That's a nice little back heel flip for a goal. But the defender and GK butchered that corner. Of course it's impossible to here if the keeper called for the ball but he would have had an uncontested attempt to snag that out of the air. Defender made the cardinal mistake of heading the ball right back to the top of the box. You're asking for trouble with that.
USMNT Player Pool Discussion
- Thread starter TU_BLA
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Gio Reyna to Nottingham Forest in the EPL on loan with an option to buy is a done deal. The option to buy is between 15-20 million euros. Unfortunately, it appears that he won't be a teammate of Matt Turner very long as Forest look to bring in a goalie to replace him. Turner played yesterday in a 2-1 loss and is persona non grata.
Gio can't possibly be match fit but should come off the bench next week-end vs (Tyler Adam's new club) Bournemouth. No news on Bla's reporting of an EPL points reduction for player transfer infractions. Hope it doesn't happen to Forest for Gio's sake. So far, it's very good news for Reyna.
Gio can't possibly be match fit but should come off the bench next week-end vs (Tyler Adam's new club) Bournemouth. No news on Bla's reporting of an EPL points reduction for player transfer infractions. Hope it doesn't happen to Forest for Gio's sake. So far, it's very good news for Reyna.
Forest already brought in a GK to replace Turner. He was terrible. Forest keeps blaming their GKs but the backline there is not great and it actually may be more of a MF issue for Forest as they can't hold the ball in playing out of the back. I watched their game vs Arsenal yesterday. The 1st goal, probably needs to be saved by Turner but I've seen a lot of good GKs concede similar goals. The problem for Forest is more that forwards are basically allowed to waltz into the box with the ball unmolested by the backline. Gabriel Jesus had so many open looks. Forest would basically need Superman back there to keep them in games. And they don't score enough...hopefully Reyna can help that.
Odds for the 2026 World Cup were just released. It's still 2 years off so things could change. France is best at +500, followed by Brazil at +600, and England at +700 (absolutely laughable). Spain at +1000 along with Germany (can't even get out of the group stage) and Argentina (take this bet right now), Portugal at +1200 and Netherlands at +1600. Then it jumps to Italy (+2000, can't even qualify), and then the US at +2500. US currently has better odds than Belgium, Uruguay, Croatia, Denmark, and Mexico (+5000). I can get behind the France being favorites. Young, really good team. However, Brazil is aging and they're really going to have to look to a lot of young players who, IMO, haven't quite made a great impression on me in terms of being able to carry teams. Guys like Jesus, Martinelli, etc. Only player from Brazil I'm buying is Vini, Jr. England is laughable because no one can agree on who should be the coach and no one can agree who should even be on the team. And I wouldn't put it past Southgate to not build around Bellingham instead choosing to build around Kane.
Not sold on Germany or Italy at all. They have good players but the last cycle showed to be a disaster for both of them.
Not sold on Germany or Italy at all. They have good players but the last cycle showed to be a disaster for both of them.
6 USMNT pool players scored goals this weekend in Europe. Balogun had a goal for Monaco. Taylor Booth scored for Utrecht in the Eredivisie (Dutch(), Lennard Maloney scored for Heidenheim in Bundesliga, Pepi scored for PSV Eindhoven in Eredivisie, and Sargent scored for Norwich in the English Championship, as did Haji Wrigtht for Coventry.
Didn't realize this but Carrot Top has 4 goals in his last 6 games for Norwich City.
BTW, FC Copenhagen hosting ManCity and RB Leipzig hosting Real Madrid.
Tomorrow's matches have Lazio hosting Bayern Munich and Paris St. Germaine hosting Real Sociedad
BTW, FC Copenhagen hosting ManCity and RB Leipzig hosting Real Madrid.
Tomorrow's matches have Lazio hosting Bayern Munich and Paris St. Germaine hosting Real Sociedad
"Very intelligent", "quick enough", "makes other teammates better", "an absolutely complete striker", first touch good" and so on from his German coach, David Wagner. Sargent has 8 goals in 15 games total and 6 in the last 9 after returning from almost 4 months rehabbing. Scored yesterday in a 4-2 win that put Norwich City in the Championship playoff picture for promo to the EPL.
Meanwhile, Pepe sometimes comes off the bench for PSV and tends to have 12 month scoring droughts; D. Dike just got injured and will likely miss months of PT.....again; Balogun has done little for Monaco & comes off the bench. So, if Sargent continues red hot, will Beer?halter give him a solid chance vs Panama and in the Copa America?? Doubtful, IMO.
Meanwhile, Pepe sometimes comes off the bench for PSV and tends to have 12 month scoring droughts; D. Dike just got injured and will likely miss months of PT.....again; Balogun has done little for Monaco & comes off the bench. So, if Sargent continues red hot, will Beer?halter give him a solid chance vs Panama and in the Copa America?? Doubtful, IMO.
Dike is hurt again? Dear God has he played more than 3 consecutive months since he left Orlando?
Balogun is the 9 moving forward. Why? Because he has some superior technical skill in tight space and speed that complements Pulisic and Weah. He also has a greater instinct when it comes runs into space and his runs actually draw defenders with him freeing up space behind. I like Sargent as a player and a physical 9...and he also will defend but he doesn't draw the same type of defense.
Pepi...I don't know yet on him. Right now Berhalter is probably leaning to Ferreira as Balogun's backup.
David Wagner is a naturalized American born in Germany to a German mother and raised by an American stepfather.
He made about a dozen appearances for the USMNT, mostly subbing in relief or in the absence of McBride.
Balogun is and was and will be the 9 until he’s hurt, retires or someone with that quality emerges at the same time his game dramatically collapses. The rest of the field is simply competing for minutes in different potential lineups. Pepi can score 50 goals in Holland and will still be a super sub and even then likely on the B team.
He made about a dozen appearances for the USMNT, mostly subbing in relief or in the absence of McBride.
Balogun is and was and will be the 9 until he’s hurt, retires or someone with that quality emerges at the same time his game dramatically collapses. The rest of the field is simply competing for minutes in different potential lineups. Pepi can score 50 goals in Holland and will still be a super sub and even then likely on the B team.
I mentioned above that Josh Sargent is "red hot" for their quest for a spot in that English Championship playoff for EPL promotion. What I meant was "en fuego" as he scores a brace today in a 4-1 beatdown vs Cardiff City. Unfortunately for Ethan Horvath, he was in goal for his new club.
The way Sarge is playing, he has to be drawing some attention from bigger clubs and whether the Canaries make & win that playoff or not, Sargent may end up as a #9 for some other club. Sorry Huffy, Bla & anyone else not on the Carrot Top bandwagon, you better wake up and smell the coffee. And that includes Beer?halter.
The way Sarge is playing, he has to be drawing some attention from bigger clubs and whether the Canaries make & win that playoff or not, Sargent may end up as a #9 for some other club. Sorry Huffy, Bla & anyone else not on the Carrot Top bandwagon, you better wake up and smell the coffee. And that includes Beer?halter.
Forgot to mention that Sarge has not played the full 90 in any of the matches since he returned. And Wagner is getting criticized for always yanking him in the 2nd half. Although prolly not today after scoring twice in 70 minutes before subbing out. There has to be a mind-boggling stat in there somewhere. And don't forget. He missed 20 matches during his rehab.
I like Sargent but I don't see his fit with the current crop of USMNT players. As for him getting yanked in the 2nd half...he has an extremely high work rate. You rarely see guys with his work rate who are committed to playing on both ends of the field play a full 90. If he goes to a top league team somewhere, it won't be in England. My guess is Bundesliga, Eredivisie, or Italy. Those leagues have seemed to embrace American players. England puts up with them.
How can a guy scoring a goal every 80 minutes not fit with his teammates? And according to his coach, David Wagner, he's been managing Sargent's minutes due to coming back from such a long layoff, not to mention trying to keep the top striker in the English Championship from further injury. But Bla is right, his work rate is exceptional.
I'm talking speed. He's not the pace player that Balogun, Pulisic, or Weah are. The amount of pressure that speed puts on a back line is ridiculous and when you throw Reyna, Dest, McKennie and Jedi into the mix...even moreso. I'm not saying he shouldn't be there...I'm saying that's Berhalter's thought process right now.
It was crazy for CP & Milan yesterday as they beat Lazio 1-0. Pulisic is getting a few hundred death threats from Lazio "fans" as he drew 2 red cards and Lazio ends up with 3 reds & 8 players. One hopes they are just sore losers & letting off steam.
Carrot Top scores the only goal in a Championship match yesterday for his Canaries as they move into the top six for the EPL playoff. In 2024, Sarge has scored 8 times. Surely Beer?halter is paying attention, HA!
Carrot Top scores the only goal in a Championship match yesterday for his Canaries as they move into the top six for the EPL playoff. In 2024, Sarge has scored 8 times. Surely Beer?halter is paying attention, HA!
Lazio ultras and many fans are famous for their Nazi salutes and open advocacy for a return to Mussolini style fascism.
Maybe Gabrielle Hanson could hire some of the fans for security.
So the Lazio, or as my son affectionately calls them, Nazio, have some of the worst fans in the world and I am not exaggerating. Apparently Lazio was the team of choice for the fascists back in World War II, including being Mussolini's team. They have subjected non-white and non-Italian players to some of the worst derogatory comments. They've had several home matches where fans have been banned because of their treatment of black and African players including Balotelli, who is Italian! One of the red cards was for Pulisic continuing to play when a Lazio player went down clutching his head from some mysterious malady because on the play in question, he didn't get touched. Lazio wanted Pulisic to play the ball out, he kept going, Lazio player basically wrapped him up and flung him down, earning a 2nd yellow/red. Lazio is lucky the red cards in Serie A don't carry over to champions league where they have a big match upcoming against Bayern with Lazio up 1-0 in the aggregate.
For the Carrot Top fans out there, FoxSports projects Sargent to be one of the strikers Berhalter calls in for Copa America this summer. Right now they think it will be Balogun, Sargent, and Pepi and they have Haji Wright and Pefok listed as others in consideration.
In looking at who they project, we are absolutely stacked in the MF with possibles. And for the 1st time in a long time, the situation at CB seems really nice for us. ream, Miles Robinson, CCV, Chris Richards. Zimmerman is now listed as a possibility if the others don't come through. I also like that we have really good options behind Dest and Jedi if one of them goes down. Scally has had a nice season in the Bundesliga this year. Right now Dejaun Jones is the 5th FB listed as a possibility.
The surprise for me is at GK, where they have Turner and Horvath listed but the 3rd one they're predicting is Drake Callender, the Inter Miami GK. Since Inter Miami is being shoved down our throats in pretty much every OTA Fox game this season, I've seen a decent amount of him. He stops an awful lot of shots and gets to an awful lot of shots. I can't say his feet are the best. Right now his shot stopping ability is on full display because Inter Miami doesn't track back on defense. Guys like Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Messi aren't coming back leaving a ton of space in the middle of the field for attackers. Incredibly though, Deandre Yedlin is not listed and he is quietly playing excellent defensive football for Inter Miami, sort of because he has to knowing there are lots of guys a lot older than he is also on the field. Point is they're predicting Callender being on the squad over Slonina and Steffen.
In looking at who they project, we are absolutely stacked in the MF with possibles. And for the 1st time in a long time, the situation at CB seems really nice for us. ream, Miles Robinson, CCV, Chris Richards. Zimmerman is now listed as a possibility if the others don't come through. I also like that we have really good options behind Dest and Jedi if one of them goes down. Scally has had a nice season in the Bundesliga this year. Right now Dejaun Jones is the 5th FB listed as a possibility.
The surprise for me is at GK, where they have Turner and Horvath listed but the 3rd one they're predicting is Drake Callender, the Inter Miami GK. Since Inter Miami is being shoved down our throats in pretty much every OTA Fox game this season, I've seen a decent amount of him. He stops an awful lot of shots and gets to an awful lot of shots. I can't say his feet are the best. Right now his shot stopping ability is on full display because Inter Miami doesn't track back on defense. Guys like Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Messi aren't coming back leaving a ton of space in the middle of the field for attackers. Incredibly though, Deandre Yedlin is not listed and he is quietly playing excellent defensive football for Inter Miami, sort of because he has to knowing there are lots of guys a lot older than he is also on the field. Point is they're predicting Callender being on the squad over Slonina and Steffen.
Yedlin is headed in Cinci. Matt Turner is no bueno. I actually think Horvath has bigger potential than him. They both make dumb, dumb mistakes at times. I will always be partial to CO dudes, especially Real CO guys considering how much time I spent around their club there. I always liked them and how they trained.
I have been a believer in Sargent for a long-time. I am always partial to Saint Louis kids as well...
Carrow Road colleague Stacey has told the Pink Un of Sargent’s many qualities: “I don't want to say he is the best striker in the league, but I cannot think of another one. He is deceptively quick so he gives us another dimension in terms of getting behind but in terms of his hold up play as well. It's hard to defend against him because he can go in behind or come to feet. He's underrated in the air so I know that if I can beat the first man with a cross then there is a chance for him or Ashley [Barnes] to get on the end of it. It's good to have those options.”
Best striker in the league? Red-hot USMNT star Josh Sargent earns high praise at Championship play-off hopefuls Norwich | Goal.com US
Norwich forward Josh Sargent may be the “best striker in the league”, admits Jack Stacey, with the USMNT star inspiring a Championship promotion push.
www.goal.com
Yeah, I had posted the Yedlin stuff and him being really good for Miami in the early going, and then I open up ESPN and see that he's been traded to FC Cincinnati. I think that is a $$$ saving move for Miami who is spending so much $$$ on the likes of Messi, Jordi Alba, Busquets, and Suarez. So far it's paid off. The Inter Miami Messi jersey is one of the hottest worldwide right now.Yedlin is headed in Cinci. Matt Turner is no bueno. I actually think Horvath has bigger potential than him. They both make dumb, dumb mistakes at times. I will always be partial to CO dudes, especially Real CO guys considering how much time I spent around their club there. I always liked them and how they trained.
I have been a believer in Sargent for a long-time. I am always partial to Saint Louis kids as well...
Carrow Road colleague Stacey has told the Pink Un of Sargent’s many qualities: “I don't want to say he is the best striker in the league, but I cannot think of another one. He is deceptively quick so he gives us another dimension in terms of getting behind but in terms of his hold up play as well. It's hard to defend against him because he can go in behind or come to feet. He's underrated in the air so I know that if I can beat the first man with a cross then there is a chance for him or Ashley [Barnes] to get on the end of it. It's good to have those options.”
Best striker in the league? Red-hot USMNT star Josh Sargent earns high praise at Championship play-off hopefuls Norwich | Goal.com US
Norwich forward Josh Sargent may be the “best striker in the league”, admits Jack Stacey, with the USMNT star inspiring a Championship promotion push.www.goal.com
And I'm in on Carrot Top and thinks he brings an element that none of the other 9s in the USMNT can bring. He's always been a strong aerial player. He's good at the hold up play which is really a required element to give our MFs and wings a chance to get the ball further into the attack. And yes, he's deceptively quick and has a great touch on the ball. The thing I really like about Sargent is he is a really good defender as a 9. And not just the token slow things up type of defending you see out of many 9s...a guy who is dropping into the box on corners and winning those battles against just about anyone. When Norwich was last in the EPL, he was invaluable to them in this way. While I don't see Berhalter starting him over Balogun, Sargent should absolutely be the guy coming off the bench in the 70th minute with the US nursing a lead and trying to bring it home.
Of course dumb, dumb won't start him. Berhalter will probably find a way to leave him off the team and bring Freddy adu back and to drum up support for 2026 crowds.
I am going to make an outlandish prediction for 2026. We aren't getting out of the group stage.
That would certainly ensure Berhalter was gone...and that he ruined the US' best chance for ever winning a World Cup.
I think if he left him off the squad that might be grounds for immediate dismissal, barring a crazy circumstance where Sargent misses significant time due to injury and is just coming back and hasn't proven match fitness yet. BUT, under current form, Sargent should be a clear #2. Of course last night, Lalas ranks the US 9's in this order: Balogun, Vasquez, Sargent, and then Pepi. That's a crazy take. Vasquez is proving himself against? Pretty much no one. Of course he's playing in Mexico right now for Monterrey and has scored 5 goals in 8 matches for them in Liga MX and has 2 goals in 2 games in CONCACAF Champions Cup including the only goal (a road goal) vs his old club FC Cincinnati last night. But outside of 2-3 teams in Liga MX, he's basically playing against USL sides every night with the biggest difference being that those "Mexican USL" sides are trying to break your ankles on every tackle.
Again, because of his defensive capabilities at the 9, Sargent is my choice as a late game sub for Balogun. Balogun just has a little too much in terms of dynamic play to not give him the starters minutes out of the gate.
Here's an idea....start Sarge and see what he can do for 60-65 minutes (as his coach at Norwich City is doing) and then bring Balogun off the bench to relieve him. Won't happen but currently, Balogun isn't doing much of anything (5 and 4) for that frog club.
Sargent scores again yesterday. Today, CP scores the games only goal on a deflected shot & has 10 now in all comps. The win lets Milan trade places with Juve in 2nd place in Serie A, clear by 2 points. A couple hours later, Wes McKinnie gets 2 assists in only 4 minutes and helps Juve go from 1-0 down to 2-1 up. They end up with a 2-2 tie. Weah & Musah both come off the bench but neither do much for their clubs.
It's tough for Gio Reyna. He's played about 30 whole minutes since transferring to Nottingham Forest from Dortmund. Why did they bother?
It's tough for Gio Reyna. He's played about 30 whole minutes since transferring to Nottingham Forest from Dortmund. Why did they bother?
Forest has got so many problems and most of them aren't at forward and MF. Those 2 groups are actually playing pretty well for Forest right now. The issue is the CBs are a complete train wreck. They just don't seem to have great communication or understand their relational positioning at all. And what does Forest do to address this problem...they go out and buy GKs. 2 of them to be exact because they think the problem was Turner. Well, neither of the replacements has turned their fortunes around in EPL either.
Cade Cowell who was part of the U20 WC squad last year for the US and was playing for San Jose in MLS is now featuring for Chivas in Liga MX. He just scored against Club America in their CONCACAF Champions Cup game. Still down by 2 in the aggregate. Let's hope he gets used to scoring in Azteca
Pulisic has 3 goals and an assist in Milan's last 3 games. First time as a pro that he has scored in 3 straight club matches
I saw him at 19 years old and said he was the best American player we have ever had. I am still confident in that assessment.
He also has withdrawn from Beer?halter's Nations Lg squad. Why not. His club team needs him for their fight to gain EPL promotion. David Wagner, his coach, doesn't want him injured vs. C'CAF competition, although Beer?halter wouldn't start him anyway. He's more in love with Balogun & Pepe. Good luck with these two. Bad results may cost him his job.
Speaking of MNT strikers, here's another that Beer?halter doesn't much care for: Haji Wright just put Coventry City of the English Championship into the semis of the FA Cup with a late goal today vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers of the Premier League.
