Ricardo Pepi thread

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by schrutebuck, Sep 9, 2021.

  1. ifsteve

    ifsteve Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Jul 7, 2013
    MS and ID
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Reyna went to Dortmund out the gate. Pepi has shown every bit as much polish at the same age as Reyna did.

    I am all for him going to EPL or B1 as long as its a club where he's likely to play at least a fair bit. And that goes for anywhere. I think Klinsmann is correct in that regard. He'd be better to stay in MLS and play then get improved training but bench riding on some European club.
     
  2. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    While very good, Pepi is no Reyna. Let's not mistake every talented young American player for the Gio.
     
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  3. MarioKempes

    MarioKempes Member+

    Real Madrid, DC United, anywhere Pulisic plays
    Aug 3, 2000
    Proxima Centauri
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    BL is a much better choice than the EPL, in terms of the ability to play and the ability to learn. I do think it is a physical league, however. Not as physical as the EPL, of course. The thing is, Pepi needs schooling specifically about attacking. The Dutch Eredivisie does not have outstanding defending, which is better for a very young attacking player. Ajax and PSV are great at developing young attackers. They are great places to learn. He would have great success, ala Luis Suarez, and then get attention from a big club in one of the top 4 leagues at 21 or 22. There is no need to rush.
     
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  4. MarioKempes

    MarioKempes Member+

    Real Madrid, DC United, anywhere Pulisic plays
    Aug 3, 2000
    Proxima Centauri
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Pepi is potentially better than Reyna. Gio is an attacking midfielder while Pepi is a striker. Different positions and different types of players. Gio is more refined right now, but I think Pepi has a higher ceiling.
     
  5. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Eh... that’s extremely complimentary to Pepi... I believe Reyna’s ceiling is prime Kaka.
     
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  6. ebbro

    ebbro Member+

    Jun 10, 2005
    The dutch league has also put out guys that appeared all-world and amounted to nothing. Not having outstanding defending could be a reason for that (if he was still around agriesfield, or whatever his name, was would probably be triggered by that). Pepi could easily develop in the BL with the right team. I agree though, no need to rush. EPL may be rushing (or a bad situation), and BM might be rushing, but a solid BL team that gives him minutes might be fine.
     
  7. frankburgers

    frankburgers Member+

    May 31, 2016
    Reyna is 2 months older than Pepi lol. He went to Dortmund at 16,
     
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  8. frankburgers

    frankburgers Member+

    May 31, 2016
    They’re two months a part. Not like gio is 22 lol

    good debate to have. But gio is in a class by himself as a prospect.
     
  9. VictoryWePredict4Thee

    VictoryWePredict4Thee BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Jul 4, 2019
    He could be. Its too early to say.
     
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  10. Dutch Treat

    Dutch Treat Member

    May 6, 2005
    Amsterdam|Alphen a/d Rijn
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    While I agree with the many flops, there is also a case to be made about bad scouting. Looking at player statistics alone while not taking into account the level of competition and especially the system they have achieved this in is just plain silly.

    There are the likes of Afonso Alves, a below average striker who scored 7 goals in a match earning him a PL contract, a Vincent Janssen who overperformed for 2 years ( 1 subdivision ), signed by Spurs and then went missing. Mind boggling signings if you've seen them play week in and out at the time, just your average Joe being lifted by the players and system around him. Laughable signings. And these are just two examples.

    At present, and in contrast, a Donny van de Beek and Hakim Ziyech are being labelled a flop as well going by popular belief.The same two players that had a great impact on Ajax's CL run are now deemed useless by many.
    Is it because they are no good, or the system they play in? A more conservative coach like Ole and Tuchel tend to choose for more physique.

    I remember Inter Milan signing Dennis Bergkamp to play as a deep lonely striker, in a team that played traditional catenaccio.

    It doesn't work out in many cases.
     
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  11. onefineesq

    onefineesq Member+

    Sep 16, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ... because he had the passport for it and had the name recognition because of his father to be in the shop window earlier. If Ricardo Pepi's father was a former player in Europe and El Tren was who he was at 16 and eligible to go over at that age, you don't think he would have gotten offers? Pepi was a big prospect back at the age of 15, when I watched him at the Cadillac Ranch in Florida (November/December 2018).
     
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  12. YNWA Rob

    YNWA Rob Member+

    Liverpool FC
    United States
    Nov 12, 2020
    Indiana
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I remember Bergkamp being the best technical player on that team, maybe the best in Serie A at the time, but it just didn't come together between manager changes and system changes. Then he goes back to Arsenal and was again among the very best, playing in the right setup. So being in the right situation is vital for Ricardo.

    Playing at an Ajax or PSV could be very good for Pepi. Saying that, (and he doesn't have to be compared to Reyna), but when you look at how well young players like Gio at Dortmund or Florian Wirtz at Leverkusen have been developed at a similar age, you could see where the right club in Germany would be a good destination for him beginning in January.
     
  13. Scotty

    Scotty Member+

    Dec 15, 1999
    Toscana
    It was somewhat common in that era for great players to go to Inter and then underperform terribly. Matthias Sammer and Darko Pancev are two other good examples of it.
     
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  14. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    Oy. Prime Kaka sounds too dubious.
     
  15. Marius Tresor

    Marius Tresor Member+

    Aug 1, 2014
    Yep. Luis Suarez, and going back further, Ronaldo (Fenomino), Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Patrick Kluivert, Dennis Bergkamp, Romario, and Marco Van Basten, to name a few.
     
  16. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    2 years ago Sargent was in a totally different class from Gio. He still is, just classes got reversed. Impossible to say which will be where in 2 years. I was very pro Reyna and pro Busio by local standards. Never expected Reyna would grow into what he is now.
     
  17. frankburgers

    frankburgers Member+

    May 31, 2016
    That’s a world That’s not reality. The post I quoted pointed out the incorrect imo.
     
  18. frankburgers

    frankburgers Member+

    May 31, 2016
    Huh? I don’t understand this. Are you suggesting 18 year old Sargent was the prospect that currently 18 year old gio is?

    As a 16 year old, Reyna was generally regarded as one of the best American players at that age.
     
  19. onefineesq

    onefineesq Member+

    Sep 16, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What is not reality?

    Fact: Reyna had a Euro passport that allowed him to go to Europe at 16.

    Fact: His father was a known commodity in Europe with numerous connections that the Pepi family did not possess.

    That is reality.

    What is opinion is that Reyna was more advanced at the same age as Pepi, or vice versa. What is incorrect is subtely pointing to the fact that Reyna was in Europe at 16 and Pepi not as proof that Reyna must have been more advanced at the same age. Why? Because the 2 were not similarly situated.
     
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  20. onefineesq

    onefineesq Member+

    Sep 16, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    At 16, so was Sargent. At 17, Sargent was leading our U20 WC squad, being picked over Haji Wright. And he tore it up.
     
  21. MarioKempes

    MarioKempes Member+

    Real Madrid, DC United, anywhere Pulisic plays
    Aug 3, 2000
    Proxima Centauri
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Here is for me the best process. First, you perfect your craft. Pepi's craft is goalscoring. You go to Ajax or PSV who win all the time and score all the time. You score a lot of goals and in a lot of different ways. Repetition is the way to get better. Now that you've done that, the big clubs in the top 4 leagues will come calling: England, Spain, Italy, Germany. Then you decide what kind of league/team you want to play in.

    League Goals per Game Rank
    ———- ————– —-
    Eredivisie 3.18 1
    Bundesliga 3.14 2
    Serie A 2.81 3
    La Liga 2.78 4

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  22. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    No, I'm saying that when he was 16, hasn't been see as any kind of super talent. One of the best of his age, yes. But not expected to be where he is now in just two years. His progress is amazing. And at the same moment Sargent was a great prospect. And then he stagnated and, is arguably playing worse than 2 years ago.
     
  23. frankburgers

    frankburgers Member+

    May 31, 2016
    You must or have been around for the Gio reyna experience as a 15/16 year old!
     
  24. onefineesq

    onefineesq Member+

    Sep 16, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I encourage you to look at Sargent's measurables at the U17 and U20 level (the latter of which every game was played while he was still just 17). Sargent was nearly as prolific as Haji Wright at the U17 level, and more prolific than Reyna. He then tore it up in his limited time with the U20s. The other poster is correct -- Sargent just stagnated after that, as many players do (just as Haji did). No one is underselling Reyna as a 16/17 year old. It is that you are underselling Sargent at that age.
     
  25. frankburgers

    frankburgers Member+

    May 31, 2016
    You’re underselling the best American player in the pool. Lol.
     

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