Big, bad Brad Friedel posted another victory last weekend as he and Aston Villa kept on rolling.
Friedel was one of few bright spots for Americans Abroad last weekend. How bad were things? Consider this linep of Americans:
——————————Jozy Altidore—————————–
DaMarcus Beasley———–Freddy Adu————-Clint Dempsey
———————Michael Bradley—Maurice Edu——————
Heath Pearce——Jay DeMerit—-Jonathan Spector—Frank Simek
——————————-Brad Guzan——————————
Like that team? Well, not a single player in that lineup saw a start for their European club this weekend and only two (Pearce and Adu) actually saw minutes. Yes, Spector and Simek have been out for a while (and DeMerit was injured) but that front six sure has several key U.S. national team players and prospects and all were healthy and available for selection. For none of them to play (save for Adu’s 11 minutes) is a pretty sad development.
There are some bright spots. Carlos Bocanegra continues to establish himself as an anchor for Rennes while Michael Orozco has regained his hold on a starting spot for San Luis, making his second straight start.
Here is how all the Americans Abroad did this past weekend (And notice the latest change to Americans Abroad):
ENGLAND
PREMIER LEAGUE
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Everton’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool on Saturday.
- Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made one save in Aston Villa’s 2-1 win vs. Sunderland on Saturday.
- Brad Guzan dressed but did not play for Aston Villa.
- C!int Dempsey dressed but did not play in Fulham’s 2-1 loss to West Ham United on Saturday.
- Jonathan Spector did not dress for West Ham. He is still recovering from a hip injury.
COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP
- Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Reading’s 4-0 win vs. Swansea on Saturday.
- BobbycConvey did not dress for Reading.
- Jay DeMerit did not dress in Watford’s 2-1 loss to Sheffild United on Saturday. He was out with a hamstring injury.
- Frank Simek did not dress in Sheffield Wednesday’s 2-1 win vs. Charlton on Saturday. He is still recovering from ankle surgey.
- Eddie!Johnson came off the bench and played 14 minutes in Cardiff City’s 2-1 loss to Birmingham on Saturday.
SCOTLAND
- DaMarcus Beasley did not dress in Rangers’ 3-0 win vs. Hibernian on Sunday.
- Maurice Edu did not dress for Rangers.
- Mike Videira did not dress in Hamilton’s 4-1 loss to Falkirk on Saturday.
GERMANY
BUNDESLIGA
- Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96’s 1-0 win vs. Bayern Munich on Saturday.
- Sal Zizzo did not dress for Hannover 96.
- Michael Bradley dressed but did not play in BorussiaIMoenchengladbach’s 1-0 loss to Hamburg on Saturday.
- Neven Subotic started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-0 win vs. VFB Stuttgart on Saturday.
- Brian Arguez did not dress for Hertha Berlin’s 1-0 loss to Energie Cottbus on Saturday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Heath Pearce came off the bench and played eight minutes in Hansa Rostock’s 3-0 win vs. St. Pauli on Friday.
- Gregg Berhalter started and played 90 minutes in 1860 Munich’s 1-1 tie vs. FC Ingolstadt 04 on Sunday.
- Grover Gibson did not dress in Ahlen’s 3-1 win vs. SV Wehen on Sunday.
- David Yelldell started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in TUS Koblenz’s 1-0 loss to VFL Osnabruck on Friday.
- Matt Taylor dressed but did not play for TUS Koblenz.
- Luis Robles dressed but did not play in Kaiserslautern’s 2-1 win vs. FSV Frankfurt on Sunday.
SPAIN
- Jozy Altiore did not dress in Villarreal’s 1-0 win vs. Sporting Gijon on Saturday.
ITALY
SERIE B
- Danny Szetela and Brescia play Parma on Monday.
FRANCE
LIGUE 1
- Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Rennes’ 1-0 win vs. Nice on Saturday.
- Freddy Adu came off the bench and played 11 minutes in Monaco’s 2-0 loss to Lille on Sunday.
- Andrew Jacobson did not dress in Lorient’s 1-1 tie vs. Sochaux on Saturday. Jacobson is in Brazil for the Futsal World Cup.
LIGUE 2
- Quentin Westberg dressed but did not play in Troyes’ 3-2 win vs. Tours on Saturday.
BELGIUM
- Oguchi Onyewu started and played 90 minutes in Standard Liege’s 2-1 win vs. Anderlecht on Friday.
DENMARK (no games this weekend)
- Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland)
- Lee Nguyen (Randers)
- Jeremiah White (AGF Aarhus)
- Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus)
NORWAY
FIRST DIVISION
- Troy Perkins started and played 90 minutes in Valarenga’s 1-0 loss to Viking on Sunday.
- Adin Brown did not play in Aalesunds’ 2-1 loss to Rosenborg on Sunday. He is out for the season with an injury.
SECOND DIVISION
- Cam Weaver started, played 90 minutes and drew a yellow card in Haugesund’s 2-2 tie vs. IK Start on Sunday.
- Clarence Goodson did not dress for IK Start.
- Kyle Veris started and played 90 minutes in Hodd’s 2-1 win vs. Sandnes on Sunday.
- Jay Needham started and played 90 minutes in Alta’s 2-1 loss to Odd Greenland on Sunday.
SWEDEN
- Charlie Davies started and played 90 minutes in Hammarby’s 0-0 tie vs. Trelleborg on Saturday.
MEXICO
- Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes in San Luis’ 1-1 tie vs. Puebla on Saturday.
- Jose Francisco Torres came off the bench and played 46 minutes in Pachuca’s 2-1 win vs. Monterrey on Saturday.
- Daniel Hernandez started and played 90 minutes in Chiapas’ 3-1 loss to Tecos on Saturday.
- Sammy Ochoa did not dress for Tecos.
- Jesus Padilla{did not dress in Chivas de Guadalajara’s 1-0 win vs. Atlas on Saturday.
- Marco Vidal did not dress in Indios de Ciudad de Juarez’s 1-0 loss to Tigres on Saturday.
- Sonny Guadamara dressed but did not play in Morelia’s 3-1 win vs. Necaxa on Sunday.
American-born Players Playing for Other Countries
- Giuseppe Rossi (Italy) came off the bench, played 45 minutes and scored the game-winning goal in Villarreal’s 1-0 win vs. Sporting Gijon on Saturday.
- Edgar Castillo (Mexico) came off the bench and played 37 minutes in Santos Laguna’s 2-1 loss to Toluca on Sunday.
- Joe Lapira (Ireland) started and played 90 minutes Nybergsund’s 3-0 win vs. Bryne on Sunday.
- Brede Hangeland (Norway) started, played 90 minutes and drew a yellow card in Fulham’s 2-1 loss to West Ham on Saturday.
- Boaz Myhill (Wales) started and made four saves in Hull’s 2-1 win vs. Arsenal on Saturday.
————————
As you can see, I found a compromise regarding the Giuseppe Rossi situation (thanks to the suggestion of an SBI reader). I believe this is the best way to satisfy all parties. And if anyone still has a problem you really need to get a grip.
If there are players I forgot to list feel free to list them below. Please remember that I’m trying to focus on first divisions and, in some cases, second divisions, so keep that in mind when suggesting players for the list.
Share your thoughts on how the Americans Abroad did this past weekend in the comments section below.
Related to this thread only as it deals with the skill of our players: I read an interesting article about the youngster “Gyau” on espnsoccernet.com. Disregarding the hype, I found it telling what his dad said about how Gyau was encouraged to “run at” players (instead of just “team dynamics”) and he was sent to Brazil to play with people who emphasize the creative side of things. I believe what is wrong with a lot of American soccer is our culture–broadly speaking. Most of our players don’t have the mind and creativity for soccer that one picks up playing day in and day out at the park, in a drive way, against a fence, etc etc etc. As a kid in Germany (I am American, tho) we played pick up all the time. Granted, I never made it big, but even at my level, I see how I, and others who were in situations like me (pretty much anybody who grew up in Mexico, Ethiopia, Ghana, etc) have more of a “feel” for the game, for making off the ball runs, for passing to space, and taking on players with confidence. You don’t get that playing Youth League soccer.
CHad – i wish Hill would just come back to the MLS
tim-
Dempsey has actually scored 4 goals in 4 games for the US…
Beasely was coming off an injury hence his rustiness
Whatever happened to Kamani Hill? Wasn’t he playing at Wolfsburg?
Well Ives, we all always like to talk about how it is “better for our guys” to get the European/foreign experience and exposure. However, if they go over there and ride pine, what good is it really doing them?? They’re not getting game experience against the better competition, which is supposed to be the whole point of them going, right? Honestly, unless they are the best of the best, I think some of our guys should stay in MLS, where they’re at least getting game experience. Maybe that’s why guys like Dempsey and Beasley have been so-so for the NT…they haven’t been getting any PT, and their game form is off. Just a thought.
mig- ah, i guess i took a different direction from your post 😀
Michael F- does EJ start for the US?? hmmm, i dont recall the last game EJ started.. now if you are simply saying that he gets on the roster, then thats another thing…
@brett: Nah, I got your point. I was largely agreeing with you but kinda taking the positive tack that at least he had played a full game (in contrast to Adu).
@david: Jared Jeffrey is playing with Club Brugge in Belgium. He has yet to dress for a game. Zimmerman…I forget.
American-born Players Playing for Other Countries
——————————-
6 more to go and we got a Team !
USSF is doing a great job
what going on with jared jeffery and preston zimmerman?
BWL – I was thinking the same thing about Guzan. I don’t really mind him being left on the bench if there’s another American in front of him, but that’s about the only place in Europe we’re likely to run into that circumstance (one American costing another American playing time…)
Other than McBride – EJ last year, has that happened before? Jsut wondering
I love the fact that EJ can only get 14 minutes on a second division team but starts for the US. Great job, Coach Bradley.
BlueWhiteLion – which could probably be the best thing for Guzan at the moment… Brad is on the skirt of retiring to the MLS or his academy, leaving a Friedel mentored Guzan as the number 1 GK for Villa…. hopefully Guzan takes the time granted and works hard and develops his game…
mig – i know MB has played, but there are numerous games where he hasnt played and the team was destroyed… im simply saying that by the time he starts getting regular time, their team will probably be in relegation worries already O.o… i think you took my post in a different direction from where i was going with it…
Not sure WHY Guzan enters this discussion at all, if maybe only to round out the “team” with a GK. That said, he is sitting on the bench in favor of Friedel, for goodness’ sake!
I’ve heard EJ was less embarrassing in his 14 minutes than he’d been in the Carling Cup game vs. Swansea.
Sure, Freddy is 19 and MB is 20, that’s why I’m not at all worried about Jozy. However, Freddy has gone from D.C. to RSL to Benfica to Monaco in about 2 years. He does seem to be drifting, and a move from Benfica to Monaco is, at best, a lateral move, and probably a step down. There is no reason to make that move unless you are assured of playing time.
Same with MB, he was starting on one of top 4 or 5 teams in Holland. If he isn’t going to immediately start on a newly-promoted side in the Bundesliga then he should’ve stayed. Fact of the matter is he should immediately start on all but the best teams in Germany.
Yeah, MB’s move may just be a bummer because the team is so bad. On the bright side, maybe they’ll sh*tcan the manager. Or maybe, just maybe MB is still working into the system during training. He has played, at least, so it’s not like he’s a pariah there.
Hodgson may have finally become addled. 2 weeks in a row he has stuck with his starters. Two bad losses. Hell, even it’s not Dempsey, I’d like to see Good Ole’ Roy make a sub just so we’re sure he still knows how.
5 of the people in the lineup are young, and quite a few of the remaining are injured… am i shocked?? no, some of the players are joining new teams and need to establish themselves… anyone who over hypes a player is bound to be devistated by the reality that the US players are not superstars (at least not yet)…
Jozy, Adu, MB, Edu, Guzan…. all players to new teams, and all players that have to establish themselves… give em’ time
———-
im starting to worry about MB’s move to his newly promoted team…. if they keep chalking up the losses, he’ll be facing relegation before he gets any PT…
LJ – Bernardo was called up for the Milk Cup, where he scored a goal i beleive… he’s on the U20’s radar, but i wouldnt expect to see him on meaningless friendly rosters… perhaps if you were looking at the 09 U20 WC roster, he most likely will be on it…
Bernardo may have signed a 3 yr contract with Napoli, but he’s still playing with the reserves…. their coach is looking at using him when the WC Quals call up players, not to mention injury… id say he’s at least 4th or 5th on the list of forwards…. he’ll play reserves and continue to excel…. expect him to be dressing next season regularly… perhaps get some PT here and there…
Fulham played a man down for 45+ minutes after Andy Johnson’s second yellow in the first half.
Yet their manager did not make ANY substitutions. And they lost the game. And they had last year’s leading scorer (Dempsey) on the bench. Again.
Sweden-
Etchu Tabe РLjungskile Р90 mins in 1-0 loss to Djurg̴rdens IF
Colin Burns РLjungskile Р90 mins in 1-0 loss to Djurg̴rdens IF
-Stanley Villa, O RLY?
-Ives, good job on American born players bit. Thanks to the poster who suggested it. It makes reading the user posts on the American Abroad section more readable.
-Ives’ lineup above sure is eye opening. The hype that fans create and the USSF feeds to the uncritical fans sure contrasts with the reality at hand. A few of those guys would establish themselves for sure. How come Johnson wasn’t included in that lineup? He sure fits in rather well with the players listed.
So why is it that they can’t get on the field?:
Beasley has been a perennial starter when healthy, Rangers boss was very very high on Edu when he arrived, Dempsey has always been a top player for Fulham, Villareal paid $10 mil for Altidore, Pearce all of a sudden demoted, Michael Bradley was a huge pick up for Borussia, Zizzo can’t even play for a team with a sick team?
I know most of those guys are young, but should it really be that hard for them to find minutes?
Lil Mikey will never score a goal in the Bundesliga, ever. Mark it down.
So Ives, where do you think Dempsey might go if he leaves Fulham?
Great opening Ives- geez things have gotton bad haven’t they?
Brede Hangeland was born in America? Glad he picked Norway because he is weaker then the man he replaced.
Dave Clark is absolutely right
For all those people who say that the US and Canada don’t have the talent for MLS to expand just look at the number of those players riding pine for non-CL caliber Euro clubs.
We’ve the talent here, we just don’t have the money, because anyone would take 100k$ to live in Norway and ride pine rather than 33k to play in the USA.
If the MLS wants to grow the talent here at home we need to find ways that only players that play significant minutes are transferred overseas.
Here’s to hoping that Drew Carey was right when he said that the league should double the cap. Here’s another to hoping that Lieweke gets his way concering the cap impact of a DP. And here’s a third to getting a second DP slot so that teams wouldn’t be so cautious and scared about using it and getting a Denilson.
Is Adu really getting better by not playing in France/Portugal than he would be if he were a starter here?
For what it’s worth, FIFA has the U.S. MNT ranked 28th in the world.
Chris UCF, you couldn’t be more right. Many of the posters in this blog live in a fantasy land where an American player shows up at a new club and is immediately expected to start and become a superstar.
Obviously the fact that these are new clubs, quality clubs, that these clubs might already have some good players, that these guys are young, that no coach on the planet worth his salt guarantees anyone a starting spot, etc.–well none of these things matter when you don’t know anything about the sport other than that Ives tells us they didn’t play one game. Sigh. Wake up guys.
freddy is 19.
bradley is 20 or something.
you guys need to chill out
Great compromise Ives. If Bradley wasn’t going to start immediately for BM then he should’ve just stayed in Holland. Same for Freddy and Monaco. Freddy’s one or two more moves away from officially becoming a drifter.
Any chance Bernardo gets called into the MNT camp come January? How do the U-20 coaches feel about him?
Ives, that is a pretty bad ass lineup you got there.
Zizzo should just do what Johann Smith did and come back to USA and play for the MLS, or at least the USL. Then we could see him play…what are the chances of him getting a call up between now and the world cup?
Brent:
Padilla is considered a Mexican citizen because at least one of his parents is Mexican , although it was pretty weird that he went out of his way to deny the fact he was in fact born in Cali.
Dalby is playing for the Rapids now
Ryan Raybould dressed but didn’t play in Gefle IF’s 1-1 draw with AIK.
I thought there were other Americans in Belgium. What ever happened to Dalby?
Is Zizzo playing at all for Hanover? I thought he was part of their “B” team and wasn’t playingdressing regularly for the “A” team?
This really is disturbing for the MNT. Unless we can field a team of 2 central defenders and 9 goalies, we are going to be in deep trouble!
What the F happened to the American contingent? Last season seemed to be much more interesting, I recall waiting for goals to come in, now I just watch to see if Americans are subbed in at the last moment.
Ives – great compromise 🙂
As a note to that, isn’t Padilla the guy that was born in the US, but somehow had a Mexican birth certificate issued to him? If so, would he need to be switched on this list? After all, Chivas has bragged forever that they’ve only ever played Mexican players and no foreigners…
I went back and checked, and Guzan indeed did play in that game.
You also never add anyone from the FAI League of Ireland.
Premier Division:
Chris Konopka (New Jersey) – Bohemians
Max Cream (California) – Cobh Ramblers
Lance Friesz (California) – St Patrick’s
Ryan Guy (California) – St Patrick’s
First Division:
Jamie Duffy (Texas) – Dundalk
Nate Weiss (Florida) – Longford Town
Danish teams had their Cup games this weekend. Jerry White came on in the 74th minute in a 2-1 win over Avarta. Nguyen scored in a 2-0 win over Blokhus FC. Midtjylland is playing tomorrow.
I know it was during the week and not the weekend, but didn’t Guzan play 90 in Villa’s League Cup game?
Cometopapa, I know Bernardo signed the new deal but he won’t be added to the list until he actually dresses for a game.
Ives:
You now need to add Vincenzo Benardo (did I spell it right?) to your list. The 18 year old just signed a 3 year deal with Napoli A Team.