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Americans Abroad: A Look Ahead

Adam Henley 1 (Getty Images)

By FRANCO PANIZO

If Brad Guzan retains his spot in Aston Villa's starting lineup this weekend, we are in for a treat.

Guzan and the Villans host Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Everton on Saturday in arguably the biggest match-up involving Americans this weekend. Should he get the nod, Guzan will aim for his second clean sheet of the season, while Donovan attempts to score his first goal since returning to the Toffees.

That is not the only match-up worth watching. Clint Dempsey and Adam Henley (pictured) are set to square off when Fulham visits Blackburn. Dempsey is in red-hot form, and it will be up to Henley and the rest of the Rovers' defense to keep the U.S. international off the scoresheet.

There is also a duel between Americans over in Mexico, where Jose Torres and Pachuca host DaMarcus Beasley and Puebla. Both sides opened their Clausura campaigns with scoreless draws, so they will both be hungry for goals and a win.

Here is who the Americans Abroad face this weekend:

FRIDAY

Michael Orozco Fiscal and San Luis play Estudiantes Tecos U.A. de G.

SATURDAY

Brad Guzan, Eric Lichaj and Aston Villa play Tim Howard, Landon Donovan, Marcus Hahnemann and Everton. (Lichaj is out injured.)

Adam Henley and Blackburn Rovers play Clint Dempsey and Fulham.

Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Manchester United. (Holden is out injured.)

Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Zak Whitbread and Norwich City play West Bromwich Albion.

Conor Doyle and Derby County play Coventry City.

Jonathan Spector and Birmingham City play Millwall.

Robbie Findley and Nottingham Forest play Southampton.

Daniel Potts, George John and West Ham United play Portsmouth. (John is not available for selection, according to manager Sam Allardyce.)

Mike Grella and Brentford play Anton Peterlin and Walsall.

Frank Simek and Carlisle United play Milton Keynes Dons.

Maurice Edu, Alejandro Bedoya, Carlos Bocanegra and Rangers play St Johnstone.

Dominic Cervi and Greenock Morton play Raith Rovers.

Quentin Westberg and Evian Thonon Gaillard play Dijon FCO.

Adrian Ruelas and Jaguares de Chiapas play Chivas de Guadalajara.

Jose Torres and Pachuca play DaMarcus Beasley and Puebla.

Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL play Queretaro.

Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo, Greg Garza and Club Tijuana play Monterrey.

Sonny Guadarrama and Atlante play Herculez Gomez and Santos Laguna.

SUNDAY

Michael Bradley and Chievo Verona play Palermo.

Oguchi Onyewu and Sporting CP play Braga.

Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Club Brugge.

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Which matches are you most looking forward to? Think Donovan, Howard and Everton will defeat Guzan and Aston Villa? How do you see Henley faring against Dempsey and Fulham? Who will have a bigger game, Beasley or Torres?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I just saw that Joe Benny Corona is one of the 3 nominees for the Best Newcomer/Rookie (not sure of the translation) for the Apertura 2011. The other 2 nominees are Alfonso Luna of Atlante and Héctor Herrera of Pachuca.

    Reply
  2. I think the confusion is that Blackburn has a player named Henley and a player named Hanley. People have been getting the names mixed up, and Henley is black while Hanley is white.

    I think AdamTheRed probably saw a picture of Hanley and thought it was Henley, or the picture itself was mis-captioned.

    I don’t think anyone was saying that Henley’s color has anything to do with his nationality.

    Reply
  3. He was born in Tennessee and as of yet hasn’t played for the senior Welsh side, so he is still eligible for selection to the US.

    Reply
  4. WOOOOW!!!! Some of you all are so ignorant on this site. You can be Black and be Portuguese. You can be Black and be from Germany. My point is your race does not indicate what you nationality is. You can be Arabic and be from Australia. Some of you are just dumb when you post on this site. -_____-

    Reply
  5. I think it’s still a matter of months (3+).

    Yanks Abroad seems to think he’ll be healthy in time for WCQ, fingers crossed. Probably coming off the bench, though, due to rust.

    Reply
  6. Chill dude…common sense says it’s his opinion.

    I don’t see it either, even though I’d love for him to, being an East Tennessean and having lived in Knoxville.

    Reply
  7. Robbie Rogers problems are all between his ears. He needs to develop a sense of “I Wanna” and impose himself. He takes guys on one on one at times but lacks any conviction. Rather than spending time on social network sites he would better serve himself watching guys with less talent attack, attempt, make runs, etc. Maybe he could learn something.

    Reply
  8. “There is no way … ever” as you “just don’t see it happening”? Is that how predictions work: backwards? What some guy thinks influences reality? Like, maybe if we do a poll, the result of what a bunch of guys think will probably happen will actually happen and it will be because of our awesome half-baked predictions?

    In that case, I see myself marrying circa-1994 Christy Turlington. Therefore, it will happen.

    Reply
  9. Wow, love to see George John’s name on this list, and soon Robbie Rogers. Very interesting take from a local Leeds newspaper on Rogers at the link below. You just gotta be pulling for this guy, hope he can grow as a player. The USMNT could benefit from his speed if he can pull it together.

    http://tinyurl.com/899m4gw

    Reply

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