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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

Mix Diskerud Rosenborg (Rosenborg BK)

By FRANCO PANIZO

Mix Diskerud had not started a league match for Rosenborg since before the World Cup, but his performance on Sunday likely helped his cause of breaking into the lineup more regularly in the coming weeks.

Getting the nod in his first game since a May 4 loss to Molde, Diskerud helped Rosenborg pick up a a 1-0 victory over Sogndal. The U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder contributed with a 90-minute performance, and the shutout victory pushed Rosenborg into second place in the Eliteserien standings.

For Edgar Castillo, this weekend marked his Atlas debut. Castillo started and went the distance for his new club on Saturday, as Atlas played to a scoreless draw with Tigres UANL in their Liga MX Apertura opener on Saturday. Compatriots Jose Torres and Herculez Gomez also saw the field in that one, playing 68 and 16 minutes, respectively, for Tigres.

Another battle of Americans in Mexico took place on Friday when Club Tijuana and Puebla kicked off their seasons at Estadio Caliente. Making his official return from injury, Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes for Puebla as they picked up an impressive road win while Greg Garza started, played 84 minutes and received a yellow card for Xolos.

Here is how the Americans Abroad fared this weekend:

DENMARK

  • Conor O’Brien dressed but did not play in Odense BK’s 2-1 loss vs. Hobro on Sunday.

NORWAY

  • Mix Diskerud started and played 90 minutes in Rosenborg BK’s 1-0 win vs. Sogndal on Sunday.
  • Ethan Horvath dressed but did not play in Molde FK’s 3-1 win vs. Sandnes Ulf on Sunday.
  • Josh Gatt did not dress for Molde FK. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Zarek Valentin did not dress in FK Bodo/Glimt’s 2-1 loss vs. IK Start on Saturday. He is recovering from an Achilles injury.
  • Michael Stephens started and played 64 minutes in Stabaek IF’s 1-1 draw vs. Brann on Friday.

MEXICO

  • Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes in Puebla’s 1-0 win vs. Club Tijuana on Friday.
  • Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Atlas’ 0-0 draw vs. Tigres UANL on Saturday.
  • Jose Torres started and played 68 minutes in Tigres UANL’s 0-0 draw vs. Atlas on Saturday.
  • Herculez Gomez came off the bench and played 16 minutes for Tigres UANL.
  • Jonathan Bornstein did not dress in Queretaro’s 3-1 loss vs. Pumas UNAM on Friday.
  • Greg Garza started, played 84 minutes and received a yellow card in Club Tijuana’s 1-0 loss vs. Puebla.
  • Joe Corona came off the bench and played six mintues for Club Tijuana.
  • Amando Moreno dressed but did not play for Club Tijuana.
  • Paul Arriola did not dress for Club Tijuana. He was with the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team.
  • Joaquin Alonso Hernandez dressed but did not play in Monterrey’s 3-1 win vs. Universidad de Guadalajara on Saturday.
  • Gabriel Farfan dressed but did not play in Jaguares de Chiapas’ 1-1 draw vs. Guadalajara on Sunday.

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What do you think of these performances? Expecting Diskerud to carve out a regular starting role for Rosenborg? Do you see Castillo enjoying a strong campaign with Atlas?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

    • i guess we can follow BB results with Michael Stevens but I agree lets put the Americans Abroad coaches up there! — can’t be too many

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    • i don’t think that he can sign in Mexico this fall, unless its with Puebla which he has ruled out — some league rule i don’t fully understand

      and he didn’t sign with Indy Eleven the other day when he was at the stadium!

      it looks like MLS is a possibility – id say 1. Chicago, 2. Orlando, 3. Indy

      Reply
  1. MLS_Soccer_Talker – OK I’m biting here, obviously I haven’t been paying attention. What blacklisting are you referring to regarding Bornstein?

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      • that’s interesting. i watched the game and while he wasn’t spectacular, i didn’t think he was bad. he combined well with the LM.

    • During the World Cup he addressed rumors about a transfer. He said there was talk but he wouldn’t address it until after the cup. Unfortunately for him, Klinsi decided not to play him once and so his stock went down. When we were begging for a creative attacking midfielder while Bradley whittled away, Mix should have been it.

      Reply
      • Maybe not better but when a player had as poor a tournament as Bradley did and you have a proven spark off the bench you have to throw the dice.

        Bradley could have stayed in but Mix needed a chance. He deserved it.

      • “Bradley could have stayed in but Mix needed a chance. He deserved it”

        Deserve has nothing to do with it.

        Every minute in the 4 World Cup games mattered so you don’t give people minutes as a reward. You give them because you think maybe it will help you win in that particular situation..

        You could argue that what Mix showed the most aptitude for was the late offensive surge but then again isn’t that what Mikey did late in the Belgium game with that assist to Green?.

  2. High hopes for the yanks abroad over this upcoming season. There are a number of quality prospects in the US Player Pool….and there are a handful of spots opening in the US Team. Will be interesting to see who steps up their game and win roles with the USMNT.
    A little depressed that Corona got so few minutes. Happy with the rest of the MFL players.
    Looking forward to the start of the European leagues and the hopeful progress of our players.
    Williams, Gyau, Green, Chandler, Lichaj, Fabian, Ream, Packwood, Brooks, Cameron, and the rest need to continue to progress.

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    • Over the next few years i want to see a lot of these guys back in MLS. Hopefully the cap goes up and we can bring them back. Guys like Packwood, Lichaj, Gyau, William and Ream would be better off in MLS rather than playing division 2 or 3 in Europe.

      Reply
      • Gyau played 90 as RW and scored a goal for Dortmund this weekend. The match before that he played 90 at LB. He is playing with the first team every match and from what I have read he has looked pretty good.

      • Gyau is 21 years old. It will be quite some time before he needs to come to the MLS retirement home.

      • I think it’s relative. English League 1, yeah…better off in MLS. However, The English Championship is on par with (or arguably better than) MLS, and I would say the best 3 or so are better than all but maybe 1 MLS team (I watch it on Bein Sports) — and that is giving the MLS the benefit of the doubt.

        For young players like Gyau, Packwood it makes sense to stay there and improve and get better looks at a higher level. For mid-career guys who are not improving coming back to MLS does not make sense unless the salary is close. Unless you are a designated player, MLS does not come close to matching the pay of the Championship side (especially a bigger club that in down there). Also keep in mind that Gyau and Packwood are 21, and the rest of the guys you mentioned are 25 (Ream might be 26/27). At 21, you should be playing at that level unless you really breakout. Anyway, seeing that Gyau/s father was a former professional soccer and is currently the head coach at Howard, I am sure he is giving his son the best advice and that is not here at this stage of his career.

      • They are professional players. Isn’t this a simple calculation: play where you can make the most $$??

      • It seems you missed the part where I said “Hopefully the cap goes up and we can bring them back”. MLS and European leagues have their advantages and disadvantages, It should be noted that MLS teams travel far more than any other league for league matches and play in the craziest weather. You could have a game on saturday in 90+ weather in Houston and then have to play Montreal or NYRB in freezing conditions the next friday. I see it like this, If an MLS team moved to England they’d be at a huge disadvantage and if a Championship team came to MLS I’d give them 10 games tops. Look at how Robbie Keane whines about playing in hot weather! Look at the big deal all these Euro teams made about Brazil. The barriers in MLS are far greater than the barriers in Europe.

      • MLS teams obviously travel far greater distances than Championship teams but they also play 46 league games in the Championship, compared to 34 in MLS’ regular season.

      • JayAre,

        In addition to what SLA says, Championship teams also play the Cup competitions.

        Last season, Nottingham Forest for example, played 46 league games, 4 FA Cup games, 3 League Cup games and 7 pre-season exhibitions for a total of 60 games.

        And of course, relegation and promotion, exert the sort of pressure that no MLS team has to face.

      • JayAre, I saw that part which is why I wrote the part about matching salaries for mid-career players that are not going to develop a great deal more. However, for junior players and developing players, they should stay there. 20-24ish soccer players should stay and play where they are because (whether you like to hear it or not), the coaching and development is better there than in the US. It has gotten better, but there is still a big gap. If a 21/22 yr old is playing consistently at the Championship/Bundesliga 2/La liga 2/ Serie B/Ligue 2 then he is better off than coming back to the MLS (seriously).

      • I disagree about the Championship for greed reasons.

        I also disagree about Bundesliga2 La Liga 2.

        Those are competitive games in good technical leagues.

        Serie B is like… dead.

      • 2. Bundesliga/Liga B/Ligue 2 are technical leagues which is why I have no problem with players staying there. However, I have seen games from the bottom of the barrel Championship and I don’t see a difference from MLS (I think MLS might be better).

        In terms of Championship, when you say you disagree for greed, are you saying that they don’t pay more that MLS on average? They actually do, especially on the upper end. For example, Gooch would make more at Southampton than he would in the MLS because he is not getting Omar or Besler money.

      • disagree to some extent. Will Packwood, for example, is a starter for his Championship side and was developed at Birminghmam. he never left MLS or anything.

        as for Lichaj, again, never played in MLS. he played for NC and Chicago Premier but left for Aston Villa from there. to be honest, the guy had a starting spot in the EPL but lost it due to injury. gets sent on loan and eventually transfers to a Championship side. he’s the starter at Nottingham Forest but again lost it due to injury. i guess my point is without his injuries, i think he would have been just fine.

        Gyau i would have agreed with you on 1, 2, or 3 seasons ago. but last season he finally got first team minutes with Hoffenheim and now got a transfer to Dortmund. granted, it’s with Dortmund II, he’s played well in pre-season for the 1st team so if he can keep it up, he has a serious chance to get time in the Bundesliga with Dortmund. if he can’t get time, at age 21, he should consider a loan. MLS would be a good spot. granted, he’s never played in MLS either so he also wouldn’t be “coming back.”

        lastly, Williams and Ream you want back in MLS? obviously Williams has never played in MLS and has had success in Europe. so i don’t under the request for him to come back. as for Ream, i feel like he finally got his feet planted. hopefully he has another solid season.

      • That’s nice and all but I just want the cap to go up so we can bring more mid level American players that aren’t really worth DP slots back.

      • i totally agree with that, but outside of Ream, it’s not like any of these players played in MLS and left. they just straight up skipped it.

        but in either scenario, it sucks and like you said, it would be nice to see these players get similar contracts here in MLS and only leave for the top academies/teams.

        to be honest, i want to see the cap go up to something like $10M by the time 2017 rolls around. id say even more depending on how it all plays out. but i personally think players like Zusi, Besler, Beasley, Wondo, etc. are not DP-caliber players. they absolutely deserve the money, just not the DP tag. the DP tag was created for players like Henry, Dempsey, Bradley, Villa, etc.

        i say give teams the option for 6 DPs total. 4 DPs to each team with two more that can be purchased (same as the current rule). of those possible 6 slots, two can only be specified as “American DPs” and maybe make their cap hit a bit lower. we can, of course, maintain the young DP rules for U-20-U-23 players as they currently are.

        with all of that said, i’d much prefer MLS figure out the value of each every rule they have and just add all of that to the cap and rid us of all these rules. MLS would have to study the big spenders, like TFC, and see how much money they are actually paying for salaries once all these roster rules are lifted. lets just say that they determine TFC spends $30M a season, when it’s all said and done, on player salaries. if that happens to be the highest of all teams, MLS could consider making the cap $30M and we leave all these rules out. because, in the end, TFC is still paying the salaries to the players. i’m sure it would be more complicated and things like GA contracts, paid for by the league, would come into play. but just a rough, quick idea of something that would be a lot more simple!

      • pretty much, should be for super stars. i just don’t see the benefit of having to use two DP spots on players like Zusi and Besler. those two deserved to be paid the money, but to avoid having to make them DPs, the cap should just be higher and raise the DP minimum. either way, the SKC ownership is paying the money. maybe raise the cap to $10M and increase the DP minimum to $750k-$1,000,000?

        with that plus 4-6 DPs, for a team like LA, they could label Keane as a DP, Omar & LD could be labeled as “American DPs” (resulting in a smaller cap hit), and they would still have one more DP to use (e.g. Jones). then they could purchase two more from MLS in the same way current rules allow teams to by the 3rd DP spot. with those spots, LA could sign players like Sneijder and Drogba in addition to everyone else.

        not that LA would actually spend that kind of money, but they could. i’m sure there would be a ramp up from current levels to a $10M cap and 4-6 DPs, but it’s still fun to think about. i think most teams could operate well enough in a $10M cap space, especially with things like allocation funds remaining. i’m sure the only teams who would actually use 6 would be both LAs, both NYs, Seattle, Toronto, etc. but still gives the other teams the option and the increased cap allows them to operate without much changing.

      • Lichaj’s AV injury was a hip and that kept him out for a very long time.

        This latest one is an unspecified hernia which seems to be taking a while to heal up.

        Pretty worrisome for such a physical fullback.

    • Brek saw 45 today with Stoke. Had some good moments, hopefully continues. Even if he can become a bench option for them this season, that would be good progress.

      Reply
    • If we did, notable performances:

      – Break Shea
      – Boyd with a goal
      – Bobby Wood starting every pre-season game so far
      – Gyau with another goal for Dortmund

      Reply
      • add in that both Parker brothers have had strong pre-seasons and are reported to be nearing a decision on their international allegiances (likely to be the same choice). Barbir has scored in his first two games with WBA. Gedion is starting and will probably play on their US tour. Green was named to Bayern’s first team for their tour. Lletget also started for West Ham. Stanko getting time for Freiburg. Flores playing with Dortmund II and grabbing multiple assists. Hyndman scored for Fulham. Shawn Kauter scored for Hertha Berlin.

        bad news is Rubin went out injured after just 6 minutes on as a sub this weekend. hopefully the injury won’t be too serious. that said, it was very promising to see him starting with the first team for the 2nd game in a row.

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