Will relegation actually help Josh Sargent? For all of Josh Sargent’s young career, he has been a striker on a team that doesn’t produce chances. As a result, he seems to have completely lost his scoring touch. Personally, I hope that Norwich goes down and Sargent goes down with them.... and maybe, hopefully maybe, Sargent feels what it’s like to score again.
i watched the first half of the Norwich match. Sargent was doing was he should. Coming back to show for the ball. Making runs. Pressuring when they didn't have the ball. I get 9s need to score. Btu I am not sure what more he could do on this dreadful team. At one point he had the ball back to goal outside the 18.Dropped it to a mid who put it wide right to an open winger. Sargent made a run to the box and had split two defenders. Lots of space to get him a cross. But the winger just lofted the ball clear past the far post and out. Just dreadful.
I haven't been watching this game closely, but what I have seen from him has been....meh. Sure, I've seen him make some correct runs. I've seen him hustle. I've also seen his touch be poor and his speed of thought be really slow. His team as a whole sucks ass, but he himself has looked outmatched by League 1 players. Perhaps next time he moves clubs he'll make a better choice instead of trying to get in on the glamor (and paycheck) of the EPL no matter what.
This is why I think he will (or should) have a role with the national team regardless (unless he has refused any role other than striker). He is just a better soccer player than most of our midfield reserves and at least one of our winger reserves.
Even if Sargent "only" becomes a lower half EPL version of Arriola, he will have a role on the NT. Our coach clearly loves what someone like Arriola can do - and I do think there is value in the defensive winger or striker. So Sargent can become that. There are worse possible futures out there than productive mid tier EPL and Bundesliga strikers like Pepi/Dike being our top two strikers, and a player like Sargent being our #3 striker or our last winger. There is a lot of coverage there in terms of strengths/weaknesses and play styles.
Sarg really did make the old Feilhaber Derby razzle dazzle unfortunately. It seemed like it always was gonna be that way.
I see Sargent as a player who is thinking way, way too much. I beti of we go back and look at him at U17 and U20 he was instinctive. When a forward takes a millisecond to think the defender settles and takes away what ever he was thinking of. Sargent - don't think just do. Be predator not a professor.
Even on a Euro-based team, Sargent isn't a strong candidate. Miazga and Alves get the clean sheet to go a point clear of the drop-zone. 67% passing: the highest on the backline ground duels: 3/4 aerial duels: 4/5 Whoscored 7.4(4th) Sofascore 7.4(5th) Fotmob 7.4(5th)
I think this happens when a good player is thrust into a role where he's expected to be better than good and carry or lead a team. He can't; but he's trying to. But I would bet if you put him on a team with no big holes in their game that he would look a whole lot better.