The striker has been hit with a series of injury issues over the last few years, but he's back on the scoresheet awaiting his big chance
Josh Sargent admits it himself. When he returned from his latest injury, he wasn't quite sure what player would be returning. He'd spent three months away due to a groin injury and subsequent surgery. He'd dealt with injuries before, of course, but Sargent admits this time, he felt different and there were some doubts.
"You still get those nerves, those thoughts," he said according to The Pink Un. "Can I still do what I was doing before?’ Especially with injuries, you never know how you’re going to be afterward if you’re still going to feel it or whatnot. So it’s obviously a thought in the back of my head, but I try to push it away and remember all the good times I’ve been having out on the pitch."
Those doubts quickly faded. Sargent wasted no time rediscovering his form, especially in front of goal. Since returning to Norwich City's lineup on Jan. 25, he has scored four goals in three matches, boosting the Canaries' push for a promotion playoff spot.
His resurgence comes at a crucial moment. With teammate Borja Sainz — the Championship’s leading scorer – suspended due to a spitting incident, Sargent has stepped up, proving he can be one of the league’s top strikers. With Sainz set to return soon, Norwich will have two prolific scorers to fuel their Premier League push.
On the other side of the Atlantic, U.S. Mauricio Pochettino, too, will be watching on with a smile on his face. An injury crisis has heavily-impacted the U.S. men's national team's striker pool, leaving Pochettino without two go-to forwards in the attack. Neither Ricardo Pepi nor Folarin Balogun will be available to lead the line in March's CONCACAF Nations League semifinals and, if all goes well, the final. Sargent, if all goes well, will be that guy.
Sargent's return from injury and subsequent surge have come at the right time as he has the chance to lead the way for both club and country over the next few weeks.
GettyThe injury
Coming into the season, there was every reason to be excited about Sargent. He'd scored 13 goals in a breakout 2022-23 campaign. Last season, despite more injury issues, he scored 16 in just 26 Championship appearances. This time around, Norwich were gunning for a Premier League return and Sargent would lead the way.
It started well enough. He scored twice in August to get the season started strongly before a slight ankle injury temporarily sidelined him in September. Then, in October, that groin injury popped up, knocking him out of action until late January.
With the frequency of injuries, its understandable why Sargent would have doubts after that. The groin surgery was his second in a little over a year, having had an operation on his ankle in late 2023. That ankle procedure forced him out of 28 games. A previous ankle issue caused him to miss 14 the year prior. Meanwhile, this groin injury would keep him out for 21 games over 102 games. Over the last few years, at several key times, injuries had hit the forward at the worst possible times.
Sargent's latest return came on Jan. 11. For those first few matches, Norwich smartly eased him back, building him up gradually. It's paid off, as Sargent is now back in the XI and back scoring big goals for a club with a real chance to climb the table.
AdvertisementGettyReturn to form
Sargent got back to his best toward the end of January. Just three days after falling to Leeds United to make it three losses in a row in all competitions, Norwich went out and smashed Seansea, 5-1. Sargent was responsible for two goals, helping to kickstart the blowout.
There was no blowout a week later but, again, Sargent was the guy, scoring the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Watford. Then, on Feb. 8, Sargent was on the scoresheet again, netting a go-ahead goal before Norwich threw away the lead by conceding a late penalty. That's four in three games for Sargent, who has taken no time to get back to playing at a high level, despite the injury concerns.
"[I feel] pretty sharp," Sargent said last weekend. "My legs are still getting there, but I'm feeling good. That was my first 90 today, so I think it's been a good progression, and we've managed it really well. I want to play as much as possible, but it feels good to play a full game. Either way, I'm feeling really good and feel like I'm in a good position. If it were up to me, I probably wanted to play more minutes faster, but in the end, it's been good.
He added, "It's always frustrating. Being injured is the worst thing. You just have to sit on the sidelines, and you're not really able to help out the team, but you've just got to dig in and hope that when you get back, you'll hit the ground running, and I think I've done that. I can't speak for other guys, but getting injuries, it's like coming back, am I going to be as effective? Am I going to be as strong and whatnot? So, to score goals like this obviously helps my confidence a lot."
A confident Sargent is huge for Norwich, who now look like a legitimate threat near the top of the Championship.
GettyNorwich's playoff push
Even without Sargent, goals weren't really a problem for Norwich. Their 50 goals are second-most in the league behind just league-leaders Leeds. Sainz currently leads the Championship in finishes with 15. Sargent, meanwhile, would likely be right up there if he were healthy. Now, he's eager to make up for lost time.
"I think he's getting a bit nervous now, " Sargent joked to BBC Radio Norfolk when asked about Sainz. "No, it's a good competition. I keep telling him every time I score, 'I'm coming for you' but it's all good fun. If he's scoring or I'm scoring, it doesn't matter as long as we're winning games."
Norwich will need to win some games if they're to push into the promotion playoff. Sixth is the magic spot in the Championship, one that gets you into that four-team competition for the third and final playoff spot. Right now, Norwich are eighth, two points out of that sixth-place position.
With 15 games left, they're right in it, but it'll take some work. With Sainz and Sargent leading the line, manager Johannes Hoff Thorup will feel like his side can outscore anyone in the league, which is a pretty good way to push forward.
It's not just Norwich that will benefit from Sargent's return, though. It could be argued that the USMNT need him most of all, particularly as they gear up for for March.
GettyUSMNT opportunity
In the nearly two-and-a-half years since the USMNT played in the World Cup, Sargent hasn't been seen much in a national team jersey. He'd played a mere 152 minutes since departing Qatar, having played only 117 minutes at that World Cup. He hasn't scored for the USMNT since 2019. It's been so, so long since we've seen Sargent do much of anything in a national team shirt.
Much of that has been out of Sargent's control. The injuries have played their part, as Sargent has missed games at crucial times. The fact is, though, that even when he has been available, Sargent has generally been No. 3 on the depth chart. Both Balogun and Pepi have been ahead of him and, given their records and skillsets, it's easy to see why.
There will be no Pepi nor Balogun in March. Both are dealing with long-term injuries. Balogun is nearing the end of his layoff, with the striker expected to return in April. Pepi's recovery is just beginning. Either way, the USMNT will need a striker in March. In this form, there's little doubt that it should be Sargent.
It's a huge chance for the striker. Both Balogun and Pepi are likely World Cup locks, which means there is a fight going on for who will be the third striker to make next summer's roster. Brandon Vazquez, and Patrick Agyemang are in that mix but, with a good performance in March, Sargent can make a statement in proving to Pochettino that he can bring his club form to the USMNT.
These chances don't come often and, when they do come, a player like Sargent can't waste them. He'll get a long-awaited USMNT chance in March, and it's coming at a time when he has every reason to believe in himself.
