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Davies returns to action for FC Sochaux

  Davies

Photo by ISIphotos.com

It's been a long road back for Charlie Davies, but the FC Sochaux striker took another step towards a full return on Wednesday.

Davies saw his first competitive minutes since last October's World Cup qualifier in Honduras, starting in the first game of a mini-tournament against Swiss side NeuchĂątel Xamax this afternoon. Sochaux is currently in the midst of its pre-season camp, taking part in a three-team tournament in Switzerland with Xamax and Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa. Souchaux dropped the result against Xamax on penalties, a 0-0 draw after 45 minutes.

Sochaux's regular season is scheduled to begin on August 7 against AC Arles-Avignon, giving Davies the entire month of July to prove that he is ready to return to first team action. Six more friendlies throughout the month will give him that chance.

What do you think about the news of Davies return? Will be be fit in time? Could he play against Brazil in August?

Share your thoughts below

Comments

  1. There is no reason to play him against Brazil.

    Right now the US needs to think about who will be ready for 2014 and until (and if) he shows he’s back to where he was then you can think about letting him play for the US again. There is absolutely no need to rush the man back. Guys like Bedoya, Gomez, Buddle, Pontius, and even the dreaded Findley are in line before Charlie.

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  2. Aubie4prex will find a way to argue it because for him it’s not about logic, it’s about a near messiac cult featuring CD9 as the savior and BB as the godless antichrist.

    Ain’t no reasoning with such vain fanatics. They would sacrifice Charlie’s health and career just to prove themselves right. It’s all about them.

    Davies needs such fans like he needs another car accident.

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  3. Guys, his CLUB TEAM couldn’t even clear him to participate in our pre-WC camp (and they wanted their star F to play in the WC). BB was forced to either name CD9 to the final 23 without ever seeing him participate in a single full and live practice, or leave him behind. WC teams are the best of the best, and he decided a healthy Buddle, Gomez, and Findley (or adding a MF and moving Dempsey to F) was better than a still-hurting and likely out-of-form CD9. How can you truly argue the logic – the US won its group and lost in the knockout stage in OT on a lucky, bouncing, left-footed shot to a team from the host continent?

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  4. I blame the fact that the US could only go so far on their talent alone.

    US players may be nearly as talented as players on other World Cup teams but they can’t compare with them when it comes to the mental aspect.

    Look at the final 8 teams. Those teams had plenty of players playing with top level clubs or top flight national teams on a regular basis. Many of them faced intense competition on a regular basis whether it was at their clubs, in the Champions league, the Euros, or the African Cup of Nations, Copa America or during World Cup Qualifying.

    Contrast that with the American player pool who had a couple of guys from the 2006 World Cup, a relatively comfortable WC qualifying run and and no players playing at the top flight. It’s a miracle the USMNT can compete with anyone when it comes to the mental side of things. Donovan and Dempsey, who certainly understand what I’m talking about need more help. Tim Howard, who was supposed to be the third top flight US performer was a bust aginst Ghana, letting his teammates down big time.

    A manager can only do so much with that and Bradley deserves a medal for taking this bunch and getting them to play as tough as they did.

    The single biggest need for the USMNT is getting more competition for its players.

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  5. As for him playing against Brazil? I’d say no. Not because I don’t want him there because I’d love to see him in the US jersey again as soon as possible. Right now though he needs to spend as much time with his club as possible getting fit and back on the field with them.

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  6. Congrats Davies. All you Senior haters sound dumber by the day. My advice is go to England where you’ll fit right in.

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  7. sorry man but that rating was for a match against lille in september 2009, beginning of last season….this was not a rating for the preseason match…

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  8. We also know who Jon Gosselin, Octomom , and Heidi Montag and Snooki from Jersey Shore are.

    That doesn’t give them, or you, any credibility.

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  9. I had right knee surgery 7 years ago that involved a side entrance to repair my meniscus and left only about a 1.5″ scar. My right quad has never regained the shape that it had previously shared with my left quad, even though both legs have been equally strong for years.

    Nerve, muscle, or tissue damage from either the accident or the surgeries could very well prevent CD9’s legs from ever looking the same again.

    Not a big deal, unless Charlie had planned to enter a body-building contest at some point, which would place some importance on muscular symmetry.

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  10. I always ardently hoped that Charlie would be able to recover from the accident in time to participate in the WC, however it still amazes me how so many people expected CD was going to bounce right back to full health and match fitness just a few months removed from an accident that severely damaged his body and very nearly killed him. It’s becoming pretty clear now that despite CD’s very positive attitude, his body has been very much compromised and in my opinion he will never again be able to perform at the levels he did before the crash. I would hope that he’s able to improve to the point where he can make a successful career out of football and that if the *real* chance of being able to play with the US team presents itself again, he’s able to take advantage of it. But, that’s not something I personally count on.

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  11. From an injury standpoint, 2011 seems like a legitimate time frame for when CD should be producing for Sochaux…probably still not at his optimal, but producing none the less. Rule of thumb (give or take)…9 months of rehab followed by 9 months of increased playing = 18 months until back to full health. The fact that he’s even suiting up at this point is remarkable!

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  12. Get your facts straight.

    Buddle played in the second half of the England and Algeria games. He should have scored against Algeria.

    What the US should really be proud of is going so far with a such a mediocre bunch of players. BB got almost everything he couldout of this mediocre bunch.

    I don’t know what his status is but Peter Nowak is either a US citizen or he isn’t.

    There is no “not really a US citizen”.

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  13. And who do you blame? I thought the team played with great heart and the players were the reason for the success we did have.

    It was BB who picked the starters, the strategy and the subs. When Findley was doing nothing yet still starting do you blame Findley? It’s not like he is going to step up and say no…I don’t want to play. Same with Clark when Edu looked so much better.

    When the team gives up a goal in 3 of the 4 games (with the 4th game having a shot bounce off the cross bar) do you blame the players? If it was once yes…but it’s been a constant since before the WC. That is the coach.

    So yes…I do blame BB…he did what was expected in a very cardiac manor.

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  14. Technically you are correct, but it would have meant not putting someone else on the squad and it would have meant that CD9 would not have been in the camp until near the very end, maybe not a good idea with a guy who hasn’t played in almost a year.

    Rooney,Gareth Barry, Torres and Fabregas, all players a couple of notches above Davies, were injured in the months leading up to the World Cup.

    All were medically “cleared” to play by whoever is supposed to do this stuff so I have to assume they were all better off than Davies. I wathced all of them and they looked like shells of themselves.

    It’s not a perfect comparison but those guys are talented players while Charlie made his name off of aggressive attitude and physicality. It’s hard to imagine he would have been very useful.

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  15. I’m a little tired of you guys who think that Davies was the best player on the planet before he got hurt. Torres and Rooney were both injured shortly before the Cup and even though they were pronounced “healthy” it’s pretty clear that 80% of them or whatever was not good enough and that they will need some time to get back into it.

    I’ll make you a bet. I bet Davies doesn’t have a good season for Sochaux at least not at first. There is no proof that Davies will ever be as good as he was.

    As for cutting Charlie for disciplinary reasons, that is wishful thinking, Bradley is a pragmatist; he doesn’t always play by the book. He took Gooch because it was clear his alternatives were not good. He took Findley for the same reason. Thos ewere not by the book reasons, they were forced on him by necessity.

    To suggest otherwise is to suggest BB is suicidal and he certainly doesn’t give that impression.

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  16. just went to that site and watched the video the players and staff put together for CD9, wishing him luck and a quick recovery. Hadn’t seen it before. Pretty cool.

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  17. Your BB hatred is warping you. Gooch was a lot closer to ready than Davies was and you saw how that turned out.

    Ives,

    Did anyone say how Davies looked?

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  18. Not sure if this was posted, but BB didn’t have a choice on Davies. Sochaux would not medically release Davies for National team play, BB had his hands tied.

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  19. Did you actually see him play? You are making a big assumption that he could’ve have helped the US team by not even seeing him play and impact yesterday.

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  20. Here’s the only comment I’ve found from someone who saw Charlie play in this match, on the Planete Sochaux board:

    ” Davies… Je suis vraiment triste pour lui, mais le chemin semble encore long. En 2011 peut-ĂȘtre, mais j’y crois vraiment pas.”

    Translation: Davies–I am truly sorry for him, but the road [back] still seems long. In 2011 maybe, but I don’t really believe it.

    Not the best news– but it’s only one person, and only one very pre-season match.

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