The All-American showdown went to Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Everton.
Donovan came up with two assists to guide the Toffees to a 2-1, come-from-behind victory over Clint Dempsey's Fulham at Goodison Park in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday.
Donovan hit summer acquisition Denis Stracqualursi with a pinpoint left-footed cross from the right in the 27th minute, and the Argentine headed it past Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale to pull Everton level at 1-1.
The on-loan American was at it again in the 73rd minute, this time finding Marouane Fellaini with a right-footed cross from the right. The wild-haired Belgian international headed it across his body to the far post, leaving a diving Stockdale with no chance at keeping out the game-winner.
Fulham had taken the lead in the 14th minute, with Danny Murphy converting from the penalty spot after John Heitinga was guilty of a handball when sliding to block Damien Duff's shot.
Aside from that, the Cottagers were quite silent on the night and had a difficult time putting together a cohesive attack. Dempsey, coming off his second hat trick in three games, struggled to get involved offensively. His two best chances of the game were an early shot from 30 yards that sailed wide of Howard's goal, and a second-half header off a cross from Costa Rican Bryan Ruiz that sailed over the crossbar.
Donovan had the best chance to score among the two U.S. national team standouts, who were sharing a field as opponents for the first time since a New England Revolution-Los Angeles Galaxy MLS match in 2006. Donovan was on target with his 41st-minute blast from 25 yards out, but he struck it right at Stockdale. The keeper yielded a rebound, but Fulham was able to clear the danger.
With the victory, Everton advances to the Round of 16, while Fulham's chances at silverware are over.
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What did you think of Donovan's performance? Disappointed Dempsey didn't do more?
Share your thoughts below.
Denis Stracqualursi (who scored the first goal) plays very rarely. Although honestly, I thought he was fantastic in this game. Not only did he score, but his work rate was great, and I lost count of the times he converted a boot by Howard into a solid attacking possession by bringing the ball down well and holding it.
But, Everton does have serious problems at striker.
Also, they are missing both of their starting center backs due to injury (Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka), as well as Jack Rodwell (MC, DM, DC) and Seamus Coleman (MR, DR).
And they sold Pienaar and Arteta primarily because each demanded a transfer.
If you track back to my previous comments you’ll see my issue was with the announcers inaccurately talking about his play. He was not the presence in the Everton offense they were making him out to be. Also, the issue was not about the two GREAT crosses that he made which were assists, the issue was the rest of his game. I expect Donovan to have a solid game in the EPL, which he did today (more or less). Again, it was the game’s commentary that did not match Donovan’s play which upsets me.
I’m glad to see Donovan has such loyal fans!
Deuce is hardly a poacher. He plays on the left, he plays on the right, he plays as a target and hold up player, he plays underneath the target, and can even play CM. Also, LD scores a high percentage of his goals off of PKs and he is a hardly a number 10 playmaker. He plays a great deal of time in the slot underneath the target forward which is the easiest goal scoring position.
Friedel probably did Arena and the US a favor.
Friedel had the best World Cup ever for a US goalkeeper and helped the US to it’s best finish ever. After that he didn’t and does not owe the US a damm thing. And he left the US with an excellent keeper situation. Plus he made it clear that if there was an injury problem, he would be available.
You fail to take into account we are talking about keepers. You also are not aware of what might have been going on behind the scenes.
When Friedel quit, there was little to choose between him and Keller. And Howard looked like he was about to catch up to those two.
Having two equally great keepers makes for great competition; having three is a waste and makes for a great deal of tension. Since you can only play one keeper it means someone is always going to be wasting their time backing up the other two.
With two great ones you can alternate enough to keep both sharp. Very tough to do that with three.
Since Keller and Friedel were roughly the same age and Howard was quite a bit younger it made sense for one of the older two to leave the scene.
Whether this kind of thought process went into Friedel’s decision making, I have no idea,but the basic scenario still applies which may explain why there was not a lot of outcry over Friedel’s retirement, even though he was/is arguably the best US keeper ever (along with Keller).
That and the fact that keepers can keep you in a game or they can lose it for you but they can’t really win it for you.
Friedal stuff it MLS is not the easy route.
Does Landon have.a hamd in every goal since showing up or does it just seem like it.
Dempsey needs and deserves a better team.
In Europe and South America a guy who provides a lot of assists would be known as someone who “makes” goals and the scorer is someone who “takes” them.
I first started playing and following soccer abroad and never heard assists applied to soccer until recently. As someone else pointed out it’s likely a function of the American obsession with stats in general and of having assists in basketball and hockey in particular.
Americans are used to sports with heavy managerial control and participation on a play by play basis hence the love of stats and tactics on SBI.
Soccer is too dynamic a sport to be easily controlled by such things. The lack of a readily apparent connection between stats and timely and effective production tends to frustrate most US fans.
That is just not true. I am an Everton fan and a avid user of NSNO, a popular everton forum and everyone went on about how absurd, awful and bias the american commentators were (which i agree with).
The thing that you seem to not realize is that the two assists does set him apart from other players and makes him special. That is why everton fans, myself included (for the last 7 years btw) like him. To be in the premier league you must do the basics, to be a good player in the league you need to provide assists and goals. That is what Donovan does. You seem to be underestimating the value of two assists. Donovan does the basics well and then provides a solid end product. That makes him an above average player in the epl. No one has ever said Donovan was exceptional in the epl, he is no rooney, aguero, bale, drogba, van persie, ect… Those players are exceptional, what do you expect from Donovan?
True story?
I’ve always had the complete opposite impression. WAY opposite impression, in fact.
Why? Players do it all the time around the world for a variety of reasons. Brad Friedel is extending his short career earning span by having not had to travel transatlantic monthly, and that clearly payed off, starting for Tottenham at age 40. It’s just as prideful to have a guy potentially win the PL as anything he could have given us over Kasey/Tim that, in fairness to all three, may or may not have been better, but probably not statistically so. Him leaving gave way to Kasey Keller being able to play, and ultimately, Tim Howard was able to be groomed as a result of that. So yes, very myopic.
English. The English loves the American accent over there like how we love British accent here.
Dear Oranje Mike,
Who’s Landycakes?
Love, 2012
Maybe “quiet” was not the right word. How about: aside from the 2 great crosses, Donovan’s play today was pedestrian for the EPL. Basically, he fit in, but wasn’t that active or exceptional. Donovan did the basics: played his position well and got back on defense! Big deal.
Awesome showing from Landycakes. He would work wonders for Everton on a fulltime basis.
Friedel,
Could not agree less.
sure he could have done a little more in some situations, but to say he had a quiet game really doesn’t make sense
I’m a galaxy fan and I think Donovan’s work rate is better for Everton than the Galaxy . . . but that is the work rate required to keep playing time in the EPL! Donovan fits in at the playing level in the EPL, but he is NOT exceptional for the EPL! Although he is doing well with three assists so far.
it’s called bills. everton are flat broke, they had to sell, and teams know this, so they don’t even get full value usually.
None of that had anything to do with his lack of quality as a broadcaster.
I stand by the admittedly hyperbolic statement: Wynalda is garbage.
So, is “myopic” the new buzzword on SBI?
I’ve never seen it used more in years than I have in recent weeks on here.
Let’s find another word to recycle, shall we?
Wynalda was the first to call for Arena’s head after WC ’06, and took abuse for that. I give him credit for recognizing failure when it happened.
Similary, as BB melted down leading into GC, and was getting called out for his one trick pony habit of going MB90 every game, and then slotting whoever might work with that – Wynalda took heat from Mikey for daring to suggest that Jermaine Jones and Edu might be an interesting USMNT central midfield combo to see.
I give Eric credit for not being afraid to call out coaches and the players when they warrant it. Better as a pre- and post-game analyst than in-game maybe, but no dummy. imho
Corner kicks he took and didn’t win . . . yawn, I’m not impressed! Don’t get me wrong, I thought Donovan’s play was solid; he just wasn’t that active and he didn’t get many touches — No more active than Dempsey was! Donovan found space twice and made two great crosses. Throw in a decent run or two from Donovan and that’s about all you can say about his game today other than it was solid play and he fit in with the talent in the EPL. Maybe I was expecting more based on the commentary during that game and the hype he gets. He defenately was not pressuring the Fulham defense as the announcers made him out to be.
Maybe… and I’m fine with that.
I like LD more than Dempsey because in my opinion LD is a more complete player. In the sense that he gives 100% whether the team is attacking or defending. Deuce doesn’t track back from goal to goal like LD to snuff out attack. However, I’m glad they’re both on the US team, we wouldn’t get far without them.
But are those American Everton fans or English Everton fans? I assume the former if they’re getting the JP/Wynalda commentary.
Actually, the people on Everton’s forum love them. I guess it’s the dialect, something different from what they hear everyday.
I tend to agree with you. His work rate with Everton has been incredible since his arrival. Not only does he provide most of Everton’s service into the box, he’s constantly tracking back and marking on defense, and often leading the counterattack. In my opinion, he’s Everton’s most influential player at the moment.
Well, that’s just incredibly myopic of you.
dude you obviously didn’t watch enough of the match if you thought Donovan had a quiet game, his work to get the ball and hold possesion force turnovers, play in good balls from like 6 corner kicks which everton couldn’t put away, and oh add to that 2 assits….yeah quiet game alright
Wynalda is garbage.
Truly, one of the worst color commentators and/or analysts I’ve ever heard.
I don’t get the odd love affair people have for him. He isn’t sassy or colorful or entertaining. He’s just an idiot.
Maybe it’s his time with the Nats that people still revere him in a positive light?
I actually agreed completely with the announcers. I thought Donovan hands down looked more dangerous than just about any player on the field. And I thought a few times the defense had to scramble when they saw how Donovan could tear them apart.
Truth be told, I like Dempsey slightly more (I root for them both), but I think announcers had it right.
yeah JP & Wynalda were really biased in their coverage… I think Fox got the game cheaper by not paying for the Sky commentary… so it was funny but I was there to watch Dempsey and Lando too, so the commentary was perfect for the audience…
i’m sure some big time Cottagers and Everton fans may have hated it… wouldve liked to heard the British feed to see their views of our boys…
The Yanks are Coming…
As a long time Galaxy fan it seems to me that Donovan has not been himself for quite some time now.. his touch has been mostly heavy and his passes not nearly as crisp as before (circa world cup). also seems much more hesitant than ever taking on players which is so incredibly frustrating for me considering how much skill and pace he has.. would love for him to play closer to goal to instead of a sideline winger but I’m sure if he took more one on one chances I would say otherwise. but alas, he had two good assists today and maybe the point is we expect too much from LD when he is clearly a class player.
Also, Everton has an awful team besides Donovan, Howard, Baines, and Fellaini, IMO. the left winger out there today was so incredibly inept (although I believe he’s really young). and the guy who scored the first goal is also pretty terrible, although when considering Saha normally starts it doesn’t seem as bad. Why did they sell Pienaar? Or even Arteta??
Both Donovan and Dempsey had a quiet game. Although Donovan made the most of his few touches with the ball and came up big with two assists.
I wish the announcers were better. They kept insisting that Donovan was pressing the Fulham defense when he wasn’t. They also said that Donovan was causing trouble for the Fulham defense by taking on players when he attempted to once and was fouled. Granted later in the game Donovan made another attempt at taking on a Fulham defender one-on-one and beat him.
Bottom line, I was cheering for both Donovan and Dempsey. It was great to see them playing against each other in the EPL.
heh
Any American player who is still at the top of their game who voluntarily quits the US team (as opposed to playing until the coach has to forcibly take the jersey off his back), I no longer root for him in his club career, nor do I give a s*** what he has to say.
My guess is that big goals = big transfer, but that big assists = big love: everybody knows that most goals are not individual efforts.
Donovan is the main playmaker for the Galaxy and the National team. Dempsey acts as a goal poacher from midfield(sort of what Cahill does for Everton) Dempsey should score more goals.
I agree-my point was that it seems overwhelmingly that ‘Dempsey-only’ folks level illogical arguments that are actually prodicts of the argument they attempt to dispel.
LD has been better over the length of a career, but Deuce has been the better man the past two years (7 USMNT goals to Landon’s four & 28 club goals in a much tougher league to LD’s 24). It’s not even all that close.
Isn’t one joys of talking sports arguing about arguing about completely pointless arguments?
Me either.
I mean, wait…nevermind that. Back to my jolly ol’ tea.
assists are just as important as goals. unless, you’re messi, and can juke the entire defense and score on your own, the player that feeds you the final ball is just as important as the finish
you should said “request” and “forced” when referring to the same thing.
That is true probably because Americans who play/watch soccer usually also play/watch basketball. And in basketball assist is one of the most important stats.
See..
What I meant to say was…
about, you know….the quality of Donovan and Dempsey..
well…
…i love my accent.
i don’t understand why there has to be this Donovan v Dempsey battle between US fans. why can’t we just respect them both for the players that they are?
it would be one thing if they were both the same type of player, but they really aren’t, it’s like apples and oranges. i’ve been an everton fan long before donovan came along, and i still love watching dempsey. and donovan, especially since he took these two loans. i am a USA fan first and foremost, and love watching our players play so well on the world’s biggest stage, and prefer no to have to compare the two
Not trying to dis Landon’s performance because I thought he played well and provide outstanding service. But it is my observation that American fans and commentators place more emphasis on “assists” than do their counterparts in Europe and South Americans. Can someone please confirm or deny this?
Ives, is there such a thing in MLS that’s the equivalent of a transfer request ?
I know Everton can’t afford him, but just wondering if a move can be forced. I assume that the CBA doesn’t allow for something like that.
Tough not to smirk a little after this one, not even because I would consider myself ‘Donovan over Dempsey’, but because of the illogical arguments people have been making against Landon. The fact that Dempsey has gone to England,in a vacuum, does not logically mean that he is a better player, playing against harder people, higher stakes, etc. may have made him a better player, but that is merely a single factor of many that determine how talented a player is. Using the only common denominators, Landon’s time in England seems very close to Dempsey’s, and his play with the national team seems superior.
Donovan played well………..
I’m glad both Dempsey and Landon are playing well, bring on our world cup qualifying.