Pochettino has found a World Cup plan that works for USMNT, with or without Pulisic

Mauricio Pochettino went into this World Cup with decisions to make for his United States team. There was a first-choice goalkeeper debate, uncertainty at centre-back and nobody quite knew what shape the USMNT was going to play. Two games in, we have our answers. Matt Freese in goal and a back three. Pochettino went for a 3-4-3 in the opening round win over Paraguay, and then tweaked the system in the absence of left No 10 Christian Pulisic, who missed out the 2-0 win versus Australia that all but sealed top spot in group B. Ricardo Pepi replaced him and became a second No 9 in a 3-5-2 shape. Here's the shape early on against Australia, who defended in a 5-4-1 that largely matched the U.S. up in central spaces. The U.S. did its damage, just like in the Paraguay match, with smart combinations and rotations on the wings. Australia's wing-backs were instructed on pressing when the outside U.S. centre-backs played wide passes. This made space for Weston McKennie's darts into the channel that worked excellently in tandem with Serginio Dest to manipulate the back five. Here's a one-two between them that led to a Dest shot, which perhaps ought to have been a cutback for Pepi. The pass network from the match shows just how strong their connection was -- 41 per cent of the USMNT's attacking half touches came down the right flank in the opening half, nearly nine per cent more than the left side. And yet USMNT's opening goal on eight minutes resulted from a clever move down the other wing. The same principles were executed, as Tim Ream's pass to wing-back Antonee Robinson baited out Jacob Italiano. Robinson slipped the ball through to Folarin Balogun, who had the beating of Alessandro Circati for pace. Once in the box, he looked for Dest or Pepi, only to see his low pass diverted into the net by Australia defender Cameron Burgess -- the USMNT is the first team in FIFA World Cup history to have opponents score own goals in consecutive games, with their opener against Paraguay coming from a similar move and cutback down the left. Now there's an element of game state to consider here. In both group-stage matches the U.S. has gone 1-0 up inside 10 minutes and taken control thanks to that. Not only should Turkey provide higher-quality opposition in the third game, it will also test how the U.S. deals -- tactically and psychologically -- with a game that is more in the balance later on. Without Pulisic, Pochettino's side is a different proposition, though its attacking patterns and balance were well-executed without him. That is some progression given how the team struggled with a 4-2-3-1 throughout 2025, when losing to Mexico in the Gold Cup final and in the CONCACAF Nations League to Panama (semi-finals) and Canada (third-place play-off). "I think we have players that play in this new formation," Pochettino said in September 2025 when he trialled the 3-4-3 in friendly matches against Japan and Ecuador. "I think it's good to have different plans (and) approaches to the games, (to) use different formations." Having hit six goals in two matches this tournament, only one more is needed to match the most by a U.S. team at a men's World Cup (seven in 1930 and 2002). It works because it platforms the strengths and masks the weaknesses of its standout players. Balogun is tasked with making channel runs and being a box threat, the two things which he's built a promising Ligue 1 career on. Dest and Robinson play high and as attackers, meaning the former has his defensive limitations minimised and the latter gets to make his trademark overlapping runs. That suits Pulisic, who mostly wants to come inside and be a No 10, and also gives him a runner to take defenders away when he chooses to dribble -- the U.S. had 39 take-ons in the Paraguay win, the most by any team in a game this tournament. Tim Ream is better protected at centre-back in a trio. On one occasion against Australia he unsuccessfully tried to play an offside trap and inadvertently let Nestory Irankunda race in-behind. As for Chris Richards, the standout USMNT central defender, he plays in a 3-4-3 every week at Crystal Palace, and has completed 175 of his 179 passes at this World Cup. The system lets McKennie make those attacking runs in the half-space which he loves. The evidence for the 3-4-3 was present in the pre-tournament warm-up games. In late May, Pochettino's side was incisive and effective against Senegal, beating a team that was fresh off winning the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and beating the hosts in the final (even if its title was stripped). Dest and Pulisic scored first-half goals before the team wobbled and Senegal levelled the game, only for Balogun to come off the bench and net the winner. In an alternative universe, both Patrick Agyegmang and Diego Luna avoid injuries and are part of the tournament. Perhaps then we see a different shape. But in this universe, the USMNT has qualified from the groups and is chasing a first knockout round win since 2002. "Certain factors have to come together to win a World Cup, yes, but we believe," Pochettino told The Athletic in an exclusive interview this week. The system and shape is part of that. An extra defender might make the difference against a better team. The three friendly defeats in 2026, against Belgium (5-2), Portugal (2-0) and Germany (2-1), have all been when they played 4-2-3-1. How far the U.S. go will be about much more than shape and tactics, though finding balance matters. The U.S. has only drawn twice in Pochettino's 28 matches (winning one on penalties), and while this team has made history by winning two games already this tournament, now the focus turns to competing in all-or-nothing matches. You succeed in knockout rounds by not losing.