No inferiority complex as Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest lead USMNT in Christian Pulisic absence

The USMNT has put a country on its back and delivered a sensational start to the World Cup.

Shrugging off any signs of pressure in front of home crowds, dominant wins over Paraguay and Australia have World Cup fever spreading from coast to coast.

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Six points, as many goals, and big dreams. This could be soccer’s best chance to crack the U.S. market.

talkSPORT’s Ben Jacobs was on the ground in Seattle to share his thoughts on Mauricio Pochettino‘s team after the Socceroos were KO’d by two first-half goals in a 2-0 win for the USMNT.

“Two games, two fast starts, two dominant performances in the first 45 minutes,” he began. “Quite the contrast. the last time they played Australia, where they were slow starters and Pochettino had to give an expletive-ridden half-time talk in which he basically told them, ‘Get yourselves together, we’re American’, but with a lot more swear words.

“And that, I think, because it was only a few months ago, was quite a defining moment in making this group realise that they have to go up a gear.

“And they certainly did that, again, against an Australia side that didn’t offer that much, particularly in the first half, that fast starts are going to be key. And I get the sense that there’s not going to be any inferiority complex as the US men’s national team come up in the knockout stage against likely tougher opposition.”

USMNT go all out attack and a threat from set pieces

Pochettino brings plenty of pedigree to the dugout and his name will be linked to some big jobs over the summer if these performances continue.

“Pochettino wants front-foot football,” Jacobs added. “Then the other thing that was very clear in this game is that the US are passing progressively, they’re moving the ball quickly and they’re carrying the ball in wide areas and stretching the field as much as possible, which in this heat is another thing that’s going to be really important.

“[Sergino] Dest was outstanding in the game. Antonee Robinson was effective as well and they’re switching direction. So it’s not just that they’re getting it out wide and putting it early into the box. It’s also the fact that they’re unpredictable and the corner to the edge of the box for the second goal was one example of that.”

Arsenal just won the Premier League thanks to dominance at set pieces and Pochettino seems to have paid attention to the team he locked horns with plenty of times as Tottenham manager.

“Set pieces are also key for the US men’s national team,” Jacobs explained. “They’ve been very clever and cute in their delivery from set pieces, free kicks and corners. They’ve utilized their physical strength and at times their height advantage.

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“They’ve just been hungry to second balls as well, which is ultimately why after the deflected shot in the build-up to the second goal, Freeman was able to beat the goalkeeper to the ball because he was prepared to put his block on the line.”

U.S. fans give team a massive boost

The Seattle Seahawks have long relied on The 12s and that support translated into The Beautiful Game.

“That the home crowd, even for a soccer city like Seattle, were outstanding, they want to get behind an underdog as far as winning the World Cup is concerned,” Jacobs beamed having got a first-hand glimpse.

“They want to get behind this team and back-to-back wins and in the manner in which they’ve done it have suddenly made this feel like a home World Cup and they can carry that back to LA and into the knockout stage as well.

“I think Australia were to an extent again over-roared by the occasion because it was an electric atmosphere in the early stages of the game.”

Christian Pulisic injury gives Mauricio Pochettino a hard call to make

All of this was achieved without Captain America Christian Pulisic, who was absent with a calf injury and replaced by Ricardo Pepi.

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Jacobs said: “Christian Pulisic wasn’t missed, which is a compliment to the other players.

“Of course they’ll want him back but they don’t need to rush him back now because they’ve already qualified for the knockout stage.

“The expectation is that he’ll be fit for Turkey regardless because Mauricio Pochettino said he only needed one more game, so I expect Pulisic to be restored to the starting 11.

“But Ricardo Pepi came in and in the first half offered something a bit different, a bit more gritty. He won his fair share of interceptions, he stopped Australia from breaking quickly and transition from inside their own half and he covered a lot of ground.

“So Pulisic perhaps carries the wow factor and the ability to get goal contributions, but it was quite an unsung performance by Pepi.”

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Pochettino must now decide if he wants to rotate against Turkey.

His decision may be made for him if The Crescent-Stars don’t beat Panama, which would see the USMNT crowned Group D winners with a match to spare.

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