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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

Fussball / firo FC Bayern München, Muenchen, - Hannover 96, 24.11.2012

By FRANCO PANIZO

It does not look to be all doom and gloom as far the U.S. Men’s National Team’s right back situation is concerned. At least, not on this weekend.

A number of the right backs in the U.S. player pool had noteworthy performances, but none may have been bigger than that of Steve Cherundolo. The veteran defender made his much-awaited return to Hannover’s starting lineup on Saturday, playing 81 minutes in the club’s 2-1 loss to SC Freiburg. The match marked the 34-year-old Cherundolo’s first start for Hannover since their 2012-13 regular season finale back in May and should give U.S. fans some optimism about the national team’s right back heading into 2014.

While Cherundolo’s return is likely to be the biggest talking point of the weekend, Geoff Cameron should not be too far behind. Cameron earned his latest start at right back for Stoke City on Saturday, and delivered a game-winning assist in a 2-1 victory vs. Brad Guzan and Aston Villa. Cameron whipped in a deep cross from the right flank that was somewhat fortuitous in reaching Peter Crouch in the 70th minute, but the assist still helped the Potters get back to winning ways and may indicate that Cameron’s crossing is improving.

Two other right back to see playing time were Timmy Chandler and Eric Lichaj. Chandler continued his string of starts for Nurnberg in their scoreless draw with Jermaine Jones and Schalke, and Lichaj came off the bench and played the final 45 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s goal-less affair vs. Birmingham City.

Here is how the Americans Abroad fared this weekend:

ENGLAND

Premiership

  • Tim Howard started and played 90 minutes in Everton’s 2-1 win vs. Swansea City on Sunday.
  • Jozy Altidore started and played 68 minutes in Sunderland’s 0-0 draw vs. Norwich City on Saturday.
  • Geoff Cameron started, played 90 minutes and had an ASSIST in Stoke City’s 2-1 win vs. Aston Villa on Saturday. You can see the assist here.
  • Brek Shea did not dress for Stoke City.
  • Maurice Edu did not dress for Stoke City.
  • Brad Guzan started and played 90 minutes in Aston Villa’s 2-1 loss vs. Stoke City on Saturday.
  • Brad Friedel dressed but did not play in Tottenham Hotspur’s 3-2 win vs. Southampton on Sunday.
  • Cody Cropper dressed but did not play in Southampton’s 3-2 loss vs. Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Championship

  • Jonathan Spector did not dress in Birmingham City’s 0-0 draw vs. Nottingham Forest on Saturday. He is recovering from a thigh injury.
  • Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Bolton Wanderers’ 1-1 draw vs. Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
  • Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Zak Whitbread did not dress in Derby County’s 3-1 win vs. Doncaster Rovers on Saturday. He is recovering from a calf injury.
  • Eric Lichaj came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s 0-0 draw vs. Birmingham City on Saturday.
  • Danny Williams started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Reading’s 2-1 loss vs. Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
  • Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in Queens Park Rangers’ 1-0 loss vs. Leicester City on Saturday.
  • Duane Holmes came off the bench and played 30 minutes in Huddersfield Town’s 0-0 draw vs. Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

ITALY

  • Michael Bradley started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in AS Roma’s 4-0 win vs. Catania on Sunday.

GERMANY

Bundesliga

  • Fabian Johnson started and played 90 minutes in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s 1-0 loss vs. TSV Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday.
  • Joe Gyau did not dress for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
  • Timmy Chandler started and played 90 minutes in FC Nurnberg’s 0-0 draw vs. Schalke 04 on Saturday.
  • Michael Parkhurst did not dress in FC Augsburg’s 1-1 draw vs. Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday.
  • Jermaine Jones started and played 90 minutes in Schalke 04′s 0-0 draw vs. FC Nurnberg on Saturday.
  • Steve Cherundolo started and played 81 minutes in Hannover 96′s 2-1 loss vs. SC Freiburg on Saturday.
  • John Brooks did not dress in Hertha Berlin’s 2-1 win vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

2. Bundesliga

  • Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play Kaiserslautern on Monday.
  • Bobby Wood dressed but did not play in TSV 1860 Munich’s 2-2 draw vs. Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.

FRANCE

  • Alejandro Bedoya started and played 90 minutes in FC Nantes’ 2-0 loss vs. St Etienne on Saturday.

NETHERLANDS

  • Aron Johannsson started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in AZ Alkmaar’s 5-1 loss vs. SC Heerenveen on Saturday.

BELGIUM

  • Sacha Kljestan did not dress in RSC Anderlecht’s 1-1 draw vs. Standard Liege on Sunday. He is recovering from a calf injury.

—–

What do you think of these performances? Think Cherundolo can stay healthy and make a serious push to be on the U.S.’s World Cup roster? Is Cameron the best right back option? Hoping Chandler receives a call-up before the tournament in Brazil?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. IVES-can you add where some of the players lined up in your summary? For example a guy like Jonathan Spector comes to mind and I would love to see where some of the tweeners are playing for their squads.

    Reply
  2. “His lack of scoring at Sunderland isn’t as worrysome as people want to think. He’s still developing his hold up game even if he isn’t putting the ball in the net. His play for US will not be like his play for Sunderland any more than his play at AZ was similar to his role with the national team.”

    Well his lack of scoring ts very worrysome for me. I dont give a rats ass about his holdup game either. We need forwards that can score, not hold the ball up. Also his play for the US is exactly like his play for Sunderland…. e.g., he doesn’t score in either place.

    When we go to Brazil, JK will have to decide between Jozy, Aron and Dempsey for a two forward attack. Right now, Jozy is not giving JK anything to make him think he should be one of the two while Aron is scoring like crazy. Dempsey is the wild card here. If he can impress at Fulham then we’d have to say he’s back. If not then I dont know what JK will do. For my money, Aron is the top dog of the three named.

    Reply
    • If you want to play more of a possession style game then hold up play is important. It’s whats going to bring everyone else into the attack as a unit. If you want to play a more counter attacking style then I could see Johannsson heading a line. He is the more likely to get in behind a line or poach a goal. However lets also not forget Jozy did just as well in the Dutch league scoring. There’s no way to know how Johannsson would do in the EPL. Jozy scored 8 goals for the US this year.

      Reply
      • yes, he scored 8 goals before moving to the EPL. Our side hasn’t change much so we expected for him to continue his tear with us but looks like his club is throwing him off to the point that is affecting his national game. Why? I think part of it is mental.

      • If you look at the 8 goals, 6 were assisted by Fabian or Zusi, who didn’t play in the last US friendlies. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, maybe his form has dropped off, or maybe those players service is important to Jozy’s game.

      • I don’t know if I buy all this but Jozy hasn’t been on fire over his past 6 games or so. That includes average performances against Scotland, Austria, Costa Rica (as a sub), Panama, etc.

    • Rich,

      ” I dont give a rats ass about his holdup game either. We need forwards that can score, not hold the ball up.”

      You might want to think about not giving that rat’s ass.

      The players most likely to score in Brazil will be Dempsey, Jozy, Donovan and Bob’s son.

      Jozy is currently the US’ best target man and the best at holding up the ball for distribution. Physical play is much more “spirited” and “enthusiastic” in World Cup games, especially when you think about who we will play.

      Given how the US is likely to play in Brazil, Jozy’s skills will be vital. Those skills are different from what Deuce and Aron bring. Deuce, Jozy and AJ will all be needed.

      ” Aron is the top dog of the three named”.

      Jozy, Dempsey, AJ.? Aron is top dog?

      Aron is the least proven of those three.

      He’s never been beat up by Ghanaian defenders in a World Cup. Jozy has.

      Aron is scoring well at AZ. So did Jozy.

      More to the point he is a different player from Jozy. He won’t replace him. That would be Boyd or EJ.

      The USMNT will need both JA and AJ to be in top form if they want to get out of the Group.

      Reply
    • I thought his passing was pretty sharp and combined well. Didn’t get forward a whole lot but didn’t get beat on the defensive end either. Just a solid first step to getting back out there.

      Reply
  3. Did any USMNT prospect other than Ream actually play at a position this week on the back line other than the 4 potential players at RB? (CBs Besler, Goodson, Gonzales, and Orozco, are on break, LB Castillo and Beasley are on break)

    Reply
    • Chandler & Lichaj both have played LB for the USMNT and performed well (granted limited minutes for both). Other than the RB/LB/CB’s playing in Europe almost all of our defenders are on break. This could actually be seen as a good thing since all of them (save Beasley) will be in the January Camp. They’ll basically have a month of practice to help their chemistry.
      The fact that a good portion of the USMNT Regulars (Gonzalez, Besler, Goodson, Evans, Donovan, Beckerman, Zusi, Diskerud, EJ, Rimando, & Davis) will be in this camp can be seen as a good thing.
      The question will be who else fills out the roster?

      Reply
      • Chandler’s a big IF. Lichaj has to deliver to capture JK’s attention.
        Like to see Kljestan (nursing injury), Parkhurst (needs play, vs S. Korea?),
        Onyewu (might still be OK as sub), Brooks (not dressing for Herta), Boyd (needs more chances), Castillo (may be better than Davis in a pinch), Corona (what happened to him?). “Scandinavians,” anyone?

      • Depth at RB isn’t a perilous as it seemed 6 months ago. With Cameron, Cherundolo and Chandler are available I don’t see the need to bring in Parkhurst and Lichaj anymore. If one of them is really playing well at their club, sure give them a look. Neither one of them fits that billing right now. Lichaj lost his starting job, and Parkhurst can’t even make the bench.

  4. Am I the only who cringes at the thought of the USMNT starting 32 and 35 year-old injury-prone players at LB and RB against Ghana. The Ghanians snuffed out our dreams in 2006 and 2010, partly due to plays that also basically ended the careers of 30 somethings, Reyna and Bocanegra.
    Those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

    Reply
  5. Even with Dolo’s return to the starting lineup fans of the USMNT need to temper their expectations on his ability to contribute come May. it was his first start….he’ll need to show that he can play week in week out before I’m sold on his being back in the mix for the WC.
    Hopefully when the next friendly (on a FIFA date) rolls around JK will bring in the full contingent of outside backs…(Fabian, Beasley, Lichaj, Evans, Dolo, Chandler) and let them fight it out for 1st & 2nd on the depth chart.
    Since Fabian, Beasley, Cameron, & Chandler can all contribute in the midfield as well as the back line…they could easily add additional depth to the team.

    Reply
    • When Jozy was scoring in bunches in Holland he was doing nothing with the US.

      The two are not necessarily related. It is two completely different teams and situations.

      Reply
      • Are you sure? I seem to remember Jozy going on a tear with the US after gaining form at AZ. There was a gap because his coach at AZ wasn’t releasing him until he was required to, but it certainly ended up paying off.

        His lack of scoring at Sunderland isn’t as worrysome as people want to think. He’s still developing his hold up game even if he isn’t putting the ball in the net. His play for US will not be like his play for Sunderland any more than his play at AZ was similar to his role with the national team.

      • You go back over the summer and just about every goal for Jozy came from 3 people Fabian Zusi and Bradley. You take them away it’s hard to know if he’d have had the same kind of run. He isn’t a striker thats going to beat and off side trap or make a 40 yard run. He needs players around him that are going to get him service to do well. The assist from that run
        Germany – Zusi, Jamaica- Zusi, Panama – Fabian, Honduras-Fabian, Bosnia – Fabian, Freekick, Bradley,
        If Jozy is picking a starting lineup it might have those 3 in it

      • Very insightful. Fabian is now only coming into form in a Hoffenheim loss. Zusi is on break. Bradley has just got his DM position back. So, undetermined what both Zusi and Fabian will bring.

      • Didn’t one of those come from EJ not FJ?? I seem to remember EJ sort of accidentally laying off the ball for Jozy to strike. I think that was against Bosnia.

      • And meanwhile Sunderland is in need of goals. They are heading for relegation. The Guardian commentary indicated that Altidore played awful.

      • Not sure what you’re referring to, watched the game on Sat vs Norwich and the announcers we’re fairly positive about most of Jozy’s play until just before he was taken off. Announcer said, ‘his movement in the box was very poor’.

      • “Are you sure?”

        Brett,

        Tell me what is it about the way Sunderland sets up and plays that reminds you so much off JK’s USMNT and how they play?

    • Altidore is proving his critics correct again — fans and prior coaches alike.

      After his last season with AZ and terrific form with the USNT this year, he had me thinking it was just a maturity thing, and that he had grown up. However, while Sunderland are surely awful, he bears as much responsiblity as any player.

      I give my all in a rec league, and can’t image someone paying me millions without leaving it on the pitch every week. When is the last time anyone saw Altidore do that?

      Reply
  6. Oguchi Onyewu.

    His contract ends next month. No appearances for the club. Is he moving to MLS? Belgium? what’s up? He’s a nice guy who suffered lots of injuries.

    Had hoped he would have stayed on at Sporting Lisbon or got more appearances for Malaga

    Reply
  7. Michael Parkhurst for Worst Yank Transfer of the Year

    how does 1 go from CL football in Denmark to not dressing for a relegation fodder club in Germany

    Reply
    • Bad timing. Transferred to a relegation threatened team, the coach that brought him in was fired, new coach didn’t rate him but gave him a chance and he didn’t impress.

      Reply
      • Well, Parkhurst, as he is not even dressing on game days, is not only behind the starting right back, but also behind the first substitute right back is dresses on game days to warm the bench. So Parkhurst at the very least is third on the Augsburg right back depth chart and it is possible that he even fourth. Let’s hope he gets out of that awful situation in January and finds a team that wants him.

      • @Hogatroge: There is really no nice way to say it, so I will just tell it like it is. That is absolutely false. Markus Weinzierl the current coach of Augsburg has been there since May 2012 and he is the coach that brought in Parkhurst. Parkhust’s misery has nothing to do with “the coach that brought him in was fired, new coach didn’t rate him but gave him a chance and he didn’t impress.” Why would write something like that which is blatantly not true. But you are right, Augsburg was fighting relegation a year ago in December when Weinzierl brought him in.

    • Take this with a grain of salt, because it was said on NBC Sports, but it was mentioned that Cameron has been their best player this year – and they said it with an British accent so it has to be right, right?

      Reply
      • I’ve watched a bunch of Stoke games now, there is really no denying Cameron has looked good. He consistently finds space up the right side line and hits some really nice crosses. I’d be surprised if Cameron isn’t Juergen’s first choice this summer.

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