“I don’t know what to expect anymore,” Herculez Gomez began. “That’s where we’ve gotten with the USMNT. Nobody really knows.” When an icon of your team makes such a claim, something is definitely not right. Sadly, the current situation of the American boys is that the closer we get to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the more problems — and, more importantly, doubts — surround them. But that’s where having a good coach matters; enter Mauricio Pochettino, fervently standing by his optimistic stance.

As if the past few camp’s performances weren’t enough, the Stars and Stripes double down on the woes over their recent display in the September window, enduring a 0-2 defeat at the hands of South Korea. One can only assume what must be going through the players’ minds, but the USMNT boss believes things are going exactly the way they should be. “Despite the result, I think the atmosphere is so well, that is, in the way that we want to work,” he began in an interview with US Soccer.

When the Argentinian tactician says this, he speaks for everyone in the team — even the players. The 53-year-old admitted that, since March, things have been “disappointing” for all involved, including their underwhelming Gold Cup and CONCACAF Nations League performances. However, as Poch puts it, that was precisely the moment they chose to change their approach.

While hailing the “great” commitment and attitude of the players, he added, “Now we need to improve our performance and our results. We are going to give the possibility to play some players that didn’t play with us so far.” Yes, we know. It’s September, and Mauricio Pochettino is still experimenting with his squad, something which former USMNT greats, including Charlie Davies, Landon Donovan, and even Herculez Gomez, aren’t a fan of.

Not to mention, it’s quite daring of him, considering only nine months remaining until the tournament kicks off. On a more personal front for the USMNT, just seven games are left — what they call their “preparation” matches for the World Cup. And Pochettino? Well, he has rotated through 14 different lineups across 17 matches. But the former Chelsea boss insists it’s crucial to do so, given the “different circumstances” Team USA is facing.

Oh, and not to forget how the defeat against Korea means the American boys have now lost five straight matches against FIFA top-25 opponents by a combined score of 11-1. To make matters worse, they are winless in their last seven such games, being outscored 17-3. Apart from Mexico, their most recent victory over a top-25 team came at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar under Gregg Berhalter, when they edged out a narrow win in the group stage.

“It’s important that it’s a system that is very open,” said Mauricio, insisting everyone deserves a chance to be a part of the World Cup roster. Well, in his defense, the former Tottenham manager did admit that September would be the last time he looks at different players and introduces new faces.

The rest of the explanation for omitting names like Weston McKennie, Haji Wright, Joe Scally, Johnny Cardoso, Yunus Musah, Tanner Tessmann, and Aidan Morris was because of their ongoing domestic transitions.

Tomorrow, the Stars and Stripes will be facing Japan, which Pochettino believes is quite similar to the Koreans, and his boys will be facing a “tough” test. But that’s exactly what he wants. “Challenge us,” he remarked, before adding that playing against such teams is only good for their development, both on the individual and collective fronts for players.

Pochettino couldn’t have made it any clearer that he is more than desperate to win, but the latter demands some kind of understanding when it comes to negative results. “I think the process is going really well. Of course, we want to win now because it’s part of the learn and to improve to compete,” he concluded.

There you go, looks like there is a message here after all for the ardent USMNT supporters. But at he same time, Poch’s composure took a different turn when it came to addressing the naysayers of the team.

Mauricio Pochettino has a message for all the USMNT critics!

Herculez Gomez’s dig at the Stars and Stripes is just the tip of the iceberg, as many, including the fans, seem to have lost hope in their own country to do something magical in the upcoming prestigious tournament. Certainly not the atmosphere one would hope for a nation that majorly co-hosts the debut expanded 48-team tournament. Sure, the naysayers have their own right to be dismissive of the USMNT, considering their recent form, but Mauricio Pochettino has a strong message for them.

“People sometimes create debate and talk with no sense,” began the Argentinian tactician, taking a dig at the critics and media, as compiled by @usmntonly on X. Given how the country has already qualified for the World Cup, thanks to the hosting rights, the former PSG boss still urged people to “apply common sense,” before furiously adding, “If people want to talk about b—— they can, but we feel the responsibility to provide the whole group of players.”

Taking risks in such friendly matches is the key for the USMNT to figure out themselves before the World Cup, at least that’s how Pochettino explains the situation. He also expressed his disbelief over people slamming or questioning him for not choosing this player or calling up surprising names. Rather, the former Espanyol star wants everyone to remember just one thing: The US has a “plan.”

“We know what we are doing, we have experience. The important thing is to provide the players the possibility to arrive at the World Cup in the best condition,” added the former Argentinian international. “Sometimes people want to talk only to analyze the result and want to be negative, and I think it’s a little bit shameful,” he added, urging all Americans to stick together no matter what, especially with the World Cup approaching.

After all, the last thing the US men’s national team needs is a nation divided by different opinions and approaches if they truly want to win something. Pochettino admitted the USMNT needs help, especially without official games to prepare. He highlighted how competitive the team looked in the Gold Cup after spending 40 days together and stressed that change was necessary, which is why he was brought in less than a year ago.

But how can one believe that, considering there are clear problems within the team? Be it Christian Pulisic’s Gold Cup absence drama, which Pochettino seemed to brush under the rug, or his own plea for fans to show up — “Please come more,” he remarked. Honestly, there’s a lot going on within the USMNT.

That’s why Mauricio Pochettino appeared to be making a promise: if the fans turn up, stay positive, and more importantly, support the team fervently despite poor results, he’ll build a squad ready to compete at the World Cup. What’s certain, though, is that the USMNT faces challenges both on and off the field, and it’s still unclear how they intend to solve them.

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below.