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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

Friedel Howard (Getty Images)

by GIANFRANCO PANIZO

After a few forgettable weekends, the Americans Abroad bounced back with some positive performances this weekend.

Brad Friedel was one of the bright spots, making six saves in Aston Villa's 2-0 victory over Portsmouth. Friedel's cleansheet performance was his third consecutive.

Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard also pitched a shutout, saving four shots in the team's 3-0 triumph against Blackburn. The cleansheet was Howard's first of the season, and gave the Toffees their second win of the year.

Another first in the EPL season was Jozy Altidore earning his first start. Altidore played 64 minutes for Hull City in their 1-0 loss to Birmingham.

Here is how the rest of the Americans Abroad performed this weekend:

England

PREMIERSHIP

  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Everton's 3-0 win vs. Blackburn on Sunday.
  • Jozy Altidore started and played 64 minutes in Hull City's 1-0 loss vs. Birmingham on Saturday.
  • Clint Dempsey started and played 62 minutes in Fulham's 2-1 loss vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.
  • Eddie Johnson did not dress in Fulham's 2-1 loss vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.
  • Jonathan Spector dressed but did not play in West Ham's 3-2 loss vs. Liverpool on Saturday.
  • Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made six saves in Aston Villa's 2-0 win vs. Portsmouth on Saturday.
  • Brad Guzan dressed but did not play in Aston Villa's 2-0 win vs. Portsmouth on Saturday.

  • Marcus Hahnemann dressed but did not play in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 2-1 win vs. Fulham on Sunday.

COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP

  • Jay DeMerit did not dress in Watford's 3-3 draw vs. Leicester City on Saturday.
  • Frank Simek dressed but did not play in Sheffield Wednesday's 3-2 loss vs. Sheffield United on Friday.

LEAGUE ONE

  • Ian Joyce dressed but did not play in Southend United's 3-2 win vs. Brighton on Saturday.
  • Zak Whitbread did not dress in Millwall's 3-1 win vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
  • Mike Grella came off the bench and played 9 minutes in Leeds United's 4-0 win vs. Gillingham on Saturday.
  • Jemal Johnson started and played 90 minutes in Milton Keynes Dons' 1-0 win vs. Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.
  • Jon-Paul Pittman came off the bench and played 44 minutes in Wycombe Wanderers' 1-0 loss vs. Milton Keynes Dons on Saturday.

Scotland

  • Maurice Edu did not dress in Rangers' 0-0 draw vs. Kilmarnock on Saturday. He is recovering from an injury.
  • DaMarcus Beasley did not dress in Rangers' 0-0 draw vs. Kilmarnock on Saturday.

Italy

  • Oguchi Onyewu dressed but did not play in AC Milan's 1-0 win vs. Bologna on Saturday. 

Germany

BUNDESLIGA

  • Michael Bradley dressed but did not play in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 4-2 loss vs. TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday.
  • Steve Cherundolo started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Hannover 96's 1-1 draw vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
  • Sal Zizzo dressed but did not play in Hannover 96's 1-1 draw vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
  • Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04's 2-1 loss vs. VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday. He is recovering from an injury.

BUNDESLIGA 2

  • Kenny Cooper started, played 81 minutes and received a yellow card in 1860 Munich's 2-0 loss vs. Alemania Aachen on Saturday.
  • Luis Robles dressed but did not play in Kaiserslautern's 2-1 win vs. St. Pauli on Saturday.
  • Matt Taylor came off the bench and played 18 minutes in FSV Frankfurt's 2-0 loss vs. Karlsruhe on Friday. 
  • David Yeldell started, played 90 minutes and made six saves in TUS Koblenz's 1-1 draw vs. FC Union Berlin on Friday.

France

  • Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Rennes' 4-0 win vs. Grenoble on Saturday.
  • Charlie Davies started and played 90 minutes in Sochaux's 5-2 loss vs. Valenciennes on Saturday.

Portugal

  • Freddy Adu did not dress in Belenenses' 1-1 draw vs. Academica de Coimbra on Sunday.

Denmark

  • Benny Feilhaber and AGF Aarhus play FC Midtjylland  on Monday.
  • Jeremiah White and AGF Aarhus play FC Midtjylland on Monday.
  • Dan Califf and FC Midtjylland play AGF Aarhus on Monday.
  • Michael Parkhurst started and played 90 minutes in FC Nordsjaelland's 4-0 loss vs. Esbjerg on Sunday.
  • Marcus Tracy came off the bench and played 6 minutes in Aalborg's 1-0 loss vs. Silkeborg IF on Sunday.

Norway

  • Troy Perkins started and played 90 minutes in Valerenga's&#01
    60;4-1 win vs. Lyn on Sunday.
  • Mikkel Diskerud did not dress in Stabaek's 2-1 win vs. Odd Grenland on Saturday. He is with the U.S. U-20 national team.
  • Clarence Goodson and IK Start play Viking on Monday.
  • Hunter Freeman and IK Start play Viking on Monday.

Sweden

  • Alejandro Bedoya started and played 90 minutes in Orebro SK's 3-1 win vs. Kalmar FF on Sunday.

Mexico

  • Jose Francisco Torres started and played 73 minutes in Pachuca's 3-1 loss vs. Monterrey on Saturday.
  • Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes in San Luis' 4-2 loss vs. Cruz Azul on Saturday.
  • Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in UANL's 0-0 draw vs. Indios de Ciudad Juarez on Saturday.
  • Marco Vidal came off the bench and played 2 minutes in Indios de Ciudad Juarez's 0-0 draw vs. UANL on Saturday.

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What do you think of these performances? Surprised that Friedel is still playing at such a high level? Are Howard and Everton ready to put their slow start behind them? Happy to see Altidore get his first EPL start?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Don’t forget Davies. He played all last matches and he’s good. A great surprise in France. Freddy Adu has not the level to play in a major championship in Europe, I’m sorry. It’s too late now. Players like him are numerous in Europe.

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  2. Ha, Isaac, what exactly are you basing your comment about Adu probably being a star player for his new team if he’s given the chance? Because he’s “supposed” to be a good player? What a ridiculous comment. You can’t say he’ll be a great player when he hasn’t even played yet and given his history in Europe. At least have some evidence to back up your claims…

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  3. I am starting to suspect that FREDDY STINKS. The last 12 coaches seemed to have thought so. I think it’s time to stop blaming the coaches for being a bunch of blind anti-american idiots and start wondering what the f** Freddy is doing to try to get on the field.

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  4. Torres played only 73 min? When will he be fully fit for an entire match? i can see that’s why Bradley doesnt want to start him. He wouldnt want to play someone that you are *forced* to sub 70 min into the match.

    c’mon Torres! i like how he plays – but he’s gotta get his stamina up

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  5. I didn’t understand Hull’s pairing Jozy with Venegoor of Hesselink. Ghilas looked lively after he came on and I reckon that he’ll be paired more often with Venegoor of Hesselink OR Jozy.

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  6. For perspective, it might be nice to see how big the average European squad is–what percentage of players dress,get on the field, start?

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  7. Dempsey had an off game, gave away a ball that resulted in the eventual game winning goal (the manager called it “blatant”) and he was off shortly after. He is not going to lose his starting spot off of the game, I don’t think, but with Davies coming back healthy, there is little room for error.

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  8. “3rd game in a row that Michael Bradley has not made it on the pitch. Do you think dad will hold that against him and use the same standard he used against other players? Onyewu same thing.”

    If that was actually true (standards?) than have fun watching MLS centerbacks in these next games, because they are basically the only ones playing… Or maybe Goodson; Can we say Mexico in the Gold Cup ppl? Just drop this “standard” thing, there is no blanket rule, the players perceived to give us the best chance of winning play…

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  9. jesus, this is not good. what is going on with half of these players. at least Gladbach is not winning with Bradley not in the lineup, could help him get back in.

    Adu still failing miserably.

    Torres, Castillo, and Orozco must be considered as USMNT starters since they are at least playing club ball.

    And what is up with Spector? Looks like Dolo gets the start at RB.

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  10. 3rd game in a row that Michael Bradley has not made it on the pitch. Do you think dad will hold that against him and use the same standard he used against other players? Onyewu same thing.

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  11. Watched the Hull City – Birmingham City game this weekend and Jozy was invisible. To be fair, Hull is not a good team and Jozy wasn’t getting much in the way of service but he wasn’t working that hard off the ball and he wasn’t making runs; I wasn’t surprised when he got subbed. I suspect he’s destined for an “impact sub” role…

    Reply
  12. most of these guys just aren’t good enough to play. funny though. most of the guys in the mexican league start or play often. funny they get barely get a whiff of the u.s. national team though.

    Reply
  13. Plus Pittman has always made it very clear he wants nothing more than to play for the USA. Maybe a Gold Cup or B team call up in a few years.

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  14. in the future if they were to continue progress into the champ/premier do you think that Pittman, J.Johnson or Simik could be options for the US.? they are Americans by birth..

    Pittman is only 22. I think there is a chance he could get a call up at some point in his career. He is doing well at Wycombe and is the club’s top scorer. League One is his lowest level IMO, he can only go up from here.

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  15. at least we will always have keepers!

    in the future if they were to continue progress into the champ/premier do you think that Pittman, J.Johnson or Simik could be options for the US.? they are Americans by birth…

    Reply
  16. Those of you who are still holding out for Freddy Adu, please spare me. He is a chump. If you can’t dress for Belenenses, its all over.

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  17. Pittman was very lively for Wycombe. He played on the right wing and was a threat with his crosses and pace. He really upped Wycombe’s level of play.

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  18. So for the second straight week the Belenenses coach says “Freddy will play this week” to the media outlets and he dosent even make the squad……this is just like Ricardo again. who the hell is pulling the strings? At the same time Onyewu dosent even play….they used him as a Marketing plan too. Just go to AC milan’s website you click on everybody else you get a player bio…you click on Onyewu and it puts you to the team store in english to buy gear.Onyewu got fooled. No way kaladze was better than onyewu in Pre-season…..Onyewu was the #3 and now he is the #4 after not even playing a game yet.

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  19. I give up – Freddy Adu will obviously never play for any team ever again. There is just no sequence of events that will lead to him playing competitive soccer. A word of advice, Freddy: plastics. It’s a growth industry.

    First Monaco, then Xerez, then Belenenses – why do these teams put together expensive loan deals for players and then never play them? I’d be furious if my team threw away money like that.

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  20. Ives, or anyone else who might know, How are the ratings going so far on Serie A and EPL on Espn? Do the ratings justify they continuing to carry the games? Will be able to follow our yanks abroad for some time to come? Any chance of expansion of coverage?

    Reply
  21. Randall, don’t be too concerned. I’ve heard that it is much better to be riding the pine in Europe than playing regularly in MLS if a player wants to get better.

    That’s why they go there. That and to pay much higher taxes and a much higher cost of living.

    /sarcasm-lite

    Reply
  22. i could care less about adu- im a little concerned with how much time bradley and onyewu are going to see heading into a world cup year.

    its not good at all.

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  23. Ives,

    I wouldnt call this a good weekend. From your list there were 32 players (excluding keepers) who had an opportunity to play. 15 guys didnt play and 8 players didnt even dress. Out of all the guys you have listed here that could have played this weekend (again excluding goalies) they only averaged 36 minutes of playing time.

    I usually have a more positive outlook than most US fans but im starting to question Gooch’s move to Milan. Maybe I was wrong but I expected more playing time by now.

    (SBI-Who called it a good weekend? The story clearly says that there were “some positive performances”. We did the doom-and-gloom Americans Abroad last week, but would you have us drone on about the negatives week after week? Guys not playing isn’t a new development, the troubling part of Onyewu and Bradley not playing.

    Your closer look isn’t all that thorough. Of the players who didn’t play, only three weren’t out due to injury or U-20 national team duty. That’s Beasley, Johnson and Adu. As for as the low minute totals, two of the lower-minute players are forwards freshout of college who are paying their dues in Europe (Grella and Tracy) and a kid who has yet to be considered for the national team and who normally plays more in Vidal. Lastly, the five guys set to play Monday are all starters, so that would boost your minutes per player stat, which to be honest seems a bit of a silly stat to even consider.

    There are positives, from Altidore starting to Bedoya starting to Torres, Orozco and Castillo starting. Those are all young guys. Yes, it’s disappointing when high-profile national team players like Onyewu and Bradley have to go through a rough patch without minutes, but that’s part of life in Europe. There are some positives to go along with the negatives. Try and look at the bright side Ross. Things should get better.)

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  24. Cherundolo looked really good in the 45 I watched. The more I see him, the more I buy into his game. I thought Spector at L or R back was a given, but if Spector can’t get run on West Ham that makes things a little tighter.

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  25. Guys, I understand that Freddy has been a bit of a let down, but lets not give up on him. Anyone can see that if he had been getting consistent playing time he would be a starter on this team and probably a star player. He hasn’t ,but if he does, it can only stand to make this team better, especially considering the World Cup is just around the corner. Like his Twitter said, his coach is taking it step by step.

    Reply
  26. A crappy week:

    Gooch still hasn’t sniffed the pitch.

    Cooper is playing attacking mid?

    Freddy didn’t even dress

    Dempsey gets yanked (no pun) at 62 mins

    I thought Spector was a starter?

    Reply
  27. Freidel was just amazing. It’s great to see him playing at such a high level with a successful team. Seems as if goalkeepers at least can play longer if they retire from the national team and the travel.

    Didn’t see the Fulham game but apparently Dempsey was not good, gave a way a ball that resulted in a goal and was the first one yanked.

    Assume that DeMeritt is still injured?

    Reply
  28. SBI, don’t forget Tyrel Lacey. He was in goal for Lyn’s loss to Perkin’s Valerenga. He’s been the starter since his arrival in late July. Lyn’s a near shoe-in for relegation it looks like but he’s getting the experience.

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  29. I’m over Freddy, really. I guess I used to be a Freddy supporter but after seeing him in the Gold Cup…..yuck. He needs to come back to the MLS.

    Reply
  30. i thought this was supposed to be it… this was the move that would lead to him playing… this was the game in which he would play… damn…

    Reply
  31. From what I have read, it wasn’t such a great weekend. Jozy started but did not do well. A lot of others are still playing. Friedel is amazing and would still have the national team starting job if he had not retired.

    Reply

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