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Onyewu sets up Sheffield goal in win over former club QPR

Oguchi Onyewu Sheffield Wednesday (Getty Images)

By FRANCO PANIZO

Oguchi Onyewu made a statement for Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday, and he did so against the club that recently deemed him not good enough to see the field.

Onyewu helped Sheffield Wednesday post a cleansheet in a 3-0 victory over his former club Queens Park Rangers, and also assisted on the second goal in what was surely a memorable feel-good win for the veteran centerback.

The 31-year-old Onyewu not long ago left QPR after the Hoops chose not to play him during a brief stay, and he made them pay for that decision by making a surging run forward before picking out Leon Best for the 51st-minute goal.

The performance is sure to further bolster Onyewu’s confidence as he and the Owls hit the homestretch of their season. It likely also improves his chances of receiving a call-up to the U.S. Men’s National Team’s preliminary World Cup roster this summer.

What do you think of Onyewu’s performance? Bet he was extra motivated for this game vs. QPR? Think he will ultimately earn a ticket to Brazil?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Nice contribution by Gooch but this game was over when Dunne got sent off for what looked to me a very soft penalty… this is that rule I hope they eventually change, where you get hosed by BOTH a penalty AND a red card, ruined the game.

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  2. I think Gooch is great for competition.

    He won’t displace Besler/Gonzalez. But he provides a worthy challenge to someone like Goodson or Orozco. I have a feeling Cameron will be our Right-back right or will he be our 3rd Midfielder or 3rd/4th CB? im confused about Cameron.

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  3. The bottom line is that if his performances continue to improve over the last month of the season, Onyewu will be starting against Ghana.

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  4. It’s not a secret Klinnsman is a BIG fan of Onyewu and will NOT overlook him. Onyewu, in 90 min game shape, is a core player in the overall scheme of things.

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    • but why? has he been watching clips of Gooch from 05-09? His call ups during his time at Lisbon/Malaga have led to pretty bad performances for the NT though he’s in great form at the moment. But maybe he’s now 1 of those guys who give great club performances but poor NT performances.

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      • Your opinion and my opinion really is just an opinion, but I pointed out that Klinnsman will take Gooch if he is 90 min fit. Whether or not he makes Omar sit is just my opinion, but against world class competition like a WC would you afford to put Omar in over Gooch who is proven in the World Cup? It’s a WC. Competition! No more experimenting with players out of position. It’s time to put up or shut up and Gooch puts out!

      • @ Mike G: Look, we would all love fit, fully prepared Gooch. But that giant is not walking through the door. He should be given a look before the World Cup to check if the Ukraine result was an aberration or his current form. Gooch, even when fully fit, took time to get back into the national team. Gonzales, while prone to having at least one gaff a game, is consistent enough that his speed and positioning, superior to that of Gooch, makes him the overwhelming favorite to go to Brazil. Omar may have stayed in MLS, but he is currently a far better player than Gooch. End of story. And IF he continues to improve, he may be starting–still like a bit of continuity in the back, and Bessler and Omar have had time that their partnership is beginning to gel.

  5. Onyewu makes Omar sit. If Omar landed a starting job by earning it in Europe say Germany, Holland, or Belgium then Omar starts for sure in the WC. However, Omar prefers to stay at home and read his own press. Onyewu is the difference maker when lined up next to Omar.

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    • I like Onyewu a lot, but I do think Omar is the better option. Don’t forget Omar had quite a few suitors in Europe, went on trial and promptly tore his ACL. He came back because no one was offering what LA would for a guy coming off surgery.

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      • it appears to me that even if Gooch was not injured all/most of the time, JK prefers Omar’s passign ability out of the back, at least more than that ability in Gooch

  6. Loved Gooch grew up with him dominating the back line for the Stars and Stripes and giving forwards everywhere headaches. Sadly his best time is behind him.

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    • Ricardo,

      I’m not so sure. What I got out of the Ukraine game was that as That Guy said, Gooch and Brooks had never played together and are both the same player i.e they are the destroyer type and they need an organizer type ( Besler, Boca) to pair with.

      Also, Gooch seems to be over his injuries. He seemed much more mobile and fluid than he did when I last saw him in the Gold Cup. I would take him over Gonzo because he alone probably has more experience than all the other center backs put together and that kind of experience matters in a World Cup. Gonzo has gotten better but he is not as good as I though he should have been by now. He makes me nervous. I think Gooch’s physical durability will be a questioned so he needs to play every game for Wednesday and emerge healthy.

      Still,I think Gooch loses out to Orozco because of Michael’s versatility and because MOF has a habit of producing for the US when it matters. .

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  7. I think its unfair to use the Ukraine game against Onyewu and Brooks. They are both the same player. They are big strong backs who are meant to win the first ball. They need a stable man (like Bocanegra in the past for Gooch) to help them be in position. For Ukraine, I think Ream would have been that stabilizing man and had Ream been there it would have been a much better back four (not because Ream makes a huge difference talent wise, but because Onyewu and Brooks would have partnered better with Ream). I think the final back four spot is between these three. Ream provides the best backup for Besler and his vision, Brooks is the future of the back four, and Onyewu is the veteran presence. It will be interesting who JK picks.

    To clarify, here are my defenders I think are making it at the moment:
    Besler, Gonzalez, Cameron, Johnson, Beasley, Evans, Goodson, Onyewu/Ream/Brooks

    Of course Evans and Beasley could be challenged by Chandler/Lichaj depending on their injuries, but thats another discussion.

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      • I did too, but unless he tears up MLS in a way no defenders have before, I do not see him going. I gotta imagine JK wants some European experience in his back line.

      • Yes.

        The difference is a healthy and in form Gooch is superior to a healthy and in form Clay.

        The other difference is Clay can do a good job at either center back role( destroyer + organizer}

      • I don’t think I have ever heard or seen Goodson referred to as “Clay” before. It tookk me a while to understand who you were talking about.

        I am glad to see Gooch getting some chances at a fairly high professional level. But, there are a lot of players at a fairly high professional level; that does not mean that they have to be considered for the national team.

      • If you saw his House Hunters episode, you would know that his wife called him “Clay”. But, yeah, it was weird hearing her say that.

    • Problem is we don’t have enough time to for someone new to prove their worth. Only a couple of friendlies left before the World Cup and they need to be used for starters to play together. Especially in defensive positions where mistakes leads to goals for opposing teams.

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    • I think (barring injury or disaster) Orozco has a ticket to Brazil. Whether that is at the expense of Evans or your Onyewu/Ream/Brooks selections…. I don’t know.

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  8. I can’t knock Gooch’s contribution to the USMNT over the course of his career, but his presence on the backline scares me…. (for the record, Omar also scares me, but not as much).

    That said, while I hope he does not appear on the USMNT backline in Brazil, congrats to Gooch for continuing his career despite his injuries…

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    • He just started to get games again. He has had a terrible time of it in the last two years. I admire him for his effort towards achieving his goal. I want to say something negative towards you guys but I know you wouldn’t understand as you have not been through anything except college.

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      • “I want to say something negative towards you guys but I know you wouldn’t understand as you have not been through anything except college.”

        What?

      • How dare soccer fans criticize a player on a soccer forum designed for people to express their opinions? Forums should only be allowed to to accept compliments.

      • What?

        I haven’t been through anything except college…. what does that even mean.

        And, how do you what I have/haven’t been through….

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