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It was easy to think there wouldn’t be many big changes to the U.S. in the Argentine manager’s debut after Pochettino nodded at previous U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter’s tenure as successful in his prematch news conference
His counterpart, Panama manager Thomas Christiansen, knows him well after they did their coaching licenses together. “What he’ll see in the U.S. is a team that can perfectly adapt to his style. Maybe before it was a 4-3-3. It could be the same and a defensive pivot to have more of a 4-2-3-1, but I don’t think he’ll have – for example – a back five,” Christiansen said before the match.
Pochettino utilized Yunus Musah, typically a two-way midfielder who sticks in the center, as almost a right wingback in what played like a 3-4-3 when the U.S. had the ball. Without it, the U.S. often was defending with five.
Right back Joe Scally stayed back to join the center backs when Musah would get forward as left back Jedi Robinson ran the lines on the other side – or stuck to the center backs as well when appropriate.
The tactical tweak paid off when Musah scored the game’s first goal in the 49th minute, his first in 42 U.S. appearances.
Jedi Robinson kept a ball in on the left side and moved it to Christian Pulisic. The attacker played a one-two and crossed for the arriving Musah, who leaped and put his volley into the back of the net.
Pochettino had seen Musah in a similar role as the young midfielder came through the Arsenal and Valencia academies and felt taking the responsibility for him to advance the ball would help him build confidence as
“It makes me feel like he knows me and has followed my path! It’s nice he knows a lot about my journey. Today, he gave me the confidence to play. Every player wants that. It’s nice,” Musuah told B/R after. “I think it was a success.”
Is this how Pochettino always will play? No, but it showed he’s not afraid to try something ambitious, even without spending loads of time with his team before a match. That’s something that should get fans excited about the variety of looks the new manager will deploy and what the future may bring.