Now that we have all had time to process the disappointing defeat of the United States male team against Panama in the Concacaf Nations League game, it is time to start waiting on Sunday where the USMNT will meet Canada in the third game. Taking place at 6 PM ET at the Sofi stadium in Paramount+ this match will see Jesse Marsch and Mauricio Pochettino shock, but instead of being in the Premier League, he will be on the international stage. While both managers will have preferred that this meeting be in the final of this competition, that does not mean that they are not severe evidence.
The Canucks have constantly improved under Marsch and with none of the teams participating in the World Cup qualification due to being host nations in 2026, they have to use few significant games to build the equipment they would like for the tournament. Third place games can sometimes lose their meaning, but with the USMNT and Canada building a budding rivalry, this will not be one of these cases and it is also a time for the USMNT to demonstrate that the loss for Panama was more an error than they can grow, instead of a continuation of a worrying trend.
When looking at Pochettino’s tactics for that loss, there are some things that I could seek to change to face Canada, so we take a look at them.
Usmnt players classifications: Tyler Adams Solid; Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah is not aggressive enough in the loss of Panama
Chuck stand
More creativity in the center of the field
There are some ways to do this, but to begin with, Weston McKennie cannot be the most creative midfielder in the field. Juventus man can do many different things, but it is not a 10, even if he can provide wide defensive pressure of advanced positions in the midfield. The game was crying for someone who could face a Dribling defender and Gio Reyna and Diego Luna in the team were options available for Pochettino.
While there is the possibility that he still does not begin in this match, if the USMNT is obsolete against Canada, the Argentine will need to have a fast hook. Christian Pulisic also needs more drbasters around him so that the teams cannot collapse without a striker who can create space for themselves in the field. Everything is reduced to balance and with the fullbacks that do not believe for the USMNT, it was out of attack and never launched.
Max Arfsten
Speaking of balance, an easy way to recover some of that is with four from behind, including players in their natural positions. Joe Scally was mostly well as a third rear or left center back, but Yunus Musah, like wing, left much to be desired in the creative front. It is not a blow to Musah, because that is not its game, but when the USMNT systems have been based on fullbacks pushing the rhythm regardless of who the manager is, it would be good to let the fullbacks are fullbacks and trust that the center of the field can cover any error that happens for that.
With Tyler Adams back, the USMNT has a lot of margin of error to the defensive because with its conscience about the field, it has no problem adjusting and filling space when necessary. There was an early sequence that Chris Richards lost the ball and in seconds Adams was there to make a defensive intervention to make sure he did not end in a goal. Being guaranteed to have one of the best midfielders in the field in any Concacaf match, there is no need to address a match conservatively because that allows teams to feel that they are still in the game, which is when goals such as the impressive winner of Panama can occur.
The USMNT has to leave the door quickly and force errors of its opposition before they can settle in a party. It is easy to forget how much land Adams can cover due to how long it has been entering and dating injuries in recent years, but with it on your back and healthy, it is a good opportunity for the USMNT to use its strengths to increase the tempo in the attack.
Passion
Like many managers before him, Pochetitno expressed the need for players to play for the badge. From being the strongest team that enters tacle until they are not afraid to have shots that are not perfect positions, this is supposed to be one of the best teams in Concacaf and need to play with arrogance as they are. USMNT confidence has received a blow after leaving the Copa América and fighting in recent matches, but they need to recover that before a World Cup in their homeland. The teams do not need additional motivation to play USMNT, so they must be without fear to protect their homemade stages and the badge in their shirt.
This is a problem that managers before Pochettino has also had, so it is not a new problem with which the USMNT is dealing, but it is one that cannot allow themselves to follow that the World Cup is approaching every day more.
