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UEFA Europa League: Your Running Commentary

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A busy day of Europa League playoff action is already well underway, but a number of other clubs out in Europe are set to get started.

Two Americans were involved today as Eric Lichaj and Brad Guzan both started and played 90 minutes in Aston Villa's 1-1 draw at Rapid Vienna earlier this afternoon. The Premier League is also represented this afternoon by Liverpool and Manchester City, while Juventus and Celtic will also be in action.

Jozy Altidore and Villareal host Belarusian club FC Dnepr later this afternoon, as the U.S. striker aims to make the lineup for his Spanish side. Here's a list of some of this afternoon matches:

  • Liverpool vs. Trabzonspor, 2:45 p.m.
  • Celtic vs. FC Utrecht, 2:45 p.m.
  • FC Timasoara vs. Manchester City, 3:00 p.m.
  • SK Sturm Graz vs. Juventus, 3:05 p.m.
  • Villareal vs. FC Dnepr, 4:00 p.m.

If you will are following along or watching any of today's action out in Europe, feel free to share your thoughts and comments below.

Enjoy the matches.

Comments

  1. If Jozy could get time at Villareal, it would be the perfect set up for when he comes back to play with the Nats (assuming a US coach stacks the MF). Villareal is loaded in the MF as well.

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  2. I don’t care what formation they roll out with. I was merely pointing out that I feel the coach has no faith in Jozy otherwise he would have adopted a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 with Rossi playing in behind Jozy.

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  3. I imagine his agent is working on things. Do you expect Beas to be tweeting things like, “met with such and such team today, fingers crossed”?

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  4. There’s 4-5-1, and then there’s 4-5-1. Doesn’t have to be a conservative formation. It’s how the pieces interact.

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  5. This may be a little off topic but is Beasley just giving up on finding a team? He sits around and tweets all day long like he is just content with not being employed. Surely he could be of use to one of these lowere level teams in this tournament

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  6. I didn’t see all of the Villa game, but from what I did see, Lichaj looked very good. He is quick and came forward a lot, but what impreseed me most was his incisive passing.

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  7. Come on Jozy. Hope he gets subbed in and gets like 20mins to play and hopes he makes the most of it.

    Oh and to the above, I doubt Guzan would be loaned to Arsenal. More likely for him to be loaned to a Blackpool or Sunderland.

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  8. I’ve yet to catch a match where Lichaj has played, but I keep hearing promising things about him. Hopefully he’ll get some decient playing time this year with the Senior team at Villa. I’m not calling for him to start, but maybe used as a rotation player and some of the cup matches. IF he develops into a strong candidate at Right Back we can potentially move Spector to CB or LB for the USNT. I’m feeling a little more confident about the looming retirement of Boca, DeMerit, Dolo and maybe even Gooch when I hear favorable reports on young US Defenders like Lichja (RB), Williams (RB/LB), Gonzolez (CB), Agbossoumode (CB). We’ve got 4 years to get them pollished up and playing.

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  9. Brad Guzan is the poop. a huge man with all that quickness and anticipation and courage. I like all of our keepers, so does the world, and I’m not ripping any of them, but I think Brad might be the best of the lot. yes, that’s saying a lot, considering he sits behind Friedel (who is freakin’ awesome!) on his club and Howard (another stud) for the USMNT…time will tell. we’re in good hands at that position 🙂

    but he needs to play now, and he’s that good.

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  10. The cross came in from about 35 yards out and went straight in. Lichaj was marking his man who tried to get a touch on it but multiple replays showed that he didnt. Center backs were mainly at fault for completely mistiming their jumps and letting the ball get behind them.

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  11. agreed. i’d love to see him loaned out ala joe hart at city. the weekly minutes will give him enough experience for when friedel finally retires.

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  12. This is what i heard on Lichaj and the goal – He got beat to the spot on the Vienna goal though his man didn’t get a head on the ball…but his mark did disrupt Brad Guzan enough to see the ball skirt through on a long service into the box.

    Other than that he attacked and defended pretty well. So at a young he is getting really good experience.

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  13. From what I read, Lichaj was mostly at fault on the goal. One on one the man beat him and was able to get the shot off and score.

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  14. I thought he played ok. Guzan had a pretty sick save int he first half…i’d love to see him transfer or at least get loaned out somewhere, a move for him to be #1 somewhere is way passed due.

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  15. Gotta say, if BB doesn’t get the Villa job, I wouldn’t have to see this reserve coach keep his job. He is obviously high on Lichaj and apparently Guzan.

    Wonder if we will see Lichaj come the Poland match.

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