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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

Rangers CIS Cup 1 (Getty Images)

By FRANCO PANIZO

Since recovering from injury, both DaMarcus Beasley and Maurice Edu have yet to solidify starting roles for Rangers, but they became the first Americans Abroad players to bring home hardware this season, as Rangers defeated St. Mirren in the final of the Scottish League Cup. 

Rangers overcame having two of its players sent off, and raised its record twenty-sixth Scottish League Cup with a 1-0 win on Sunday. Edu contributed to Rangers' victory by coming off the bench at halftime and playing the final 45 minutes. Beasley was an unused substitute in the match, but the win will give him more silverware to add to his collection of bling.

Eddie Johnson found the back of the net for the second time this season as he netted in Aris Salonika's 1-1 draw vs. Panionios. Johnson, who played all 90 minutes of the match, opened the scoring with a one-time shot to the near post. The goal was his first since Jan. 31.

It wasn't all positive this weekend. Jay DeMerit and Jozy Altidore both missed games with relegation implications due to injury, while Ricardo Clark once again failed to make his debut for Eintracht Frankfurt in its surprising triumph over league-leading Bayern Munich. 

Here is how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:

England

PREMIERSHIP

  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Everton's 2-0 win vs. Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

  • Clint Dempsey came off the bench and played 38 minutes Fulham's 2-1 loss vs. Manchester City on Sunday.

  • Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in West Ham's 2-0 loss vs. Arsenal on Saturday.

  • Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Aston Villa's 2-2 draw vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
  • Brad Guzan dressed but did not play in Aston Villa's 2-2 draw vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

  • Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made one save in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 2-2 draw vs. Aston Villa on Saturday.

  • Stuart Holden did not dress in Bolton Wanderers' 2-0 loss vs. Everton on Saturday. He is recovering from a leg injury.

    COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP

    • Frank Simek dressed but did not play in Sheffield Wednesday's 0-0 draw vs. Derby County on Saturday.
    • Kenny Cooper did not dress in Plymouth Argyle's 2-1 loss vs. Scunthorpe United on Saturday.

    LEAGUE ONE

    • Zak Whitbread did not dress in Norwich City's 1-1 draw vs. Swindon Town on Saturday.
    • Mike Grella and Leeds United play Millwall on Monday.
    • Jemal Johnson did not dress in Stockport County's 1-0 loss vs. Brentford on Saturday.
    • Jon-Paul Pittman came off the bench and played 7 minutes in Wycombe Wanderers' 2-2 draw vs. Exeter City on Saturday.

    Scotland

    • Maurice Edu came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Rangers' 1-0 win vs. St Mirren in the final of the Scottish CIS Insurance Cup on Sunday.
    • DaMarcus Beasley dressed but did not play in Rangers' 1-0 win vs. St Mirren in the final of the Scottish CIS Insurance Cup on Sunday. 
    • Dominic Cervi did not dress in Celtic's 3-0 win vs. St Johnstone on Saturday.

    Italy

    • Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in AC Milan's 1-1 draw vs. Napoli on Sunday.

    Germany

    BUNDESLIGA

    • Michael Bradley started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 1-1 draw vs. FC Cologne on Friday.
    • Steve Cherundolo came off the bench, played 45 minutes and received a yellow card in Hannover 96's 2-0 loss vs. VfB Stuttgart on Saturday.
    • Sal Zizzo did not dress in Hannover 96's 2-0 loss vs. VfB Stuttgart on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
    • Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04's 2-2 draw vs. Hamburg SV on Sunday. He is recovering from a leg injury.
    • Ricardo Clark dressed but did not play in Eintracht Frankfurt's 2-1 win vs. Bayern Munich on Saturday.
    • Daniel Williams did not dress in SC Freiburg's 1-0 win vs. Mainz 05 on Saturday.
    • Jared Jeffrey dressed but did not play in Mainz 05's 1-0 loss vs. SC Freiburg on Saturday.

    BUNDESLIGA 2 

    • Luis Robles and Kaiserslautern play Fortuna Dusseldorf on Monday.
    • Matt Taylor did not dress in FSV Frankfurt's 2-1 loss vs. TSV 1860 Munich on Sunday.
    • David Yeldell started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in TUS Koblenz's 2-0 win vs. SpVgg Greuther Furth on Friday.

    France

    • Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Stade Rennes' 4-1 win vs. Toulouse on Saturday.

    • Charlie Davies did not dress in Sochaux's 0-0 draw vs. Lens on Saturday.

    Portugal

    • Gale Agbossoumonde and Sporting Braga did not play this weekend.

    Greece

    • Freddy Adu dressed but did not play in Aris Salonika's 1-1 draw vs. Panionios on Sunday.
    • Eddie Johnson started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Aris Salonika's 1-1 draw vs. Panionios on Sunday.

    Denmark

    • Benny Feilhaber did not dress in AGF Aarhus' 2-0 loss vs. Odense BK on Sunday. He is recovering from a ankle injury.
    • Michael Parkhurst dressed but did not play in FC Nordsjaelland's 1-0 win vs. Esbjerg on Sunday.
    • Marcus Tracy did not dress in Aalborg BK's 3-0 win vs. Koge on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
    • Chris Rolfe did not dress in Aalborg BK's 3-0 win vs. Koge on Sunday.

    Sweden

    • Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro BK play Malmo FF on Tuesday.

    Norway

    • Clarence Goodson and IK Start play Rosenborg on Monday.
    • Hunter Freeman and IK Start play Rosenborg on Monday.
    • Mikkel Diskerud started and played 90 minutes in Stabaek's 1-1 draw vs. Valerenga on Saturday.

    Mexico

    • Jose Francisco Torres and Pachuca play America on Sunday evening.
    • Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Tigres UANL's 4-0 loss vs. Cruz Azul on Saturday.
    • Marco Vidal started and played 90 minutes in Indios de Ciudad Juarez's 1-0 win vs. Queretaro on Sunday.
    • Herculez Gomez and Puebla play Santons on Sunday evening.

    Argentina

    • Michael Hoyos did not dress in Estudiantes La Plata's 3-1 win vs. Atletico Tucuman on Friday.

    —————————–

    What do you think of these performances? How many more trophies do you see Beasley and Edu collecting this season? Impressed by Johnson's strike? Starting to worry about Clark's situation?

    Share your thoughts below.

    Comments

    1. Here’s my theory (actually a little more than half serious): Adu has trouble with coaches because, well, he just smiles and laughs too much. This they consider most likely subversive, and minimally an indication of his unreliability. Time to study Clint Dempsey and try and look more miserable, Freddie.

      -ak48

      P.S. I have no particular evidence for this somewhat fanciful theory. Then again, lots of dumber, equally unsubstantiated theories about his imagined character flaws are posted here all the time, so hey.

      Reply
    2. John…Adu is good favor in Greece…unlike Monaco and Bellenenenenesesses(oh however you spell it)… He is behind quality players and when he has played he has done well enough… The team is going well and Adu is learning a lot from Hector Cooper who has no bias from Americans… give it time.. it is an 18 month loan… Freddy is not going to make the WC squad…

      Reply
    3. Your words are better, shaggie.

      But regardless of the level of the club, a couple of good games doesn’t win you a full time unquestioned starting spot at any halfway decent club in Europe. What is going on right now with Adu strikes me as pretty normal and I don’t understand why blink and grubbs are losing their minds over this. I guess they just don’t understand how competitive European club soccer is and how powerful a guy like Cuper is. Or how marginal a player Adu is.

      Reply
    4. Well, I highly doubt Eddie Johnson will have much to contribute against the elite. But he might have the inside track now on the backup speedy striker role. Something like Altidore, Davies, Ching, and EJ is very possible. But I personally would take three strikers, with Dempsey as a midfielder who can do damage up front. Then you can add an extra midfielder who is probably going to add more to the team than EJ would.

      Reply
    5. ::Sigh:: EJ scoring just makes me tired. The kid has the physical tools to be really good, and those tools would help the US be better if he could somehow get over whatever mental hump that’s slowing him down. I hope he does. I wish Cooper would get some playing time as well. It’s discouraging to see good young US players not living up to their potential.

      Reply
    6. Good to see EJ score.

      I wonder if he has some sort of performance anxiety/stage fright issues/confidence issues when he’s with the national team?

      In that clip, I saw him receive the ball well, take a couple of touches, a nice back heel touch on the sideline, a proper back pass, and then positioned himself nicely to receive the cross, and a VERY good finish, at a tough angle.

      The skill set is there. I just wonder if the spotlight still isn’t too bright for him with the Nats.

      Reply
    7. World Class?! So you’re saying that Kenny Cooper belongs in the same conversation as Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Didier Drogba, and Samuel Eto’o? Get a grip, man.

      Kenny is at best a fringe bench player on a Championship level team. Oh wait, THAT’S WHAT HE IS NOW

      Reply
    8. Good to see Jared Jeffrey on the bench in the Bundesliga. It’s VERY good not seeing “Davies is out with multiple injuries.”

      Reply
    9. Ives,

      Can you please try to get Adu to write a comparison on benches between the 4 teams and 3 leagues he’s ” played” (used very vwry loosly) in Europe?

      I’m love to see who has the most leg room and padding…

      Reply
    10. Read an article on tribalfootball that Whitbread has an ankle injury that he picked up in February. The article is about how he’ll become the best defender Norwich has ever had.

      Reply
    11. cooper may be talented, but he doesn’t fit a need for the US. Does he hold up the ball better than ching? The answer is no. Is he faster, more dynamic than davies? No. Then, is he a better player than landon or clint? nope. I’d concede if he miraculously starts to get minutes and scoring week in and out then he should get a look provided findley/cunningham etc aren’t in top form. But… he’s not in a top league, not making the bench, not playing, not scoring and has never fit into the US team style. He’s had glimpses, for the US no doubt, but it doesn’t appear that any of that is going to change in the coming months.

      Reply
    12. nice goal by EJ. I think we all kind of knew a new kid like Rico wasn’t going to play against Munich. Hope the Jozy and Demerit injuries aren’t that serious.

      Reply
    13. Why in the Hell did Kenny’s Dad take him to Plymouth to get playing time? I thought things were going great for him at 1860 before the knee injury. And then all of a sudden we hear he is transferred to Plymouth to get more playing time and hell he does NOT even play as a SUB! Hell, he is not even on the bench!

      He messed up big time leaving 1860!

      I know Kenny watching him play in Dallas. He is a World Class Player. Yes thats right. He is a World Class Player. Much better than Conor Casey or Brian Ching or Eddie Johnson. It will be a damm tragedy since it looks like he wont be picked for the World Cup. Look at his VERY LIMITED appearances for TEAM USA and Look at the number of Goals he has. GIVE THE GUY A CHANCE BOB BRADLEY!!!!

      Reply
    14. It is pretty common knowledege that their was a clause in Coopers lease that stated they did not have to pay a good majority of the loan fee if he does not play in X amount of games… why Cooper would agree to a loan where the team has a financial reason not play him is baffling… Cooper is a much better striker than what Plymouth is currently working with… most of their fans confirm this on their boards..

      Reply
    15. I agree with you and blink that there is an attitude problem.

      In this case it’s your attitude.

      Hector Cuper is one of the most respected club coaches in the World. He knows Adu and EJ are two rehab projects, two flawed players, at Aris on their last chance saloon.

      So he is trying to maximise their advantages and minimize their weaknesses. In EJ’s case his biggest advantage is his physical tools. So Cuper plays him against teams where he can use this . Adu’s bigggest disadvantage is his total lack of defensive awareness and technique; so Cuper won’t play him against teams where that is more of an issue. Yes, Freddy scored two goals but guys like Cuper look at your overall contribution and has figured out what you two haven’t.

      Which is that Adu is a part time starter useful in small doses.

      As for Cooper, well the man had a knee injury and you two have no idea how well he has come back from it. All knees are different but anybody notice how long it took Edu to come back from his?

      You both expect way too much from Cooper, EJ and Adu. They are lucky to have contracts to play this game.

      Reply
    16. hopefully MLS can now offer competitive offers to those not playing in Denmark, Sweden and Norway when they are ready.

      also i hope Goodson, Benny and Bedoya can move up to a better leagues over the summer. but for now being a well paid athlete in northern europe isnt bad at all.

      Reply
    17. Tracking down a guy is also about positioning. You have to arrange it so that you have the right angle on your man. After all,having the ball slows you down. Spector is just getting better at the art of defending.

      Reply
    18. I would have to agree it is attitude. Having said that, if Adu matures I think he can be productive in Europe. When Adu actually played with Aris he produced (Remember Adu basically hadn’t played in 2 years too). Adu needs to dig deep and adjust himself -if it is indeed his attitude. Adu showed when he does play he has class. He just needs to turn this into consistency. I am not ready to give up on a kid that in limited time showed he can play.

      Cooper, well he is just a disappointment. I Think Rolfe will be fine too. Let him work into the team.

      Reply
    19. I am so tired of Cooper not playing. He HAS fallen of the planet. It is frustrating. He needs to either come home or find somewhere where they will play him. It’s absurd.

      And Adu is another one. The kid has all the potential talent in the world but he can’t even find a regular place on a Greek pro side. He must have serious attitude problems. What else could it be? Everywhere he has gone he has quickly found himself on the outs with the management. It has to be his attitude because it isn’t his lack of skill.

      Reply
    20. Spector showed very nice pace in keeping with the Gunners attackers. In fact, he tracked Arshavin down once and had little trouble staying with him. He had some trouble with Diaby, but overall Spector is turning into a pretty nice right back. He has a lot more pace than people realize.

      Reply
    21. There are rumors that he has a clause in his contract with Plymouth that he has to be paid X amount of money per game he plays in. I’m assuming its a good deal of money or something that could add up over time.

      Mariner knows Kenny and the type of player he is. I’m surprised he isn’t playing. Not only is he not playing, his spot of the bench is being taken by a youth player.

      Reply
    22. Is there something wrong with The Big Chil if he’s relaxing on a Sunday by watching Pachuca on Telemundo just to see a bit of Jose Torres, a player who’ll probably make the Cup roster but only see limited minutes?

      Reply
    23. Exactly. Same for EJ and Adu. Your not going to walk straight into the starting lineup when you join a club in the middle of the season.

      Reply
    24. I wouldn’t worry too much about Rolfe. He just joined a good team halfway through its season. It’ll take some time to settle in.

      Reply
    25. Nice little goalscorers’ goal by EJ. Even better, he looked confident and productive in the buildup. He has to make this WC roster over the likes of Casey — while I’ll be forever grateful to CC for his contributions in qualifying, we need to ask ourselves who has the better chance of contributing vs. the elite.

      Reply
    26. Spector did pretty well against Arsenal. Some nice crosses. His ratings and comments were amongst the best on Sky Sports. Nice to see him play at right back.

      Reply

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