Why Josh Sargent's Norwich form hasn't translated to USMNT success | OneFootball

It’s no secret the USMNT continues to lack a clear first-choice striker to lead the line, but this is not to say it is devoid of potential candidates. Patrick Agyemang and Brian White have both been impressing in North America of late, while Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright, and Damion Downs all ply their trade at a high level in Europe.

Another of those is Josh Sargent, who has scored 48 goals across 130 appearances for English Championship outfit Norwich City since his move from German side Werder Bremen in 2021. His debut season for the Canaries came in the Premier League, and save for a wonderful brace against fellow strugglers Watford, Sargent found it difficult adapting to the intensity of English football.

In his first two years, Sargent was mostly deployed on the left wing. But, when Norwich legend Teemu Pukki departed the club for Minnesota United in the summer of 2023, the American finally made the striker position his own.

This campaign, Sargent tallied 15 goals in 29 league games as he earned his way into the EFL Championship Team of the Season, despite Norwich otherwise being a relatively poor outfit. Without his goals, the Canaries may well have been fearing another relegation.

It was quite a surprise among the Norwich fanbase, then, when Sargent was omitted from USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino's Concacaf Gold Cup squad late last month. "It is a football decision and we wanted to see other forwards at this time, so that is why we decided to not go with Sargent," said the Argentine.

Even Balogun dropping out of the squad recently hasn't seen Sargent recalled, with Paxten Aaronson the man selected to bolster Pochettino's attacking options instead.

Those who have followed the USMNT in recent times, though, haven't been so surprised at his continued absence. Despite a reasonable goalscoring record of 5 in 28 games for his country, none of these strikes have come since signing for Norwich. Three of those were even against Cuba.

In the five-and-a-half years since Sargent last scored for the national team, a plethora of other strikers have emerged.

If Pochettino's latest squad is to be deemed an accurate representation of the USMNT's striking situation, Sargent probably now finds himself as low down as third or fourth in the pecking order. Here are four likely reasons why Sargent has struggled to establish himself on the international stage:

Others take their chances

Pochettino has no shortage of options to choose from. Agyemang, White, Pepi, and Balogun have all led the line and scored for the USMNT since the 2024 Concacaf Nations League final triumph over Mexico, so naturally they are higher up in the pecking order.

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Sargent himself has featured five times for the national team in the last year, all without scoring. He will have to take his chance the next time he is called up, or he may well be crowded out from the team and never reach his full potential for his country.

Injuries

Injuries have not been kind to Sargent of late. He has missed a total 37 league games for Norwich in the last two seasons alone through multiple ankle and groin issues. Yet, he has still managed 31 Championship goals in that time, a testament to his goalscoring prowess.

His injury troubles have really cost Norwich since their relegation to the Championship in 2022, as the side have failed to put together any sort of sustained push for promotion in his absence. Missing multiple training camps with the USMNT as a result hasn't helped his chances of establishing himself as his country's focal point, with others performing their way into the role he desires.

Fitness worries have also warded off any concrete transfer interest from Premier League clubs, who worry his hefty price tag might go to waste. Yet, if he can stay fit for long enough, he will surely end up in the Premier League sooner rather than later.

Struggles off the ball

Sargent is a clinical finisher with both his right and his left foot (just see his outrageous weak-footed strike against Stoke City in February), and is capable of finding his own pockets of space even amongst a crowd of defenders.

When Norwich took a game to its opponents, Sargent and company would usually have a field day. However, when his side played away from home or against tougher opposition, he would often find himself isolated at striker and the game would pass him by.

On the ball, Sargent can be so effective. When his team has less possession, though, he struggles to impose himself on the game. This is why 4 of Sargent's 5 USMNT goals have come in high-scoring shutout wins against the likes of Bolivia and Cuba.

Lack of confidence?

The abundance of strikers who have taken Sargent's USMNT gig since his last international goal, his recent injury woes, and the pressure to replicate his form back in the U.S. all may have contributed to a lack of confidence when playing for his country.

He didn't look entirely comfortable in March's Concacaf Nations League defeat to Panama at SoFi Stadium, scuffing a close-range shot onto the post via Edgardo Fariña. However, he was unlucky not to break his duck after his clinical first-half finish was disallowed for offside.

Sargent also never looks comfortable from the penalty spot, perhaps an insight into why he struggles with the pressure of leading the line for his country. October’s penalty against Leeds United should've been saved by Illan Meslier, and he hit the post with another attempt from twelve yards a few days later against Hull City.