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Onyewu needs knee surgery, out two months

Onyewu (Reuters Pictures)

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.

Comments

  1. “what’s wrong with calling him in as one of the backups and getting to evaluate him in camp, and he’ll get to know the system/guys a little bit.”

    For one thing, it’s not a camp. It’s probably just a couple of practices and the game. So it’s not like the staff have a lot of time to be evaluating total strangers which is what George is.

    If it is just to get George acquainted with everyone, like they did with Morales and Johnson then that is one thing but playing him is another.

    If John was like Ream and already playing with the first team then maybe you have a case for calling him in.

    However,John has yet to play for West Ham and is battling to win playing time. Perhaps taking three days off would not be in his best interests in terms of winning a contract. He needs to stay at West Ham and take care of business.

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  2. Holden is a fine player and always looked good but that doesn’t mean he ever won a job as a starter or ever looked more than “promising”.

    Under Bradley he looked like a man without a role. Fortunately for him he found that role in Bolton.

    But Bolton is not the USMNT, In fact, Bolton isn’t even Bolton anymore, it has changed a bit since Holden got hurt.

    He will start from square one. He has to prove, in the following order:

    That he is healthy and fit

    That he has regained his form for Bolton

    That he can translate that Bolton form to whatever role it is JK wants to try him out in.

    He is not entitled to anything other than the opportunity to prove those three things.

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  3. You make it sound like Goodson has been sitting on his couch the last two months eating chips and drinking beer.

    This is not a must win situation.

    Zak is not healthy. Is he ever healthy for more than a few games?

    Zak is NOT “starting and playing well”. He is not match fit. Ever hear of hamstring injuries? Very tricky and people almost always come back too soon from them. The latest from Norwich is he is expected back right about the time the US is playing Italy.

    I know you are just dying to see him in a USMNT uniform but the Italy game would not be a good one for him to make his debut in.

    If you read Zak’s history he is brittle and injury prone. Throwing him to the wolves cold with players he might not have even met in a friendly just so you can see him in a USMNT shirt is the height of foolishness.

    JK might call him in to get him acquainted with everyone like he did with Morales and Johnson but playing him against Italy would be reckless.

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  4. I’d pretty much forgotten about the Cameron red versus Panama, but assuming FIFA/CONCACAF make him serve the suspension for the next friendly, that rules him out for Italy. So that means one of Ream or Goodson probably, pairing Boca.

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  5. wow, just read all the fighting about John vs. Cameron vs. Ream. you all are insane!

    1. they’re all about the same and none of them have proven to really be any better than the other.
    2. John was easy to sign in England because he has a Greek passport.
    3. Ream has actually played with the US team, so it was easier for him to get a work permit too.
    4. Cameron doesn’t have the luxury of either of the items mentioned above.
    5. None of this means one is better than the other until they actually play consistently.
    6. Williams, Goodson or Whitbread are going to start over any of the above mentioned.

    /argument

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  6. nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

    well, lets see what Danny Williams can do. Or we go back to Goodson/Boca.

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  7. Pretty sure everyone has been waiting for John, and while it was exciting to see him get a shot with a prolonged trial at West Ham the timing of it was some what sour because he along with Gonzalez were FINALLY going to get a chance at proving themselves to Klinsmann in a good amount of time under the training and guidance of the National Team coaching staff. As it stands they both went on loan/trials, Gonzo got hurt & John is still trying to establish himself on a team battling to have the #1 spot in the Championship and earn automatic undisputed qualification.

    Cameron was NOT beter than both of those guys in the back last year, a good 2 months of regular season not really playing anybody all that good except maybe a very tired FC Dallas team that hit the posts like 5 times and very well could have beaten a Cameron led defense 5-1 didn’t ipress me much…

    As for Danny Williams, look up his starts at TSG’s website or on soccernet, he’s been playing Defensive Midfield which is his natural position for some time now. On the right of the 2 holding mid spots in a 4-2-3-1 I think he may have played 1 or MAYBE 2 games at Center Back in the last 2 months but that is it

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  8. surprised there isn’t more sentiment for danny williams to start. he’s been starting at CB in the bundesliga, is a good passer for the position, and would help us to unclog the logjam at DM.

    Jozy Donovan
    Johnson Dempsey Bradley
    Jones
    Chandler Williams Boca Dolo
    Howard

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  9. This just puts a big underline below the statement that the US needs depth at every position. Gooch is not always my idea of a skilled soccer player, but he brings a great deal of physical presence that none of the other guys in the list can provide. Too often I’ve seen Goodson or Ream muscled off the ball to the embarrassment of the US defense. Frankly, if a physical presence is called for, the US has not better choice.

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  10. Zak is starting and playing well for an EPL club while Goodson hasn’t kicked a ball in 2 months for an inferior team and league. Goodson hasn’t even played well in his recent callups. If he’s healthy, Zak is the clear choice.

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  11. I agree that he hasn’t proven that he should play, but I don’t see what’s wrong with calling him in as one of the backups and getting to evaluate him in camp, and he’ll get to know the system/guys a little bit.

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  12. All good suggestions. I’m a big supporter of Geoff Cameron so I’d like to see him play or D-Will. I’m kind of curious what he’ll look like back there.

    Also, I don’t think John should be called in, but to say that he’s not playing first team ball is irrelevant considering that he was in the MLS until he moved. (Cameron is in the same situation except he’s training with Houston not West Ham)

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  13. Goodson/Boca in the back has to be the call. I’d love to see Cameron again – I thought he played really well in January, despite the (soft) red card.

    We’ve got depth at center back but I hate to see Gooch get injured again, especially given the fact that he’s been in absolute beast mode recently in Portugal.

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  14. So you must not rate John then because otherwise it sounds like your suggesting John would be more deserving if he’d stayed in Dallas and played against NASL and college teams for the last month or two instead of with a (soon to be) EPL team?

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  15. I beg to differ. Every minute I’ve seen him in uniform he’s been stellar (think possession). He just didn’t get the field time he should have under Bradley.

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  16. Yet again you don’t call up someone that is only training with a first team. West Ham is gaining promotion in spite of John not because he is provididng any meaningful minutes to the first team. John has “NEVER” suited up for the national team Cameron has. John will get his chance one day but that day is not against Italy. West HAm better than any other team in MLS I beg to differ. Either you are a West Ham fanboy or are a John fanboy. John has not proven he belongs with the national team. End of discussion.

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  17. Uhm no. Just no. John has never played for the USMNT Cameron has and Goodson and D.Williams are both playing for their first teams at CB. Heres a novel idea how about you don’t call in a player until he has proved that he deserves a call-up. Training with the first team is not good enough. Boom. How about not coming on here and being a total d-bag next time.

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  18. Very disappointing. As a Clemson guy, Gooch has always been a great source of pride for me. I honestly never thought he would be the same player after the first injury, but he really seemed to excel at SCP.

    Between Gooch and Holden I feel like there’s a curse on Clemson guys and on some of the USMNT’s best available talent.

    Get well soon Gooch!

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  19. West Ham is better than any team in MLS and are fighting (and winning!) for automatic promotion to the EPL. There is no shame that John hasnt gotten a first team start (YET) and everything you said about Cameron can be said about John. You should be clamoring for a call up too if you want to see who the best really is

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  20. “A canyon sized window just opened up for Zak Whitbread if he can bounce back quickly from his hammy injury.”

    Not for the Italy game. Zak has yet to have even one practice with this group. To put a centerback, a pivotal position where communication is key, in with a bunch of players he has never played with before against Italy at home, of all teams, is not very wise. Especially if it is his first game back from an injury that seems to not be fully healed from the last time.

    You really have to question his durability given his spotty injury record.

    “Cameron might also have a shot at starting, but Klinsi has been notoriously skeptical of MLS defenders..”

    Beckerman. Defensive midfielder, Klinsmann’s starting #6, his version of Dunga. Last I checked he played in MLS. JK plays the guys he believes fit his system best. Beckerman proves that.

    ” It’s a real quandary if Zak isn’t healthy”

    Zak is hardly ever healthy is he?

    It’s not a quandry. Players get hurt. That is what depth is for.

    Gooch and Boca are first string. Gooch goes down , then you start Goodson. If he doesn’t play well you work down the line of what would appear to be a long list of candidates. If there is a silver lining to this injury it is that there is now more opportunity to find out who backs up or succeeds the starters. Hopefully this gets sorted out before the US goes too deep into qualifying.

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  21. and Cameron is playing “first team ball” now? lol its MLS preseason John is training with and against the best squad in the championship first team starts or not.
    Call them both in and have them COMPETE for a spot. Novel idea huh

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  22. “Without Holden and Gooch healthy, the US can’t play their best.”

    That is debatable.

    Except for the 2009 B team Gold Cup run, Holden has yet to have an outstanding performance for the USMNT. He is tremendously popular and has been great for Bolton but is not a proven USMNT starter.

    He has not had one standout A team performance for the USMNT. He has a lot to prove if and when he gets back.

    Reply

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