Oguchi Onyewu's comeback season with Sporting Lisbon has encountered a massive setback.
Onyewu suffered a torn ligament and meniscus in his right knee and requires surgery that will keep him out of action for two months, according to Sporting Lisbon's official website. The injured knee is not the same one that he injured in 2009, when he tore the patellar tendon in his left knee in a World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica at RFK Stadium.
Onyewu suffered his latest injury in Sporting's victory over Pacos de Ferreira over the weekend, needing to be substituted off after 27 minutes. He had been enjoying a resurgence at Sporting after a failed and injury-altered stint at AC Milan and a loan spell at FC Twente in recent years. In addition to rediscovering his defensive form, Onyewu had recaptured his athleticism and scored five goals this season, emerging as a top aerial threat off set pieces.
The injury will prevent Onyewu for playing for the U.S. national team in next week's friendly against Italy, where he was a good bet to start in central defense. Instead, his absence leaves Jurgen Klinsmann with a gaping hole at the position.
Should the two-month timetable hold, Onyewu would be back in action ahead of the May and June friendlies against Scotland, Brazil and Canada and the beginning of 2014 World Cup qualifying.
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What do you think of this development? Which centerbacks do you think should go to Italy?
Share your thoughts below.
First Gonzalez, then Whitbread, and now Onyewu SMH! Most likely the USMNT will call up 4 CBs and for sure Carlos Bocanegra is one of them. My best bet is that Geoff Cameron will get the call and I’m sure Zak Whitbread will get a call up only if he’s ready to go now we have one spot left which it can go to Ream or John. If Whitbread isn’t healthy by next week then there is a good chance that both John and Ream will be called up with Bocanegra and Cameron. Many people will also claim Goodson but I would rather stay away from him in the meantime only if it’s necessary and I deff. want to stay away from JK main man Orozco. My God can we ever get a break for once
I say Holden behind Dempsey and Altidore, donovan on the right or left and chandler on the opposite of Donovan
+1 Ream is going to be lucky to get any minutes in the EPL, If he does it’s because he has a better coach than Hans Backe.
+1
Yeah I noticed and I hope he does but every time he gets on the national team stage he has a poor showing in a position that we need a strong, consistent player at. Soccewrnet has been playing him up going to bolton for sometime, I feel as if he even had a mediocre play for them they would have put him in there, go USA! LOL…
it’s definitely not the ACL, like the other poster said it the surgery would be for the meniscus. You have to think recovery and getting match fit are all included in the 2 months
It wouldn’t be a bad time for a trial by fire for Cameron since Italy’s first choice attacking corps is dealing with injury problems, too.
We’re not as shallow there as might be thought. Depth probably goes like this (based on form, availability, medical status, and the fact that a player who’s never been capped for the USMNT will NOT debut there against Italy):
Bocanegra
Goodson
D.Williams/J.Spector (two swiss army knife style players)
Cameron
Ream
Parkhurst
Orozco Fiscal
Pearce
John
Marshall
Borchers
Whitbread is also injured. Not as serious as Gooch, but he’s made of glass.
Crap, who is going to fill that whole? I guess the good part is it will force our hand to get someone to step up, as Gooch is not getting any younger.
That is just nonsense. As far as you know he hadn’t had any interest from any European clubs. Ream hasn’t played one minute in the EPL. He had a solid outing in the FA Cup against a championship team. Not sure how you can say Ream is better just because he is in the EPL.
I’ve done this to both knees. It’s painful. It sucks. But the silver lining is that in 8-10 weeks you are at or near full strength. you should not have any long term problems. The timing of this injury sucks for club and country. I feel for Gooch. However, while classified as “major” this could be much, much worse. All in all a good rehab and the knee will be just fine
Two more injuries to the backline and I’ll be waiting by my phone for Klinsi’s call.
It’s not a complicated process of elimination. I would assume Cameron and Goodson get called up one to start one to back up, alongside Boca. Whitbread might have been poised to get a look but he’s hurt, re-aggravated the same hammy that’s held him out on and off all season, and he likely won’t get called up to risk re-injury. Gonzo is out with the knee. Parkhurst looked inferior. I can’t see them handing John both a first cap and his first big game in months against Italy. Orozco blew his chance. So Cameron = right place at right time.
I’m a Gooch fan because physical dominance is a useful quality in a back, but you start to wonder if his build means he’ll be fighting injuries as his career progresses. Lot of mass, his style is “banger.” That accumulates IMO.
+1 will we ever be at our “best”
Im cool with Cameron, maybe both will get a call!
Noooooooo! Not again. The cb depth chart is very thin withput him.. Id call boca, williams, edu, goodson and parky for cb’s. Cameron is an option over goodson if he is in form and ream/john eventually over parky but not now. With a crowded midfield williams or edu should try to take a spot in the back.
This is correct to the best of my knowledge. The surgery would most likely be to repair the torn meniscus, which is fairly common and does not require a lengthy recovery period.
DId you happen to notice that Ream made Team of the Week on Soccernet for the FA Cup matches this past weekend in England? Maybe he can develop into something.
That’s how it will always be. The percentages don’t favor a fully healthy national squad for any single match date.
That’s why playing the “where will holden fit?” game is such a fruitless exercise. The team won’t look the same a month from now. Who knows what it will look like when (if?) holden regains his fitness/form.
If it’s an MCL or LCL it wouldn’t take too long to return. However, the only ligament injury I’ve ever heard of needing surgery is the ACL. If seen athletes continue to play after tearing the other three (MCL, LCL, PCL) after simple rest and therapy-no surgery.
George John isn’t even making the bench for West Ham whose in the second division – who are these people clamoring for him to get called up?!?!?!
I agree with the Geoff Cameron sentiment though. Good skill on the ball, athletic, has good pace for a big man, just needs more time playing the position since he’s spent so much of his career playing all over the pitch.
I think the last Gold Cup exposed the limitation of Clay Goodson. I’m intrigued with Michael Parkhurst as a partner for Bocanegra, but he seems to struggle with big center forwards.
Man, Gooch must have some sort of curse or something….Hope he heals quickly.
Greeeeeeeeeat…just when you think it’s coming together.
That sucks. I was really looking forward to seeing gooch back int he USMNT starting 11. Well as is that leaves Cameron, Ream, Boca, and Goodson. Don’t bring up George Jouhn he isn’t playing first team ball. More than likely I see Cameron, Boca, and Goodson getting called in, and D.Williams called in for CB as well. Hope he is back before qualifying, but at least the USMNT will have options goign FWD now that Ream is set to be getting significant minutes at CB for Bolton, Whitbread will back in a few weeks, D.Williams has been starting and playing RCb for Hoffenheim, Boca is still steady and Cameron will be starting for Houston. But Gooch was hitting his stride again. It seems every time the USMNT seems to be getting everyone back one memeber gets hit with an injury.
A canyon sized window just opened up for Zak Whitbread if he can bounce back quickly from his hammy injury. Cameron might also have a shot at starting, but Klinsi has been notoriously skeptical of MLS defenders and he is a bit more of a finesse CB than Whitbread, so I can’t imagine anyone else being considered for this role. Goodson, Parkhurst and Cameron are also on break now, so we may even see Williams at CB since he’s played there a little recently. It’s a real quandary if Zak isn’t healthy.
well this is a slap in the luvhandles….
Ream is better than Cameron. He is in the EPL whereas Cameron is still in MLS and has not gotten any looks from european clubs yet.
Call up Keel. The Italians will not stop stop staring at his hair.
Uhm no. Geoff Cameron. John isn’t even playing first team ball. He will get his chance one day but that day is not against Italy.
that’s what i was going to say
To clarify, Boca is steady, but counting on him for 2014 gives me nightmares. We need a starting tandem that doesn’t include him to be secure.
Feel terrible for Gooch.
Helly, I feel bad for Klinsmann. He finally had one reliable option at centerback.
Without Holden and Gooch healthy, the US can’t play their best.
This sucks! At least it is not the same knee and it doesn’t sound nearly as serious. I hope he is back in time for qualifying.
Fognaggit!
… otherwise Gooch all the way…
Such a tough break. Guy was dead and buried to most usmnt fans after south africa. Now it’s hard to imagine finding a worthy replacment.
Maybe we’ll see williams given a run out at center back since he’s not a winger and we have holding/central mids to spare.
NOOOOOOOOOOOO time to call up John
Cameron for sure, he has better talent than Gonzo and Ream. Every time Ream puts the shirt on I feel like we are going to loose, he has been turned and burned a lot. Cameron has a skill set, only otherr one would be Goodson.
I’d rather he not get injured at all, but if he had to get injured, the time is now. I say that because if Gooch’s and Holden’s recovery timetables hold, they may be back to match fitness by the time the important games start in June. Now wouldn’t that be a sight for sore eyes.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m not well-versed in Knee Injuries, but what ligament can you tear that only takes 2 months to heal? I’ve heard of a torn meniscus being able to heal in that time, but combo’d with a ligament, that time table seems pretty fast
oooooh no!
AAAAARRRRAAAAGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!
Poor guy can’t catch a break.
Aye, Cameron. Trial by fire, but the guy’s cool-headed and we’re not really expecting to hold the Azzurri scoreless.
Too bad for Gooch. Hope he has a quick recovery!
Italy replacement: George John
Bad luck for Onyewu.
Well, we can’t call in Gonzo and Ream is just getting settled. Maybe Cameron?
F***beans. Poor Gooch
Calling Zak Whitbread and Clarence Goodson…
Awesome. Damnit.