I think out all of our YAs in the Bundesliga, this little stretch run has to be the most important for Sargent. He scored a nice goal just before the break in the action, and now has 9 games to convince some Bundesliga team that he's worth nabbing from Bremen once they go down.
Either the break has enabled them (and especially the coach) to reset mentally and reorganize tactically and they can get a run of 4 wins and 3 draws from the remaining 11 games and they'll have a very good chance of catching Dusseldorf and making the playoff spot. Since the BL1 team has won the playoff game something like 8 out of the last 9 seasons, catching Dusseldorf is more than 50% of Bremen's job and the fixture list makes it easier Bremen have a game in hand on Dusseldorf and, while they both have Bayern and 6-pointers against Paderborn in the run-in, Dusseldorf have the hardest teams with more left to play, and have the hardest games bunched together: their first game is the Paderborn 6-pointer, followed by Koln (safe), and then Schalke (EL), Bayern (title), Hoffenheim (safe), Dortmund (CL) and Leipzig(CL), Augsburg and Union (both safe). Bremen's last 11 games aren't exactly easy, but Leverkusen (EL), Freiburg (safe), Gladbach (CL), Schalke (EL), Wolfsburg (safe), Paderborn (relegation), Bayern (title), Mainz and Koln ( both safe) that little bit easier. * the game in hand is against Frankfurt (safe) but a date hasn't been set
BTW, Paderborn's run-in is brutal. They have have Dusseldorf (relegation) up first, then Hoffenheim and Augsburg (safe), Dortmund (title) and Leipzig (CL) before they play Bremen. They'll have to go for broke against Dusseldorf because if they lose that one they're as good as dead and a point doesn't help them at all, but a win damages Dusseldorf very badly and puts real pressure on Bremen. Even then, it'll be a very long shot. They could be relegated before they take the field against Bremen - which probably means Bremen'll shit the bed that day.
This guy (who is a Hamburg supporter) could probably tell you more but his post is a start: The Red Baron: Josh Sargent at Werder Bremen
As a Juventus and USMNT fan, I would love to have an American put on the famous black and white jersey. It is tough to see it happening. Juventus are at a place right now where we are trying to win the Champions League before Ronaldo is too old to contribute as a starter (probably 2 maybe 3 more years). We just sold Kean who was lighting it up with our Primavera and had quite a strong run last year when we had some injury struggles. Unfortunately, Juve do not historically provide many opportunities for inexperienced players, even less so with Sarri at the helm. If you look at the current Juve forward line: Ronaldo, Dybala, Higuain, Douglas Costa, Bernadeschi, Cuadrado and add Josh to that, there will not be any minutes available. With that in mind, Higuain, Douglas Costa will probably be gone this summer and Juve will need a #9. It is more likely that we try and go after someone proven to lead the line for a team going after a Champions League final. On the flip side, as others have pointed out, there is some possibility that it could work out. Considering soccer transfers post-COVID could look extremely different compared to the last decade and a half and teams may have to be more cautious with their transfer strategies and Josh could provide quite the medium risk, high reward. An non-EU spot would be taken with the acquisition as well as acclimating to Serie A for a 20 y/o. Josh is mobile and has a pretty good all around game as a forward which is required for Sarri. All in all, wouldn't be the end of the world if he went to Juve as long as he was not brought in to lead the line, the stress and expectation put on him would be suffocating. However, as a reserve #9 there could be a bit of opportunity at Juve. If a loan comes about, there are some good options in the middle and bottom part of the league like Parma, Sassuolo, Fiorentina, Genoa etc. that he could get some opportunities during a bit of a play style revolution across the league. Rocco Comisso (Italian/American owner) and Fiorentina could be a pretty good option.
We'll have to wait a few more days to find out if it's Sargent, since Werder Bremen don't play until Monday afternoon. Due to the positive test of somebody in his personal circle, one #Werder player has been placed under a two-week quarantine. The player in question tested negative for #coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/PpPC5oWDAa— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) May 15, 2020
Update: per the Guardian, the BL have decided that two teams will be relegated and two promoted at the end of the season, with no playoff games. As things stand, it's Dusseldorf on 22 points (-23 GD), Bremen on 18 points (-28 GD) and Paderborn on 16 (-23 GD) and Bremen have a game in hand. It's tight but doable.
BILD: On Monday Pizarro's wife Karla and his three children were tested for Covid-19. The result of his daughter Antonella was positive.
The anti-Pizarro element in the thread will sleep well tonight knowing Pizarro won’t be able to intrude on Sargents PT for a couple weeks.
He was already hurt: https://www.werder.de/en/news/news/first-team/20192020/verletzung-pizarro-120520/
Today's Dusseldorf-Paderborn (a 0-0 draw) went well for Bremen. A pont is no use to Paderborn, so they could be down already when they meet Bremen, while it only moves Dusseldorf up to five ponts ahead. If Bremen can win tomorrow, or the game in hand, they close the gap to two. As Alex Ferguson used to say, it's squaeky bum time on the banks of the Weser.
Bremen will be relegated. Playoff game was their hope. Kind of a bummer because they have good players.
This way if they finish 3rd worst they're guaranteed to stay up, whereas otherwise it would have been a coin flip. So this inherently improves all relegation battler's chances of remaining in the top flite. It hurts Hamburg's/Stuttgart's shot of getting promoted. That would affect some Yanks' Abroad: Matarazzo, Sousa, probably Carrera, and technically Wood.
Have a look at their run-in (post #3278). Relegation is definitely the more likely, but it's not certain yet and we'll have a pretty good idea after they play Leverkusen tonight. If Bremen win, they're in business (two points behind with a game in hand) and a draw wouldn't be terrible. A loss OTOH . . . And Dusseldorf did themselves no favours by not putting Paderborn away in the 0-0 yesterday. That puts Paderborn in the "it's mathematically possible, but ..." zone, which is very good for Bremen - if they can take advantage of it. "IF".
Sargent. A 20 year-old has upside potential. A 30 year-old is what he is. Plus, a BL1- quality strkier is what the MNT programme really needs. There's plenty of rotator DMs for a BL1 bottom-feeder on the panel already.
The juxtaposition between Sargent and then Tyler Adams/Pulisic/McKennie's introduction to the Bundesliga is fascinating. The biggest difference between Sargent and those three? Sargent is actually playing on a bad team that needs help where he plays. For whatever reason the coach refuses to really give him a run in the starting lineup UNLESS there are injuries. Dortmund, Leipzig, and Schalke in that order didn't really need to give as much playing time and soon and as often, but each of them performed at a higher level much sooner than expected. Which leads to the end point. Bremen couldn't believe they signed Josh when they did. He was a major coup for the club. I'm still super high on the kid, but the past three years have just been super strange: He becomes the first person to play for the U-17 and U-20 teams in the world cup in the same year, while debuting for the full men's national team. Then he gets signed to Bremen in 2018 when he turns 18. Makes his debut in December. Scores off his first touch as a professional soccer player in a top flight competition. And here we are now. Maybe the idea is that Josh needs to seize the starting job himself? Either way, strikers really do take time to develop. I think the success of some of our younger guys distorts the way people view what our guys can and can't do. If you track soccer players it's pretty clear universally, it's much easier and expected for guys out wide to integrate sooner. More of a reliance on physicality, with less responsibilities than the middle of the pitch. Honestly I know some people think Bundesliga 2 with Bremen wouldn't be the worst move. And usually? I'd be with those people because playing is better than not playing... But I think Josh would honestly tear up that league and we won't learn anything about him. The only possible benefit of a year down there is some people leave and Josh dramatically increases his status within the club and they pop right back up.
It’s still a little early in his career, but given where he was when he got his first run of games I thought he would be playing a bit better than he has been. It doesn’t help that Werder hasn’t been playing well. On the flip side, he should be putting in more effort to want the ball, find space, and make himself available. This is the biggest difference from this year compared to last. It’s as if he’s afraid to get the ball because he might give it away, or he’s simply lacking motivation.
On the bench Die #Werder-Startelf für #svwb04.🔥⏳ #Kapino, #Lang, #Osako, #Langkamp, #Sahin, #Sargent, #Bartels, J. #Eggestein, #Woltemade ⏰ 20:30 Uhr📺 https://t.co/gS9UW3eo7S👓 https://t.co/ySFdFeo1BQ#Werder pic.twitter.com/N7K4sb008n— SV Werder Bremen (@werderbremen) May 18, 2020
This stinks, especially after the Reyna injury on Saturday... Wasn't the last game he played in the Bundesliga the one where he started and hit that 25 yard laser with his left foot? If that can't keep in the starting 11, sheesh!
I was gonna say while I am no Juve fan they are way ahead of the curve in terms of developing youngsters in Serie A using stuff like co-ownership. If a deal were to come up I think it is much more likely that Josh would be at another Serie A team with Juve having the right to buy full ownership I do feel Serie A will be getting a lot more interesting soon either way. More teams committing to scouting (including Milan likely bringing in Ralf Rangnick) so Serie A may become a nice place for young talent to bet on themselves