Jordan Pefok is one of several U.S. men’s national team forwards that has hit the ground running during the new European season, but despite having a strong start to life in the German Bundesliga, the American forward was not chosen for upcoming international duty.
Pefok was one of several surprising exclusions from Berhalter’s 26-player roster on Wednesday ahead of upcoming friendlies against Japan and Saudi Arabia respectively. The 26-year-old is one month into his move to Union Berlin, scoring three goals and adding two assists in six combined appearances for the club.
Pefok recently returned to action on Sunday, logging 75 minutes in a 1-0 league victory over Cologne. He missed a penalty kick opportunity in the first half of Sunday’s match at RheinEnergie Stadion, the lone blemish in Pefok’s early days in Urs Fischer’s squad.
After not featuring for the USMNT during June’s four-match schedule, Pefok was passed over in Berhalter’s September roster, watching as Josh Sargent, Jesus Ferreira, and Ricardo Pepi were chosen ahead of him.
“We’re pretty confident we know Jordan’s profile, we know what he can do,” Berhalter told reporters in a conference call Wednesday. “And we didn’t feel like we needed to see him in this camp to determine whether he could be on the [World Cup] roster or not.
“The decisions aren’t easy decisions, and I understand that Jordan should be in consideration – he was,” Berhalter added. “In the end we decided to go with these three strikers to evaluate them. With Jordan, he’s been putting a hell of an effort in. He’s been working hard. He’s been a handful to play against. He’s been doing a lot of things right.”
Pefok has earned nine caps with the USMNT, scoring once in a 1-0 Concacaf Nations League semifinal victory over Honduras in June 2021. The former Swiss Golden Boot winner made three appearances for the USMNT during World Cup Qualifying, starting in a 1-1 draw with Canada last September.
Pefok’s physicality and aerial abilities have helped him continue his development in Europe and also force his way into the USMNT picture over the past year. He also will be involved in European competitions with Union Berlin as the Bundesliga club continues its quest in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, something Sargent, Ferreira, and Pepi do not have on their resume.
Pefok will remain in Berlin for now as he not only prepares to stay healthy but also in good form with only two months to go until the USMNT’s World Cup schedule begins.
“I think we’ve been consistent in saying it may not be the best forward that is in the group. It’s the guy that fits what we’re doing the best,” Berhalter said. “We’re pretty confident we know what Jordan can do. It’s been fun watching him play. He’s off to a great start in the Bundesliga, and we opted for someone else in this camp.”
A weak explanation. I don’t think the USMNT will ever reach its full potential as long as Berhalter remains as coach. I posed this question once before. Would you trade the US player pool for that of either Mexico or Canada? I wouldn’t, yet we finished behind both of those teams in qualifying. I think that is all one really needs to know.
agree
1g in 9 app. In qualifying matches Pefok played 0-3-0 3pts 1pt per match 0.33 Goal per match. 11 matches Pefok did not play 7-1-3 22 pts 2pts per match 1.82 g/m.
Ferreira 4-1-1 13 pts 2.5 per match 2g g/m
Pepi 5-2-3 17 pts 1.7 per match 1.4 g/m
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Pefok wasn’t a difference maker for the US in qualifying he should have gotten the call over Zardes in the 2nd window but nothing he did in first window suggested he would have made a difference.
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I’d take Canada’s two forwards over any of our two forwards you want to name and I’d take Davies over anyone in Concacaf. But no I wouldn’t take their entire roster. But if you can stack 9 guys in the box on a frozen concrete parking lot and then hit hopeful long balls to one of those three your going to be effective. Let’s not forget Canada got to play the top 3 other teams USA, CR, and Mex in freezing conditions (2 on turf).
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Mexico is 0-1-3 against the US since Covid. Their roster is full of players past their prime and your complaining because they got 3 more points in a pts race that doesn’t matter?
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How many matches did Dest, McKennie, Pulisic, and Reyna play in together in qualifying?
the “profile” bit, to me, confirms my concern that despite our systemic struggles, he is locked into that system and judging players on perceived fit, perhaps at the expense of talent and tactical diversity across his bench. i think he also adores stat numbers where one can see a general pattern of favoring the abstract over the concrete. who cares how they look or play in the shirt, they fit the system and have club numbers.
look, when this tilted crude and “banger” at striker there would be a change of pace guy with speed on the bench. i don’t care if snobs see a banger type as an offense against their aesthetic sensibilities, you might need one. not every striker should “profile” the same. what if those tactics or that type isn’t working?
So the intangible Pefok lacks is physical dexterity for GB. What I mean is Pefok is not build to run, chase, and press. Also Pefok not quick in a ten square yard space. With bodies in a ten square yards physically Pefok makes space. Beyond the 18 yard box Pefok is not a factor and then liability if all ten field players are required to quickly press, defend, and win the ball back.
This why Pefok and Wright are not invited for the friendlies.
I think we all understand Gregg’s rationale but simply don’t agree with it. When you look at the WC games we have coming up Pefok seems like a great fit against a team like Iran who should be tough to break down. Look at the results the new manager produced in the past with them and its not hard to see how we could use a guy like Pefok off the bench if we need a goal. That’s a game we must get 3 points from and I’d rather bring him than a 5th outside back.
Also, it may be that Berhalter is planning to bring Pefok and is really trying to decide which two of the three (similar in style) strikers in camp to roster for Qatar.