Pochettino's USMNT Plan B ends in Belgium blowout, pleas for Plan C (and a Pulisic renaissance)
For 45 minutes in Atlanta, the United States men's national team looked like a team that just might navigate a strategic disadvantage against Belgium. MORE — USMNT v Belgium player ratings | Recap, video highlights Unfortunately for Mauricio Pochettino, Belgium boss Rudi Garcia knew just what to do at halftime and the Yanks' lack of defensive depth was exposed in a bonfire of a second half at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Yanks made a brilliant run to finish 2025 on a five-match unbeaten run against pretty good competition, and the back three was a big part of that.
Yes, Pochettino's men conceded a goal in four of those games but it was much better. So what wrong, and how big of a deal is it? Occam’s razor: Pochettino’s Plan B eventually left in tatters The back three definitely involves Chris Richards, Tim Ream, and someone else, and is made better by Tyler Adams sitting atop the backs and Sergino Dest running the flank opposite Antonee Robinson.
Well, Richards, Dest, Adams, and Miles Robinson weren't available and the oft-reference principle of Occam's Razor — among competing hypotheses, the one requiring the fewest assumptions is usually the best — points to that being the main reason the Yanks were cooked over 90 minutes by a talented offensive team. Timothy Weah isn't a terrible right back and he can do a job as a wingback ahead of a back three versus a player like Jeremy Doku. But Weah is a bad option as part of a back four to handle a 1v1 maestro, and the Man City man sent Weah for lunch on several occasions.
To be fair, we've seen Dest lose his best attributes in similar situations. Ream at 38 years old is less exposed in a back three, and he's better in any formation with Chris Richards taking charge. Miles Robinson isn't kilometers better than Mark McKenzie or another USMNT center back but he allows the back three to work.
And Scally or Freeman might be the best option as a third center back. Those weren't options and Doku — let alone Kevin De Bruyne and Dodi Lukebakio who are pretty good, guys — and maybe you just leave this game hoping the back line's healthier this summer. When Pulisic goes missing, he’s gone There was a 4-6 minute span where Christian Pulisic looked like vintage Christian Pulisic.
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