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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

Brek Shea Birmingham City (Getty Images)

By FRANCO PANIZO

Julian Green made his much-anticipated Bundesliga debut this weekend, but it surely did not go as well as he had planned.

Green saw time in Germany’s top tier for the first time in his career, getting the nod in Hamburg’s 2-0 defeat to Hannover 96 on Sunday. Unfortunately for the 19-year-old U.S. Men’s National Team attacker, his Hamburg debut last only until halftime. Green likely won’t be too discouraged by that given that the game was his first at the club level in almost a year, but it reinforced the notion that he has plenty to work on this season.

Brek Shea enjoyed a more positive debut for his new team, as he started and assisted on the opener in Birmingham City’s 1-1 draw vs. Leeds United on Saturday. Shea set up his club’s goal late in the first half with a pass from the left, and he went on to play until the 67th minute before making way for a teammate. It was not a perfect first game for Shea, but it was something for the winger to build on as he tries to settle into his new surroundings.

Two Americans found the back of the net, and both of them did so on Sunday. Wooten scored a late game-winner for SV Sandhausen in their 1-0 triumph over SpVgg Greuther Furth, and Jacobson gave New York City FC fans something to smile about as he netted the second of Stabaek’s three goals in a 3-2 win vs. IK Start.

Here is how the Americans Abroad performed this weekend:

ENGLAND

Premiership

  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes, and made one save in Everton’s 2-0 win vs. West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
  • Jozy Altidore dressed but did not play in Sunderland’s 2-2 draw vs. Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
  • Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made one save in Aston Villa’s 1-0 win vs. Liverpool on Saturday.
  • Brad Friedel did not dress in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-2 draw vs. Sunderland on Sunday.
  • Geoff Cameron did not dress in Stoke City’s 1-0 loss vs. Leicester City on Saturday. He is recovering from an abdominal injury.
  • Cody Cropper did not dress in Southampton’s 4-0 win vs. Newcastle United on Saturday.

Championship

  • Brek Shea started, played 67 minutes and had an ASSIST in Birmingham City’s 1-1 draw vs. Leeds United on Saturday.
  • Jonathan Spector came off the bench and played 11 minutes for Birmingham City.
  • Will Packwood did not dress for Birmingham City.
  • Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Bolton Wanderers’ 0-0 draw vs. Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
  • Eric Lichaj started and played 90 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s 1-1 draw vs. Derby County on Sunday.
  • Danny Williams did not dress in Reading’s 3-0 win vs. Fulham on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Emerson Hyndman started, played 45 minutes and received a yellow card in Fulham’s 3-0 loss vs. Reading on Saturday.
  • Zak Whitbread dressed but did not play in Derby County’s 1-1 draw vs. Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

GERMANY

Bundesliga

  • Fabian Johnson started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 4-1 win vs. Schalke 04 on Saturday.
  • John Brooks started and played 90 minutes in Hertha Berlin’s 3-1 loss vs. Mainz 05 on Saturday.
  • Timmy Chandler dressed but did not play in Eintracht Franfkurt’s 1-0 loss vs. FC Augsburg on Sunday.
  • David Yelldell did not dress in Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-3 draw vs. Werder Bremen on Friday.
  • Julian Green started and played 45 minutes in Hamburg SV’s 2-0 loss vs. Hannover 96 on Sunday.
  • Joe Gyau dressed but did not play in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-1 win vs. SC Freiburg on Saturday.

2. Bundesliga

  • Alfredo Morales started, played 90 minutes before being subbed off in stoppage time and received a yellow card in FC Ingolstadt 04’s 4-1 win vs. VfR Aalen on Friday.
  • Terrence Boyd did not dress in RB Leipzig’s 3-1 win vs. TSV Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Bobby Wood dressed but did not play in TSV 1860 Munich’s 2-1 win vs. St Pauli on Sunday.
  • Andrew Wooten started, played 90 minutes before being subbed off and scored a GOAL in SV Sandhausen’s 1-0 win vs. SpVgg Greuther Furth on Sunday.

FRANCE

  • Alejandro Bedoya started and played 66 minutes in FC Nantes’ 2-0 loss vs. Lille on Sunday.

NETHERLANDS

  • Aron Johannsson did not dress in AZ Alkmaar’s 1-0 loss vs. SC Heerenveen on Saturday. He is recovering from an ankle injury.
  • Rubio Rubin started and played 90 minutes in FC Utrecht’s 0-0 draw vs. ADO Den Haag on Sunday.

BELGIUM

  • Sacha Kljestan dressed but did not play in RSC Anderlecht’s 2-2 draw vs. Lierse SK on Saturday.

AUSTRIA

  • Conor O’Brien and FC Magna Wiener Neustadt’s match vs. Rapid Vienna on Saturday was postponed due to inclement weather.

NORWAY

  • Mix Diskerud started and played 90 minutes in Rosenborg BK’s 3-1 win vs. FK Bodo/Glimt on Friday.
  • Andrew Jacobson started, played 90 minutes, scored a GOAL and received a yellow card in Stabaek IF’s 3-2 win vs. IK Start on Sunday.
  • Michael Stephens started and played 75 minutes for Stabaek IF.
  • Ethan Horvath did not dress in Molde FK’s 3-2 win vs. Lillestrom on Sunday.
  • Josh Gatt did not dress for Molde FK. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Zarek Valentin did not dress in FK Bodo/Glimt’s 3-1 loss vs. Rosenborg BK on Friday. He is recovering from an Achilles injury.
  • Jeb Brovsky dressed but did not play in Stromsgodset’s 4-1 loss vs. Brann on Saturday.

SERBIA

  • Freddy Adu did not dress in FK Jagodina’s 2-0 loss vs. Spartak Subotica on Sunday.

MEXICO

  • Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes in Puebla’s 1-1 draw vs. Queretaro on Friday.
  • Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Atlas’ 1-1 draw vs. Veracruz on Friday.
  • Jose Torres came off the bench and played 34 minutes in Tigres UANL’s 2-2 draw vs. Pumas UNAM on Sunday.
  • Herculez Gomez dressed but did not play for Tigres UANL.
  • Ventura Alvarado did not dress in Club America’s 0-0 draw vs. Universidad de Guadalajara on Saturday.
  • Jonathan Bornstein did not dress in Queretaro’s 1-1 draw vs. Puebla on Friday.
  • Joe Corona started and played 90 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 1-1 draw vs. Pachuca on Saturday.
  • Greg Garza started and played 90 minutes for Club Tijuana.
  • Paul Arriola did not dress for Club Tijuana.
  • Alejandro Guido did not dress for Club Tijuana.
  • Amando Moreno did not dress for Club Tijuana.
  • Fernando Arce Jr did not dress for Club Tijuana.
  • Joaquin Alonso Hernandez did not dress in Monterrey’s match vs. Chivas de Guadalajara on Saturday that was suspended due to inclement weather.
  • Gabriel Farfan did not dress in Jaguares de Chiapas’ 0-0 draw vs. Morelia on Saturday.

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What do you think of these performances? Which aspects of Green’s game most need work? Who will have a bigger season with their new club, Shea or Green?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. my biggest concern is Chandler. he’s got to find a way into the starting XI if he is going to be the US’s starting LB going forward.

    Reply
  2. Lots of players getting the full 90 minutes (brooks, Johnson, Rubin etc) and a lot of young players either making the bench or getting cameo appearances (Green, Gyau etc.). I’d say this was a very good week for yanks abroad.

    Reply
  3. That photo of Shea…. He’s making the face I make every time I watch him play for the USMNT.

    (But I’m glad that his loan has started off well.)

    Reply
  4. I don’t blame people for wanting Shea to do well, but here we also have Lichaj playing 90 minutes for the Championship-leading team, Nottingham Forest. Probably more of a substantial display.

    Reply
    • Unfurtunatelly, HSV won’t have time for player development this season. They need somebody that keeps them from relegation. Don’t expect Green to see much playing time.

      Reply
      • I did. HSV looked so much better in the second half. They were actually unlucky not to score.
        There is only one reason to pull a fit player at halftime. That’s when he’s not contributing. Don’t be afraid to admit it.

      • “fit” can mean a couple of different things. for instance, green may be healthy, but when is the last time he’s played a full competitive game? they may have been trying to avoid a 2nd-half-brek-shea situation, who also clearly wasn’t up to playing more than 45-50 minutes this weekend.

        i didn’t catch the game, so he may have been horrible, i don’t know (although it sounds like hsv were also unlucky not to score off his cross)–just pointing out that there are actually a couple reasons to pull someone at halftime.

    • from what i’ve read, not that good. he lost the ball more than anyone else but certainly had some positives. it seemed most of it had to do with Hamburg just not being in the game. something to build on though!

      Reply
  5. It’s great to see three teenagers (Rubin, Hyndman, and Green) picking up first team minutes in Europe. Hopefully they will continue to grow as players and provide an example to young American.

    Also good to see Gyau make the bench.

    Reply
  6. I was listening to the BBC today and they mentioned that the average EPL salary is 1.5M pounds or about $2.5M. A DP salary for a US international is probably similar so I get why high profile US players are drifting back. I thought the EPL and by extension Europe paid more.

    Reply
    • EPL pays way more than European clubs.

      English league is 2.5 million dollars as you say

      I believe LA Liga/Bundesliga is 1.5 million dollars whereas while Serie A and Ligue 1 pays like 1 million dollars. Though PSG/Monaco’s wages dramatically up the average in Ligue 1 just as Madrid/Barca do for La Liga.

      If Besler would have moved to the PL he’d probably be making close to one million a year as opposed to 600 K at SKC but his contract would only be 3 years i figure. Zusi probably could get like 800 K in the EPL but tons more competition and more higher taxes.

      Reply
  7. For goalies the best place to be, internationally, is the UK. For field players, arguably, the best place to play is in continental Europe: Germany, Spain, Italy, Holland, and let’s say France. So far our best goalies are in England and our best up and coming players are in continental Europe. Mexico, we have a lot of talent in Mexico and it seems our yanks on Tijuana continue to grow and get good playing time..not so much better is the rest of US players on Mexican teams. Here is the standard by which I look at yanks in Mexico: consistent starters for 90 minutes. Period. MLS: I like more and more what I see. MLS teams are playing more like the big boys in Europe and South America. Keep it going everyone.

    Reply
  8. FYI – You have Green starting/playing for BM when it was for Hamburg.

    Also, can someone please do a story on what’s going on with Packwood. The guy was doing great last year, and hasn’t played a game so far (that I remember).

    Reply
    • BCFC brought in new center backs this summer because their defense was so bad and it relegated their team captain Paul Robinson to the bench. In the Championship, there are are fewer guys allowed to dress and only one center back on the bench – it is their captain. Packwood is too far down on the depth chart so is playing (and captaining) the U21 squad. From what I can tell, there have been some issues there as well. He only signed a 1 year contract so if he doesn’t get playing time, I suspect he will look elsewhere.

      Reply
    • Update – Packwood not on the roster for today’s U21 game which means (he is injured but haven’t heard anything like that); will be on roster for game tomorrow or going out on loan. My guess is will be on the roster for tomorrow’s game against Forrest.

      Reply
  9. I miss having DEMPSEY AND BRADLEY playing in europe. just ain’t the same without them

    you could login here and hear about how Dempsey scored for Fulham or Spurs and of Bradley having a pretty good game for ROMA

    damn u MLS

    Reply

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