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Americans Abroad: Weekend Preview

Clint Dempsey of Fulham and Pablo Hernandez of Swansea City in action

Photo by Kieran McManus/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Things at Fulham are surely not going as well as Clint Dempsey envisioned upon making his return, but he can more than redeem himself this weekend against a high-profile club whose struggles are well documented.

Looking to climb out of the relegation zone and end a four-game losing streak, Dempsey and last-placed Fulham are set to pay a visit to stumbling Manchester United on Sunday. Dempsey has shown a knack in the past for stepping up against top competition, and he will surely aim to do so as the Cottagers try to pick up their seventh win of the season.

Jozy Altidore may not be playing one of the better teams in the Premiership, but he might be given an opportunity to help knock off one of his former clubs. Altidore and Sunderland host Hull City on Saturday, and the Black Cats will be looking to continue their recent run of good form in order to further distance themselves away from the drop zone. Sunderland, like Hull City, are currently two points clear of relegation, so there is all to play for from both sides.

Another interesting match this weekend will take place in Germany, as Timmy Chandler attempts to extend his recent string of solid performances when FC Nurnberg welcome undefeated Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday. Chandler and Nurnberg are on a five-match unbeaten run, but will need to be at the top of their games and then some in order to pull off an upset victory against the likes of Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller.

Here is who the Americans Abroad take on this weekend:

FRIDAY

Andrew Wooten and FSV Frankfurt play VfL Bochum.

Jermaine Jones and Besiktas play Gaziantepspor.

Herculez Gomez, Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo, Greg Garza, Paul Arriola and Club Tijuana play Alonso Hernandez and Monterrey.

SATURDAY

Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Sebastian Lletget and West Ham United.

Cody Cropper and Southampton play Geoff Cameron and Stoke City.

Jozy Altidore and Sunderland play Hull City.

Gboly Ariyibi and Leeds United play Yeovil Town.

Brek Shea and Barnsley play Ipswich Town.

Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play Blackpool.

Tim Ream, Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play AFC Bournemouth. (Holden is out injured.)

Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood and Birmingham City play Charlton Athletic. (Spector is out injured.)

Duane Holmes and Huddersfield Town play Wigan Athletic.

Danny Williams and Reading play Oguchi Onyewu and Sheffield Wednesday.

Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play Bayern Munich.

Fabian Johnson and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim play SC Freiburg.

John Brooks and Hertha Berlin play Hamburg SV.

Aron Johannsson and AZ Alkmaar play Go Ahead Eagles.

Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play KV Kortrijk.

Terrence Boyd and Rapid Vienna play Austria Vienna. (Boyd is suspended due to the red card he received in the last league match).

Jose Torres and Tigres UANL play Santos Laguna.

SUNDAY

Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Tim Howard and Everton play

Clint Dempsey and Fulham play Manchester United.

Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 play Schalke 04.

Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play Karlsruhe.

Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes play Olympique Lyon.

Juan Agudelo and FC Utrecht play RKC Waalwijk.

DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Orozco and Puebla play Chivas de Guadalajara.

Jonathan Bornstein and Atlante play Cruz Azul.

MONDAY

Zak Whitbread and Derby County play Queens Park Rangers.

Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play Fortuna Dusseldorf.

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Which of these matches are you most looking forward to? Do you see Dempsey coming through with a goal against Manchester United this weekend? What is your prediction for Altidore and Sunderland’s clash vs. Hull City?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Adam Johnson raving about Jozy in the Daily and Sunday Express.

    “There is a lot more to him than goals. Against Newcastle he must have been a nightmare to play against. Genuinely, I thought he was awesome.”

    “There is a lot more to him than goals. Against Newcastle he must have been a nightmare to play against. Genuinely, I thought he was awesome”

    “If you play like that as a striker but you don’t score goals, to be honest it doesn’t really matter, because the amount of chances he created for us, his team-mates and his work-rate, tells its own story.

    “He pushed and pulled the Newcastle centre-halves all over the place and showed power, strength and pace. He was unplayable at times and his performance was outstanding.

    “I said to him ‘If you keep playing like that, getting into great positions and playing well then the goals will come.’ It is when you are not playing well that the goals never happen and you won’t score.”

    Reply
    • I was never all that blown away by him. He was more of a poacher from what I remember. Nothing about him really stood out as being all that impressive. He had some bad injury issues, though, that prevented him from maxing out his talent.

      Reply
      • Mr. T.

        “I was never all that blown away by him. He was more of a poacher from what I remember. Nothing about him really stood out as being all that impressive”

        You say that as if a poacher is a lower form of life. It’s a rare team that can afford to look down their nose at anyone who consistently scores goals, cheap, poached or otherwise. Moore was a poacher in the sense that he was very dangerous off of set pieces and had a very powerfiul shot.

        For his entire club career, Joe-Max scored a goal every 2.6 games, McBride every 2.9 games and Wynalda every 3.4 games.
        For his USMNT career. Joe -Max scored a goal every 4.2 games, McBride every 3.2 games and Wynalda every 3.2 games

        When you consider that all three played at a time when most Americans were not thought to be good enough to score and all three scored a lot abroad, I would say all three were impressive.

        If as strikers Wynalda and McBride were leading men, Joe-Max was more of a supporting player. Part of the reason for this was that he was often shifted into midfield. Still his scoring rate was impressive. A supporting player yes, but a very useful one.

      • Don’t get your panties all in a bunch, GW. I admit that I’m not really the guy to ask. He never really impressed me all that much so I didn’t watch him closely and try to evaluate his game. He was obviously a very useful player for USA, but he just never stood out in my mind. It would be interesting to hear what everyone has to say about him.

  2. Chandler against Bayern…impress in that one and he’s definitely getting called for the March friendly, and would most likely see the field then.

    Reply

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