USMNT fans are in full honeymoon mode with Mauricio Pochettino right now. The run to the Round of 16 has fans crowning him a hero, and it's not just about tactics anymore. The vibes are simply immaculate.
Mauricio Pochettino is our savior https://t.co/Jxpqi1rTVA
That goodwill spilled into pure Americana over the weekend when Pochettino showed up at a Seattle Mariners game and threw out the ceremonial first pitch. He didn't bounce it, either. It landed right down the middle, and the crowd behind home plate ate it up.
Pochettino delivering the ceremonial first pitch at the Mariners game, straight down the pipe.
Naturally, Barstool couldn't just let a good moment be a good moment. The account ran with a bit claiming Mets owner Steve Cohen was so impressed he offered Pochettino a $250 million contract to be the team's Opening Day starter next season — a joke riffing on Cohen's reputation for throwing absurd money around, not an actual transaction.
Barstool's satirical take on the first-pitch moment, imagining Steve Cohen trying to sign Pochettino away from soccer entirely.
But the fun and games give way to an actual decision Pochettino has to make before facing Belgium. With the USMNT needing more from the attack, the debate around Twitter has centered on who plays as a false 9. PFT Commenter laid out the dilemma bluntly: either Gio slots in up top, or he swaps in for Christian Pulisic while Pulisic himself drops into the false 9 role.
I think gio as false 9, or have gio replace pulisic and have pulisic as false 9, but whatever poch does I trust him
It's a fair question with no obvious right answer, which is exactly why fans keep coming back to trust the manager on this one. Pochettino has earned some benefit of the doubt this tournament, first pitch and all. Now it's just a matter of whether he goes bold with the lineup or sticks with what's gotten the USMNT this far.