By FRANCO PANIZO
It was not a dream debut by any stretch, but it was one that Zak Whitbread is unlikely to forget any time soon.
A day after being loaned out to Derby County from Leicester City, Whitbread started and went the distance in a wild game in which he scored for the Rams. The injury-prone centerback scored in the 12th minute to help pull Derby out of the early 2-0 hole they fell into before the Rams conceded twice more before the end of the first half. Fortunately for Whitbread and Derby, three unanswered goals in the second half saw the club avoid defeat with an unlikely 4-4 draw.
Things were worse for Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht in the UEFA Champions. Anderlecht suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to Olympiakos on Thursday that leaves the Belgian club in last place of Group C with no points from two games. Kljestan started and went the distance in the lopsided defeat.
Several players saw the field for Club Tijuana on Tuesday, but they, too, were ousted. Tijuana lost on the road to Club America, 2-0, in a match that saw four Americans receive playing time. Edgar Castillo started and went the distance for Xolos, Herculez Gomez started and lasted 72 minutes, Joe Corona came off the bench and played the entire second half and Paul Arriola contributed with 28 minutes off the bench.
Here is how the Americans Abroad fared during the midweek action:
UEFA Champions League
- Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04’s 1-0 win vs. FC Basel in the Champions League on Tuesday.
- Sacha Kljestan started and played 90 minutes in RSC Anderlecht’s 3-0 loss vs. Olympiakos in the Champions League on Thursday.
UEFA Europa League
- Brad Friedel dressed but did not play in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-0 win vs. Anzhi Makhachkala on Thursday.
- Terrence Boyd started, played 90 minutes, and received a yellow card in Rapid Vienna’s 2-2 draw vs. Dynamo Kiev on Thursday.
- Aron Johannsson started and played 90 minutes before coming off in stoppage time in AZ Alkmaar’s 1-1 draw vs. PAOK Salonika on Thursday.
ENGLAND
Championship
- Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in Birmingham City’s 4-0 win vs. Millwall on Tuesday.
- Will Packwood did not dress for Birmingham City. He is recovering from a leg injury.
- Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Bolton Wanderers’ 0-0 draw vs. Blackpool on Tuesday.
- Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Zak Whitbread started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Leicester City’s 4-4 draw vs. Ipswich Town on Tuesday.
- Eric Lichaj started and played 90 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s 1-1 draw vs. Charlton Athletic on Tuesday.
- Danny Williams did not dress in Reading’s 1-1 draw vs. Barnsley on Tuesday. He is recovering from a toe injury.
MEXICO
- Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 2-0 loss vs. America on Tuesday.
- Herculez Gomez started and played 72 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Joe Corona came off the bench and played 45 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Paul Arriola came off the bench and played 28 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Greg Garza dressed but did not play for Club Tijuana.
- Jose Torres started, played 120 minutes and missed his penalty kick in Tigres UANL’s 4-2 penalty shootout loss after a 2-2 draw vs. Monterrey in the Copa MX semifinals on Wednesday.
- Jonathan Bornstein dressed but did not play for Tigres UANL.
- Joaquin Alonso Hernandez did not dress in Monterrey’s 4-2 penalty shootout win after a 2-2 draw vs. Tigres UANL in the Copa MX semifinals on Wednesday.
BRAZIL
- Freddy Adu did not dress in Bahia’s 2-0 loss vs. Corinthians on Wednesday.
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What do you think of these performances? Impressed with Whitbread’s Derby County debut?
Share your thoughts below.
This has probably been said before, but can we just remove Stu Holden from these lists? It’s just so sad to see his name there for about 3 years now.
Call up Freddy Adu !!!
No Kevin Hoyos? I won’t mind Klinsmann calls Kevin Hoyos some friendlies, I know Honduran league isn’t that strong but Honduran done well developing some players, and I have feeling Kevin Hoyos going feel for a better league, very soon.
And why isn’t Spector ever a part of the US right back discussions? He’s not old. And isn’t he playinv right back for his club now? And wasn’t he the right back for the US in its most successful int’l tournament, the 2009 Confederations Cup?
he had injury issues for awhile and is finally back and playing regularly again. given his experience with the team, and with the questions at RB, i’d say call him in. if not now, in november.
he had a string of bad games post-confed cup, was being played at his club as a d-mid for a while, and hasn’t gotten a look since then.
and i agree: if beasley can make a comeback, why the hell couldn’t spector?
I haven’t seen Spector play in ages, so I can’t comment on his form, but as far as a comparison to Beasleys comeback, first he found a club, league and spot to give himself a chance to succeed, and he took advantage of it..
Second, and more important, you can’t coach speed
I agree with Bac, Spector is a solid steady player but really has no upside. Hes a jack of all trades (hes played cm, rb,even forward) but a master of none. Hes a poor man Geoff Cameron.
i kind of disagree. Spector showed in 2009 Confeds Cup he can play at a high level when he gets into form. I know that was a long time ago, but at 27, he has plenty left in the tank. i just think it would be silly to ignore him completely given the games we have coming up over the next two months. perfect time to assess him.
Whitbread has played something like 20 Premiership matches. I wonder if that’s a record for an un-capped American.
Not if you consider Hangeland
He’s been capped just not by the USMNT
Interesting point. Can’t think of anyone else. When he wasn’t injured and did play for Norwich (I saw him maybe a half dozen times) he looked good.
I noticed that Johannsson has some pretty nice through balls. I wonder if he can play on the wing.
It wouldn’t hurt his chances of solidifying a starting stop on our team if he could. That would be a question to ask ppl on the fan club message boards at AGF and Fjolnir
I think the best position for Johannsson is that underneath the striker in the role Dempsey has been playing. I’d like to see a player that can create some chances for other players more then Dempsey really does. Dempsey can spread the ball out wide and make a good run into the box but he really doesn’t set others up at all. If not Johannsson then I’d like to see Donovan there. I can see Dempsey being moved to the left wing on the national team as well as at Seattle.
Dempsey was third last year in assists for Spurs and usually had 5 or 6 per year for Fulham. I guess you don’t watch him much.
He could play any of the 3 support positions in our 4-2-3-1.
Thought that was a picture of Alexi Lalas
Free Freddy!
I think we’ll ever only see the real Freddy in his late 20s once he’s been humbled enough to just be satisfied with playing soccer professionally, period.
He’s already in his late 20s. He also dated Jojo when she was 15 which is just a tad troubling (she’s 22 now).
Also, Freddy is awesome!!! FREDDY ADU # 1!!!
Dude, Freddy is 24. He was 17 she was 15.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sarcasm