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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

Danny Williams Reading 2 (Getty Images)

By FRANCO PANIZO

If Danny Williams can keep this going, making the U.S. Men’s National Team’s 2014 World Cup roster will become a serious possibility.

Williams was one of the few bright spots in a rough weekend for the Americans Abroad contingent, helping Reading pick up a 1-0 victory over Huddersfield Town on Saturday. The midfielder earned his fourth straight start for the club and went the distance for the fifth-placed Royals despite picking up a yellow card late in the first half. Fellow American Duane Holmes also saw time in match, coming off the bench and playing the final 17 minutes for Huddersfield Town.

Tim Howard was among the other few bright spots. Howard helped Everton extend their current impressive unbeaten streak to nine games, as he made two saves in a 4-1 triumph over Fulham at Goodison Park on Saturday. Howard and the Toffees have not lost a league match since Oct. 5.

There was plenty of bad news, however, including John Brooks being removed after 38 minutes in Hertha Berlin’s 3-2 victory vs. Werder Bremen on Friday. Brooks started the match but was removed for tactical reasons after Bremen scored twice during his time on the field. Afterwards, Hertha manager Jos Luhukay had some harsh and critical words about the 20-year-old centerback’s performance.

Here is how the Americans Abroad performed this weekend:

ENGLAND

Premiership

  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Everton’s 4-1 win vs. Fulham on Saturday.
  • Jozy Altidore started and played 73 minutes in Sunderland’s 0-0 draw vs. West Ham United on Saturday.
  • Geoff Cameron started and played 90 minutes in Stoke City’s 0-0 draw vs. Hull City on Saturday.
  • Brek Shea did not dress for Stoke City.
  • Maurice Edu did not dress for Stoke City.
  • Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Aston Villa’s 3-0 loss vs. Manchester United on Sunday.
  • Brad Friedel dressed but did not play in Tottenham Hotspur’s 5-0 loss vs. Liverpool on Sunday.
  • Cody Cropper dressed but did not play in Southampton’s 1-1 draw vs. Newcastle United on Saturday.

Championship

  • Jonathan Spector did not dress in Birmingham City’s 2-0 win vs. AFC Bournemouth on Saturday. He is recovering from a thigh injury.
  • Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Bolton Wanderers’ 3-2 loss vs. Wigan Athletic on Sunday.
  • Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Zak Whitbread did not dress in Derby County’s 2-0 win vs. Charlton Athletic on Saturday. He is recovering from a calf injury.
  • Eric Lichaj dressed but did not play in Nottingham Forest’s 0-0 draw vs. Ipswich Town on Saturday.
  • Danny Williams started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Reading’s 1-0 win vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
  • Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in Queens Park Rangers’ 2-0 win vs. Blackpool on Saturday.
  • Duane Holmes came off the bench and played 17 minutes in Huddersfield Town’s 1-0 loss vs. Reading on Saturday.

ITALY

  • Michael Bradley and AS Roma play AC Milan on Monday.

GERMANY

Bundesliga

  • Fabian Johnson came off the bench and played 19 minutes in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s 2-2 draw vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
  • Joe Gyau did not dress for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
  • Timmy Chandler started and played 90 minutes in FC Nurnberg’s 3-3 draw vs. Hannover 96 on Saturday.
  • Michael Parkhurst did not dress in FC Augsburg’s 4-1 win vs. TSV Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday.
  • Jermaine Jones came off the bench and played 32 minutes in Schalke 04′s 2-0 win vs. SC Freiburg on Sunday.
  • Steve Cherundolo dressed but did not play in Hannover 96′s 3-3 draw vs. FC Nurnberg on Saturday.
  • John Brooks started and played 38 minutes in Hertha Berlin’s 3-2 win vs. Werder Bremen on Friday.

2. Bundesliga

  • Alfredo Morales started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in FC Ingolstadt 04′s 0-0 draw vs. FC Erzgebirge Aue on Sunday.
  • Andrew Wooten did not dress in Kaiserslautern’s 1-0 loss vs. SC Paderborn 07 on Friday.
  • Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play St Pauli on Monday.

FRANCE

  • Alejandro Bedoya started and played 75 minutes in FC Nantes’ 2-1 loss vs. Toulouse on Saturday.

NETHERLANDS

  • Aron Johannsson started and played 90 minutes in AZ Alkmaar’s 2-0 loss vs. SC Heracles Almelo on Sunday.

BELGIUM

  • Sacha Kljestan did not dress in RSC Anderlecht’s 2-1 win vs. KAA Gent on Sunday.

AUSTRIA

  • Terrence Boyd came off the bench and played 17 minutes in Rapid Vienna’s 0-0 draw vs. FC Magna Wr. Neustadt on Sunday.

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What do you think of these performances? Do you see Williams making a serious push to get onto next summer’s World Cup squad? Concerned with Brooks’ performance and the critical words of Luhukay?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Let’s face reality: John Anthony Brooks currently sux big time. Isn’t it time to finally accept that he is just a 20-year-old rookie who has done absolutely nothing to deserve call-ups to the USMNT, time to forget about him for this cycle and let him develop at his own rate and incorporate him in the next two or three years like other American players who were not born in Germany. If in his heart he truly wants to wear the US shirt, then he will accept the delay and work hard to improve to the point that he is actually good enough earn a call-up.

    Reply
    • he may be going through a rough time, but to be fair to him, the coach made it clear he plans to continue to start him:

      “Otherwise, this won’t be the last time I pull him early.”

      so that’s something. really hope he snaps out of this though.

      Reply
    • There’s no urgency on Brooks anymore. He filed his one-time switch, and he isn’t going to get near the German national team anyway.

      He’s a 20-year-old who’s still learning his trade…I agree with you, right now, he probably doesn’t belong in the 23 who will go to Brazil…just don’t see him ahead of Gonzalez/Besler/Cameron/Goodsen right now, though he probably is the #5 or #6 CB and might make the plane if something happened to one of those four. Dunno if I’d rather have him or Orozco-Fiscal…be a close call, there.

      I think he’s one of those young guys, like Agudelo/Boyd/Gatt, and maybe Danny Williams, who probably doesn’t figure this World Cup, but will be well in the mix for Russia in 2018.

      Reply
      • Schuler’s best chance was to be part of the January Camp; unfortunately he is having surgery and will likely miss his chance this year.
        Future CB’s are stacking up for the 2018 cycle….
        Besler, Gonzalez, Books, Packwood, Schuler & Zimmerman will all likely be fighting it out starting January 2014.

      • oh yeah, and the door is still wide open for Daniel Williams. he does have potential at d-mid. Guess that is why Klnsmann likes him at right wing 🙂

    • You’re right that he’s in poor form now, but it doesn’t make any sense to shut the book on him and move on. What’s the point of that? Just let him keep doing his thing. Maybe he’s in blistering form come March. Or maybe not. Still plenty of time for things to chance. I don’t understand why people are so eager to declare that X player definitely is or isn’t going.

      Reply
  2. Two things:

    1. No one is talking about Tim Ream. He has been a starter all year for Bolton. Doesn’t he deserve some banter, criticism, witty remarks from haters/lovers? I hope Klinsmann is considering bringing him into a camp next spring to get a closer look at him. He has certainly worked his way back into the conversation for the group of USMNT center backs.

    2. It is time for Joe Gyau to go out on loan this winter. He is the epitome of why the USMNT is still not where it wants to be. He is probably our most exciting prospect for the next generation, yet he isn’t playing consistently. He needs to go out on loan to a European league where he will be starting every week.

    Reply
    • 1) Ream was called into the August friendly against H&B, but didn’t make the gameday roster. Not apposed to him being called in again, but he has had a “closer look” in recient months.
      2) Gyau is getting consistent minutes with his clubs reserve team. In fact he’s been lighting it up for them. A January loan would be good, but he could also be on the brink of moving to the 1st team. What direction he goes in will be telling.

      Reply
      • I always liked Gyau and in my subjective opinion he got the royal shaft last year at St. Pauli from Michael Frontzek, who got fired four weeks ago an since then the team is doing much better. Frontzek had two or three favorites who he always played ahead of Gyau and who generally always fialed and two of them after last season are totally off the radar and the third is a benchwarmer. Frontzek was Mike Bradley’s coach at Borussia Monchengladbach and they had a major falling out. My feeling was that Frontzek was never willing to give Gyau a proper chance.

    • #2 is a perfect reason as to why i wish SBI could include reserve team info. Gyau is not only playing consistently, he is scoring goals/assisting/creating chances consistently for Hoffenheim II. Goal.com had an interview with him early December that was pretty good. read in another place that he plans to explore his options but wants to stay focused.

      Reply
  3. So it seems that Mr. Brooks does not enter the game with either focus or intensity and his performance on the back line is shaky because of it. The coach has expressed that he will not hesitate to pull him again if he does not shake off this “youthful” or immaturity. N

    Not sure what toake of this. Does he just not p

    Reply
  4. Lichaj has been playing 90 minutes regularly. Any ideas why he was stuck on the bench this weekend? Let’s hope Bradley gets in at least 75 good minutes tomorrow (Monday).

    Reply
  5. Well now the Guardian is reporting Dempsey is returning to Fulham for 2 months. Considering how he left I think it would be pretty great if he could help them stay up in the Premier league.

    Reply
  6. Funny how bad weekends happen as a group with the U.S. players. Then we all of a sudden see a weekend where several players score, etc.

    Reply
  7. If Danny Williams’ chance of making the World Cup squad is a serious possiblity then is Ream in the mix too? I’d say the centerback depth is more open then central midfeild at the moment. Apparently it was a pretty rough outing for Brooks but I hope he can bounce back. It’ll be interesting to see if anything happens with Jones in January as he hasn’t started the last few matches for Schalke now. Johannsson’s hit a bit of a slup as well. Overall not a great week, but perhaps Dempsey can get over there soon and brighten a few of these reports.

    Reply

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