canada.

Pochettino himself faced criticism for his lineup choices and in-game changes. When the US needed a way to break through Panama’s low defensive block, Diego Luna and Gio Reyna remained on the bench. With the scoreline tied at 0-0 for much of the match, Pochettino only made like-for-like changes. It wasn’t enough as Panama scored a late winner.

Luna started the third place match against Canada on Sunday was involved in the USA’s equaliser to make it 1-1. In general, the Real Salt Lake playmaker was impressive and was perhaps the only American player on the pitch to make any sort of impact. He demonstrated the sort of creativity the USMNT lacked against Panama.

However, it still wasn’t enough. The USA came up against a Canada team with a clear identity and game plan. Jesse Marsch has instilled a work ethic in his players that wasn’t matched by the Americans on the same pitch. Canada were deserved winners even after losing Alphonso Davies in the first half due to injury.

This was meant to be a golden generation for the USMNT. Players like Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Reyna were seen as era-defining talents for a national team with ambitions of one day challenging for the World Cup. With the 2026 tournament under 400 days away, though, the USMNT are nowhere near this level.

“I like the pessimism, it is pushing us,” said Pochettino after the losses to Panama and Canada. “A lot of examples, you see in the World Cup, I’ve seen some teams that were building to play in the World Cup, they were not good until right at the World Cup. I want to send the message to the fans: don’t be pessimistic or get bad feelings. But the main objective is the [2026] World Cup.”

There’s still time for Pochettino to get things right before next summer’s big kick off. Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson will soon return from injury. That in itself will give the USMNT more attacking thrust in the wide areas. Robinson was particularly missed in the games against Panama and Canada.

Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi also missed the two matches. They are the USMNT’s two first-choice centre forwards and while Patrick Agyemang made a positive impression by finding the back of the net against Canada, Pochettino is surely looking forward to having a deeper number nine pool in the future. 

Some difficult decisions will be required. The USMNT’s midfield unit is currently dysfunctional. There’s not enough control, while creativity is lacking. Pochettino should consider all options when formulating the right balance in the centre of the pitch. Reputation shouldn’t be enough to keep certain players in the lineup.

One wonders what Berhalter made of the USA’s lacklustre performances against Panama and Canada. He was widely pilloried for his inability to get a different tune out of the same group of players. Now, Pochettino is experiencing the same painful process. The clock is already ticking for him to achieve a better outcome.