Darlington Nagbe has been told that he must be more selfish numerous times by many coaches. His club coach Caleb Porter has told him, and his U.S. National Team coach Bruce Arena has also told him.
Yesterday, Nagbe scored a wonder goal against United States goalkeeper, Tim Howard. What made the goal a wonder goal was how Nagbe sent the ball up over Howard and back down quickly and from close range. Nagbe also scored the goal from basically a standstill, which required him to put so much curve and spin on the shot without a run up to the ball. In fact, the shot was so good and so unstoppable that Howard didn’t even move, rather he just watched it go over his head and drop into the net.
Nagbe’s goal resembled a ping pong shot hit with lots of top spin, and the degree of difficulty on the goal further showcases how Nagbe must get into the penalty box for the United States more and take more shots. The fact that Nagbe scored the goal on a goalkeeper of Howard’s quality and experience just further adds to the level of the goal.
So far for the United States, Nagbe has mostly used his individual skill to surge forward with the ball into the attack, but he’s hesitated to get into the penalty box to hit quality shots on goal. Christian Pulisic in comparison or of course Clint Dempsey don’t hesitate to really attack the goal with more boldness or aggressiveness than Nagbe.
The Portland Timbers midfielder isn’t exactly a playmaker, but he does have the skill set to play this role. In the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, Arena will hope to see Nagbe surge into the penalty box and attack the goal with the same flair and spontaneity with which he left Howard for dead yesterday.
Nagbe has repeatedly been called one of the most talented players in the pool by many of the best American players, and his game could use more selfishness and more use of his left foot, which he rarely uses. In the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, Nagbe should look to combine more with Pulisic and Dempsey, and Nagbe should attack the penalty box and take more shots.