Where were you when I was manning the barricades for Haji 2020-2022 lol? I particularly needed help when it came to Gogo's cogent counterpoints and analysis to discredit my sometimes flimsy reasoning lol. I'm very happy for Haji, he's kicking butt, but the reason people are slow to excite for him is pretty simple: they don't buy it, at all, especially as a system fit for the US. But 50+ goals since 2020 are 50+ goals since 2020, and not in bunk leagues or against nothing but crap sides. Otoh, Sargent's goal today? That's a goal you get when you are ridiculously confident and lethal in the box, something I haven't seen from Sargent consistently since 2017-2018. At this point he seems back, like all the way back, the heater started August '22, and at this point there's little denying it. He's past 20 goals in like his last 33 or 34 starts at striker, and goals like today are 1000% about "want to" and "belief" mixed with Luck. He's gotta be called up this month and in June if he's healthy. Wright? Not sure. He doesn't really fit Berhalter's approach.
Haji is having a good season for sure but you can compare the absolute numbers between him and Sargent given how many games Sargent has missed. That’s not quite an apples to apples comparison.
It was an effective offside trap by Paredes. Then as a bonus he still got in position to clear the ball. Just missed it. But that doesn't constitute a defensive mistake. You can't bail yourself out.
For the sake of the USMNT, we better hope someone can challenge Turner as the starter. One of the presumptive list of Copa America keepers (Turner, Horvath? Steffen? Slonina?) needs to round into form as we get closer to the Copa.
Haji is playing as a right winger for club isn't he? Would be interesting seeing him there for the US
IMO, if Norwich want to keep Sargent, they're going to have to get promoted via the playoffs to have any shot, because he is now a very known quantity in England. He will not be a Championship player next year.
b.t.w., Kovac moved him to right wing after that and the same guy for Stuttgart beat Wolfsburg's fullback who pulled him down and gave up the pk. The guy who gave up the pk was the same guy who scored for Wolfsburg on a great goal Paredes made possible. The goal suits MaxOptimal's phrase "well worked goal" above. Paredes is turning into a brilliant 2 way player. Teams are already gaming to avoid him. I hope we see him in March. He just got his first (steady)starts with Wolfsburg after the winter break and is on the upward trajectory in terms of playing well. There's another 10 games to play this season before Copa.
Mostly or all on the left, from what I've seen. And sort of an outside forward more than a true winger.
And so the rumors have begun................ Norwich City transfer rumours: Brentford eye Josh Sargent | Eastern Daily Press (edp24.co.uk) Interest in his services this summer will be inevitable if he maintains this scoring rate, with Brentford the first side to be credited with keeping tabs on his progress. Other Premier League scouts have also watched the 24-year-old in recent weeks. [Brentford was also one of the clubs linked to Haji Wright in 2023 prior to his Coventry move.]
I don’t see much long term upside for Sarge staying with a club that is apparently a yo-yo club by design, and will never spend enough to get beyond the PL relegation zone. It’s fun when they are down, but terrible for a striker when they are up.
Interestingly he’s also underperforming his xG while Sargent is over performing xG. CNL striker pool sorted by league quality. champo maybe more difficult than eredivise but whatevsdata via @fbref doesnt include today's games pic.twitter.com/ReFZOMCv7i— ol velasquez (@away_goals) March 2, 2024
Now he hits the post. Easily Tillman's best match against a quality opponent. Dest has been very good too.