Josh Sargent and Haji Wright are both riding strong runs of form into the September international break but only one will have a U.S. men’s national team opportunity that month.
Sargent scored twice for Norwich City on Saturday in a 2-0 EFL Championship victory over Blackburn Rovers. The USMNT forward now has six goals on the season for the Canaries, giving him a contribution in every match for Norwich City this summer.
Sargent propelled Norwich City in front in the 45th minute from the penalty spot, making it 1-0 from Ewood Park.
After fending off second-half pressure from Rovers, Norwich City would cap the win in second-half stoppage time. Sargent’s right-footed strike nestled into the top-right corner, making it 2-0 on the afternoon.
It marked Sargent’s first multi-goal performance of the new campaign and gave Norwich City its second league win.
As for Wright and Coventry City, they grinded out a 2-2 road draw at Oxford United.
Wright’s left-footed shot in the 12th minute opened the scoring in Oxford, but would not be the only goal of the match.
Will Lankshear drew the hosts level seven minutes later before Victor Torp’s free kick gave Frank Lampard’s men a 2-1 halftime lead.
Cameron Brannagan’s free kick with 15 minutes to play gave Oxford United a share of the spoils as Coventry City had to settle for one point.
Despite Wright scoring his fifth goal of the season in all competitions, the 27-year-old was not called in for September’s USMNT matches.
The Sky Blues sit fifth in the league table after four matches.
I tell you, anyone who thinks Josh Sargent should not be on the men’s team, due to his lack of past scoring, really ought to have their head examined. This is our best pure striker. Probably the best we’ve ever had. Yet, there are knuckleheads in the fanbase, who have other opinions, as uneducated as they are.
Until he scores consistently for the US team, he isnt our best pure goal scorer. That is Pepi.
What we have here is a clash of philosophy.
Some fans think you get one shot at the USMNT and , if you fail, fuck you, go to outer darkness and never darken my door again.
If you come back those fans will cite some lousy game you had in 2018, 6 years ago and say it is somehow more relevant than any improvement with your club because club form is irrelevant as it relates to the USMNT.
Josh started at Werder Bremen in 2018. He was used as a #9 intermittently then and the coaching staff there were awful. When he unbelievably, was bought by Norwich he apprenticed behind Pukki. When Pukki eventually moved on to Pochettino’s favorite league, Josh finally started playing the #9 full time and has been in double figures every year since.
I look at that and see a player who has developed and grown and is actually starting to hit his peak. In other words Norwich taught him how to play his position.
How does that relate to the USMNT?
Well for most of his time the USMNT has sucked at forward, Pepi aside, and not just because of him. Josh has not scored for the USMNT since the pandemic hit us. So there is a need.
Can the USMNT afford to ignore Josh? Or should they just count on Pepi coming back from serious knee surgery?
One difference between Ricardo and Josh? Josh has been a fulltime player for most of his career while Pepi has largely been a super sub at PSV. At the World Cup I use Pepi as a super sub because he has proven that that is what he does best.
The argument I always love to hear is that Championship defenses suck so Josh has an easy time scoring.. Which means Haji, Dike, Patrick should also be ignored and Aidan Morris, obviously a lousy defender, should also be discounted.
In the 2024-2025 the Championship averaged 2.45 goals per game scored.
In the 2024-2025 the EPL averaged 2.93 goals per game scored.
If the Championship defenders suck I guess EPL defenders suck worse
Is Josh good enough to be called in?
You tell me.
to be fair, that’s a great finish. but as with many of his goals this season, this is him either being sent on a breakaway or being able to turn and face the defense, run at them,
i like his technical ability, liked him when he brought it in. but in an international situation he doesn’t get the ball like this, bunch of space, 1 on 1 defense, loose marking, etc. he is back to goal with a man planted on his back, and perhaps other parts of the defense collapsing on him. he doesn’t get open, disappears, doesn’t get these easy runs or breakaways, and for someone who plays like a target, is fairly slow to move for a wayward cross.
at least part of what this wanders toward is if you want sargent — and i am still not sure he’d work or be first choice — he needs to be used differently, fed the ball where he can face the defenders and dribble at them, and he needs precision support and service because he’s not fast enough to get to a ball not dropped on his feet.
you need to disassemble/look past “club form” and look at what does this guy offer us and will it work with our lineup and our level opponents.
personally when i watch this it underlines my belief in generally meh c’ship defenses. they have 2 defenders vs. sargent. why is that not closed down. defender is backpedalling away from a danger man around the top of the D.
Bro, keep trying to pedal your nonsensical BS…….to someone else. Even though my comments were sent in your direction
He’s certainly our most complete one. I’ve referred to him a few times as “Diet Karim Benzema” and the two players really do have similar profiles. Will he ever reach that hallowed level? Probably not, but it’s worth noting Benzema is a guy who got steadily better well into his 30’s and it does seem like Sargent progresses steadily every year too.
He’s definitely outgrown the Championship.
That goal by Sargent was outrageously good. A real golazzo. I would like to see them together on the US team. Maybe some time.
Nice they are both on pace for record goal scoring this season.