Alexi Lalas, a former USMNT player and current commentator, believes coach Mauricio Pochettino will likely field the same starting eleven for the team`s upcoming Gold Cup group stage match against Saudi Arabia. This prediction follows the USMNT`s convincing 5-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in their tournament opener, a result that broke a challenging four-game losing streak.
Speaking on his “State of the Union” podcast, Lalas argued against making changes, saying, “Yeah, I think you run it back. I don`t think that in the climate that exists today and in this moment that Mauricio Pochettino and this team can afford to experiment.” He pointed to recent difficulties, such as “all the drama with Christian Pulisic” and losses in preparation games against Turkey and Switzerland, as reasons for Pochettino to prioritize stability and results over rotation.
Lalas explicitly stated that the Saudi Arabian team poses a significantly greater threat than their previous opponent.
“I think Pochettino recognizes that he has to put his best foot forward, and his best foot involves the best players. But I think many of those players will be the same when it comes to the lineup against Saudi Arabia,” Lalas elaborated. “And make no mistake, Saudi Arabia is not a Trinidad and Tobago or this version of Trinidad and Tobago. This is a much better team. I think this is going to be a much better test.”
With 96 international appearances for the U.S. national team, Lalas understands the pressure on Pochettino`s squad to build on their recent success and maintain momentum.
“If this team doesn`t again rise to the occasion, then they risk destroying and undoing all the good that they did,” Lalas cautioned. He noted that many observers are waiting to see how the team performs against a stronger opponent, suggesting they watched the first game “with arms folded saying, all right, let`s see what you can do now.”
Despite the presence of several less experienced players in the Gold Cup roster, Lalas remains optimistic about the U.S. team`s potential in the competition.
“This is not, as we said, the best team at the Gold Cup by any stretch of the imagination,” he conceded. However, he highlighted that facing Saudi Arabia, a team that participated in the most recent World Cup and hails from outside the CONCACAF confederation, presents a valuable and rigorous examination of the squad.
“And so let`s see if these guys individually, whether it`s a young, inexperienced player like [Patrick] Agyemang or whether it`s the introduction of someone like Tyler Adams, that they step up and they parlay that first game into another game,” Lalas concluded. He stressed that a strong performance against Saudi Arabia is vital for dispelling doubts and generating positive momentum moving forward.
What`s Next?
The U.S. Men`s National Team is set to face Saudi Arabia on Thursday. This second match of the Gold Cup group stage will be held at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas.
