Ricardo Pepi at PSV Eindhoven

I think the logic was that Haji offers something as a target-man outlet when the US has to bunker, which I'm not sure about. Haji has the height and the build but a British-style CF-CB duel - with /British CBs - has never struck me as being part of his game.

That's Berhalter's problem now, not Pepi's. He just has to keep scoring, making assists and passes and doing the press. The offers will come then.

 

You are correct, sir. Pepi actually wins marginally more aerials per game, while Wright at a marginally higher rate. So it's a wash in the air.

As far as running the channels, which I've heard Charlie Davies make a rationalization for bringing him (though he wanted Pepi too)..that diagonal option only really works if you're playing 2 strikers. Otherwise it's tough for 1 guy to get outside 2 CB's.

And you don't see him posting up then outletting a lot. His game is trying to find a pocket of space, then dribbling at a guy, and finishing. It's a nice skill, but does not a target man make.

That reasoning from Berhalter didn't make sense at all. If he wanted a target man, ideally he would have brought Vazquez, or even Pefok. Wright doesn't fit that bill, even relative to Pepi. They're both mediocre targets.

So the pick doesn't make sense from any angle. Both in form fw's, but Pepi's doing it in a better league (in which Wright did nothing), he was good w/ the nat'l teams instead of poor, and he's a better all-arounder with his pressing and passing.

 

Groningen manager fired: https://www.fcgroningen.nl/nieuws/persbericht-wormuth/2

 

Pepi didn't score for a calender year (including MLS play) while Wright has been scoring for 2/1/2-ish season now. Why does everyone for get this?

 

The 1 year drought, isn't real. His last goal for FC Dallas, was on 9/30/21 and he scored for Groningen on 9/17/22. Also, he didn't play for 2 months after his last game for FC Dallas and then took a break for summer.

 

Why do people forget Wright consistently played in the Danish League to Turkey? If Pepi continually played in 2nd to 3rd rate leagues, he wouldn't have droughts that lasted for more than a couple of months of actual action. Wright had a drought of a month and a half this season. Last season he went 4 months w/out a goal.

Also, why do people forget Wright played in the same leagues as Pepi, and did as poorly, or worse. Schalke gave him a chance due to a slew of injuries to CF's, they were a decent Bundesliga club at the time, and he failed. Pepi failed on a team who provided trash service. Then they both went to crappy teams in the Eredivisie. Wright went a whole year w/out scoring or assisting himself there, while Pepi has 8 goals + assists in 2 months. And he does more otherwise.

 

Sad. He tried but failed to achieve his prime directive.

 

Which was to get Pepi onto the World Cup team? Or is that too self-centered of me?

 

You nailed it.

 

Those droughts are shorter than Pepi's. And no one was calling for Wright to the national team when he was finding his way in Germany and the Netherlands.

I would have preferred Pepi on the roster (over say Roldan). But Sargent is doing better in a slightly higher rated league and Wright's overall form for two and half seasons puts them over Pepi for me. Plus they are just much more experienced.

 

He went 31 appearances without scoring for club and country. They weren't all 90-minute appearances (he had about 15 full matches worth of minutes), but it was pretty ********ing bad.

 

VI rated his performance against Bassett with a 7.5!

 

Can't believe this hasn't hit the thread yet. BIG scandal in the N'lands! (ok, not really. rumor is he lost a bet.)



https://www.the-sun.com/sport/6854299/usa-pepi-pole-dance-holland-shirt-world-cup/

 

Played the 1st half in a friendly:

FC Groningen
@fcgroningen

vs. @SCCambuurLwd

Leeuwenburgh; van Gelderen, te Wierik, Šverko, Määttä; Schreuders, Valente, Lundqvist; Irandust, Pepi, Abraham.

Liveverslag via Twitter!

#grocam

 

In a club friendly played earlier today, I see …

Metz 2-3 Groningen

with Groningen’s first goal, scored just before halftime, by none other than our own, under-appreciated …

Ricardo Pepi

I know nothing more, hope it was a nice goal.

Edit: Now I see Pepi’s goal was a nice header.

 

The goal:

Afgelopen in La Finca: 2-3! 💪

⚽️ Ricardo Pepi
⚽️ Liam van Gelderen
⚽️ Jorg Schreuders#FCMGRO | #CheckInMurcia🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/GNNvSrlw4J

— FC Groningen (@fcgroningen) December 17, 2022

 

I think he is going to grow into his frame in the next year or two. It looks like that’s already starting to happen.

 

Somebody was there clapping.

 

Starts 2nd half of friendly:

FC Groningen
@fcgroningen

46’ De tweede helft is van start met wat nieuwe namen bij FC Groningen.

Hoekstra; Dankerlui, Blokzijl, Te Wierik, Määttä; Pelupessy, Lundqvist, Valente; Van Bergen, Pepi, Abraham.

#SPEGRO (1-0)

 

ended 2-0 to Spezia.

 

Scored twice in a friendly against Utrecht this morning.

23’ DOELPUNT! 🚂

Ricardo Pepi is er als de kippen bij om een doorgeschoten corner binnen te tikken bij de tweede paal: 0-2! #UTRGRO pic.twitter.com/JqBTkHDFi6

— FC Groningen (@fcgroningen) December 23, 2022

56’ DOELPUNT! 🤤

Kasanwirjo schakelt pijlsnel om, vindt Pepi, en El Tren stift de bal over de doelman… 🚂#UTRGRO (0-3) pic.twitter.com/qLUgs3opgl

— FC Groningen (@fcgroningen) December 23, 2022

 

2nd goal was sic. Love to see it. I am expecting big things from Pepi in the spring.

 

Only a surprise if you weren't following him. He has 6G/2A and is #8 in the Top Scorers table in the Ered. The only exclusion from Qatar that bothered me.

 

FYP

And yes, looking at how badly the US side struggled up front in Qatar (Hadji partially excluded), his exclusion remains a serious headscratcher.

 

Many US fans were pissed by exclusion of both Pepi and Pefok.