You know all those games with Americans failing to see much playing time? Well, the mid-week Carling Cup action was supposed to provide the opportunity for the likes of Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson to start and show what they can do. They got their chances, but there won’t be any more Carling Cup opportunities for either of them.
Dempsey’s Fulham lost to Burnley, 1-0, while Johnson’s Cardiff City dropped a 1-0 decision to Swansea. Those were some of the lowlights. Highlights? Johnson did earn his first start (and was pulled at halftime), while Bobby Convey also got into the starting lineup for Reading, which lost to Stoke on penalties.
Then there is Danny Szetela. His club, Brescia, lost to Ancona, but Szetela recorded a start and 90 minutes played for the fourth straight game.
There was even a goal, well, sort of. Gregg Berhalter converted one of 1860 Munich’s penalty kicks in its win against MSV Duisburg in DFB Pokal action.
Here is how Americans did in Europe on Tuesday in what was a surprisingly busy schedule:
ENGLAND (Carling Cup)
- Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in Fulham’s 1-0 loss to Burnley.
- Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford’s 1-0 win vs. West Ham United.
- Jonathan Spector did not dress for
ReadingWest Ham. - Eddie Johnson started and played 45 minutes in Cardiff’s 1-0 loss to Swansea.
- Bobby Convey started and played 106 minutes in Reading’s vs. Stoke.
- Marcus Hahnemann did not dress for Reading.
ITALY
- Danny Szetela started and played 90 minutes in Brescia’s 2-0 loss to Ancona.
GERMANY (DFB Pokal)
- Gregg Berhalter started, played 120 minutes and converted a penalty kick in 1860 Munich’s 5-4 penalty shootout victory against MSV Duisburg.
- Michael Bradley did not dress in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 3-0 loss to Energie Cottbus.
- Heath Pearce started and played 60 minutes in Hansa Rostock’s 2-1 win vs. Eintracht Frankfurt.
- Sal Zizzo came off the bench and played 18 minutes in Hannover 96’s 2-0 loss to Schalke 04.
- Steve Cherundolo did not play for Hannover 96.
yeah, his production fell off dramatically but that also roughly corresponded with Good Ole Roy’s arrival. I do think it’s a system issue, not necessarily anyone’s fault.
Cheers,
BTW – as for Michael Bradley, I’m not surprised in the least that Bradley is having trouble finding playing time, even at a cellar dweller like Gladbach. He’s not very good!
People seem to be impressed that he scored some goals for a midtable side in the third tier league. Big deal. You can tell that when he moves up to a second tier league like the Bundesliga, he’s out of his depth.
Dempsey scored 6 goals for Fulham last year, but every single one of them was before New Years Day. As far as I can tell, he’s been useless for all of 2008. That’s not to say he can’t play in the EPL, but he certainly seems to have regressed after a nice start to his English career. Don’t know if the regressions is because of the manager or some other reason, but I don’t think the stats lie.
roy didn’t sign dempsey at fulham. cookie coleman did. its obvious that plays need to fit into the system of their team. give demps some time, roys brought in a lot of players, which clint will have to fight for playing time. i’d rather have that then him walking into a club like derby and being an automatic starter. it can only make him better.
JLoome for dumbest post of the year…
and by the way…he has 7 goals in 30 starts. Tough to score goals in sub appearances as some are just mop ups.
Even more important than Dempsey’s scoring (such as it was) for Fulham, he created well and added some diversity to their somewhat stodgy attack. Bullard is class, to be sure, but he clearly can’t create EVERYTHING for that bunch. AJohnson will probably do well but I would love to see Dempsey working off of the tireless Johnson’s runs. AND…he did lead the team in scoring last season and so far this year, they have 4 goals in 4 matches.
Dempsey was the leading goal scorer for Fulham last season…
Exhibit A when it comes to delusional natioanlism, ladies and gentlemen: “Yeah, he’s done nothing except keep that pathetic excuse of a team up in the Premiership. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Yeah, seven goals in 50 games. He’s a real powerhouse.
Eddie Johnson is absolute shite. Never have I seen such a half-hearted performance in an intense derby match.
I hope his lazy ass gets shipped back to Fulham.
sorry- Blackburn-not Newcastle in the above.
I actually feel sorry for EJ. But he is a professional in a highly competitive job who gets paid damm well and therefore has to produce. It’s just the amount of joy some take from his failures that makes me a bit uncomfortable.
Remember Fulham fans- he was your hero Roy’s signing and is a clear example of his ability to not spot talent. Ask any Newcastle fan that was around for last PL job before being called back to Fulham.
Poor EJ.
He needs to find a good situation, where he can get his confidence back.
Does anyone know what position Szetela has been playing? I know he’s a D-Mid but he played a little on the wing during the Olympics. Just wondering where Brescia is using him.
Ben – Ralph’s very unseccessful stint at Rubin (something like 2 goals in 24 matches) came to an end due to serious injury. As far as I know, he’s been without a club and rehabing for basically the last couple years. But I haven’t heard anything for a while, so hopefully I’m wrong and he’s found a club somewhere.
A shame for many reasons, in part because Rubin are blowing away the competition in Russia (9 points clear at the top with about 8 matches left) and look almost a sure thing to qualify for the group stage of the 09-10 Champions League.
Does anyone know what happened to Damani Ralph? I know he’s Jamaican and not American, but I was a big fan of his when he played in MLS. Is he still at Rubin Kazan?
I dont think eddie has gotten over the fact that MLS wouldnt do the Benfica deal. Maybe things wouldve turned out different if he had gone then.
That being said, get your head outta your arse, stop reading press clippings from 2005 and get working Eddie. The US desperatley needs speed up top but he cant afford to be played in the form, or lack of form, he in
I don’t even want Johnson in MLS again. He annoys me and the less I have to see of him, the better. He can go to Norway and play with Clarence Goodson.
Gareth, you are right on the money. Every time Johnson sees time for the USA, it sends the wrong message, and gives him a false sense of security.
He needs to go to USL training camp and learn the fundamentals. Speed will not win you a game at that level. You need to be able to handle the ball at your feet.
its pretty sad to say this but im starting to feel sorry for Johnson. He is not wanted anywhere…well not exactly everywhere. Come back to MLS johnson and get your confidence back up.
Some more colorful commentary from that Cardiff City forum on Mr. Excitement’s performance:
“You could see during the pre-game training session before the Bristol City game that he just wasn’t with it. He seemed to saunter around the pitch and couldn’t control any ball that came in his direction.”
“What a dire performance from an so called international. No passion, no clue, no link up play. Crap.”
“johnson looked very very poor and I think the fact that he was taken off at half-time was probably confirmation that he’d been crap!”
Player Ratings:
“E johnson – 1, he gets 1 just, absoultly shite”
“eddie johnson=0 WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY”
Online Poll:
“Should Eddie Johnson ever wear a Cardiff shirt again?” — 91% say “No”
“Not while I have a hole in my ar*e……”
“He should be hung, drawn and quartered.”
“What idiot voted for him ?? Must be having a laugh..”
“Worst debut I have ever seen in a Cardiff shirt. Joke footballer. The fact Jones withdrew him after 45 says it all. Send the lazy, useless waster back tomorrow if we are able.”
“HE IS USELESS”
Jloome,
Not surprised Dempsey isn’t getting minutes at Fulham because he hasn’t seen a lot of minutes under this manager’s reign.
Previous manager played him and he played well and scored goals which makes me think Dempsey can play in the EPL but has to find a manager and system that knows how to use him and will use him. Bocanegra had the same issue (lots of minutes under Sanchez and Coleman – not so much under Hodgson). Given that most US players in EPL are role players, makes sense that they do better in certain roles and certain systems than others.
“I’m amused by people who are surprised DEmpsey isn’t starting in Fulham. He’s done basically nothing there, shows little ability to play at the Premiership level and (as with Edu, Johnson, Beasley, Feilhaber et al) is proving right now that MLS is really a third tier league at best.”
Yeah, he’s done nothing except keep that pathetic excuse of a team up in the Premiership. You have no idea what you’re talking about.
Bradley started over the weekend for Monchengladbach. If he didn’t play in the cup that probably means they’re resting him for a more important game. It’s not a bad thing that he didn’t play. As for Cherundolo, isn’t he nursing an injury? It’s great to see Sal Zizzo get minutes… While I’m on the topic of Bundesliga, anyone know what happened to Kamani Hill at Wolfsburg?
In horseracing they say there are horse for courses…meaning some horses fit certain tracks and don’t fit other tracks.
Excluding Eddie Johnson who seems to have a real crisis in confidence…the top US players can make their mark in the right leauge/team situations.
Jay Demerit plays every week in the Championship…he’s in the right spot.
I think Dempsey is a good player and he’s just behind some other guys at the moment. Injuries, etc. will give him a chance to shine again at Fulham and if he doesn’t then he’ll find a new home next season.
I’m amused by people who are surprised DEmpsey isn’t starting in Fulham. He’s done basically nothing there, shows little ability to play at the Premiership level and (as with Edu, Johnson, Beasley, Feilhaber et al) is proving right now that MLS is really a third tier league at best. And I say that as a fan who watches every weekend.I’d be surprised if most of the nats (outside Altidore, Howard, and maybe Bocanegra) could even compete in the Coca Cola Championship week in-and-out.
I just went to a Cardiff City forum:
http://www.ccmb.co.uk/
They hate Eddie. In a poll, 30 out of 33 voted to never see him play for them again.
This one really struck me: “”This guy is an American international. Surely he cannot be this bad? I thought his first half performance tonight was unbelievably poor, and I couldn’t come up with any case for his defense. 18K per week? Either he bucks up or he needs shipping out.
Whereas Bothroyd and Purse did the business tonight.”
Poor Eddie. I really wish he had some sort of passion. I think his ability is decent, but he doesn’t seem to have any heart.
Gareth…we all agree with you…EJ instead of Kenny Cooper…bummer….
Also, I don’t think the Championship league is appreciated over here. No real difference between the bottom of the EPL and the top of the Championship and the football is good. Not all that easy for Dempsey, Convey, etc to play consistently…and to say that EJ can’t even get time in the Championship is an insult to the football being played at that level!
Well enough to stay in the whole 90 and then keep getting the call to do it again and again.
I know szetela is starting but does anyone know how well he’s been playing?
I think that the USL might be too much for EJ at this point.
Convey went out in the 106th minute because he picked up a “knock” on a sliding tackle. LET’S HOPE THAT THIS IS NOT ANOTHER INJURY SETBACK.
Really feel for you Gareth.
We in the US have been watching him on the Nat team and cannot understand why he repeatedly gets called. Someone needs to teach him how to play soccer, its that bad.
I think that I may know why Spector didn’t dress for Reading. It might be because he plays for West Ham.
Go Gunners! Carlos Vela is a young gun. lol. 3 goals 1 assist. Nice way to demand minutes
To add to Rudy’s comment, Davies had 3 shots in the game, all inside the 18, but none on goal. Hammarby total had 9 shots, 2 on goal. Elfsborg’s goal was an own goal, but I can’t for the life of me find out who did it. Regardless, it probably wasn’t Davies…
Gareth – we can’t believe he’s making our national squad either!
Sorry should have stated but I’m sure you can all guess, the chump in question is eddy johnson
When did Spector transfer to Reading?
I am a Cardiff City fan and watched the game tonight, I can’t believe he makes your national squad, he was way out of his depth tonight and I can’t imagine that Dave Jones (Cardiff manager) will ever give him a run out again. think we have been stiched up, going for Kenny cooper and ending up with this chump
‘Dolo is out with a sprain or strain or something. Stevie is still Vice-Captain for Hannover, if I’m not mistaken, so I wouldn’t fret too much about his playing time.
Bradley started for the first team this weekend (I know there’s been some confusion about that, but he was a late addition to the lineup), so let’s reserve judgment on his playing time for the time being.
Dempsey’s a different matter, though.
most teams don’t really care about winning the cups, unless they are UEFA. They get more money for staying in the top flight of their respected countries. Cherendolo is still nursing an abdominal strain, that’s the reasoning behind his playing time. As far as Bradley, like I said, Monchengladbach would much rather be playing in the Bundesliga next season then winning the Pokal this season.
What happened to Bradley? He is not starting for the first team you would think he would see the pitch for a cup game. Do we need to start worrying for his position with the club as well?
I can understand that it takes awhile for new players to fit in with a new team, but what’s going on with Michael Bradley? He was a fixture with Heerenveen last year, a regular starter for the USMNT and does not, so far as I know, have any injury issues. That said, he can’t even get into a game for a Moenchengladbach team at the bottom of the league? Is there something I’m missing here?
It’s mind boggling that Dempsey can’t get into the lineup. I know some people have said he’s inconsistent lately but this is Fulham. It shouldn’t be too tough for him to keep himself in the first team there.
Charlie Davies started and went 90 minutes in Hammarby’s 1-0 loss to Efsborg.
I worry about Cherundholo the most. His playing time seems to have been dramatically reduced (not just in cup action but in regular games as well). He’s not off to the same kind of year he had last season.
I also worry about Dempsey but he has never been a regular for the current coach at Fulham so maybe he needs to seek other pastures to get his playing time up.
Johnson was a non-factor in the Cardiff game.
Carlos Vela on the other hand scored the hat trick for Arsenal. Something for Bob Bradley to worry about!
On a concacaf note, Vela scored three for Arsenal.
But Eddie performs in intra squad training in USMNT, so obviously he is worthy of a roster spot. Im sure the 12th man on NBA rosters do well in practice but there are reasons they are the 12th man. On his past run of match performance (or lack thereof), he shouldnt even warrant a spot carrying the gatorade bottles to the benches
EJ must have been giving Swansea fits