USMNT Player Tracker: Pepi getting maxed out, Celtic counting on key impact from Auston and Sargent

ricardo pepienigmatic person, Josh SargentA helping hand and a vote of confidence from an Austin trustee all play a role in this week’s USMNT tracker.

Throughout the season, we’ll be bringing you updates on American players plying their trade in various leagues across Europe. With the World Cup on home soil around the corner and the national team being monitored from afar by new boss Mauricio Pochettino, we’re keeping an eye on how they perform each weekend.

weekend issue

He was celebrating again at the weekend, but Riccardo Pepi and his advisers will also be pondering a familiar dilemma.

What is the right balance of minutes, experience and success on the field for a young international player looking to establish himself at the World Cup in his home country in less than two years’ time?

Pepi’s two goals for PSV Eindhoven in his first league start so far this season were as welcome as they were surprising. When he plays, the 21-year-old usually makes an impact.

Despite starting just once in his club’s title-winning campaign last season – he was substituted 26 times – Pepi still netted seven Eredivisie goals and two assists.

Pepi celebrates PSV’s second goal against Willem II (Maurice van Steen/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

His fine brace in a 2–0 win at the Willem II on Saturday kept PSV unbeaten and on top, but manager Peter Bosz has been reluctant to limit Pepi’s involvement in Eindhoven.

“He’s a very good player, but he’s unlucky that he has an incident,” Bosz Said in the press conference after the match A reference to captain Luuk de Jong, who scored 29 goals in 34 league matches last season.

“Goals, captaincy, top fitness and assists; Luke has it all. However, I thought it was the right time to let Pepi play as well, now that there are only two days between today’s game and Tuesday’s game (PSV plays Sporting Lisbon). Champions League Tomorrow).

“I thought he deserved to play and he should show it; He certainly did that.”

Pepi’s exploits continue to attract attention. According to Opta, Saturday’s goals meant that among players born in 2003 or later, only Eli Wahi (29) xavi simmons (28), Jude Bellingham (27) And Jamal Musiala (25) has scored more goals than Ricardo Pepi (22) in the top 10 European leagues since the start of the 2022-23 season.

But with De Jong showing no signs of slowing down, what can Pepi do to secure the regular minutes he needs to continue his development? And what does new USMNT manager Pochettino, who has promoted youth at most of the clubs he has managed, think about the current domestic impasse for one of his best young centre-forward options?

At present Pepi is surrounded by many questions. The January transfer window could allow a potential loan if the club and player are interested, but for now, he continues to answer questions with goals.

Pepi and PSV are unbeaten in the Eredivisie (Maurice van Steen/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

weekend player

Another of the USMNT’s promising young strikers had a promising weekend for his club, even if he didn’t get on the scoresheet himself.

Josh Sargent has two goals and three assists so far norwich city in England’s EFL Championship, and he was again a creative force in his team’s 3–2 win derby county On Saturday.

The 24-year-old player assisted twice borja sanz Welcomed by manager Johannes Hoff Thorup. Speaking after the win at Pride Park, the Dane said, “(We) have to mention Josh – two assists.” “It is very important for the attacking players that we keep this sequence, keep creating chances and keep scoring goals.

“He (Sergeant) has a huge role. I know when you focus on strikers, you don’t talk much about their defensive discipline and he’s brilliant at that. He is the center of the first press, he links the wide players and he is very analytical in his approach.

“That’s what you see at the highest level; It’s a big part of the game. In attack, he is our main man. He gets into good position and he can run back. “He is a central character for us in the game and he has personality.”

Sergeant has been integral for Norwich City (Mark Atkins/Getty Images)

However, Sargent’s performance was not without controversy. His first assist was from a pull back across goal, and replays showed that the ball had clearly gone out of play behind the touchline before he concentrated.

This prompted Derby boss Paul Warne to call for VAR in the English second tier.

For Sergeant, the focus immediately turns to tomorrow’s contest Brandon Aaronson‘S leeds united On Carrow Road.

weekend quotes

“Auston was fantastic. (He) won everything. Obviously, two left-footed players, he got the short straw playing on the right, (but) he didn’t look out of place. He didn’t look uncomfortable and that’s fantastic.

“It’s exactly how we did the lineup during the week and the shape, the manager’s choice. He was brilliant – so solid, he won everything in the air. That was really nice.”

celtic back center Liam Scales, Talking to reporters after the matchUSMNT was full of praise for the defender auston reliableWho starred in Saturday’s 6-0 win at St Johnstone Scottish Premiership,

Confident battle with St Johnstone’s Aaron Essel (Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)

Trusty got his second start due to a toe injury to his international teammate Cameron Carter-Vickers, and could also start for the Glasgow club in their Champions League clash. borussia dortmund On Tuesday.

weekend graphic

How did other American players fare?

Name: Christian Pulisic
Club: AC Milan
Post: attacking midfielder
Sports (all competitions): Seven
Target: five

Christian Pulisic now has five goals and two assists in his last six games, continuing his fine form for the Rossoneri. He scored Milan’s third goal in a 3–0 win over Lecce on Friday – the fifth consecutive game in which he has scored for club or country.

Name: Folarin Balogun
Club: AS Monaco
Post: striker
game: Six
Target: Two

Balogun’s revived form was taken up a notch with his second goal of the season for Monaco during Saturday’s 2-1 win against Montpellier. That’s twice in as many weeks, which should be a timely confidence boost for the striker ahead of the October USMNT international. His hard work during the French club’s first four matches already feels like a distant memory.

Balogun moves on the Montpellier defense (Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images)

Name: joe scali
Club: borussia monchengladbach
Post: guard
game: Six

In BundesligaScally was excellent in Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 1–0 win over Union Berlin, with American striker Jordan Peffolk leading his line. Scally, playing right-back, also made an impact offensively. according to photomobHe made more passes in the final third (seven) than any other Gladbach defender.

Name: chris richards
Club: crystal Palace
Post: back center
game: Six

Richards missed Palace’s 2-1 defeat everton There are doubts over his fitness for next month’s international matches after suffering a hamstring injury at Goodison Park on Saturday. His place in the struggling Londoners’ starting line-up could be under threat when he returns chelsea debtor Trevoh Chalobah Now fit after stomach muscle problem.

Name: gabriel slonina
Club: barnsley
Post: goalkeeper
game: 10

Speaking of the Chelsea loanees, the 20-year-old made an impressive double save for Barnsley in the draw with Stockport County on Saturday. He has started the EFL League One club’s last seven matches.

Name: paxten aaronson
Club: fc utrecht
Post: midfield
game: Seven
Target: One

In the Eredivisie match at AZ Alkmaar on Sunday, the younger Aaronson brother came off the bench to win the game for his team with the opening goal of the second half.

“In terms of its placement and how cleanly I hit it, it was good and I’ll remember it for a long time,” he said. Club’s social media channel After that. “Especially it is the first goal that matters for FC Utrecht.

After four consecutive wins, Utrecht is now second in the league. “We’re going to stay humble and keep it going,” Aronson said.

🗨️ ‘A real one

👏Match Winner Paxten Aaronson #Ajutra, pic.twitter.com/xB5LOIFOif

– FC Utrecht (@fcutrecht) 29 September 2024

what is going to happen?

,all times et,

Pulisic See More Yunus Musa Champions League action against AC Milan bayer leverkusen on Tuesday (3pm, Paramount+), while Trudeau’s Celtic face Borussia Dortmund at the same time, at noon, on the same channel.

On Wednesday, Balogun will hope to make it three goals in three matches as Monaco play Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League (3pm, Paramount+).

American midfielder Leonard Maloney will hope to play for his German club Heidenheim in the Europe Conference League on Thursday against Slovenian outfit Olimpija (12:45 p.m., Paramount+).

Finally, on Friday night you can see Scally try to maintain his strong form as Mönchengladbach takes on Augsburg in the Bundesliga (2:30 p.m., ESPN+).

(Top photos: Getty Images)