By FRANCO PANIZO
A month ago, three young Americans found themselves glued to the bench of their respective clubs, which ultimately helped facilitate loan moves as they searched for more playing time.
Those three Americans made their debuts this weekend.
Michael Bradley, Eric Lichaj and Jozy Altidore all received their first appearance for their new clubs. Bradley came off the bench and played 17 minutes for Aston Villa in a 1-1 draw with Blackpool. Lichaj started and went the distance in a 2-0 victory over Bristol City. Altidore started and went 77 minutes in Bursaspor's 1-1 tie with Eskisehirspor, helping set up Bursaspor's lone goal with some nifty dribbling.
This weekend wasn't all about debuts. Two Americans found the back of the net, with Timothy Chandler scoring his first professional goal (and assisting on another) for Nurnberg, while Carlos Bocanegra netted his second goal of the season for St Etienne.
Here is how the Americans Abroad performed this weekend:
England
PREMIERSHIP
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made one save in Everton's 2-0 loss vs. Bolton Wanderers on Sunday.
- Clint Dempsey and Fulham play Chelsea on Monday.
- Brad Friedel started and played 90 minutes in Aston Villa's 1-1 draw vs. Blackpool on Saturday.
- Michael Bradley came off the bench and played 17 minutes for Aston Villa.
- Marcus Hahnemann dressed but did not play in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 2-0 loss vs. Arsenal on Saturday.
- Jonathan Spector came off the bench, played 12 minutes and received a yellow card in West Ham United's 3-3 draw vs. West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
- Stuart Holden started and played 90 minutes in Bolton Wanderers' 2-0 win vs. Everton on Sunday.
- Jermaine Jones started and played 90 minutes in Blackburn Rovers' 0-0 draw vs. Newcastle United on Saturday.
CHAMPIONSHIP
- Conor Doyle dressed but did not play in Derby County's 2-0 loss vs. Leicester City on Saturday.
- Zak Whitbread came off the bench and played 11 minutes in Norwich City's 2-1 win vs. Reading on Saturday.
- Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Hull City's 1-0 win vs. Preston North End on Saturday.
- Mike Grella did not dress in Leeds United's 2-0 win vs. Bristol City on Saturday.
- Eric Lichaj started and played 90 minutes for Leeds United.
- Robbie Findley did not dress in Nottingham Forest's 1-1 draw vs. Queens Park Rangers on Sunday. He is recovering from a thigh injury.
- Eddie Johnson started and played 90 minutes in Preston North End's 1-0 loss vs. Hull City on Saturday.
LEAGUE ONE
- Frank Simek started and played 90 minutes in Carlisle United's 1-0 loss vs. Southampton on Saturday.
- Anton Peterlin dressed but did not play in Plymouth Argyle's 3-1 loss vs. Transmere Rovers on Saturday.
Scotland
PREMIER LEAGUE
- Maurice Edu came off the bench and played 20 minutes in Rangers' 6-0 win vs. Motherwell on Saturday.
- Dominic Cervi did not dress in Celtic's 3-1 win vs. Dundee United on Sunday.
Germany
BUNDESLIGA
- Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96's 1-1 draw vs. Werder Bremen on Sunday.
- DaMarcus Beasley did not dress for Hannover 96.
- Ricardo Clark did not dress in Eintracht Frankfurt's 3-0 loss vs. Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. He is recovering from a fractured cheekbone.
- Daniel Williams did not play in SC Freiburg's 1-0 loss vs. Schalke 04 on Saturday. Williams is out with a knee injury.
- Timothy Chandler started, played 75 minutes, scored a GOAL and got an ASSIST in Nurnberg's 4-1 win vs. VfB Stuttgart on Saturday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- David Yeldell started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in MSV Duisburg's 0-0 draw vs. FC Augsburg on Friday.
- Luis Robles started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Karlsruhe's 6-2 loss vs. Hertha Berlin on Sunday.
- Edson Buddle started and played 65 minutes in FC Ingolstadt 04's 3-1 loss vs. Fortuna Dusseldorf on Sunday.
- Amaechi Igwe did not dress for FC Ingolstadt 04. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play FC Erzgebirge Aue on Monday.
- Alfredo Morales did not dress in Hertha Berlin's 6-2 win vs. Karlsruhe on Sunday.
France
LIGUE 1
- Carlos Bocanegra started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in St Etienne's 4-1 loss vs. Lyon on Saturday.
- Charlie Davies did not dress in Sochaux's 2-1 loss vs. Marseille on Saturday. He is on trial with D.C. United.
LIGUE 2
- Quentin Westberg dressed but did not play in Evian Thonon Gaillard's 1-0 win vs. Chateauroux on Saturday.
Netherlands
- Oguchi Onyewu started and played 90 minutes in Twente Enschede's 1-0 win vs. Vitesse Arnhem on Saturday.
Turkey
SUPER LIG
- Jozy Altidore started, played 77 minutes and was involved in the leadup to a goal in Bursaspor's 1-1 draw vs. Eskisehirspor on Sunday.
BANK ASYA 1. LIG
- Freddy Adu did not dress in Rizespor's 0-0 draw vs. Kayseri Erciyesspor on Sunday. He is recovering from a calf injury.
Belgium
- Sacha Kljestan came off the bench and played 1 minute in RSC Anderlecht's 1-0 win vs. Cercle Brugge KSV on Saturday.
Mexico
- Jose Torres started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Pachuca's 1-0 win vs. Puebla on Saturday.
- Herculez Gomez started and played 90 minutes for Pachuca.
- Edgar Castillo dressed but did not play in Puebla's 1-0 loss vs. Pachuca on Saturday.
- Sammy Ochoa did not dress in Estudiantes Tecos U.A. de G.'s 4-1 loss vs. Morelia on Sunday.
- Sonny Guadarrama came off the bench and played 34 minutes in Atlante's 0-0 draw vs. San Luis on Saturday.
- Jonathan Bornstein started and played 45 minutes in Tigres UANL's 2-0 win vs. Cruz Azul on Saturday.
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What do you think of Bradley's debut? Impressed with Altidore? Think Chandler can sneak his way into the Gold Cup conversation if he continues to play like this? Surprised Bocanegra finally scored with a shot rather than a header?
Share your thoughts below.
Dk
When you quoted do on native talent.
Jonny B has started 4 of the 5 games he has been available, all on the left side of central midfield, and usually with some liberty to go forward. He has had his ups and downs, I would guess in part because of language issues, in part because he’s playing a new position, and partly because he hasn’t developed an understanding with his teammates.
I think he’s improving and may have a future in Mexico. 3 of the 4 times he was substituted I would say he was having some problems making the right pass or run(defends OK), the other I think was for fresh legs.
As a Pumas follower, I might also mention that Tuca uses his subs, usually in a somewhat predictable pattern; it looks like Bornstein’s position will usually be subbed out to change the dynamic there a bit.
In any case, the fact that he has started so often indicates the manager sees good things.
“Fantastic way to judge who should be the central midfielders on the national team….”
Is that because all three teams play the same formation the US does and all three CM’s will have the exact same roles?
And of course all three teams have the same talent level as the USMNT does.
Or is it because Holden has been at Bolton for almost a year while Jones has been a Blackburn maybe a month and MB has been at Villa for maybe two weeks?
Yeah those games should tell everyone a lot about who should play for the US.
Which part?
This.
What is your point? This was never passed into law…do you know how much garbage has been “introduced” as a bill to Congress?
Being of mixed ethnic background–I couldn’t agree with you more. I think the problem here is the use of the word “American” to describe something that has only little to do with national origin.
Perhaps it should be said that we all wait for the day that our national team is made up of kids who were trained in the American youth system (Clubs & Academies, ODPs, to College, to MLS), and such a team is able to compete with the top powers w/o always being considered underdogs.
I haven’t heard anything about what Reyna is doing up there at USSF, but hopefully he’s moving us in that direction.
Hey Ives, you forgot to credit Stuart with an assist on Boltons first goal
Hey Ives, you forgot to credit Stuart with an assist on Boltons first goal
aristophanes…that made me laugh. there is nothing more American than sarcasm.
mike m…?…did you mean J. Jones of Blackburn? that might have been the problem!
Has anyone been keeping tabs on Bornstein? If my memory hasn’t turned to butter I seem to recall him playing 45 minutes and a similar number of minutes in a different game. Is he a 2nd half sub or is he being yanked after the first half? Assessments of where he is at so far?
If you watched Newcastle v. Birmingham to see Jones, you were not looking for Jermaine Jones…
Who cares we are they from, they are all american and proud to play for the USA, that’s what really matters.