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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

Jozy Altidore AZ (Ed van de Pol)

photo courtesy of Ed van de Pol

By FRANCO PANIZO

There is just no stopping Jozy Altidore at the club level right now and Roda JC Kerkrade were the latest team to find that out.

Altidore delivered what is sure to be a prime candidate for top performance of the Americans Abroad season, scoring a hat-trick and assisting on another goal in a dominant performance in AZ Alkmaar's 4-0 thrashing of Roda on Sunday. Altidore's hat-trick was his first at the club level and second in his career (he scored three goals for the U.S. men's national team in a World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago in 2009), and it gave him seven goals in five league games this season.

While Altidore's finishing may have been on display in the match, so too were his improved combination play and timely runs. The 22-year-old striker linked up with his teammates well, paving the way for a couple of goals, and he also made good runs to put himself into dangerous positions.

Jose Torres also netted this weekend, scoring the winner in Pachuca's 3-2 victory over Morelia on Friday. The goal, which came off a free kick from a narrow angle on the right flank, gave Pachuca just their second win this season and it was Torres' first tally in league play since the 2010 Clausura campaign.

Clint Dempsey did not find the back of the net, but he did make his Tottenham Hotspur debut on Sunday. Dempsey came off the bench to replace Gareth Bale and he played 12 minutes en route to helping the Spurs close out their 3-1 win against Reading.

Here's how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:

ENGLAND

Premiership

  • Tim Howard and Everton play Newcastle United on Monday.
  • Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made one save in Tottenham Hotspur's 3-1 win vs. Reading on Sunday.
  • Clint Dempsey came off the bench and played 12 minutes for Tottenham Hotspur.
  • Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Aston Villa's 2-0 win vs. Swansea City on Saturday.
  • Eric Lichaj started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card for Aston Villa.
  • Geoff Cameron came off the bench and played five minutes in Stoke City's 1-1 draw vs. Manchester City on Saturday.
  • Maurice Edu did not dress for Stoke City.

Championship

  • Tim Ream did not dress in Bolton Wanderers' 2-1 win vs. Watford on Saturday.
  • Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in Birmingham City's 2-2 draw vs. Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
  • Will Packwood did not dress for Birmingham City.
  • Conor Doyle started and played 64 minutes in Derby County's 1-0 loss vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
  • Robbie Findley did not dress in Nottingham Forest's 2-2 draw vs. Birmingham City on Saturday.
  • Zak Whitbread did not dress in Leicester City's 2-1 loss vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

League One

  • Frank Simek started and played 90 minutes in Carlisle United's 2-2 draw vs. Swindon Town on Saturday.
  • Robbie Rogers did not dress in Stevenage's 2-2 draw vs. Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.
  • Mike Grella dressed but did not play in Scunthorpe United's 1-0 win vs. Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.

SPAIN

La Liga

  • Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in Malaga CF's 3-1 win vs. Levante on Saturday.

Segunda Division

  • Carlos Bocanega dressed but did not play in Racing Santander's 3-0 win vs. Recreativo Huelva on Saturday.

ITALY

  • Michael Bradley did not dress in AS Roma's 3-2 loss vs. Bologna on Sunday. He is recovering from a thigh injury.

GERMANY

Bundesliga

  • Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96's 3-2 win vs. Werder Bremen on Saturday.
  • Jermaine Jones started and played 90 minutes in Schalke 04's 2-0 win vs. SpVgg Greuther Furth on Saturday.
  • Fabian Johnson started, played 90 minutes and had an ASSIST in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim's 5-3 loss vs. SC Freiburg on Sunday.

 [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-H7qjKf3Lo?feature=player_detailpage] 

  • Danny Williams started and played 90 minutes for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
  • Timmy Chandler started and played 90 minutes in FC Nurnberg's 3-2 win vs. Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.
  • David Yelldell did not dress in Bayer Leverkusen's 3-0 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

2. Bundesliga

  • Alfredo Morales did not dress in Hertha Berlin's 2-0 win vs. VfR Aalen on Sunday.
  • John Anthony Brooks dressed but did not play for Hertha Berlin.
  • Andrew Wooten dressed but did not play in SV Sandhausen's 1-1 draw vs. Dynamo Dresden on Saturday.
  • Joe Gyau and St Pauli play FC Cologne on Monday.

NETHERLANDS

  • Jozy Altidore started, played 90 minutes and scored THREE GOALS and had an ASSIST in AZ Alkmaar's 4-0 win vs. Roda JC Kerkrade on Sunday.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjL1POnIVEE?feature=player_detailpage] 

PORTUGAL

  • Tony Taylor and G.D. Estoril Praia did not play this weekend.
  • Caleb Patterson-Sewell and Vitoria Setubal FC did not play this weekend.

BELGIUM

  • Sacha Kljestan started and played 90 minutes in RSC Anderlecht's 1-1 draw vs. Lierse on Saturday.

RUSSIA

  • Eugene Starikov did not dress in FC Rostov's 1-0 win vs. Dinamo Moscow on Sunday.

AUSTRIA

  • Terrence Boyd started and played 67 minutes in Rapid Vienna's 0-0 draw vs. FC Trenkwalder Admira on Saturday.

DENMARK

  • Michael Parkhurst started, played 90 minutes and helped create an own goal in FC Nordsjaelland's 2-1 loss vs. FC Copenhagen on Saturday.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RymUNIhmNPo?feature=player_embedded] 

  • Clarence Goodson started and played 90 minutes in Brondby IF's 2-2 draw vs. AC Horsens on Sunday.
  • Conor O'Brien started and played 90 minutes in SonderjyskE's 2-0 loss vs. Silkeborg IF on Saturday.
  • Charlie Davies came off the bench and played 31 minutes in Randers FC's 4-0 loss vs. Aalborg BK on Sunday.

SWEDEN

  • Alejandro Bedoya did not dress in Helsingborgs IF's 4-0 win vs. GIF Sundsvall on Saturday.
  • Brian Span dressed but did not play in Djurgardens IF's 3-0 loss vs. AIK on Sunday.

NORWAY

  • Josh Gatt did not dress in Molde FK's 1-0 win vs. Haugesund on Saturday. He is recovering from a hamstring injury.
  • Steve Clark started and played 90 minutes in Honefoss BK's 2-2 draw vs. Viking on Sunday.
  • Mix Diskerud started and played 90 minutes in Rosenborg BK's 3-0 win vs. Valerenga on Sunday.
  • Sean Cunningham did not dress in Stabaek IF's 2-1 win vs. Odd Grenland on Sunday.
  • Chad Barrett started and played 56 mintues in Valerenga's 3-0 loss vs. Rosenborg BK on Sunday.

MEXICO

  • Jose Torres started, played 71 minutes and scored a GOAL in Pachuca's 3-2 win vs. Morelia on Friday.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FndPfcwSg4o?feature=player_embedded]

  • Herculez Gomez came off the bench and played 22 minutes in Santos Laguna's 2-0 loss vs. Club America on Saturday.
  • Hector Joya dressed but did not play for Santos Laguna.
  • DaMarcus Beasley started and played 90 minutes in Puebla's 3-2 loss vs. Monterrey on Sunday.
  • Jonathan Bornstein did not dress in Tigres UANL's 2-0 win vs. Cruz Azul on Saturday.
  • Michael Orozco Fiscal dressed but did not play in San Luis' 1-0 win vs. Pumas UNAM on Sunday.
  • Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Club Tijuana's 2-1 win vs. Atlante on Sunday.
  • Joe Corona came off the bench and played 25 minutes for Club Tijuana.
  • Greg Garza dressed but did not play for Club Tijuana.
  • Ventura Alvarado did not dress in Club America's 2-0 win vs. Santos Laguna on Saturday.

——-

What do you think of these performances? Think Altidore will be bought by a bigger club next summer if he keeps this up? Impressed with Torres' free kick finish? Do you see Dempsey breaking into the Spurs' starting lineup next week?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Read the article recently posted by Ives on this same site. The US mid-field lacks creativity, and doesn’t provide the service to its forwards that someone like Altidore, (or Boyd, or Gomez) require in order to have enough chances to be able to be scoring goals in braces, bunches and hat tricks.
    We desperately a couple of Freddy Adu / Claudio Reina types to pull strings and lead the attack with creative intelligence.
    Praying that Stewart Holden gets (and stays) healthy soon.

    Reply
  2. +1 John…
    man, you just said something I’ve been dying to say: the our best players are not always the best for the team. Clint is always in the middle of things, hands down one of the best player the US has ever had, but I don’t know if it because of this very success that he never combines well with other players on the national team except for Donovan…Is it lack of respect or trust in other player’s abilities? You see other foreign players link up well with their MLS counterparts and these are the times US plays “flowing” scorer..like Bradley and Adu vs Panama, bradley ans Donovan vs Scotland (Bradley with everyone..lol, Zusi and cherundolo…are just a few examples
    As a forward, yes… but as a midfielder he is not what the US needs….

    Reply
  3. +1. He will be in the model of Drogba and will only improve with time. His best world cup will be 2018, but hopefully we’ll see some fireworks in Brazil.

    Reply
  4. Jozy isn’t scoring goals for the USMNT. Gomez and Dempsey are. Until Jozy starts scoring for USMNT Gomez and Dempsey will be ahead of him and Boyd will also challenge for playing time.

    Reply
  5. While I guess it would have been biologically possible for Friedel to have fathered Lloris at age 15. Its pretty damn unlikely.

    And, many a Premier league opponent would take issue “washed-up.” Friedel is anything but washed-up.

    Reply
  6. We are not Manchester city…we dont have quality players like Manchester city…or a coaching staff like Mnachester city…if they can do it fine, thats their cup of tea but it doesn’t work for the USMNT so we need to fine what works for us

    Reply
  7. Calm down GW…we all know a little about Sneijder, Van De Vaart, Van Persie, Van Nistelrooy and the Eredvisie so no need to go off on a tangent. If you want to be critical of Old School’s comments talk about the class of the goals instead because on a serious note; Who are Roda JC Kerkrade????

    Reply
  8. Jozy is by far the best , Pure striker we have ! people needs to understand that.
    Ne is not a DM, watch all his goals in the NT Team, he gets excellent service by Donavan, who is by far the best skilled unselfish player we have, he would rather pass nd get a higher percentage chance to score a goal, others9 Dempsey) I love him but does not do that, if all the midfield would only realize that their key weapon to score goals is Jozy and then upcoming Boyd we will be fine

    Reply
  9. Just want to note that Hoffenheim’s Fabian Johnson and Daniel Williams both had yellow cards in the match against Freiburg. (Is correct, though, that Schalke’s JJ90YC did not receive a yellow card 🙂

    Reply
  10. Clint’s not a playmaker. Never was and may never be. So yes, you expect too much because he needs to focus on scoring even more. You may have noticed that though he has been an ever present in JK’s lineups, the US hasn’t produced a lot of goals.

    If the US needs a playmaker then, given the current player pool, they need to get back the guy who has been absent, one Landon Donovan. They need him to get healthy and re-motivated. It would make things a lot simpler for the USMNT.

    He was always a better playmaker than Deuce. In fact, he was always a better all-around player than Deuce. Spurs aren’t paying Deuce for his all-around skills. They are paying him to score.

    Reply
  11. he play a 4-3-3 with true wingers how had speed, technique and. If Altidore play with gyau on the left and maybe Gomez on the right and have Donovan, Dempsey, Holden, distributing the ball to him he will do good, What happen when he had Charlie Davis as his partner davis had the speed and technique. Some how J.K is not setting the right players. But in a way I’m with you why can’t he play like that in the USNMT?

    Reply
  12. Cologne’s relegation wasn’t Podolski’s fault. He did his part. The last two years Podolski score 14 and then 18 goals for them and then Wenger bought him. They were crap. Anyone who says he didn’t play well for his club isn’t paying attention.

    Reply
  13. We’ve never really got to see Dempsey with a lot of great support. Jozy has a tremendous attacking cast to play off of and it has really improved his game.

    It just disappoints me that Clint doesn’t seem to have great chemistry with anyone on the national team. I wish he could get on a club team with Jozy or Boyd and really get a lot of time together on the pitch.

    Reply
  14. Agreed. He’s both disciplined and hungry. He’s doing a great job of timing his runs, and as soon as he passes the ball, he aggressively moves into position to receive a return pass. He’s always had the technical ability, but his tactical sense is so much better now.

    Of course, it also helps to have teammates with enough technical skill to get him the ball.

    Reply
  15. I expect too much? I guess I expect a soccer player to try to work with teammates when he is around the box rather than taking shots that inevitably get blocked. Sure, alot of his prayers get answered (vs. England in WC), but more often than not he fails to see a better option.

    I just hope he can work on it because I think in the current USMNT setup he needs to become more of a playmaker.

    Reply
  16. The work Jozy did on that third goal was class and quality. He’s really turning into something truly special. Now he needs a U.S. midfield that can actually get the ball forward and support him, and we’ll truly have a formidable attack…

    Reply
  17. You expect too much. If you have Albert Pujols coming to the plate in the 9th, down by one, a man on first, you don’t ask him to bunt.

    How do you know Duff wouldn’t balloon it over the bar? Before he got to Fulham he played 334 games for other EPL teams and scored 46 goals, a goal every 7.26 games.
    A goals scoring midfielder usually scores a goal about every 4 to 5 games.

    Duff’s record shows he is not a goal scoring midfielder and that is not Clint’s fault. If I were Clint, I would know that I am a much better scorer and would not have passed Duff the ball. Not that it happened like that.You have the luxury of seeing things on TV that Clint, at field view with someone breathing down his neck and tugging on his shirt does not have. The next time you play in an EPL match and can easily make the “simple, open, goal imminent pass” you let me know how that works out for you.

    Clint is not and never has been a playmaker. He makes his 7 million a year because he scores goals not because of his assists.

    If he thinks he has a better shot he will take it every time. That is what scorers are paid to do.

    Reply
  18. Please define what you mean by “World Class”.

    That is an overused term that has no meaning unless the person who uses it defines exactly what they mean.

    It’s like MVP. Valuable to who? And what exactly do you value?

    Reply
  19. It’s not insane. Manchester City does it all the time. And when JK came in the number one problem for the US was a shaky defense.

    Any team that starts with a 2-0 lead on Mexico and then gives up four straight goals has a defensive problem ( and it wasn’t all about Jonny B).

    Reply

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