By FRANCO PANIZO
It did not take very long for Jozy Altdiore to fulfill U.S. men's national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann's wishes.
Days after Klinsmann said he wanted to see Altidore create and finish his own chances, Altidore did just that and more in AZ Alkmaar's 3-3 draw with RKC Waalwijk on Sunday. Altidore continued to tear up the Eredivisie by netting his eighth goal in league play (and ninth in all competitions) on a great individual effort that saw him dribble by a pair of defenders before hitting a shot off the near post and in. Altidore followed that up by helping save AZ from defeat, assisting on an 88th-minute equalizer by heading a ball across the penalty area.
Aron Johannsson was another player that scored this weekend, netting the winner in AGF Aarhus' 2-1 over Odense BK on Sunday. The goal was Johannsson's Superliga-leading 11th of the season and marked the fifth consecutive league game in which he has tallied, a stretch of matches that has seen Johannsson score 10 of his 11 goals.
Dempsey also found the back of the net, scoring the decisive goal in Tottenham Hotspur's surprise 3-2 victory over Manchester United on Saturday. The goal, Dempsey's first for Spurs, gave Tottenham their first win at Old Trafford since 1989 and gave them three big points in their quest to try and lock up one of the Premiership's Champions League spots this season.
Here's how the Americans Abroad fared this weekend:
ENGLAND
Premiership
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Everton's 3-1 win vs. Southampton on Saturday.
- Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Tottenham Hotspur's 3-2 win vs. Manchester United on Saturday.
- Clint Dempsey started, played 70 minutes and scored a GOAL for Tottenham Hotspur.
- Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Aston Villa's 1-1 draw vs. West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
- Eric Lichaj dressed but did not play for Aston Villa.
- Geoff Cameron started and played 90 minutes in Stoke City's 2-0 win vs. Swansea City on Saturday.
- Maurice Edu dressed but did not play for Stoke City.
Championship
- Tim Ream dressed but did not play in Bolton Wanderers' 1-0 loss vs. Crystal Palace 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 1-0 win vs. Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
- Will Packwood started and played 81 minutes for Birmingham City.
- Conor Doyle did not dress in Derby County's 1-0 win vs. Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
- Zak Whitbread dressed but did not play in Leicester City's 2-1 win vs. Middlesbrough on Saturday.
League One
- Frank Simek started and played 90 minutes in Carlisle United's 2-0 loss vs. Crawley Town on Saturday.
- Robbie Rogers did not dress in Stevenage's 2-2 draw vs. Bury on Saturday.
- Mike Grella came off the bench and played one minute in Scunthorpe United's 2-1 loss vs. Portsmouth on Saturday.
SPAIN
La Liga
- Oguchi Onyewu dressed but did not play in Malaga CF's 4-0 win vs. Real Betis on Saturday.
Segunda Division
- Carlos Bocanega started and played 90 minutes in Racing Santander's 1-1 draw vs. Numancia on Saturday.
ITALY
- Michael Bradley did not dress in AS Roma's 4-1 loss vs. Juventus on Sunday.
GERMANY
Bundesliga
- Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96's 1-0 loss vs. Hamburg SV on Saturday.
- Jermaine Jones started, played 73 minutes and received a yellow card in Schalke 04's 2-2 draw vs. Fortuna Dusseldorf on Friday.
- Fabian Johnson started and played 90 minutes in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim's 0-0 draw vs. FC Augsburg on Saturday.
- Danny Williams started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
- Timmy Chandler started and played 90 minutes in FC Nurnberg's 2-0 loss vs. VfB Stuttgart on Saturday.
- David Yelldell did not dress in Bayer Leverkusen's 2-0 win vs. SpVgg Greuther Furth on Saturday.
2. Bundesliga
- Alfredo Morales and Hertha Berlin play MSV Duisburg on Monday.
- John Anthony Brooks and Hertha Berlin play MSV Duisburg on Monday.
- Andrew Wooten dressed but did not play in SV Sandhausen's 4-0 loss vs. TSV 1860 Munich on Saturday.
- Joe Gyau dressed but did not play in St Pauli's 3-0 loss vs. SSV Jahn Regensburg on Friday.
NETHERLANDS
- Jozy Altidore started, played 90 minutes, had an ASSIST and scored a GOAL in AZ Alkmaar's 3-3 draw vs. RKC Waalwijk on Saturday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnepAMwvOKA?feature=player_embedded]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLvLCiJpqcU?feature=player_embedded]
PORTUGAL
- Tony Taylor dressed but did not play in G.D. Estoril Praia's 2-2 draw vs. Sporting Lisbon on Saturday.
- Caleb Patterson-Sewell did not dress in Vitoria Setubal FC's 1-1 draw vs. Beira Mar on Sunday.
BELGIUM
- Sacha Kljestan dressed but did not play in RSC Anderlecht's 3-0 win vs. Lokeren on Saturday.
RUSSIA
- Eugene Starikov did not dress in FC Rostov's 4-0 loss vs. Rubin Kazan on Sunday.
AUSTRIA
- Terrence Boyd started, played 60 minutes and received a yellow card in Rapid Vienna's 2-0 win vs. Wacker Innsbruck on Saturday.
DENMARK
- Michael Parkhurst started, played 90 minutes and had an ASSIST in FC Nordsjaelland's 3-0 win vs. Esbjerg on Friday. You can see the assist here.
- Clarence Goodson did not dress in Brondby IF's 3-2 loss vs. Randers FC on Sunday. He was serving his suspension for the ejection he received last week.
- Conor O'Brien and SonderjyskE play FC Midtjylland on Monday.
- Charlie Davies dressed but did not play in Randers FC's 3-2 win vs. Brondby IF on Sunday.
- Aron Johannsson started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in AGF Aarhus' 2-1 win vs. Odense BK on Sunday.
SWEDEN
- Alejandro Bedoya started, played 90 minutes and had an ASSIST in Helsingborgs IF's 3-0 win vs. Atvidabergs FF on Sunday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpLVKDwZvpY?feature=player_embedded]
- Brian Span and Djurgardens IF play Mjallby on Monday.
NORWAY
- Josh Gatt did not dress in Molde FK's 4-3 win vs. Stabaek IF on Sunday. He is recovering from a hamstring injury.
- Steve Clark started and played 90 mintues in Honefoss BK's 0-0 draw vs. Sogndal on Sunday.
- Mix Diskerud started, played 90 minutes, received a yellow card and scored a GOAL in Rosenborg BK's 5-2 win vs. Haugesund on Friday. You can see the goal here.
- Sean Cunningham did not dress in Stabaek IF's 4-3 loss vs. Molde FK on Sunday.
- Chad Barrett and Valerenga play Fredrikstad on Monday.
MEXICO
- Jose Torres came off the bench and played 26 minutes in Pachuca's 1-0 win vs. Chivas de Guadalajara on Saturday.
- Herculez Gomez dressed but did not play Santos Laguna's 3-1 win vs. Atlante on Sunday.
- Hector Joya came off the bench and played 21 minutes for Santos Laguna.
- DaMarcus Beasley started and played 68 minutes in Puebla's 1-1 draw vs. Pumas UNAM on Sunday.
- Jonathan Bornstein did not dress in Tigres UANL's 0-0 draw vs. San Luis on Saturday.
- Michael Orozco Fiscal came off the bench and played 10 minutes in San Luis' 0-0 draw vs. Tigres UANL on Saturday.
- Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Club Tijuana's 1-0 win vs. Queretaro on Saturday.
- Joe Corona dressed but did not play for Club Tijuana.
- Greg Garza did not dress for Club Tijuana.
- Ventura Alvarado did not dress in Club America's 1-1 draw vs. Morelia on Saturday.
——-
What do you think of these performances? Expecting Altidore to get sold next summer? Do you see Dempsey and Tottenham earning a Champions League spot this season? Think there is any chance Johannsson accepts a U.S. men's national team call-up soon?
Share your thoughts below.
Wow, dont agree at all. Clint played so much better in the Lazio match than against ManU. He caused Lazio far more problems
watching this for the first time I could believe what I saw, I almost fell out of my chair in amazement …..Altidore….our Altidore…22 year old Jozy…lol, WTF!!!!
People forget that he is only 22 years old
I would rather Klinsmann not call Johannsson. The extra n and s is a waste of time.
off the top of your head Iceland may seem like a team that will never make a WC, but they are second in the WCQ group at the moment (1st place qualifies, 2nd has a two-leg playoff) and their group is Switzerland, Albania, Cyprus, Norway, and Slovenia. I actually think they have a decent chance at winning the group or at least finishing second and maybe drawing a weaker team in the UEFA playoff. They have a really good team, best on paper in that group imo.
In my mind, the major lesson during the past 10 days week taught to us by AVB of Tottenham and which Klinsmann should take note, is that Clint Dempsey’s ideal position is as a withdrawn forward in a 4-2-3-1 and combined with robust attacking action on both the left and right wings. AVB tried Clint out at left wing in the first half against Lazio and it didn’t work and then tried him as the lone forward last week in the Captial Cup game and he was not convincing. But when AVB put Clint behind Jermain Dafoe against Man U. Clint was a big success offensively with the winning goal and with strong defense. I think it should be carved in stone that Clint Dempsey plays only as a withdrawn striker for the USMNT and that the rest of the roster has to be built around that. I could see either Jozy or Herc Gomez (or Wondo or Chris Rolf) in front of Clint, with Donovan or Zusi on the right wing and Shea or Chris Pontius on left wing and with either Jones, Torres or MB as an advanced central defensive midfiedler and Edu, Williams, Beckerman or Cameron as the deep defensive midfielder.
Jozy headed it down for MB90 for the equalizer vs Slovenia in the World Cup, not dissimilar from this one.
Have you ever seen Packwood play for Birmingham?
On club level McBride and Demps/Landon (if you count them as strikers then obviously they are better) are the only ones with possibly better resumes than Jozy. And he’s 22. Crazy.
Yeah, all the guys playing in Jamaica or Guatemala would make those Dutch defenders look like slow, lazy chumps. Great argument; and besides, Jurgi can answer any doubters by just pointing to the record and noting how he has the team playing more offensive and productive football.
Jozy hasn’t looked great lately for the nats. However, outside of a few good individual performances we haven’t looked like a “team” in quite some time. So why is it surprising Jozy isn’t flowing as well as he is in Holland. Herc is great and Jozy is great. Herc just fits better into our system,whatever that is right now.
Klinsmann has apparently made contact with Aron already. We will know soon if we have a shot at him if he declines Icelands callup to a qualifier on Oct 12 I think. If he’s not there you can assume JK got to him. If he’s on that squad, we have lost him to Iceland.
http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/americans-abroad-aron-johannsson-starts-strong/
Here is the article I was talking about with Johannsson
for me, he has performed damn well in most of the games he has played with the national team! he has definitely been miles better than any other us forward, and considering the fact that he is improving every day because of his age and playing situation, what is there not to like? i agree that it is a great thing that he has to fight for his spot (even though I am not sure how much “competition” the other guys are). why not be excited about the thought of how good he could be for the us in brazil?
Trust me…I’d like his performance to be EVERYTHING the Nat’s need in a striker; I just don’t make outlandish, wishful statements. I will just remain unconvinced due to 2 facts: #1) -He had 2+ years as THE #1 striker for the Nat’s and just didn’t perform — period. Now he has competition and will have to fight for his spot, regardelss of how well he plays in the Dutch league. (A =/= B; one doesn’t necesarily equal the other.) Fact #2 Gomez and others seem to have consistently out-worked him and at to some degree outproduced him for the Nat’s over the last year…especially in tight games.
Finally, I AM impressed by his maturation in the Dutch league in 18 months, but the Dutch league is NOT focused on defense. Period….they just aren’t. They are known for wide open tactics that result in alot of shots and chances. Good for him, but not the same as a tight, high pressure internatinal game. We will have to agree to disagree. Have fun on the Jozy bandwagon.
i am pretty sure that it actually is very hard to score and assist on goals at the rate he has in the dutch league. the defenders are not some cut-rate chumps, and the tactics might be more open but it is not like those coaches are completely disregarding defensive tactics. downplaying jozy’s goals (or the QUALITY of them) is tough criticism. what is the alternative — for him to NOT be scoring [f’ing killer] goals in the dutch league?
jump on board bro
agree that this is more complicated than just giving altidore the standing he enjoyed under bradley. i think that in the end, this will be a case of jurgen using place holders in certain spots on the field as he builds the team he wants for 2014.
make him fit. he is that good and it is that simple
he mentioned on some news article that a call up from the US would be very hard to turn down. Iceland are not going anywhere near the world cup.
who is the Aron Johansson kid? And why is he not cap tied yet? Klinsman get on this ASAP
Simply….I still like and believe more in Herc Gomez’s work rate vs. Jozy’s past National team inconsistency.
It’s not as hard to look really good in a league in which they don’t play aggressive defense.
I think the “jury is still out”; let’s see his work rate along with how he has improved his skills such as movement whithout the ball, hold-up play, and ability to create for himself on the international level in a truly hostile stadium. Holland isn’t hostile and they don’t play D. Consistency will prove it to me. He has improved a great deal in Holland, but maturity and consistency are what were missing in the past. Prove it with the Nat’s….
I agree that he is the best forward we have. Klinsmann’s position that the dutch league is more wide open than qualifying where the opponents are bunkered down makes sense. I like very much Klinsmann’s openness and his shoring up weak spots in the lineup but he seems a little too certain and hardheaded about somethings and his attitude towards Jozy is one of those. Nobody is entitled to or guaranteed a spot. But ease up Jorgen. Son’t lose some of our best players.
I agree with OEGA FAN in time he will pass all them
Thanks for posting the video of Jozy’s game-saving assist. That was a very smart play by a guy who hasn’t gotten enough credit for his cerebral qualities.
11 goals in 11 matches. He’s soon to be 22. I’m pretty sure Iceland will call him up soon. Besides this dude is probably very “Icelandic” in being you know.
who is this Packwood? I doubt he’ll be in any camp soon. Maybe after the WC sure
he makes MLS proud
Most likely he will be a sub for the time being and a starter in the cup. It sucks but with an injury, he’s back to starting
Exactly. Jozy is the best but for some reason he plays like a rating of 7 with the Nats instead of a 10 he does with his club. We need to find a way for him to bring his superb form to the National team. I guess it’s hard to accomodate the playing styles of Jozy, Dempsey and Donovan altogether. But seeing as Jozy is here for the next 10years adapting to him is much better.
can we please do a new in-depth interview with Jozy? Maybe not now but over the next month. He’s earned it. Best striker in Holland right now
better striker?
Wynalda? McBride? Wolff? Mathis? Casey? Ching? EJ? Altidore?
Jozy is already our best striker ever at least on club level but still has like 10-12 years where he can contribute to the Nats. He will become our greatest striker in time
Good weekend for the Yanks that played and for one who didn’t. Michael Bradley’s first child was born this weekend, so congrats to him (and Grandpa Bob!)
Wow, really?
Good for him as an MLS alum.
This would be my ideal line up. I think that would offer the perfect balance between offense and defense. My only concern would be how zusi would do against tougher opposition. The friendly against Russia would be an ideal test of whether he is someone we can rely on going forward
That is not debatable but who fits best with the team is. The best XI rarely make the best squad.
wow, altidore may have impressed me more with that assist than with the goal. if he saw and lead the trailer who scored and wasn’t trying to feed #10 there with him, it could easily have been the play someone like thierry henry would have made.
With the Eurocup expanding by 8 teams, Iceland has a decent shot to make that every 4 years.
So all of a sudden Aron Johannsson is getting mentioned all the time on these boards, and apparently he is tearing it up in Denmark.
Any insight into whether he plays for the U.S. It seems like he should identify more closely with Iceland, but he has to realize that playing for the US is the only way he’ll ever see time in anything beyond the first round of WCQ.
I must say day by day I am loving USMNT’s overall chances more and more. Our defense is looking solid, with Boca playing consistent football against decent opponents, Cameron a no-brainer pick into the Stoke side, Dolo continuing to plug away in Hannover, and Johnson creating consistent chances, and playing well for Hofferniem.
We also feature a solid attacking team. Dempsey and Donavan are of course no-brainer picks to anchor the attack. Surely, Bradley will also feature in a Klinsmann 11, either playing as a defensive midfeilder or higher up the pitch. We could also see Williams or Jones slotted at DM instead. I hope Josh Gatt is everything he’s set out to be, providing a much needed beat foot off the bench. Zusi looked like more than just an MLS player against Jamaica, and Shea can be threatening. I hope Sacha gets a chance to prove himself, if not the soonest qualifiers, than against Russia or in the hex. In my opinion we need an attacking midfeilder like him or Holden (when he gets healthy) to help our D+D get chances. Finally the strikers. There is the tireless worker who provides less quality on the ball, but certainly an adept finisher (Herc), Boyd the up and coming star on Rapid, and Altidore the league leader in goals, who is not only scoring, but creating chances.
Oh yeah, We’ve got Timmy Howard too.
In my opinion we should play a 4-4-2 for the upcoming qualifiers.
Howard
Dolo–Boca–Cameron–Johnson
Bradley– Jones
Zusi Donavan
Dempsey
Altidore
Zusi and Dolo connected like brothers against Jamaica, and deserve to be partnered down the right again. Jones gets the nod, because of experience as well as a his destroyer mentality. Dempsey plays behind altidore as a center forward similar to in tottenham to both create chances and score. Altidore plays up front because of his recent form. Donavan’s selection is a no brainer, but if Zusi and Gatt both improve, look for Landon’s spot to be less obvious. Comment on your thoughts.
Why doesn’t Seb Hines get tracked for ‘Boro here each week? Is he not eligible for USMNT?
Very true Mike. In my opinion, Boca has the stamina and the ability to play through this world cup. Beyond that, I think he will be retired. It is important to find the promising (and solid) Geoff Cameron a suitable partner at CB. Look for Packwood, or Omar Gonzales to receive first team call ups for the January camp.
wonder if Will Packwood will get a look in the senior camp soon. No hurry I suppose but its exciting to have such a young American starting (occasionally) at such a big club. (granted they are in the Championship currently but I consider Birmingham City a big club in the grand scheme of things)
It’s also great that Yura Movsisyan is leading the Russian Premier League in goals scored.
Jozy and Dempsey made my weekend. These are really exciting times. Absolute class from Jozy, and great defensive work from Dempsey, as well as nicking the winner. Spurs were hanging on for dear life in the second half, Scholes was playing out of his mind.
Jozy is the best American striker. Should be obvious by now. PLaying full 90 minute games, providing assists in the falling minutes of games. Dodging 4 defenders and finishing world class goals. Jozy has arrived.
Too bad Lichaj got bumped from the 11, but 5 out of 7 starting in the EPL isn’t bad.
Love what Jozy’s doing in the Netherlands and a great weekend for our boys in the Premiership as well.
USMNT DAILY UPDATE:
Jozy Altidore is unquestionably the best forward we have. There is NO debate.