East Hartford, Connecticut – The coach of the American national male team Mauricio Pocsettino had just finished a long answer on the performance of Jack McGlynn in the The 2-1 defeat of the United States against Turkey Saturday, when he stopped and looked around the room in front of him.
“It’s a good thing we are talking about football, huh?” He asked. “It’s a good thing. Fútbol.”
The involvement, of course, was that a large part of Pochettino anger after the failure of the League of Nations of the Concacaf of Mars – and really, the frustration of the fans base – focused less on real football in real football Losses in Panama and Canada. Yes, this team did not impress what she did on the field either, but more worrying was the lack of effort. The lack of combat. The appearance of indifference.
The inclusion of several MLS players for this camp was supposed to add a little more hunger to a team that seemed to lack part of this internal motivation. The challenge has changed a little when 10 American regulars were not available via the commitments of the World Cup, injuries, personal reasons or the desire for rest, In the case of Christian Pulisic. Almost the whole group has been filled with hope now.
However, in a way, this allowed Pocsettino to look more towards the goal of the Gold Cup tournament, which begins for the United States against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15. He clearly wants to try to inject competition and desire into the group.
Thus, it was strange and certainly talked to the negative state in which this program is currently found, that Pochettino and the players were mainly optimistic after a third consecutive loss, it was just as revealing that they had found the satisfaction of hitting what had long been considered a minimum naked for the USMNT.
“I think we have to be positive, because today I think we alone can talk about the Fútbol action, the football action,” said Pocsettino. “The team has shown great energy, an excellent mentality, a great attitude. And then it is this type of game that perhaps, if you make a mistake, you can lose. But you have made a mistake because it is football, it’s Fútbol. This is why I think I am so happy with the way I think we have delivered the show and in the way we tried to play.”
Malik Tillman missed a golden opportunity to score against Turkey. (Images David Butler II / Imagn)
It was not completely unjust Pochettino to feel as if there were positive points to keep in the loss of a talented team from Turkey. The United States was the best team for the first 20 minutes. Pocsettino properly stressed that until Johnny Cardoso Made a blatant error in its own box and offered Turkey a goal, the United States seemed in control.
The inexperienced American team struggled to regain the composure after Cardoso’s additional touch and tried to pass the Turk from Turkey, Arda Güler, the Real Madrid winger, 20, and in the net. Only about two minutes later, bad release was easily put at home by Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who plays his club football in Benfica, to give Turkey’s head.
The United States has maintained the rest of the first half, but came out after half-time with renewed energy and much more goal. This has created chances – a weakness for this team in the last two cycles – and they should probably have had an equalizer. The head at close range of Malik Tillman was the best opportunity, but there were also a few other decent looks, including two in the rear station of Max Arfsteten.
“So many positive points to withdraw from this match,” said US midfielder Tyler Adams. “I said before, when we left the field, I think it is one of the first times we have fallen, and we have created so much clear chances after. I think it is a huge positive for us. Now, it is simply a question of putting the ball on the back of the net.”
After five days together, Pochettino estimated that football could be refined and repaired. There were many more details that the group would continue to add and build in the way they played on Saturday. And Pochettino estimated that the game offered an important experience to many players. On the one hand, he underlined Patrick Agyemang, 24, fighting with two central backs, Çağlar Söyüncü and Merih Demiral, who played at the “highest levels”.
AGYEMANG, who grew up miles from the Connecticut stadium, confronts demiral. (Joe Buglewicz / Getty Images)
But Pochettino focused on the type of effort that the team showed in the field.
It has been clear in the head coach’s comments in recent weeks that he was frustrated by the swimming pool – or at least with How things happened in March – and that he was also listening to what people said about the team.
This summer and the next Gold Cup seem to be sending a message. On Saturday, Pochettino set up the first smoke signals of its intention.
But there is now a kind of strange dynamic where this group, filled with beginners and unproven national team players, can establish a standard which is supposed to access the World Cup next summer – and the “gold generation” of players who have so many expectations in this tournament.
This is not a hypothesis. Pochettino said so much.
“If I decide in September (to call a) the different list, what I want is the same level of engagement, attitude,” said the veteran coach. “Today, who will tell me:” Oh, we have shown a lack of … “?” We have shown the lack of … “Lack what?”
“Today, I think we can all agree that the team has shown what it should show. And then if the opponent is better or was more likely or if you made a mistake, it’s not a problem. But of course, playing in this way, we will win most games.”
The “first step” on Saturday in the reconstruction process was a loss. If the message will really settle, the United States and Pochettino will also need the results.
(Top Photo: Joe Buglewicz / Getty Images)
