Pochettino praises USMNT’s ‘fantastic’ performance vs. Jamaica

ST. LOUIS – United States men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino said it was “fantastic” to see his players perform in his team’s 4-2 win over Jamaica in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Nations League, a victory that gave the USMNT a 5-2 victory on aggregate .

The USA raced out to a 3-0 halftime lead thanks to a pair of goals Christian Pulisic and another from Ricardo Pepi. Jamaica responded in the second half with a couple of goals off Demarai Greybut they were squeezed around a pounding strike from Tim Weah to keep the Reggae Boyz at arm’s length.

That made Pochettino – who has been on the job for just over two months – impressed by how much the American team has adapted to the concepts he has tried to convey.

“I’m so happy. The first 45 minutes is the way we want to grow, build our journey together and I think it was great to see the player perform,” he said.

“In a short period, and with not too (much) time to work, I think the way they adapt and receive all the concepts and the way we try to play, I think they show that we have incredible players with the ability to understand quickly, learn quickly and that’s because (of) our talented players.”

Pochettino noted that he was not happy with the way the second half went, with the Reggae Boyz netting twice. He said his team had to find a way to change the tempo before conceding a goal.

“We didn’t approach (the half) the way we wanted to,” he said. “We talked about the challenge is to win the second half and that’s just what was a little bit (of concern). Not going into the second half with the same mentality and the same aggressiveness and the approach that we started with. first half and it happened, I think we can call it mentality or we can use another word, but I think (these are) things that we still need to improve.”

Pochettino threw a tactical wrinkle at Jamaica in the first half, with the usual left-back Anthony Robinson push into the midfield to not only help build up but also help thwart counter attacks. He said the first camp he held in October was simpler in structure, but the current camp allowed for a little more experimentation.

“That rotation, that mobility to come up and change positions I think is the way we like to play and we want to play and I think what we found was to see the player perform in another position, maybe non-natural position, but become a natural way over time,” he said of the tactical switch involving Robinson. “But I think it’s, well, it’s a thing that we’re going to keep improving, keep testing. I also think the goal is by 2026 to be at our best with the capability of all the attributes we have from the player, with the player we have, to find the best way to perform.”

Pochettino said that after two camps he is happy with where the team is and is optimistic about the path the team is on.

“I’m so happy because in these two camps in two months, I think it’s great in the way that we’re one team,” he said, “I think it’s a team that’s very careful with each other, that we fight for each other, how the staff looks after the player, but the player looks after the staff, I think we create that idea of ​​(being) all together and feeling confident, and that’s the most important thing.”