Following their disappointing defeat against Panama in the Concacaf Nations League, the USMNT needs to regroup quickly for their third-place game against Canada. This match, taking place at SoFi Stadium, presents an opportunity for both teams, led by managers Jesse Marsch and Mauricio Pochettino, to test their strategies on the international stage.
While neither team wanted to be in this position, the rivalry between the USMNT and Canada makes this game important. For the USMNT, it’s crucial to demonstrate that the Panama loss was an anomaly and not a sign of deeper problems.
More creativity in midfield
To improve against Canada, Pochettino should consider tactical adjustments: Firstly, inject more creativity into the midfield. While Weston McKennie is versatile, the team needs a true playmaker. Players like Gio Reyna or Diego Luna could provide the necessary spark. The team also needs to support Christian Pulisic with more dribblers to prevent defenses from focusing solely on him.
Secondly, ensure positional balance, particularly in defense. Using natural fullbacks like Max Arfsten can allow for more attacking play from the flanks, a key element of the USMNT’s typical style. With Tyler Adams back, the midfield can provide defensive cover.
Max Arfsten
Speaking of balance, an easy way to get some of that back is with a back four including players in their natural positions. Joe Scally was mostly fine as a third center back or left back, but Yunus Musah as a wing back left much to be desired on the creative front. It’s not a knock to Musah, because that’s not his game, but when USMNT systems have relied on fullbacks pushing the pace no matter who the manager is, it would be good to let the fullbacks be fullbacks and trust that the midfield can cover for any mistakes that happen because of that.
With Tyler Adams back, the USMNT has a lot of room for error defensively because with his awareness on the pitch, he has no issues adjusting and filling space when needed. There was a sequence early where Chris Richards lost the ball and in seconds Adams was there to make a defensive intervention to make sure it didn’t end up in a goal. Being guaranteed to have one of the best midfielders on the pitch in any Concacaf match, there’s no need to approach a match in a conservative manner because that allows teams to feel like they are still in the game which is when goals like Panama’s stunning winner can happen.
Passion
Finally, the team needs to play with more passion and urgency from the start. Coach Pochettino has emphasized the need for players to show pride and fight for the team. The USMNT must regain their confidence and assert themselves as a top Concacaf team, especially with the World Cup approaching.
This is an issue that managers before Pochettino have had as well so it’s not a new problem that the USMNT is dealing with but it’s one that they also can’t afford to keep seeing happen with the World Cup inching closer by the day.
