Futbol Americas: The USMNT Loses Again! What Did We Learn This Window?
USMNT performance
Eight straight games without a victory over a European opponent. That's under Mauricio Pochettino's cycle. Back-to-back losses 100 days out from a World Cup for only the second time in its history. Christian Pulisic, 18 months without a goal for the U.S. men's national team. That's under Mauricio Pochettino's cycle.
It's not about talking about two defeats. It's about talking that the opponent has players that won the Champions League. They are playing for big things in different clubs. That is why they are considered one of the best teams in the top ten.
USMNT tactics
No, Mauricio, you need to realize you're playing against top 10 teams. You felt very good about the last five games, but here comes real opposition, and what you want to do is tinker. What you want to do is all of a sudden experiment.
Christian Pulisic form
Christian Pulisic has not been good for AC Milan in 2026. He's not been good for the U.S. men's national team. It's okay to say Christian Pulisic has been poor. It's okay to say he's not been good and he needs to be better.
Italy World Cup qualification
Italy is not doing a lot of things right. It's not by coincidence. I don't care how difficult you think European qualifying is in the World Cup. It's not by coincidence you miss out on your third World Cup.
Nobody deserves to be in a World Cup. You earn the right to be in a World Cup. Unless you're hosting, you earn the right to be in a World Cup. And as long as that mentality continues, I fear you will see this kind of up and down, certainly a whole lot more down of late of Italian football.
USMNT roster management
I keep saying the most consistent thing about Pochettino is his inconsistency. I have no idea what this team is going to look like come the World Cup.
USMNT manager pressure
I was in a similar situation in 2006 before the World Cup in Germany and we played the March games and we lost. My job was in jeopardy three months prior to the World Cup. Is it about the performance? I think from the performance point of view, there's a lot of good stuff to take out of these two games.
USMNT goalkeeping
I thought the position before this international break was Matt Freese's to lose. And even more so now, given his performance against Portugal. I don't think there's much debate anymore. This was his coming out party.
World Cup 2026 group analysis
They're the most talented team in the group in terms of players. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Yildiz anywhere else, Arda Guler, that type of talent. Turkey's a very talented team.
