Three of the U.S. national team's most valuable players are in action on Tuesday as they aim to close out their respective seasons in good form before joining training camp later this month ahead of friendlies and World Cup qualifiers.
Michael Bradley's Chievo Verona held AS Roma to a 0-0 draw under a downpour and on a waterlogged pitch in Italy, with the American emerging unscathed after turning in a productive 79-minute shift that included a number of pivotal passes that ultimately did not end up leading to goals.
Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard take center stage with the later games, as both look to maintain their teams' presence in the top 10 of the Premier League table. Dempsey has done just about everything for Fulham this season, scoring 22 goals in all competitions, but he'll try to guide the Cottagers to their first-ever win at Anfield when they take on Liverpool. Fulham can pull even with Liverpool on points for eighth place in the Premier League with a win.
Howard and Everton, meanwhile, are enjoying their typical late-season surge, going 5-1-2 over their last eight games to move into seventh place. The Toffees bring that run of form into a match at Stoke City.
If you will be watching any of Tuesday's matches, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the action (TV schedule is after the jump):
TUESDAY'S SOCCER ON TV
12 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel/ESPN3.com – Chievo Verona vs. Roma
12 p.m. – ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes – Granada vs. Espanyol
2 p.m. – GOLTV – Sporting Gijon vs. Villarreal
2:45 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Stoke City vs. Everton
2:45 p.m. – ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes – Liverpool vs. Fulham
2:45 p.m. – Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer2Go – Heart of Midlothian vs. Motherwell
2:45 p.m. – Fox Deportes/ESPN3.com – Napoli vs. Palermo
3 p.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – Montpellier vs. Evian Thonon Gaillard
I like Macca because he’s out-spoken, not afraid to disagree, and seldom goes with the consensus thoughts.
Chievo is near the bottom for goals scored in all types of weather.
Liverpool/Fulham game looks more like a friendly scrimmage where nobody wants to get injured. Alexander Kacaniklic is destroying Fulham attacks never getting the ball back into the middle. Perhaps Frei will come in.
This says it all:
john g mcgrorryâ€@johnmcgrorry23
I’d argue that if Dempsey was in the opposing team this evening, Liverpool would be boasting a much higher league position #BBCFootball
Our Yanks abroad are benefiting from own goals today!
Carroll is playing well for Liverpool. I haven’t seen much of him this year but he certainly looks better than his press clippings indicate.
Not that bad but he ain’t the brightest bulb on the porch.
Man Macca is dumb. This guy has to be like the English equivalent of Alexi Lalas.
what?
It is really a pleasure to watch Dempsey move the ball. He plays it more quickly than most of the players on the field, whether it’s a pass or a touch-and-turn. Very quick of thought out there.
Always easy to see Dempsey….bright orange shoes can’t be missed.
The Mig-effect is in full force. I say the above and then the ‘Pool almost score immediately.
imagine how schwartzer felt as the ball goes through his legs
This Liverpool reserve side is struggling. Since I really don’t like the club, this makes me happy. And Fulham is normally SO bad on the road this is a bonus.
I can’t believe Jay Spearing still starts for a professional club.
+1
Is the audio on my television not working? There is no way Anfield is that quiet.
Isn’t Moechengladbach (sp), his prior team, also the donkeys or some cloven hoof horse-like quadriped?
God it’s quiet at Anfield, Macnameran’s right, you can hear individual fans shouting. Also seem to be a lot of cheers when a Fulham player does something good.
What a chip. Man, after watching MB and Demps today I am getting super excited for these upcoming friendlies.
yeah, brilliant build-up play from Deuce there. great start for Fulham with the og.
Dempsey with great run and past to set up own goal on Liverpool.
I believe with that point Chievo officially cannot be relegated (they are now 10 points clear with 3 games left fot 18th place team
As a U.S. fan, glad to see Michael Bradley both play well and avoid injury today. I do not mind him being subbed off early; he has a heavy workload coming up.
agreed
Exactly. MB subbed off? my TV is now off. He was the best player on the field for Chievo today seemed to me
Hahaha Classic
With the exception of maybe the left winger Hetmaj(sp) Mikey was the best player for Chievo today. As he is subbed off in the 77th.
Could be a sign that they consider him a valuable player that shouldn’t get injured in slip n slide games.
MB coming off – he was one of the few bright spots for Cheivo. I’ll turn it off now…..
Bradley subbed? that’s got to be a first (or maybe a second). He’s been a staple in their midfield the entire season. and one of the best in this game. Strange
Great balls played by MB in the last 10 min or so
MB shot outside of right foot – right at keeper
LOL at the groundskeeper’s solution to this problem… lightly tap the field with a rake in random places.
MB having another good, controlled game, and he’s pushing forward more. But don’t they install drainage on professional soccer fields?
The Villa loan was not a good situation. As you said, there were a number of reasons but primarily, the manager didn’t really want him.
I’m not disagreeing that maybe he should stay another year at Chievo but I wouldn’t put any stock in the Villa situation.
espn3.com
firstrowsports.eu
Hey I’m just asking the same question the ESPN3 commentator asked about 5 minutes after I made this post…
Anyone have a link for a live stream?
+1…Get OUT!
Mikey has had three really nice through balls this game, one leading to a break away that the forward shot right to the keeper.
Michael Bradley loves playing in the slop. His fatha was a mudda. His mutha was a mudda. Loves the slop. Eats it up. Born in the slop.
At what point do you call a game from weather? Does it need to be a near monsoon. You never see enough football in blinding snow. I’d like to see that.
Let’s pump the brakes. He was with arguably a “bigger club” at Villa and it didn’t work out (for a number of reasons). He is settling in here and doing well, cheers to him!
haha… this pitch is totally f’ed.
I always forget Bradley is only 24. He plays alot older…he is more than competant on Chievo…tranfer to a bigger club coming?
lol it’s like one big slip ‘n slide. Have fun and be safe lads!
The Italia game is slow enough already without being played in a shallow pond.
I hope MB doesn’t break anything in this mess.
Holy crap, this field is a puddle. This game will not be a thing of beauty.
Juventus F.C. takes the cake for me: La Vecchia Signora, which translates in English to “The Old Lady”
Flying Donkeys. That has to be one of the best team nicknames ever!