There’s a song by Ben Lapidus going around the internet that my kids are obsessed with.
In the song, Lapidus asks a very important question: “Is it Pet Smart, or Pet’s Mart? Are you saying that pets are smart? Or are you saying you’re a mart for pets?” My kids have listened to this song obsessively for the last few weeks, and it’s honestly incredible watching a three-year-old mosh while screaming, “I need answers! Which one is it? It can’t be both!”
Take that same energy and apply it to the primary formation the U.S. men’s national team has used under Mauricio Pochettino. Is it a back four? Or a back three? Those questions seem to be puzzling fans and pundits alike. We need answers, then. Which one is it? Well, in this case, it can be both.
At the heart of this issue is how we talk about formations. Too often when discussing tactics, we make two big mistakes. The first issue is that we conflate “formation” with “tactics”. A team’s shape is important, but there are so many things that determine much more of their tactical identity: how they press, how they build out from the back, how they try to create scoring chances, and more. Shape or formation is important, but it’s not everything.
The second issue – and this is at the crux of assessing the USMNT’s setup – is that we tend to think of formations as fixed and unchanging, when in reality they shift between different phases of play. Under Pochettino, the U.S. has used different shapes with the ball and without it, and the shape change has framed the discussion of the team’s tactical setup.
So, let’s figure this out, shall we? Here’s the lowdown on Pochettino’s most-used shape.
Sanjay Sujanthakumar
The USMNT’s go-to setup under Pochettino
Pochettino found his go-to setup with the USMNT back at the very beginning of his tenure.
Looking at his very first match in charge against Panama in October, 2024, the Argentine’s shape in controlled possession moments and in a defensive block is the same as the one he’s using on the World Cup’s doorstep. In possession, the U.S. tend to use a 3-2-5 setup. In defense, they tend to use a 4-4-2. Against Panama, Antonee Robinson played as a high-flying left back in possession, Tim Ream and Mark McKenzie played at center back, and Joe Scally acted as a more stay-at-home right back, with Yunus Musah high and wide on the right side.
