Top Stories

Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

By FRANCO PANIZO

Tim Ream and Bolton Wanderers were in a hole nine minutes into their game against Millwall, but rather than crumble the Trotters fought back to earn a draw in a subpar weekend for the Americans Abroad contingent.

Bolton earned a 1-1 draw versus Millwall on Saturday despite a poor start that saw Millwall go up early after a Ream pass partially led to a turnover before Zat Knight committed a foul in the penalty area. Bolton responded through a spot kick of their own before halftime, and Ream went the distance as the hosts moved to 8-10-9 on the season.

Michael Bradley and AS Roma were not as fortunate, as they suffered a 1-0 loss to  Catania on Sunday. Bradley was involved in one of the match’s biggest moments, failing to convert on a shot from close range just before halftime. Roma have now lost both of their first two games of 2013.

Things were not much better Geoff Cameron and Stoke City. The Potters suffered a 4-0 loss to Chelsea on Saturday that included two own goals from Jonathan Walters, a result that dropped Stoke to 10th place.

Here’s how the Americans Abroad performed this weekend:

ENGLAND

Premiership

  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Everton’s 0-0 draw vs. Swansea City on Saturday.
  • Brad Friedel dressed but did not play in Tottenham’s 0-0 draw vs. Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
  • Clint Dempsey came off the bench and played 21 minutes for Tottenham.
  • Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Aston Villa’s 1-0 loss vs. Southampton on Saturday.
  • Eric Lichaj dressed but did not play for Aston Villa.
  • Geoff Cameron started and played 90 minutes in Stoke City’s 4-0 loss vs. Chelsea on Saturday.
  • Maurice Edu did not dress for Stoke City.
  • Sebastian Lletget did not dress in West Ham United’s 3-0 loss vs. Sunderland on Saturday.

Championship

  • Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Bolton Wanderers’ 1-1 draw vs. Millwall on Saturday.
  • Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers.
  • Jonathan Spector came off the bench, played 45 minutes and received a yellow card in Birmingham City’s 2-0 win vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
  • Will Packwood did not dress for Birmingham City. He is recovering from a leg injury.
  • Conor Doyle did not dress in Derby County’s 2-1 loss vs. Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
  • Zak Whitbread did not dress in Leicester City’s 4-0 win vs. Bristol City on Saturday. He is recovering from an injury.
  • Robbie Findley did not dress in Nottingham Forest’s 2-1 win vs. Peterborough United on Saturday.

League One

  • Frank Simek started and played 90 minutes in Carlisle United’s 1-0 win vs. Coventry City on Sunday.
  • Robbie Rogers did not dress in Stevenage’s 2-1 loss vs. Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
  • Mike Grella started and played 90 minutes in Scunthorpe United’s 2-1 win vs. Colchester United on Saturday.
SPAIN

La Liga

  • Oguchi Onyewu dressed but did not play in Malaga CF’s 3-1 loss vs. Barcelona on Sunday.

Segunda Division

  • Carlos Bocanega did not dress in Racing Santander’s 2-0 loss vs. Hercules on Sunday.

ITALY

  • Michael Bradley started and played 90 minutes in AS Roma’s 1-0 loss vs. Catania on Sunday.

PORTUGAL

  • Tony Taylor and G.D. Estoril Praia play Beira Mar on Monday.
  • Caleb Patterson-Sewell dressed but did not play in Vitoria Setubal’s 5-0 win vs. Moreirense on Sunday.

MEXICO

  • Herculez Gomez started and played 90 minutes in Santos Laguna’s 2-0 win vs. Chivas de Guadalajara on Friday.
  • Hector Joya did not dress for Santos Laguna.
  • Jose Torres did not dress in Tigres UANL’s 3-1 win vs. Atlante on Sunday. He is recovering from an injury.
  • Jonathan Bornstein dressed but did not play for Tigres UANL.
  • Edgar Castillo started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Club Tijuana’s 1-0 win vs. Leon on Saturday.
  • Joe Corona started and played 90 minutes for Club Tijuana.
  • Greg Garza did not dress for Club Tijuana.
  • DaMarcus Beasley started and played 69 minutes in Puebla’s 1-1 draw vs. Toluca on Sunday.
  • Michael Orozco Fiscal started and played 90 minutes for Puebla.
  • Ventura Alvarado did not dress in Club America’s 2-0 win vs. Jaguares de Chiapas on Friday.

—–

What do you think of these performances? Think Ream and Bolton will enjoy a better second half of the season? What has attributed to Roma’s struggles at the start of the year?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. a few incentives that would persuade Juan to go to Celtic versus staying w/Chivas:

    more money
    every year in European competition
    valuable experience playing and learning from pros such as Samaras and Hooper
    exposure to other European clubs for future transfer
    Old Firm Derby (marquee match shown all over the world).
    Playing in Europe will increase national team call ups if playing well

    I could argue all the above points but thats how u have to look at in his interest in leaving

    Reply
    • I don’t know why any American would want to go to Celtic, the competition there isn’t great and other than the history the club doesn’t have that much going for it. For Agudelo in particular it would only make since cause he hasn’t accomplished much at all in MLS and a move somewhere else could definitely help him.

      Reply
      • Bolton is having a terrible year. Ream hasn’t played much, he’s only started starting regularly the last month or so. Bolton’s been giving up a ton of penalties, too (none due to fouls by Ream, btw.)

    • I’m sorry, “terrible year”?

      He simply hasn’t improved from his rookie season and having the ability pass doesn’t make you a good defender.

      Most of us have been saying this for years.

      Reply
    • I have been saying he was horrible. Back when I did the site commenters and the SBI staff would get pissed at me saying it. But hey, it is what it is.

      Reply
      • Ream is EXTREMELY lucky to have gotten a 3yr deal at Bolton that pays him over 1 million per year. Big mistake by Bolton based on Ream’s talent/lack of talent.

  2. Got to feel for Walters. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game like that. Two own goals and a missed penalty from the same player. Damn that’s rough.

    Reply
  3. Great to see Club Tijuana start the new season strongly, after winning Liga MX in the autumn–and even better to see Edgar Castillo and Joe Corona both playing 90 minutes in a strong defensive effort. I have been a supporter of Castillo since his first USMNT appearance under Klinsmann in the Mexico Friendly August 2011 and Castillo keeps improving. I think he has been unfairly treated by some USMNT fans, who, in my opinion, are truly blind to his talent and his will to win. He is the type of player I want on the team and I think it possible that he could be a key player in the WC 2014 roster, if not as a starter then as a sub. I also have high hopes for Corona, who might also earn a spot for Brazil also.

    Reply
    • Turned on the game for the last 15 or so minutes. Corona had one of the most beautiful first touches I have ever seen. Someone booted the ball up and with one touch, he not only controlled a very difficult ball, but managed to turn with it and run at defenders in the same motion, drawing a foul in a dangerous place. I really hope to see him more in the qualifiers.

      Reply
    • Would definately like to see more of Castillo for USMNT. He could back up Fabian Johnson at LB. I would also rank him ahead of Brek Shea at LM.

      Reply
      • Agreed, that Castillo, at least for the near-future, would be a better choice at left winger than Brek Shea. And, actually, just had the thought that if Klinsmann played Fabian and Castillo on the left as a winger/back combination, they could switch positions during the course of the game, sort of like some teams switch left and right wingers several times during the course of a game to put the defense off balance. Or at least when LB Fabian makes his runs forward then Castillo would be able to back-track and cover quite capably at left back if necessary.

    • I dont feel anyone is blind to him. He is right in the mix for the backup lb spot. I just don’t think most folks care much about backup lb so he doesnt get much attention. His position is now locked up by Fabian who came on the scene after Castillo and kind of showed him up, as he looked so much better than Edgar. It made Edgar look kind of bad in comparison. He is also not that versatile as a backup so he might lose out to Parkhurst who can play 3 different spots.

      From what I have seen with USMNT, he is a decent player but nothing special. It is great that he is getting a regular run with a good club but, since he’s a lb, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a great player because the lb position is always the toughest spot to fill. I haven’t read any articles or reports depicting Edgar as a breakout star in the vein of Joe Benny so I can’t get all that excited. Right now, I think most of us are very happy for him and consider him a nice player but nothing special. If you have any recent glowing articles about him, then I’d love to read them. Maybe I’ve overlooked something.

      Reply
      • Natural left backs are tough to find, he has a skillet that fits into Klinsi’s system, he’s athletic, starts for a top team in a good league, and he’s still young enough to improve so I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t continue to get looks with the Nats unless someone obviously better comes along to back up Fabian.

      • I watched my first Xolos game this weekend and Castillo looked like a boss. Great skill with the ball, reliable passing the ball, and did well on defense. I want to see more of him with the USMNT.

    • I saw only parts of the Roma game yesterday. Did not see MB’s big miss in the first half. The team is definitely talented, but it appears something wrong internally, with Zeman benching De Rossi and Stecklenburg and seems to be a lack of camaraderie among the players. Why in the world would Zeman not bring in De Rossi with the team down one goal in the second half and with a midfield that was obviously struggling. Zeman on the sidelines is the most intense- and angry-looking coach I have ever seen. I read some fan comments on other web sites and there is speculation his days at Roma are now numbered.

      Reply
    • Besides having a bad miss, how did Bradley play? I’m guessing that since his role is mostly defensive, it couldn’t have been that terrible since he they gave up just one goal, which probably wasn’t his fault.

      Reply
    • Bradley’s miss is being made out to be so terrible when in fact, it wasn’t that simple. Yes, he could have probably done better but it wasn’t a missed sitter either as what others are reporting it to be. The ball was deflected by the goalie to an onrushing Bradley and he one timed it with the outer part of his right foot. The momentum itself made it difficult to control. It’s not like Findley’s miss at Nottingham Forest last season – this is the definition of missing a sitter.

      Reply

Leave a Comment