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 went wrong, and how big of a deal is it? Could it be so simple as to say the Yanks were missing too many pieces to play their preferred system against a good opponent, and things fell apart? Is it about their best player having a quiet day? Or something deeper?
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 Christian Pulisic goes missing, he’s gone
There was a 4-6 minute span where Christian Pulisic looked like vintage Christian Pulisic. Unfortunately, that spell ended when his mazy dribble into the box ended with a shot launched well over the bar. It was indicative of his day.
It’s no longer all about Pulisic as the Yanks have found some really good attacking options who can deliver consistent moments including Malik Tillman, Weah, and — of late — McKennie.
And teams now pay more attention to the AC Milan man than ever, and he’s struggled to produce goals and assists for the USMNT in recent memory. Pulisic has 32 goals and 21 assists in 84 caps, but has just one assist in his last six (Nations League losses to Panama and Canada, a friendly loss to South Korea, a draw with Ecuador, and wins over Japan and Australia).
He also hasn’t scored in Serie A since December 28, a run of 12 matches that also didn’t include an assist until last time out versus Torino.
If you want a silver lining, Pulisic is healthy and too good to be this cold. The odds are in his favor when it comes to finding better production for club and country over the next few months, but on Saturday he was off his game.
What is Plan C (and how ugly could it get versus Portugal)?
The short answers? We’re not sure and it could get really ugly.
But Pochettino likely will feel he’s learned some things about what won’t work.
So even if a back four is his choice, things will be different. Timothy Weah needs a better support group if he’s going to play right back in a back four and Max Arfsten again proved that he’s not a good enough defender to play fullback against a team of real attacking quality and intent.
Alex Freeman or Joe Scally could play right back in a back four or Pochettino could try to use three of Scally, Freeman, Auston Trusty, Mark McKenzie, and Ream in a back three.
Cardoso is dealing with an injury that limited him to 45 minutes and a harder-edged or all-action midfield could be deployed by Pochettino with Tessmann, Roldan, and Aidan Morris all there for the former and McKennie and Sebastian Berhalter a part of the latter.
The thing about Portugal, who play Mexico later Saturday, is that Pochettino could come up with his best possible plan and still be looking at a crooked number on the scoreboard next week when Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, Francisco Conceicao, Joao Felix, and Goncalo Ramos come to town.
Hey — at least Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leao, and Cristiano Ronaldo were left home!