Top Stories

Americans Abroad: A Look Ahead

Tim Ream (Reuters)

By FRANCO PANIZO

It is do-or-die time for Bolton Wanderers.

Staring relegation in the face, Bolton will only avoid the drop to the Championship if they win their game at Stoke City and Manchester City tops Queens Park Rangers on Sunday. Tim Ream should resume his role in central defense for the Trotters, and he will need to help shutdown the likes of Peter Crouch and Kenwyne Jones to give Bolton a chance at staying in the EPL.

Brad Friedel also has a big game to play on Sunday as he and Tottenham look to catch Arsenal for third place in the Premier League. Spurs will have the benefit of not facing Clint Dempsey, who will miss the match due to an injury.

Another possible farewell match will take place in Scotland when Rangers battle St Johnstone to close out their tumultuous season. The game could mark the last time we see any and all of Maurice Edu, Carlos Bocanegra and Alejandro Bedoya in Rangers' colors, as they head into an offseason of uncertainty.

Here is who the Americans Abroad play this weekend:

SATURDAY

Terrence Boyd and Borussia Dortmund play Bayern Munich in DFB Pokal final.

Oguchi Onyewu and Sporting CP play Braga. (Onyewu is suspended due to being ejected last weekend.)

Samuel Petrone and Mjallby AIF play Kalmar.

Ricardo Clark, Sean Cunningham and Stabaek IF play Josh Gatt and Molde FK.

SUNDAY

Adam Henley and Blackburn Rovers play Chelsea.

Tim Howard, Marcus Hahnemann and Everton play Newcastle United.

Zak Whitbread and Norwich City play Brad Guzan, Eric Lichaj and Aston Villa.

Stuart Holden, Tim Ream and Bolton Wanderers play Stoke City. (Holden is out injured.)

Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Clint Dempsey and Fulham (Dempsey is out injured).

Dominic Cervi and Celtic play Heart of Midlothian.

Maurice Edu, Alejandro Bedoya, Carlos Bocanegra and Rangers play St Johnstone.

Michael Bradley and Chievo Verona play Lecce.

Charlie Davies and Sochaux play Caen.

Quentin Westberg and Evian Thonon Gaillard play Nice.

Eugene Starikov and Zenit St. Petersburg Anzhi Makhachkala.

Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Standard Liege in the Pro League playoffs.

Mix Diskerud and KAA Gent play Racing Genk in the Pro League playoffs.

Brad Rusin and HB Koge play Silkeborg IF.

Conor O'Brien and SonderjyskE play FC Copenhagen.

Clarence Goodson and Brondby IF play AGF Aarhus.

Steve Clark and Honefoss BK play Odd Grenland.

Herculez Gomez and Santos Laguna play Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL in the Liguilla.

MONDAY

Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play Odense BK.

————-

Which matches are you most looking forward to? Do you see Ream and Bolton avoiding the drop? Think Dempsey will be playing in his last game for Fulham? Which of Bedoya, Edu and Bocanegra do you expect back at Rangers next season?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. +1 Everyone gives Evans a break like he didn’t really mean to to it. Didn’t know folks were all such great mindreaders. Not that Evans is – always – dirty; but sometimes folks should look at the evidence.

    Reply
  2. Negligent and dirty too. But yeah Stu should have known he was setting himself up in that sequence for a take-down, and skipped over Evans attempt to take him – and not the ball – out.

    Reply
  3. Sometimes I wonder how some players get the label ‘dirty’ and others seem to avoid it. There are three infamous DeJong tackles. The one that broke Stu’s leg, the karate kick to Xabi Alonso’s chest and the tackle that broke Ben Arfa’s leg. Jonny Evans ripped open Holden’s knee and karate kicked Drogba. I wouldn’t say he’s far behind. Did you know that beside those three tackles mentioned above, De Jong has only received one other red card in his entire career, for two bookable offenses while playing for Hamburg? I’m not defending his style of play, just saying that both he and Evans go in hard, but only one is called ‘dirty’.

    Reply
  4. As I have said before, Dempsey’s best bet is at Schalke where he:
    1) fits Stevens system
    2) will continue to bag goals with Huntalaar
    3) will play CL football

    Reply
  5. Thanks byrdman – you are right about Evans, he is not a dirty player and I was wrong to label him one, and de Jong.

    But de Jong is just dirty-just look back at 2010 WC for all the evidence you need. He reminds me of the West Indians I used play with in the amateur leagues in South Florida. None of the predominantly Hispanic clubs I played for would ever chase a 50/50 ball vs. them because it was a good way to end up in the hospital and out of work.

    Reply
  6. Different country, different language, different culture. It’s a bigger jump than Houston to Dallas.

    Reply
  7. You realize a plane from Berlin to London takes an hour, right? Moving to another country in Europe is like moving from Houston to Dallas over here. Besides, having the opportunity to have a child immersed in another language and culture, especially in Germany where most folks speak Enhlish better than most Americans do, could be seen as a bonus.

    Reply
  8. Dempsey would prefer not to move his young family. A transfer to Arsenal would be perfect for him. He would be on a Champions League team and he wouldn’t have to move his family at all.

    Reply
  9. I’m not praying, but I do have my fingers crossed. Dortmund would be my first choice for Dempsey also. Great team, biggest stadium in Germany (80,000) sold out every game, great coach, Champions League. It is a young team that fizzled in the Champions League this past season and I think Klopp should bring in a good player who has Premier League experience. If Dortmund loses attacking center midfielder Kagawa to Man U., which seems likely, then Klopp might consider bringing in Dempsey. All that said, I still think Dortmund’s fierce enemy rival Schalke stands a better chance of acquiring Dempsey. I don’t see Dempsey after five years at Fulham going to a competing club in the Premier League. And if not Germany, probably Italy.

    Reply
  10. I’m praying Dortmund makes him an offer. Bundesliga champs that will be losing some key offensive starters that need to bolster their roster to deal with the increased matches of CL and league competition. Chances are very Good they’d pay him well and he would start and contribute weekly.

    As for EPL, I just don’t see him fitting at Arsenal. Tottenham, yes. Chelsea and Man U and Man City? He’d have too many folks to fight past before being seriously considered. He should g o where he’ll play and where his style size and IQ will be appreciated. For my money that’s a top 2 Germany side.

    Reply
  11. Well Steve is an American, and he does play abroad. So why am I in the wrong for asking that he be included? He’s been slighted repeatedly on the AA page.

    Reply
  12. Why do you think it is only for one year?

    Do you think getting back into the EPL is a mere formality for Bolton?

    They are not that good.

    There is a reason everyone fights so hard to avoid relegation in the first place. If they go down Holden may well never play in the EPL again. Ream has a better chance because he is younger and he plays a position of need.

    Reply
  13. Actually I think it was the infamous Nigel de Jong that got him during the Holland “not so friendly”. And if my memory serves me, Johny Evans was the culprit in the most recent injury. In the last injury, I believe last spring, they both went in aggressively, and Evans missed the ball, going over the top, and cracked Stu pretty good. Negligence yes, dirty no. Probably the best word would be reckless on Evans part, but Stu was “a little naive” as some have said. He could probably pick and choose his spots a little better. But I love his attitude and heart. It would serve all of us, to spend some time listening to him and his encouraging spin on life.

    Reply
  14. If Holden had been healthy I do believe that he would have been sold to PL club because the kid was really blossoming into a valuable mid field motor that any say 7-20 team in the PL table would have loved to have. And it all went to hell on a very late and dirty tackle.
    Anyone remember who it was that put his career in the trainers and doctors hands?

    I remember it was Prince Boatang(or his brother- they are both notorious late tacklers and I get them confused – one plays for the Dutch and the other plays for Germany-I think-or Ghana) who broke his fibula in the Holland friendly.

    Ream will go were Bolton ends up unless a PL club is starved for a center back- which most are. They were trying to pick 2 center backs for EP best 11 on the Sirus/XM call in show this morning and they were very hard pressed to come up with two. Hard to believe but it has become the weakest position in the EP in terms of both quality and depth.

    Reply
  15. All things considered neither Tim Ream nor Stu Holden would be considered high priced tallent. I’d expect that even a championship team could afford their salaries. Still hoping that Bolton can find a way to stay up…but if the do drop so be it.

    Reply
  16. Stoke have only lost 4 times at home all year. QPR could lose to City 10-0 and still stay up. All the pressure’s on Bolton and they really have not inspired much in the way of confidence this year.

    I think QPR will stay up at the expense of Bolton.

    Reply
  17. And the Championship would be a decent league for Ream to develop in for one year. It also wouldn’t hurt Holden to recover at that level for one year. As a Bolton and USMNT fan, I want them to stay up of course. But 1 year in the Championship would be OK for both Ream and Holden — provided Coyle stays too.

    Reply
  18. Holden has already said that should they be relegated, he’ll be staying. As for ream, I think he’ll stay as well, unless someone makes an offer. He’s not making too much, and being young, he’s an attractive player to keep.

    Reply
  19. So what is going to happen to Ream and Holden if Bolton are relagated? Season loans to bigger clubs? Doubt Bolton can afford pricey players on a Championship budget.

    Reply
  20. Hey Franco:

    You left off the following on Saturday:

    Marco Vidal and Leon play against Correcaminos in the 2nd Leg of the Mexican Promotion Final

    Leon will need to overcome a 2-1 deficit on Saturday at home. The match will air live in the U.S. on FOX Deportes.

    1st Leg on Wednesday was aired live on GOLTV U.S.

    At stake: the 18th spot in the new “Liga Mexicana del Futbol” and a TV deal worth about USD $12 million.

    Leon will have a choice of signing with TV Azteca of Mexico (with sublicense in the U.S. to Univision Deportes Network) or FOX Sports Latin America (with sublicense in the U.S. to MundoFOX and FOX Deportes) if Leon were to win promotion.

    Reply
  21. “Stoke are very beatable”

    The problem is “very beatable” has described Bolton for the entire season.

    Reply
  22. You think Man City won’t beat QPR?

    Stoke are very beatable.

    These might be the two games I watch apart from Spurs vs. Fulham on Sunday.

    Reply
  23. I’ve been having the hardest time with the reality that today is Thursday, not Friday, and now this gets posted. This and the TV listings post are usually the kick off for the weekend.

    Reply
  24. Ream has showed well at Bolton. That being said he is starting instead of Zak Knight. Hope he saves the day on Sunday. The speed of the EPL is exactly what he needs to continue to develop.

    Reply

Leave a Comment