It’s amazing what a competent performance by a striker can do. He gives the entire attack shape and purpose. What we’ve been lacking.
I wish the language were clearer. I've also read that he couldn't play for anyone else for 3 years if he did decide to change.
Their pitch would have to include asking him to wait 3 years for a Mexico call up instead of him continuing to accept call ups next month as a key part of the USMNT's World Cup qualifying campaign.
You could see that in the last goal - he really tried to calmly place it in the corner and it fell perfectly for Lletget.
I have Pepi as my number one until he proves he doesn’t deserve it, which I don’t think will happen. I do believe that we need to bring in Hoppe though and give him a shot. At the 9 spot I’m talking about, not fiddle farting around with him on the wing like Gregg seems to want. I will concede that it was only one game but what we saw last night is what a competent 9 brings to the team. Sarge and Dike are at minimum not ready and Pefok and Zardes are not at Pepi’s level IMO. We need to see where we are at with Hoppe. If he proves to be a competent striker, and we end up with two legit threats up top that we can rotate, that would be huge.
As great as the goal was - the assist might have been more impressive. To both have the awareness that BA was there and get him a softly weighted ball between two defenders that BA could strike in stride is something you don't see often from players even at the top levels. If that's the player he is, he might be on to something with this soccer thing. [Note: I removed a Gregg bashing comment as I think there are plenty of other threads for that.]
He did amazingly well and is an exciting prospect for the future. However, he is only 18. Yes we can have him be our main #9 for now but he is going to have his ups and downs and periods where he won't play well as he continues to learn the game. Let's not bash him when that happens but instead give him the support as he grows as a player. We have been down this road before so let's be patient.
We've been down this road once before, with a guy named Eddie Johnson. Except Eddie Johnson was two years older when he burst on the scene like this and far more of an athlete than he was a soccer player. So I don't think we need to slow down the hype train too much with Pepi. He is a real soccer player who has this sort of ability at 18 years of age. All aboard...
I was calling for Pepi in game one... He has been one of the hottest strikers in the MLS for quite a while now... coming off a massive game... you need to ride the hot hand. I think the USMNT is at 7 or even 9 points right now if Pepi played significant time in the 1st two matches. But hind-sight is 20-20 and I was completely deflated after the 1st half... so frustrated that I turned the game off. It is a good thing I am not a part of this team because the guys that came on in the 2nd half... along with Pepi... just flat out got it done. I am glad they had more heart than I did. Probably the biggest thing to come out of these three games is who should be on the pitch and who shouldn't. 1) As Father Ted said... Pepi will likely have some ups and downs but he did more in one game as a striker than we have seen from Sargent, Dike, Zardes and Pefok in the games leading up to WCQ and in the 1st two games. A goal and two assists in his first WCQ game away in Honduras... down a goal... at our lowest point since T&T. He was also involved in the last goal. I have never understood why a shot like that that forces the keeper to push it straight to a teammate for a tap-in doesn't count as an assist... but it should at least result in a dangerous chance created. The emergence of Pepi as a real option at striker might be the biggest thing to come out of this round. 2) Arguably just as large of a thing to come out of these games is that Brooks is a straight liability on D. Every goal we have given up in these two games could have been avoided if Brooks was not caught out of position. He didn't even play well in the NL on D. Yes... he is still the best passer we have out of the back at CB... but our opponents are exposing the space he leaves behind when he is too aggressive. In our system the CBs need to be super athletic to help stop counters when the backs are up the pitch. Richards, Robinson, McKenzie, Zimmerman and Trusty need to be our core CBs w/ Sands in there to spell at CDM and center CB in a 3 CB system. I sill think a 3CB backline can work... just not with turtle slow Brooks there. 3) Stop playing Dest at LB. We have options there. AR really proved clutch in the two games he played. Bello isn't a bad option either and I think Tolkin may get a shot to prove himself there too. 4) We are surprisingly thin at RB. Since it looks like Araujo is not going to be an option I think we need to look long and hard to find another option. Whether that be Scally or even Duncan.
I get the sentiment but he's going to Europe as soon as he can. That's telling him (and FC Dallas) to skip out on money in the near future for a potential increase in a transfer when injuries and such can happen.
Let's not forget that he spent time at Bayern Munich this winter. If Bayern want him, they'll have first crack. And I'm sure they're watching with great interest. FCD has recently shown a willingness to sell these guys when the right offers come in (Reynolds, Cannon, Tessmann, etc.) The difference here is the pricetag they can and should demand for an 18 year old #9 with the ceiling he has. We know how much Orlando turned down for Dike. If FCD gets an offer that meets their evaluation, they'll sell. I just expect that evaluation to be very high, and increasing by the game!!!! Pepi signed a new 5-year contract in July. So FCD is under no obligation to sell. We can recall that both Reynolds and Cannon signed new contracts, and were gone a half year later. The media relations team at FCD must be doing great work with that kid, because everything that comes out of his mouth is 100% perfect. Ricardo Pepi 🗣"When I decided to play for the United States I said that I was going to give all my heart to the team and tonight I showed it."(h/t @YoSoyChavaPerez) pic.twitter.com/iDVDfdGecA— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) September 9, 2021
Agree with the above and would add that during the Gold Cup it was a Dike Dike Dike until Dike got in and showed NOTHING. In these 3 games it was all Pefolk Pefolk Pefolk until he got the start and was weak. I hope Pepi is the real deal but it's too early to tell. I do know that he had an energetic supporting cast and the formation change turned things around. My real fear is that GB will now feel emboldened to resort to his usual crap player selection and crap strategy by October. I'd love to be wrong
Great, great start - arguably historic- but I'd temper this by saying this kid is 18 and definitely will have 'growth spurt' moments to come. Even Mbappe had his bad games and stretches at that age. Secondly, in a 3 game in 7-8 day cycles- we don't want everything riding on one guy. There has to be some rotation on starts, and keeping competition (at some level) as a competitive tension as well. Leaving aside the possible tactical formation of 2 strikers for some matches. (which I really think we should try) Sargent was playing wing, not striker. There is a material difference. I think one considers starting Pepi for 2 of the next 3 starts...but decision still needs to be made. I don't see 3 of 3 starts making sense in any scenario. But 2 out of 3- could be very reasonable if current data keeps trending same direction. I also think its too early to close the book on 21 year old Sargent + his future progress and too soon to definitely say Pepi is the monster we all hope he will turn into. But I certainly hope he does (turn into that monster). Promising signs indeed. Absolutely, he deserves the start against Jamaica, no question.
Yeah….my point was that he’ll likely struggle for minutes on a team that can afford his transfer fee. And a team where he could get minutes either can’t afford him….or will likely be a bottom tier team (on loan) where a striker is likely to struggle.
A few thoughts re: Pepi: 1. World class header 2. Great movement off the ball to find spaces 3. Final goal by Lletget was result of a short snap instinctive shot by Pepi 4. Is he our next Dempsey? folks to be fair - Berhalter rolled the dice enormously - 2 bad results against ES and Canada and we go on the road and he hands an 18 year old a chance for glory or failure for the US in Honduras - wow - that shows commitment and guts on the part of Beerholder - think about it. And the kid delivers ... just sayin ...
Yup. That was gutsy. If it didn't work.....................imagin' how we'd be crushing him today. He started an 18 year old #9 on the road in a WCQer for a first international appearance. Come again? What?
I'm impressed by his composure on all of the chances he was involved in, given the circumstances. Kid's gonna be lethal.
I am thrilled, he's awesome, I'm subscribed to the newsletter. The real lesson from this imo, is that when it comes to attackers in particular you go with form. That and you have to have competition for spots, particularly in a national team set up where there is so much individual ups and downs between windows and so little time for training.