National Team transfer update. It's been some big moves in
January so far for Ricardo Pepe and Darryl DK, they both moved
to Europe from Major League Soccer.
A lot going on with the American players or break down
what the likes of Christian. Pull the sticker up to and then
look ahead to who else could maybe move in January, but
the huge moves for those two blares. I mentioned.
DK2 West, Bromwich Albion for
close to ten million dollars for a team pushing for
promotion to the Premier League from the championship and
Ricardo Pepe to all Augsburg 20 million dollars for the teenage
Striker.
What do we make of these? Two moves, Nick Mandola because
the US Men's National Team. They need forward players to find
their form. Now on the World Cup year, that's been the one
sort of Achilles heel area. Hasn't it up top for the USA?
So
these two young forwards, finding
decent homes, I'd argue in Europe
is a very good start to 2022
for grateful Hearts aside,
the argue with wherever Pepe was going to go
was a conversation of
okay. Well what if he loses playing time?
The World Cup, right? What if, what if something doesn't go
his way? I would argue that for the next couple of months. He's
getting playing time. He wouldn't have gotten in MLS. So
I think both of these moves are definitely upward moves.
They're not crazy.
We see that when you go to a club that is either struggling
or in a lesser League, Josh Sergeant etcetera that you can
be effective in a negative manner.
All that said, I like these moves because they're going to
give these guys an immediate Game Time ahead of the World
Cup qualifiers. They're going to challenge them at a higher
level than they We're currently being challenged in MLS.
If only because of the pressure maybe and you can make some
arguments about the championship from time to time,
but the pressure the decays walking into their of trying to
get a team back to the Premier League. So
I like both of these moves. I think if they fail,
there are ways and places for them to go
and the fact that the World Cup is in December and not in
the following summer. I think the damage that could be done to
their form for the u.s. Is relatively Limited.
I agree with that and Andy to me this seems very smart
advice from their advisers or Greg. Bohol to whoever's
helping out these two players. Like okay, let's take your time
and go somewhere where you're going to play regularly. You're
going to develop your game
because Ricardo Pepe was linked with huge teams Manchester
United. Chelsea iac's, I mean by Munich there was
some massive teams reportedly in for him, but he's chosen
Augsburg a team battling relegation in the Bundesliga
and decays chosen West. Whoo,
The Perennial yo-yo club going up and down from
the championship to the Premier League. So this is good. Good
Landing spots. I think you have to applaud these u.s. Players
for maybe
taking their time with these decisions and saying, you know
what? I'm not going to go to one of the Giants in Europe.
I probably could but I'm not going to play that often and
I might get lost in the system. So
these are good moves right on the face of it. And obviously
we'll find out in the next few weeks or months. How they
worked out. But on paper, this is good for the US Men's
National Team to develop these young Strikers. Oh,
yeah, I completely agree. It is very easy to go to a big Club
especially as a young player 18 or 21 as these two are and get
completely lost in the crowd things move very quick when you
make that transition
from MLS and you jump over to Europe. The game is going to
speed up for both of these players and so less. So for d
k, because he's already been over in England, for half
a season. He had the loan to Berkeley last season.
He did very well
for a time. I think he
even more so than Pepe. Probably be applauded for
making this decision because the talked initially, when he
got those first few games at Barnsley was like, you go play
for Arsenal. He could go play for one of the big six teams
and we had those reports
and rumors over the summer, and it didn't happen. And maybe
Orlando city, and MLS lost some money on that because he was at
a much higher, you know, selling potential at that
point. And to only get imagine this to only get nine and
a half million
dollars for an American Striker and people to kind of
Widely, say wow. That's a really bad deal for the selling
club. Like that's not enough money. Just based on what
the conversations were previously. So I think going to West Brom
is a perfect level for him
that Championship level if I think that's somewhere that he
could play for a really long time. Even if he doesn't
develop further. And I have some questions about whether
he's going to be able to. He does a couple of things really,
really well,
the physicality that he brings to the field.
The holdup play the aerial ability that He's got but just
about anything with the ball at his feet. I have really big
questions. So I see him kind of as
a late-game substitute op
option for the US Men's National Team
and pepe,
you know, if he goes and get some games scores, a few goals.
He's starting at the World Cup game 1 for the US Men's
National Team assuming that were there. I we should
probably keep saying that just so that we don't jinx anything
at this point, but he's the guy, he's the one that's been
and a preordained as
this is the this is going to not just be the
The next good or great number 9 for the US Men's National Team.
Maybe the first one that we've ever really had. He's got a lot
of developing to do though. He's really really clinical and
good in front of goal.
He's got the size and the strength to be a good. Hold up
player. I don't think he has a full understanding though of
how to do that. And so Alex bore a cheeseburger, I think is
one a very good club for him to go to where he's going to be
in some really really tough situations immediately. He's
going to learn a lot quickly, but I think being in
the Bundesliga as well is going to be Huge,
especially for the US Men's National Team. Because what did
we learn over the summer at the European championships? All of
international football now is a counter attacking game. It's
all about pressing. It's all about winning the ball, high
up, the field and countering,
that is what he will see every single week and the Bundesliga
because almost every Club plays with that style and that
mentality. So he's going to learn a lot and I think he's
we're going to see a quick
I think rapid Ascent from him in terms of his game growing.
So I'm very excited for that. That. And the fact these to
move for 30 million dollars combined between them. You
know, I made the joke in the WhatsApp the other day. Like it
just, you know, this is this is unheard of for
to American forwards to move for that kind of money. Very
hopeful but, you know, being a little bit cautious as well.
Definitely, I think, as we said the number nine position is up
for grabs Pepe. Probably has to shift right now, but
DK Jordan P-Funk just Sergeant. I mean, there's so many players
there who need to find form and find it fast. The only issue
I had with Pepe maybe is that Augsburg, do not score a lot of
goals at the fourth lowest goal scorers in the Bundesliga.
So on one hand, the chances that great and is you're going
to have enough time in and around the box to finish those
off. But on the other hand, they're going to have to
rely on him heavily straight away. And he's going to be
chucked in at the deep end which I think will do
doing the world, a good. I think to progress is game and
that we want all these young players to develop around
Europe from these American players. And Andy, that moves
me on to the next one, which other US Men's National Team.
Players need to
move. I know you're working on an article.
Pro soccer, talking Embassy sports.com that will be
published. So you can read that over on the site about what
January is looking like a big move, because we've had some
reports of
Western McKenney to Tottenham.
Tyler Adams, to Manchester United. There's, there's some
u.s. Players that need a move in January, right to reignite
their career, especially in a World Cup year. So who have you
got your eye on this month from a US Men's National Team
perspective.
Yeah. I don't think either of those two need a move
before the World Cup. I think they can maybe improve their
situations a little B, Juventus in kind of constant flux for
the last couple of Seasons. I think ultimately that gets
figured out under must Mill allegri,
but it might take another season. And then as Western,
McKinney going to be in those plans, it would be nice to know
that. Now, Tyler Adams, please stay where you are that. That's
exactly where the US Men's National Team wants him to be
for the next the next ten or so months
to,
to just hone exactly the role that he's going to play for
the u.s. The play that I think needs to move the most. It
might be surgeon. Yo, dest and I know he's only Six months
into his time at Barcelona, but that situation is far worse
than anybody. I think really thought that it could get
just because it's Barcelona. You see the name and you think
well, okay mess. He's not there. They'll figure something
out. Like, it's Barcelona. They have to. And they simply have
not obviously changing manager and how they have child beyond
their, it doesn't seem like desta's, really his type of
player. I wouldn't say that desta's is a child, be type of
player either. So I think opportunities are going to be
limited once. He's able to get in.
He's able to get in, maybe we should say some new players in
January, or in the summer. It doesn't seem like a great
situation. I think we knew that at the time, but we were so
enamored with
how a young American player going to play for Barcelona.
That maybe we look past that just a little bit.
Yeah. Definitely. It's going to be really interesting to see
loan, Dale's potentially. What happens is a lot of u.s.
Players having to be making moves. Now with one eye on
later this year.
It's a long time to the World Cup and I need to get
the wheels in motion to get themselves in the right. Ian to
get into that school because a lot of competition for places
Nick. Mondo, let's move on
and talk about Christian puller sick, because
he started five games in a row in the Premier League, Chelsea
played the full 90 in each of those games. He's played in
a plethora of positions false-9 wingback back as a Winger,
scored the goal against Liverpool, but how's he doing?
Because I think it's been a mixed bag for him so far and
Thomas two chords come out and said he needs to keep improving
that. Yeah. I still think it could be sharper and more
clinical but it's just great to see him
back playing right after such an
He hit season after he had such a good start to the season. So
what's your thoughts on politic and where he's at midseason
that Chelsea right now?
Well, it's funny because if you asked me specifically about
Darryl DK, I would tell you I'm excited that this guy's going
to a coach who knows him and wants him and he's going to put
him in a high-profile situation.
But the opposite seems to be true. I feel like
total has graded Christian kolosov holistic on a curve
and not a good curve it. So I know this guy, I helped give
him his start and
listen. I think he's a very good player who is? Almost
constantly being used in his non-preferred position and
that's fine. But you should be grating. I'm on a different
kind of curve them. Oh, what he's doing for? What we are
asking him to do.
I think what's fortunate is he has reached a point because of
what we've seen with the United States Men's National Team over
the years that I'm not worried about how he's going to produce
for the US
when he puts that shirt on anymore,
but
whether or not he's going to end up being so frustrated from
not necessarily his treatment at Chelsea, but he is His
prime. Now, he's 23 years old. There's an argument that he's
going to get, you know,
better over the next year and a half. But he's in that Prime
you would call it for an attacking player and I just
want to see him used in a similar fashion
to what he's being used at for the Uso. I'm glad he's being
used. I'm glad that he's healthy but it's just
disappointing to see him constantly being used out of
position, especially considering that most of as we
pointed out. Most of Chelsea's
attackers are being asked to do things that they
that they don't want to do.
And so, yes, you have to do your job, but your window is
very short and I want him at his very best going into
a World Cup. Not in a. Well. Now I get to do what I want to do
because I'm freed from the shackles so to
speak. So, you know, I think it's a mixed bag. I don't think
it's really going to affect him in a u.s. Shirt.
I just wish he was being optimized.
Definitely and I think
he spoke off the game has look wolf. See a lovely finish, but
he missed the big child's early and just looks like he maybe is
lacking a bit of confidence and you have to be in charge.
To change and asked to play in a false 9 and of course, it was
due to injuries and illness for Chelsea. So it wasn't an ideal
situation for him. He dug deep and was playing as a wingback,
trying his best to defend and
we all know that's not his best position.
But
the point Nick just made there about and be an optimized and
playing in the right. Is there a discussion here that maybe
politics should be, maybe not in January, but in the summer
looking at, maybe moving on elsewhere to say, you know
what, it's been good at Chelsea,
but I need to go somewhere where
I am the main man, and I'm not just
playing backup to Mason Mount
or other forwards at Chelsea. So it's
we getting ahead of ourselves there. Or should we just be
happy that he's been playing regularly in the Premier
League.
Yeah. I don't think it's quite there. I think we should be
happy that he's played for about a month straight and
hasn't picked up an injury. I'm knocking on wood here,
you know, don't let that change but he appears to have found
one just have healed fully and I think that's something that
he's probably not done a ton because players are constantly
rushing to get back as soon as they can maybe a week or a Game
a little bit too early in a previous segment this week.
We talked about romelu Lukaku and Thomas Tuco and how its
tuples team and he should have the authority and, and he can
do whatever he wants.
I kind of want to take that back now, because now that I'm
thinking down Bob, but I'm thinking down the squad, how
many players are not being optimized. I think that's
a great word for Nick to use, to talk about, Pula sick, to talk
about the
Kaku to talk about Verner to talk about Harvard's, a lot of
these players. Maybe you're not being optimizing their best
position to give best individual. Formance has
to the collective. That is the team. I think there's a way to
fit a lot of those players onto the field in ways that do
optimize them and it does seem a little bit like too cool is
a little bit
hesitant if that's the word or just simply refusing to do so
because he has his ideas, his ideas were best and that's what
we're going to do. There's a lot of really talented really
expensive players
at Chelsea. And none of them are being played quite exactly how
you would think.
That's what this player does best. And Christian pool stick
is one of them. So too cold. Maybe just maybe maybe clear
off the the tactics board
and just put something completely new up there. Maybe
throw them up there and see where the magnets land on
the board and wherever they went. That's what we're going. It.
Should. It does seem though like he's making it a little
bit more difficult than it needs to be
tactically. But also with the man management the situations
and the unhappiness that he's creating what? Then that team.
Yeah. Seems a lot of players for the same positions at
Chelsea and there's difficult to keep everyone happy,
especially with so many big
Superstar. Does. But Christian pull a super happy to see him
fit. Playing got a big goal against Liverpool. So let's see
if that gives them the confidence to kick on
in the second half of the season.
I remember head over the pro soccer talk and NBC sports.com
for the latest US Men's National Team news. We got
World Cup qualifiers coming up in January, where of analysis
and all of that will have
power rankings of the player Paul and who sits where
throughout 2022. Because, even though they were to start
the year. This is a World Cup here Lads. And with our partners at
Telemundo, Spanish language Partners, they'll have all of
the live streams and
Ability to watch those games. So we're really looking forward
to what will be a huge World Cup. Fingers crossed. The US
will be there and thinkers cross. Pull a sick and Cole
will have a very good competition.