I don't think Flo is going to turn us into a top 5 team but I do think he can have a massive, outsized impact. With as low scoring as soccer is, a capable 9 has way more impact than an "all world" defender or midfielder. I think we have very good, though not great, players at the other spots. The weak spot has been the 9. So getting someone in there who simply is "good at their job" will make everyone else better and take a lot of the load off Pulisic, Weah, and the other guys we've needed to score because the 9 was a black hole. It of course will raise the bar for the other guys like Pepi and Sargent to get better and push themselves.
If nothing else, he lets us test out the theory that this is a really good team only lacking a 9. If we throw him out there and after some getting to know each other still struggle to score goals or otherwise be a more dangerous team, we can start to look at what else we need to improve. It's been said over and over that if we only had a 9 we'd be a much better team. Now we have a pretty good one, let's see what it gets us.
That chart does give England a reason to doubt how good players in lesser leagues will do in the PL. Pefok gives the Bundesiga similar skepticism.
He is just another piece. I think he will be a good one for us. It makes us better but does little at the highest ends of the spectrum.
Seen metrics that has the Bliga dropping rapidly. Serie A has probably overtaken them already with all the new investment. At least that makes our players even more desirable for them (Bliga) in a lot of ways. The EPL monster is interesting. I‘m not sure what will happen next. A couple more super billionaires/state owned teams and who knows what the continental knock on effect/shift in thought might be.
Folarin Balogun has scored more goals than any other player aged 21 or under in Europe's top five leagues this season.21 goals and counting. ⚽ pic.twitter.com/k5R0n0fuNO— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) June 3, 2023
When MB90 set the record the list looked like this: 1. 2007-08 Michael Bradley 19 Heerenveen 2. 1990-91 Earnie Stewart 18 Willem II 3. 2007 Charlie Davies 15 Hammarby 4. 2006-07 Brian McBride 12 Fulham 5. 1992-93 Eric Wynalda 12 Saarbrucken 6. 2005-06 Brian McBride 11 Fulham 7. 2001-02 Earnie Stewart 10 Breda
Maybe so, but the guys who performed at the higher levels had very good World Cups and could be better in the next one: Pulisic, Weah, Dest, Adams, McKennie, and Robinson. If Reyna can get his head on straight and guys like Zendejas, Musah, etc, continue to improve you’re looking like a pretty strong set of players who can do some damage and have already been through high level learning experiences. Where the home turf provided a major advantage for our 1994 group, who were very serious about proving the US could perform and who parlayed the advantage into their performance, it’s tough to say how it effects this group. American culture is very different now.
Debut season, 21 goals 🇺🇸@balogun 👏 pic.twitter.com/I2Ci8IQ6Bk— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) June 3, 2023 U23 @Ligue1UberEats Leaders, Goals:🇨🇦 Jonathan David, 24🇧🇪 Loïs Openda, 21🇺🇸 Folarin Balogun, 21🇫🇷 Elye Wahi, 19🇫🇷 Amine Gouiri, 15🇳🇱 Thijs Dallinga, 12🇲🇦 Zakaria Aboukhlal, 10🇦🇹 Muhammed Cham-Saračević, 7🇲🇱 Ibrahima Koné, 7🇫🇷 Arnaud Kalimuendo, 7 pic.twitter.com/VWw4tYsDKl— Football Wonderkids (@fbwonderkids) June 3, 2023 Balogun finished with 26.4 which will put him either solely first place in Ligue 1 or in a virtual tie with Mbappe.He had 21 goals but it was obvious he was close to scoring plenty more, which we should be optimistic will happen in the future as he has yet to begin his prime. https://t.co/EW6uclGihp— ChuckMe92 Soccer (@ChuckMe92Soccer) June 3, 2023
Coming right before Ivan Toney getting an 8 month suspension and now Tammy Abraham doing his ACL, Balogun’s one time switch was perfectly timed… Bad news for Tammy Abraham. It’s ACL injury for English striker on final game of the season with AS Roma, Sky Sport are reporting. 🚨🏴 #AbrahamWaiting for club statement indications, Sky report that he’d be out until the end of the year, November/December. pic.twitter.com/hWWyE5k53C— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 4, 2023
Probably. Our attack had three primary issues, IMO. We wouldn't spring a counter attack until our team found its shape (clearly a managerial preference of Berhalter), we didn't get the ball to the 9 often enough except from the wings, and we when we did, they rarely finished.
Likely and hopefully. But, we will have to figure out how to help him get chances. I didn't think we so much struggled with strikers getting chances from the wings and missing them. We seldom got our strikers chances. Hopefully, we can figure out how to get Balogun the ball in scoring positions more than we have with our other strikers. I think his running and getting into open positions will make that part easier, but guys will still need to deliver those balls to him in good spots.
Introducing the unofficial official #USMNT tank top for summer. It’s real, and it’s for sale. Get it: https://t.co/0BixeB6fUy pic.twitter.com/NydbvVr3yU— The Best Soccer Show (@bestiessoccer) June 5, 2023
1/2 Merci Never easy to say goodbye, but we’ve arrived at the inevitable destination. Last summer I had the opportunity to join n was welcomed with open arms from day-one! The support I've received from you all through-out my loan spell has been incredible and heartwarming. pic.twitter.com/HkTo1U5W0P— Balogun (@balogun) June 5, 2023
Here's the 2/2. Everyone, please take note he's signed his message Balo. Perhaps that's what we should call him? 2/2 I leave hoping I was able to repay the love, trust and belief you guy’s put in me. This will forever be an unforgettable chapter for me and my family. Thank you for everything! 🥂 Balo— Balogun (@balogun) June 5, 2023