Luna is new to the USMNT—he got his first cap under Pochettino in January—and he cites his Argentinian coach as the reason for his sudden growth.
“The biggest thing about him is that he made me feel comfortable off the field as a human,” Luna said of Pochettino. ” I think that was the biggest thing for me. He knows how to connect with the players one on one and make jokes and laugh and stuff like that, but also when you’ve got to flip the script and you’re on the field, it’s locked in, it’s time to grind, and you’ve got to be 100 percent focused.”
Luna’s development under Pochettino has been an exciting storyline for a USMNT that doesn’t have many to celebrate. His explosive performance against Costa Rica just might’ve earned him a spot in next summer’s World Cup lineup. And who, pray tell, will he be competing with to get in the starting eleven? Why, Christian Pulisic, of course, who might be at home watching Luna and regretting stepping back from the national team this summer. Luna, America’s Moon Boy, is coming for his spot.
Arfsten remained an enigma
Did Max Arfsten, the shapeshifting fullback from the Columbus Crew, have a good game or a bad game against Costa Rica? It’s genuinely hard to say. On one hand, he scored a beauty early in the second half; on the other, he was directly responsible for both of Costa Rica’s goals, too. That’s the Arfsten experience for you. Is he full of potential or taking a roster spot from a stronger defender? The answer, frustratingly, is an overwhelming yes on both counts.
Fans are tired of Pochettino’s endless cycle
You’ve seen it. You’ve puzzled over it. The USMNT, seemingly in full control of a match, endlessly passing the ball in a neat little arc deep in its own defensive third. It’s a hallmark of the Pochettino era and one that’s meant to help the USMNT be more patient on the ball and more incisive in attack. The players aren’t passing aimlessly—they’re hanging onto the ball and waiting for their opponents to create space for them to play into—but for many fans and neutrals, the effect is mind-numbing, and the move looks pointless.
The USMNT’s quarterfinal against Costa Rica involved more than its fair share of ball-cycling. With the USMNT spending much of the game either down a goal or tied, you could feel the stadium thinking, “Why isn’t the USMNT pushing in this moment?” The reason was valid—the team was looking for the best path forward, one it eventually found through Diego Luna in the 43rd minute—but the crowd’s reaction was telling.
When people say they want the USMNT to have more grit and more commitment, this is what they’re talking about. They want reckless forward movement, not careful sideways passes—patience and incisiveness be damned. It’s a cultural difference that created unnecessary tension between the team and the fans during this quarterfinal. Pochettino is going to have to manage it with a little more grace.
The USMNT will face Guatemala in the Gold Cup semifinals in St. Louis, Missouri, on Wednesday, July 2.
