SEATTLE—As the U.S. ran riot in its opening game of the World Cup, Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro recognized the shape that has long instilled fear into American adversaries across the globe.
The Americans were setting up a pentagon, to build attacks, with Folarin Balogun at the top and Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Malik Tillman, and Tyler Adams forming the base in midfield.
This shape explained the more aggressive strategy adopted under coach Mauricio Pochettino, who transformed Tottenham from a young, disjointed side into one of English soccer's most entertaining offensive teams.
Pochettino committed to instilling a more dynamic playing style in his limited training camps, saying "When we don’t have the ball, we need to run, we need to be aggressive, we need to be competitive."
The victory over Paraguay represented a marked change in style, with the U.S. controlling the ball, dominating positionally, and scoring four goals—the most ever scored by the Americans in the history of the tournament.
