Yanks Abroad Flavors of the Week: 2021/2022

Darryl Dike has officially transferred in the last few minutes to West Brom on a 4.5 year deal.

Good work!

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/albion-complete-signing-daryl-dike

 

Posting this as I posted it in Dike's YA thread. Long story short. The West Brom fans have super high expectations.

 

Since he had 9g in 19 matches in the Championship last year, plus their summer striker acquisition with ... one goal, yeah, they are going to expect a lot.

 

Nice, first I've seen of this. Great to see it's a permanent deal.

 

The reactions from all other Championships clubs’ center backs:
My bloody God! Again!!
They need to come to NFL to learn how to properly tackle.

 

WBA are second in xG, so Dike should be getting even better scoring opportunities.

 

Well, I'm a Canadian fan, but I've been a baggies fan for quite a while. They definitely could use him. His physical presence in the box will help Grant too. I hope he does well. I watched the Derby County match the other day. Derby County did absolutely nothing, but West Brom gifted them a goal and didn't take any of their chances. One of the worst games I've seen them play. I hope this is just the start. We could use a couple more players. Top 2 is still within striking distance.

 

Ricardo Pepi may be signing with Augsburg.

EXCL: USMNT star Ricardo Pepi is set to join FC Augsburg on a permanent move from FC Dallas, here we go! 🚨🇺🇸 #MLS #Pepi

German sources tell me of MLS and club record fee: $20m plus add ons. Pepi & his agent are now flying to Munich.

Pepi will undergo medical tests on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/RvDlCrt841

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 1, 2022

 

15th place. And the xG is also15th. At least Pepi is getting paid. $20 mill from Augsburg is a lot of pressure, though.

The upshot for the National Team is going into the next window, we'll have two strikers getting minutes.

 

to put a positive spin on this- if relegated he will at least be playing regularly at a decent level heading into next winter.

staying up may be the less desirable outcome.

 

That's true as well. And if Sargent stays at Norwich he'll also be getting good service in the C'ship.

 

Well, Wolfsburg is only 2 spots ( 2 points above them). Also Augsburg’s defense gave up less goals than other teams, but their offense wasn’t good enough.

 

Pefok
Sargent
Hoppe
Pepi
Dike
Ramirez

How many 2nd half of the season goals are we targeting for each?

 

Note to self: never trust that Transfermarkt guy who keeps reporting things as done deals shortly after more reliable sources say that a deal is close to happening.

 

Let’s start a Pepe vs. Dike scoring contest.

 

Pefok(18 more league games): 14 goals. For that level, on that team, he should be banging 'em in.
Sargent(19): 3 goals. 3 is ambitious for the lad! Maybe Norwich picks up a creative mid in the window. Chance creation is badly needed.
Hoppe(pending transfer clarification):
Pepi(17): 6 goals 3 assists. Augsburg have a poor xG, so I'm not expecting the world.
Dike(22): 14 goals. Given WBA's high xG, given his record in the league, a goal every other game would be too low.
Ramirez(15): 12 goals. For that level, given his experience, he should be scoring for fun.

 

I play devil’s advocate.

Sargent 5
Hoppe (if 2nd La Liga) 15
Pepi 10
Dike 18

 

I'm not crazy about Dike's move. I haven't watched any Championship this year, so maybe West Brom plays a different style, but if Ismael has them playing the same way as Barnsley last year, I don't see how that helps Dike evolve his game. I think he needs to work on sharpening his technique, his movement, and his reading of the game, and I don't think he'll get that from having a team hoof long balls up to him while CBs try to mug him.

That said, the obvious upside is that he has a coach who likes him and a team that needs goals but is otherwise pretty solid.