Comments

1. Pefok has a really nice assist holding the ball with his back to goal.

   Reply

   • had

     Reply

2. Here we are mid-October with just a couple of weeks away from the roster announcement and another DNP for Chris Richards. Injuries or not, at this point, it is a foregone conclusion he is not game-fit and does not start in the WC, We’re almost at the point if this continues where one has to wonder if he should be selected to go to Qatar at all.

   Reply

   • Maybe Richards should have stayed at Hoffenheim. At least EPB is getting time in France. Other possible defenders are McKenzie, CCV, and Reynolds in Belgium. And Ream seems to be holding his own at Fulham. Our MLS guys are fine for CONCACAF, but I worry they aren’t good enough for the WC.

     Reply

     • It’s unfortunate, as the player pool is starting to gel, as we’re now seeing all 3 goalkeepers getting game time, Weah working his way back, and Pepi getting consistent minutes. Our usual strength on the back line now seems to be a concern. The only other long shot at CB is Trusty, but very doubtful he could break in this late.

3. Hoppe should have never left Schalke.

   Reply

4. Starting to see Bizzy’s thinking Norwich 12pts in 4 matches with Sargent as the lone striker, 12pts in 10 matches with Pukki starting as a striker.

   Reply

   • +1

     Reply

   • Sargent is a much better striker than Pukki but the Norwich manager is too blind to make a permanent change.

     Reply

     • Pukki’ s a legend at Norwich though like 70 total goals over last 4 years, but Josh is on such good form right now. Put another one in the net but had it called off for a Pukki offside. I think even the people at Norwich are like is this the real Josh and are afraid he’ll dip again.

     • There’s no such thing as a “permanent change”.
       You’re the first choice striker until you’re not, for whatever reason ( form, money, relationship issues with the manager, etc.)

       It’s a little premature to talk about dumping Pukki for a hot Josh.

       This is Josh’s first extended run of good form at striker for his entire career. Josh is better today but how will he look at the end of the season? There’s a lot of season left to go.

       Pukki is a fricking Norwich legend whose goals have helped get them promoted twice.

       In a league where teams are dying for strikers like Pukki and Josh, Norwich has two of them. Norwich shouldn’t be in a rush to get rid of Pukki until they have to, And if he’s still in good form, and they can afford him, they could certainly use him if and when they get promoted.

       In the two seasons that Norwich was in the EPL Pukki scored 11 goals each time for a total of 22 goals.

       Josh has 2 goals in the EPL.

   • It’s a two striker formation now with both Pukki and Sargent up top. This is the way forward for Norwich.

     Josh has the ability to be a playmaking striker as well as he a finisher.

     Reply

5. Also Joe Scally should be the starting RB at the WC. Not Dest. Ultimately I think 3 RB’s will be chosen. Scally, Dest, Yedlin. Dest will be cover at LB.

   Reply

6. 2026 cycle will have have quite a few strikers to choose from. I think Wright will get many more looks/ chances in the 2026 cycle. Second behind Enner Valencia in the Turkish goal scoring charts this season. 7 goals so far. And plenty of season to go.

   Reply

   • Depending on who the Manager is you could be right. However, like you said there are still a number of strikers who’ll be in consideration:
     Pefolk (26), Sargent (22), Pepi (19), Vazquez (24), Ferreira (21), Dike (22), Wright (24)…
     then there are any number of others who’ve yet to emerge or who could switch nationalities. For Wright to have a chance he’ll have to continue to score and possibly transfer to a better league.

     Reply

     • I’d say he should feel a little based on the U20s haven’t had a striker, but how many 9 months ago would have predicted Vazquez would be even in the discussion. Even Ferreira 9 months ago few would have thought would be in consideration. Can Sebastian Soto ever get healthy and comfortable again? You still have to consider Ebobisse who had a good year on a horrible team, and of course can the US land Balogun?

     • Malik Tillman could be another possibility.

     • Gary, not sure if Malik is CF or Bayern just put him there to get minutes. Not always perfect but transfermkt said he only played there in 3 of 19 appearances last season for Bayern I and II. He played as a CF a lot as a youth before his knee injury.

     • If fans were really excited about the USMNT’s chances in Qatar you all wouldn’t be talking so much about who the strikers will be in 2026.

       That’s like Lions or Browns fans talking about who they might be able to get in the draft next year.

       Four years is a very .very long time . And of the aforementioned guys:

       “Pefolk (26), Sargent (22), Pepi (19), Vazquez (24), Ferreira (21), Dike (22), Wright (24)…” Pepi and Josh may become useful, solid journeyman pros but that’s about it.

       The rest look like they will fall by the wayside.

       The current generation has the potential to be the next lost generation. The current striker pool reminds me of Juan Agudelo, all sizzle, no steak.

       Hopefully, they will produce a few WC vets to build on for the next cycle, guys like Adams, Aaronson, Gio, Dest and maybe Pulisic or Timo.

       They might not be starters, except for Turner ( who I think wins the Arsenal job long term) Gio and maybe Musah, but they could serve as the kind of not completely useless veteran depth the team is missing this cycle.

     • I don’t know Vacqui I think hardcore fans are always looking at next year during the “season”. Fans are always looking at cap space, and free agents. Who do we need to trade before the deadline so we get a return?

     • JR.

       “I think hardcore fans are always looking at next year during the “season”.”

       Especially when those fans despair for the future.

       The Japan/Saudi games did not serve any obvious purposes.

       Long should have played himself off the plane but we all know that won’t happen. If Gregg was hoping to give other players a last chance saloon to make their case no one did.

       Instead, in the time left, bubble players are making their case with their club teams.
       Pepi and Tillman, for example, were smart enough to make a recent move to someplace they can make a positive splash. Pepi and Tillman were playing well at their new clubs before those friendlies and hopefully, will continue to play well. That’s more valuable than 45 minutes or whatever in some pissant friendly, where no one involved with the USMNT (except for Matt ) looked like they knew where they were or why they were there.

       This team was set before those friendlies.

       Any changes from the team we all know and not necessarily love will be the result of what happens with the players at their clubs in the time remaining.

       Goalkeepers getting PT? At their clubs
       Either getting injured or recovering from injuries? At their clubs
       Losing form or suddenly finding it? At their clubs.

       Right now any optimism about this team comes from the fact that enough players might have a nice run of games in the remaining time and come into camp healthy, in form, confident and feeling better about things than they have been.

       We’ll see.

     • Vacqui –
       I have ZERO faith that the current USMNT Manager knows how to create and implement a strategy that will put a young, talented, but inexperienced squad in a position to advance out of the group stage of the 22 WC. While I’ll root for the players and the team to somehow exceed the expectations our lack luster manager has set, I’m not banking on it. So yes, I’ll looking forwards to what this team could look like when these players hit their prime in 2026.
       You’ve compared our current striker pool to Agudelo and the lost generation. While that is a possibility, our current pool has already surpassed Juan & his compatriots. Everyone I originally mentioned, with the exception of Ferreira & Vazquez, have more field time and goals/assists in Europe than the “Lost Generation” strikers ever did.
       You’ve suggested “Hopefully, they will produce a few WC vets to build on for the next cycle,”…implying that most of the current squad starting XI will be turned over and become depth for 2026. While we will turn over some of the XI, the vast majority of them will likely maintain their spot in XI. Yes, 4 years is a long time away….but for the most part no one has emerged to challenge any of what is essentially our Core players.
       Of the current player pool in the running to make the 26 player WC squad only Zimmerman, Long, Ream, Brooks, Acosta, Morris, Arriola, Roldan, and possibly Pefolk will have “Aged Out” by 2026. CCV & EPB will see challengers (Trusty, Che, etc…) as will some others (hopefully). That said most of the talent in the current squad will also be growing in experience which should help them continue to progress and improve.
       We may not have any World Class talent(s) in the USMNT Player Pool yet…but there is still more talent in this squad than we’ve ever had before. Some may only be mid table journeymen and solid contributors, but they’ll ALL be European players (Europa League & Champions League) as compared to MLS journeymen & stars. This still represents a step forwards for the US program. With a decent manager we have enough talent in our pool to make a statement. I just have to hope that USSF will realize this after 2022 and hire someone capable of coordinating and leading them.

     • Mr. Space,

       “I have ZERO faith that the current USMNT Manager knows how to create and implement a strategy that will put a young, talented, but inexperienced squad in a position to advance out of the group stage of the 22 WC. ………….”

       Welcome aboard!

       “You’ve compared our current striker pool to Agudelo and the lost generation. While that is a possibility, our current pool has already surpassed Juan & his compatriots. Everyone I originally mentioned, with the exception of Ferreira & Vazquez, have more field time and goals/assists in Europe than the “Lost Generation” strikers ever did.”

       Very true, and great for our guys who play in Europe but what has it done for the USMNT striker pool? You are equating success with European clubs with success with the USMNT and that’s just not valid.

       Hopefully, in a month I’ll be proven wrong but right now, tell me that you wouldn’t be happy to have a young, in form Landon, Dempsey or even Jozy or McBride on this team? I would be. Hell, I’d settle for, an in-form, healthy Eddie Johnson, Jordan Morris ( 2019 version) or Bobby Wood.

       By the way, he’s not a striker but this USMNT have no one in the same zip code with Jermaine Jones. And they really, really could use a player with his skill and is confidence. This team is soft and insecure. Is that down to Gregg? Well, Gregg does not inspire confidence or have that “command presence” but he can only do so much.

       “You’ve suggested “Hopefully, they will produce a few WC vets to build on for the next cycle,”…implying that most of the current squad starting XI will be turned over and become depth for 2026. While we will turn over some of the XI, the vast majority of them will likely maintain their spot in XI. Yes, 4 years is a long time away….but for the most part no one has emerged to challenge any of what is essentially our Core players.”

       Which means nothing at this time.
       I repeat, 4 years or thereabouts is a very long time in soccer. In 2018 Brenden Aaronson was playing in the USL, Matt Turner was coming back to the Revs after a loan to the Richmond Kickers, Tyler was just beginning at NYRB, Timo was with PSG B. The chances that our future 2026 core starters are still unknown are pretty good.
       As a general rule our current crop of stars, Pulisic, Weston Adams, Gio, Dest etc. have been exceptionally average and consistently inconsistent. They’ve looked great for a while then gone anonymous for a while. Musah and to a lesser extent Gio are the only ones I can see as getting better and better every season. And the reason I rate Gio a bit behind Yunus is because Gio’s injuries have been more serious and longer lasting.
       Now all of these guys are probably better players than they were a year or two ago but it’s not only a question of getting better, it’s about being better than whoever you are competing with for playing time at your club. And so far, our guys aren’t doing great with that.

       Again it’s not about being better than previous American players.

       It’s about being better than whoever we’re playing today in 2022.

       Like England, Wales or Iran or whoever we meet in the next round if we get that far. Our “stars” are very disappointing.

       “Of the current player pool in the running to make the 26 player WC squad only Zimmerman, Long, Ream, Brooks, Acosta, Morris, Arriola, Roldan, and possibly Pefolk will have “Aged Out” by 2026. CCV & EPB will see challengers (Trusty, Che, etc…) as will some others (hopefully). That said most of the talent in the current squad will also be growing in experience which should help them continue to progress and improve.
       We may not have any World Class talent(s) in the USMNT Player Pool yet…but there is still more talent in this squad than we’ve ever had before. Some may only be mid table journeymen and solid contributors, but they’ll ALL be European players (Europa League & Champions League) as compared to MLS journeymen & stars.”

       By the way, expect Roldan and Ariolla (both will be 31 then) to be back in 2026 especially if Gregg is still there. He will justify them as the kind of seasoned World Cup vets that we were missing in Qatar. And yes I expect Gregg to find a way to stash Roldan on the roster, especially if someone gets hurt before November.

       Not good enough is still not good enough. It’s irrelevant where USMNT players make their day job money. What matters is, does a player make the USMNT better? And therefore is the team worth a damn?
       What I have appreciated the most about our guys playing in the Champions League and Europa league is I got to see them play with a good team in great games with good to great players against good to great players. That’s something I don’t see watching the USMNT. For a soccer neutral USMNT games must be unwatchable garbage.

       As long as Gregg is in charge, at least I will have that consolation. It’s one reason I don’t really despair of the current humiliation of the USMNT so much.

       Arena, Bob, and JK all produced teams that eventually won the respect of their World Cup opponents. Their best teams, with a bit of luck on their day could beat anyone. Which has been the status of the USMNT in the World Game for over 20 years.

       Gregg’s team may be more talented than any of those teams but so what? Pearls before swine! The history of all team sports is full of very talented teams that underachieved. Have you ever followed the NBA?
       Right now, this team is the 3rd place CONCACAF finisher, on merit, and a clown car of an embarrassment. Like the US teams before them they too might be able to beat anyone with a bit of luck. Even the insanely arrogant England. But it’s a lot less likely with these guys.
       And by that, I mean manager and players because those two are inextricably bound. You can’t have one without the other.

       “This still represents a step forwards for the US program. With a decent manager we have enough talent in our pool to make a statement. I just have to hope that USSF will realize this after 2022 and hire someone capable of coordinating and leading them.”

       I question how much the US program( I equate “US program” with the USSF and hold it separate from MLS) has to do with all these talented kids. European teams have gotten much more aggressive about scouting world wide ( looking for great talent that is more affordable).
       And MLS has upped their development game.

       We will make a statement. I just hope it’s not X rated. As for the USFF having an epiphany? Right. Those cheap clowns will probably keep Gregg because he’s a company yes man, is budget friendly and they’ll reason that now that he has this experience under his belt, combine that with a new wave of sure fire World Class USMNT super stars on the horizon and Gregg will have us make a statement in 2026.

       Now where have I heard that before?
       This will be a fascinating World Cup. At least the USMNT still holds entertainment value.