Pochettino brings belief back to USMNT with win over Panama

AUSTIN, Texas — Mauricio Pochettino said he was happy, though at times it was hard to tell. Yes, the United States men’s national team had prevailed 2-0 over Panama in his first match in charge. But what had transpired was definitely a mixed bag.

Even as Pochettino stated at his postmatch news conference how the game was “amazing,” he kept up his stoic visage. It wasn’t until he was reminded of the banner with his face on it behind one of the goals that he broke into a full grin.

“It was a massive shock for me to see my face behind the goal, a different picture,” he said. “I think I am so happy; very good connection with the fans.”

Pochettino’s emotions, both the obvious and the more subtle, were understandable. There were reasons to be pleased with the performance, and reasons not to be. The joy on Yunus Musah‘s face as he scored the USMNT’s opener in the 49th minute — the first goal of his international career — would have brightened anyone’s mood. The same was true of goalkeeper Matt Turner‘s epic double-save three minutes later.

There were concerns, too. There were some sloppy passages of play with the ball — especially in the game’s latter stages — and the U.S. looked vulnerable in transition at times without it. In addition to Turner’s save, it took a blown chance in the 87th minute by Copa América nemesis José Fajardo to keep the U.S. in front. Pochettino couldn’t completely relax until substitute Ricardo Pepi made the game safe in the fourth minute of stoppage time. The players are certainly aware of the ups and downs.

“I don’t want to get way too ahead of ourselves,” Turner said. “It’s a building block for the future because by no means was it perfect.”

But ultimately, everything that transpired made a prophet of Pochettino. In the run-up to Saturday’s match at Q2 Stadium, some words were repeated with such frequency that they almost became a mantra. “Compete” was one. “Intensity” was another. “Confidence” was a third. And of course there was “Win.” The U.S. showed just enough of the first three traits to make sure the last word was achieved.

That Pochettino walked off the field a winner in his first match went against much of his previous history. The first game at four of his five previous stops — Espanyol, Southampton, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea — all ended in draws. His first game at Tottenham Hotspur, a victory over West Ham United, was the lone exception.

But as important as it was for the Pochettino to get off to a winning start, it was even more critical for the players. Put bluntly, this was a victory the USMNT badly needed, even if it was a friendly. This past summer was a brutal period for the team. Since June 1, its record heading into Saturday’s match was 1-4-2, and that run included a hugely disappointing group stage elimination at the Copa América thanks in large part to a defeat to this same Panama side. That finish cost Gregg Berhalter his job as U.S. manager, but the funk the USMNT found itself bled into September with a loss to Canada and a draw with New Zealand.

It was on the same day as the latter result that Pochettino was named U.S. manager, and anticipation has been building ever since. There was certainly a danger of unrealistic expectations. That Pochettino had plenty of work to do hasn’t been in question. Even Panama manager Thomas Christiansen noted during his postmatch news conference that Pochettino will need time to “adapt his ideas to the team. He has the knowledge, the experience, and he has the team and the players to do a good job.”

But given how beaten down the team looked in the September window, repairing its psyche just might be Pochettino’s biggest priority. He has certainly invested plenty of time on that front, and the ways that he’s gone about that task have been varied. Some have been at team level, while others have been centered more on the individual.

U.S. defender Tim Ream remarked how Pochettino had been speaking about confidence all week, and the vibe walking off the field after Friday’s walk-through was one of belief in what they were doing. But it permeated the side in other ways, too.

“He wants us to be solid, defensively great and then have guys play the way they are comfortable playing and being confident going forward with the ball,” Ream said. “And I think everybody saw that in especially the first 15 minutes it was guys were moving, guys were [using] intricate passing and getting the ball moving quick and getting in and around their box, and when he tells guys to go and be themselves, it’s a sign that he has confidence in you and you can see that come out with all the guys out there.”

Pochettino’s ability to do that on an individual level showed through in the match as well, with Musah a prime example. Musah has logged just 147 minutes of playing time this season with AC Milan. Pochettino noted that in those brief moments, Musah didn’t look comfortable in a central midfield role. He also recalled how Musah had spent time out on the wing during spells in Arsenal‘s academy and with Valencia. So Pochettino reprised that role out on the right flank for Musah, one that at times saw him drop deep in defense while also getting into the attack.

“That’s really big that he knows us on a personal level like that,” Musah said about Pochettino.

It played to Musah’s strengths, giving him opportunities to run with the ball at defenses and also make runs into the box. It was that latter trait that saw him score the U.S. opener, enabling him to latch on to Christian Pulisic‘s centering feed. But for Pochettino, it’s part of a process of building him up so that he can make a push for more playing time when he returns to his club.

“I think it was an important moment for him, to trust in him,” Pochettino said about Musah. “But maybe not to give too much responsibility in the buildup. It’s only to be in a position that can help the team.”

He added: “[Musah’s goal was] fantastic for him, fantastic for the team, and now maybe he starts to perform and behave a different way, [where he’s] full of confidence. That is the important thing in our decision, [to] try to help.”

That a manager of Pochettino’s pedigree is saying this certainly increases confidence. His previous success gives his words a bit more power and can resonate. But part of this is borne of his accumulated experience, and how he has evolved as a coach. He knows how he carries himself has a ripple effect on the players.

“I think of course a leader is a guy that is very confident, that has very good balance in between the ego, the self-belief and the knowledge and everything,” Pochettino said during a Friday roundtable with reporters. “With this good balance, you are confident and you don’t need to prove and to show that you could [make] the decisions.”

The process of rebuilding the USMNT will get another test on Tuesday, when the team travels to Guadalajara to play longtime rivals Mexico. Playing El Tri in Mexico is something that only a handful of players on the current squad have experienced. It will mark Pochettino’s introduction to the rivalry as well. With a win under their belt, both coach and team will be ready to take their next steps forward.