Another match facing a top 25 team in the world for the United States men’s national team, and another loss as the USMNT fell 2-0 to South Korea at home on Saturday. This is the fifth straight match that the USMNT have lost to a top 25 team, with their last victory in a situation like that coming in 2022, defeating Iran during the group stage of the World Cup. While it’s not a loss that has Mauricio Pochettino feeling dejected, it’s one that’s tough to find positives from, as they had no answers defensively for Heung-min Son.
Son may still be one of the best forwards in the world even after his move to Los Angeles FC, but these are the type of players that the USMNT will need to stop when the clock rolls around to the World Cup. This is still an experimental roster for Pochettino as he is able to see what he has in different players in the squad, but that doesn’t mean that better performances aren’t expected. However, he still anticipates that this team will pick things up when the lights are at their brightest.
“We need to start to win when the World Cup starts,” Pochettino said, addressing the form of the team. “You need to arrive in the best condition.”
Getting players into proper condition is why some names such as Antonee Robinson and Malik Tillman weren’t in this squad despite being among the first names on the USMNT team sheet, but in their absence, who improved or lowered their standing in the side?
Stock down: Mauricio Pochettino
When Pochettino was hired, the expectation was that he’d raise the standard of the USMNT, and in training, that has been true, with members of the team stating how tough his sessions have been since taking over. But that hasn’t translated into results on the pitch. U.S. Soccer has been aggressive in scheduling top matches for Pochettino and the national team, but those are moments when his teams should be improving from match to match. As he closes in on a year on the job, the questions that hung over the Argentine coming into the job are still there. That could change after facing Japan or during the October international window, but time is dwindling, and the USMNT’s performances aren’t improving.
Even facing South Korea, it’s one thing for a new defense to play together. It’s another for them to look like they haven’t trained much together and don’t know where their teammates want to be. Issues on simple plays shouldn’t still be there at this stage of Pochettino’s tenure, and that’s where concern is creeping in.
Stock up: Alex Freeman
The second Alex Freeman entered the match, the energy on the pitch rose. Freeman, the son of former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman, may have only played 28 minutes, but it was part of the strongest play of the USMNT. Creating a chance and also breaking up play effectively once he came on the pitch, Freeman is someone who is rising up the depth chart by the day. Only making his USMNT debut in July, starting the loss to Turkiye, Freeman is playing his way onto the World Cup squad, and if he continues this track, it wouldn’t be shocking for him to start at right back when the World Cup kicks off. Joe Scally hasn’t been in Pochettino’s plans, and Dest still has work to do to get back to his best, so as long as Freeman puts in shifts for the USMNT, he’s keeping himself in the conversation.
Stock down: Sergiño Dest
If one right back is moving up the depth chart, it does mean footsteps are coming behind the one who started for the USMNT at the 2022 World Cup. Sergiño Dest’s defensive issues were on full display for the USMNT as Son had his way with the entire defense. For everything that Dest brings going forward to push the USMNT in possession, it won’t mean much if the USMNT are shipping in goals. A rotating defense around him hasn’t helped matters for Dest, but he’s a player who would be better utilized if the national team used a back three more often. At PSV, it’s not an issue because his club team is strong enough to control possession, providing Dest with fewer defensive responsibilities. In Pochettino’s system, everything needs to happen in unison. If one cog is out of place, then goals will find the back of the net. This was Dest’s first appearance under Pochettino so it’s not time to panic yet, but if things don’t improve quickly, concern will rise.
Stock up: Matt Freese
Matt Freese’s anticipation was off the charts during this match. Despite the chaos in front of him, Freese was able to rush out of the box, clearing South Korean chances and did what he could to come up with big saves. Only facing four shots on target, Freese saved two of them, and one of the goals conceded was quite unfortunate, considering that there was chaos happening in front of him. The USMNT have a goalkeeping conundrum on their hands with Matt Turner now back in New England starting regularly, but if Freese can continue to perform like this, the number one shirt will be his to lose.
