Expect Mauricio Pochettino to have his hands full after he officially sits on the USMNT’s managerial seat. The Argentinian tactician will have plenty of errors to improve that have remained unfixed throughout the year. One of the key areas that the former Tottenham boss has been advised to look out for is strikers.

Defend as much as you want but eventually, it’s scoring goals that win you games. Lucky for the Star and Stripes, who have plenty of options to choose from in their attacking ranks. However, USA icon Alexi Lalas believes names like Folarin Balogun or Josh Sargent aren’t enough to give him what his former disciple offered on the pitch during his Spurs days. “There’s no Harry Kane in this US pool,” said the former defender on the latest episode of the State of the Union podcast.

“I don’t think he can make any of these players that we have currently into that.” Notably, Lalas isn’t questioning the quality of the existing strikers that the USMNT possesses. A player like Kane just needed a bit of polishing, which Pochettino provided, to bring the England skipper’s A-game to the pitch over the years, making him one of the best strikers in the world.

Hence, similar would be a task for the former Chelsea boss to make the likes of Balogun or Sargent a true goal poacher. “It doesn’t mean they can’t score goals or they can’t be more productive. But I will say that not only I do think it’s going to happen but I also think it’s essential that he either finds an individual or collectively has the striker pool, whoever that ultimately is, doing things better than they have done in the past.”

Pochettino should take this advice to heart, given that his style of play revolves around strikers and the attacking side of the pitch. However, it will be quite a battle for the former Southampton manager to find the right striker to address the USMNT’s goal-scoring problems. This challenge means that Pochettino won’t be the only one in the hot seat.

Being managed by Mauricio Pochettino is no joke!

“Ruthless” was the word that US skipper Tyler Adams used to describe the MNT’s next coach. Well, buckle up as that’s exactly what the American boys are getting. Gabriel ‘Gaga’ Slonina, a player who has lived the Poch era during his time with parent club Chelsea, has sent a warning to his fellow US teammates. “Camps are going to be tough, that’s for sure. He’s a guy that pushes his players to work off the field in training,” said the current Barnsley star.

Slonina, who represented the USMNT’s young squad in the Paris Olympics, revealed that Pochettino follows the ‘How you train is how you play’ philosophy.’ Praising the Argentine’s tactical acumen, the 20-year-old cautioned Team USA players that while they may face difficulties in adapting, it will be smooth sailing when they actually figure it out. Interestingly, this isn’t the first of the stark reminder!

USMNT legend Brad Friedel, who also played under Pochettino at Tottenham, also shared the tough side of the 52-year-old coach. While the ex-PSG boss is known for his compassion towards hardworking players, he maintains a “no-nonsense” approach. Friedel noted that his tactical sessions are likely more intense than most MLS sessions.

Additionally, Pochettino will not tolerate players who feel entitled to a spot; instead, everyone will need to earn their place on the team. Apparently, that leaves no choice for players to prepare themselves mentality for what may come under their new manager.