Friday, March 12, 2010

Friday Shootout

Landon Donovan's potentially last game in a Toffee jersey...at this point, is this weekend as the Toffee's head to Birmingham to take on the Blues.  Here's the rest of your Yanks Abroad schedule:

FRIDAY

Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04 play VfB Stuttgart. (Jones is out injured.)
David Yeldell and TUS Koblenz play Ahlen.
Marco Vidal and Indios de Ciudad Juarez play Tecos U.A. de G.

SATURDAY

Jonathan Spector and West Ham United play Chelsea.
Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Everton play Birmingham.
Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Stoke City.
Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Wigan Athletic. (Holden is out injured.)
Jozy Altidore and Hull City play Arsenal.
Marcus Hahnemann and Wolverhampton Wanderers play Burnley.
Kenny Cooper and Plymouth Argyle play Coventry City.
Frank Simek and Sheffield Wednesday play Swansea City.
Jay DeMerit and Watford play Peterborough United.
Jon-Paul Pittman and Wycombe Wanderers play Oldham Athletic.
Mike Grella and Leeds United play Southampton.
Zak Whitbread and Norwich City play Huddersfield Town. (Whitbread is out injured.)
Jemal Johnson and Stockport County play Gillingham.
Dominic Cervi and Celtic play Kilmarnock in the sixth round of the Scottish Cup.
Michael Bradley and Borussia Moenchengladbach play VfL Wolfsburg.
Steve Cherundolo, Sal Zizzo and Hannover 96 play Ricardo Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt. (Zizzo is out injured.)
Daniel Williams and SC Freiburg play Bayern Munich.
Matt Taylor and FSV Frankfurt play Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Charlie Davies and Sochaux play Paris Saint-Germain. (Davies is out injured.)
Gale Agbossoumonde and Sporting Braga play Rio Ave.
Michael Hoyos and Estudiantes La Plata play Newell's Old Boys.
Jose Francisco Torres and Pachuca play Santos.
Edgar Castillo and Tigres UANL play Atlas.

SUNDAY

Clint Dempsey and Fulham play Manchester United.
DaMarcus Beasley, Maurice Edu and Rangers play Dundee United in the sixth round of the Scottish Cup.
Oguchi Onyewu and AC Milan play Chievo Verona.
Luis Robles and Kaiserslautern play Energie Cottbus.
Carlos Bocanegra and Stade Rennes play Valenciennes.
Freddy Adu, Eddie Johnson and Aris Salonika play PAOK Salonika.
Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play Randers FC.
Marcus Tracy, Chris Rolfe and Aalborg BK play FC Midtjylland.
Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro SK play Atvidabergs.
Clarence Goodson, Hunter Freeman and IK Start play Sandefjord.
Mikkel Diskerud and Stabaek play Odd Grenland.
Herculez Gomez and Puebla play Monterrey.

MONDAY

          Benny Feilhaber and AGF Aarhus play Silkeborg IF. (Feilhaber is out injured.)

Some other yanks news.
  • Clint Dempsey has made a faster than expected recovery from a torn PCL as he returned to the pitch in Fulhams 3-1 loss to Roma in yesterdays Europa League match-up.
  • Oguchi Onyewu has been cleared for training with AC Milan.  More news from AC Milan as Alessandro Nesta faces knee surgery and will potentially miss the rest of the season.  Gooch could get into the lineup by the end of the month.  
  • Ricardo Clark and Steve Cherundolo have both been cleared to play by their respective clubs.
  • Charlie Davies aiming for a late April return to the pitch in France.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

CBA negocations hit a boiling point, players union set to strike. -Report

According to the Washington Post the MLS Players Union voted emphatically to strike.  If the two sides can't work this out then the league folds and soccer in this country takes a giant leap backwards, to the stone age. 

Can't we find some level headed people in MLS who won't let this happen. Please, for the love of God and soccer.

MLS Thursday Six Pack

A new Thursday feature where we share with you some MLS stories.

1.)  The Philadelphia Union will be this seasons Seattle Sounders FC.  Piotr Nowak is putting together a pretty impressive squad in Chester and I expect Philly to compete straight out of the gate when the season starts.  A lot of young talent too, mixed with solid veteran leadership and three good young goalkeepers.  Don't let the expansion tag fool you.

2.) Speaking of Seattle, they're not laying around this off season either.  They penned Jhon Kennedy Hurtado to a permanent deal, and inked Swiss World Cup star forward Blaise N'Kufo from a free transfer out of Dutch outfit FC Twente, where he leaves as the clubs all time leading goal scorer.  Not bad...

3.) The New York Red Bulls are continuing to move through their preseason undefeated, but easily they're biggest test will be in the official opening of Red Bull Arena against Brazilian power Santos, which features such Brazilian stars as Robinho, Neymar, Giovani, and Fabio Costa.  That game is in nine days and I for one will be watching.

4.) Another unbeaten team this preseason is none other than the LA Galaxy, who at the moment of course are without the services of their two best stars, Landon Donovan and David Beckham.  There of course can't be a Galaxy bit without a sprinkling of controversy.  With Donovan playing so well in England, doesn't MLS and the Galaxy owe it to him to let him go?  After all, he's only been the poster boy of this league since 2000.  For the love of all things fair and righteous, the league needs to take the $10-$15 million from his transfer and put it to some good young talent.  People argue how can we ask for Beckham to stay and Donovan to leave, well its simple, Beckham had been here just over a year when he wanted to leave permanently, hardly the five years he promised MLS.  Donovan has been in MLS ever since I can remember and has served the Earthquakes and Galaxy well.  He's proved the leagues worth and now it is time to move on.  Seriously, can we get this done?

5.) Hows about an expansion update.  Portland is excited and are preparing to take on they're Seattle neighbors in a preseason "friendly" and Vancouver....is....dormant.  Hmmmmmm

6.)  CONCACAF Champions League update.  The final MLS team in the running, the Columbus Crew, needed two second half goals from Steven Lenhart to tie Mexican side Toluca going into the away match of this quarter-finals tie.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Weekend Yank MVP

A very productive weekend for our yanks abroad.  So wins the coveted NP's weekend MVP?  Lets take a look at the performances:

England

PREMIERSHIP
  • Landon Donovan came off the bench, played 20 minutes, had an assist and scored a GOAL in Everton's 5-1 win vs. Hull City on Sunday.
  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Everton's 5-1 win vs. Hull City on Sunday.
  • Jozy Altidore came off the bench and played 28 minutes in Hull City 's 5-1 loss vs. Everton on Sunday.
  • Clint Dempsey did not dress in Fulham's 0-0 draw vs. Tottenham Hotspur in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in West Ham's 2-1 loss vs. Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
  • Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Aston Villa's 4-2 win vs. Reading in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup on Sunday.
  • Brad Guzan dressed but did not play in Aston Villa's 4-2 win vs. Reading in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup on Sunday.
  • Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 1-0 loss vs. Manchester United on Saturday.
  • Stuart Holden did not dress in Bolton Wanderers' 2-1 win vs. West Ham United on Saturday. He is recovering from a leg injury.
COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP
  • Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford's 2-0 loss vs. Derby County on Saturday.
  • Frank Simek came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Sheffield Wednesday's 2-0 win vs. Leicester City on Saturday.
  • Kenny Cooper dressed but did not play in Plymouth Argyle's 1-1 draw vs. Preston North End on Saturday.
LEAGUE ONE
  • Ian Joyce did not dress in Southend United's 3-0 loss vs. Hartlepool United on Saturday.
  • Zak Whitbread did not dress in Norwich City's 3-0 win vs. Yeovil Town on Saturday.
  • Mike Grella did not dress in Leeds United's 1-1 draw vs. Brentford on Saturday.
  • Jemal Johnson did not dress in Stockport County's 2-0 loss vs. Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
  • Jon-Paul Pittman started and played 82 minutes in Wycombe Wanderers' 0-0 draw vs. Carlisle United on Saturday.

Scotland

  • Maurice Edu came off the bench and played 26 minutes Rangers' 3-1 win vs. St Mirren on Saturday.
  • DaMarcus Beasley started and played 64 minutes in Rangers' 3-1 win vs. St Mirren on Saturday. 
  • Dominic Cervi did not dress in Celtic's 2-0 win vs. Falkirk on Sunday.

Italy

  • Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in AC Milan's 0-0 draw vs. AS Roma on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.

Germany

BUNDESLIGA
  • Michael Bradley started, played 64 minutes and received a yellow card in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 3-0 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
  • Steve Cherundolo came off the bench and played 11 minutes in Hannover 96's 2-1 win vs. SC Freiburg on Saturday.
  • Sal Zizzo did not dress in Hannover 96's 2-1 win vs. SC Freiburg on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04's 4-1 win vs. Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. He is recovering from a leg injury.
  • Ricardo Clark dressed but did not play in Eintracht Frankfurt's 4-1 loss vs. Schalke 04 on Saturday.
  • Daniel Williams dressed but did not play in SC Freiburg's 2-1 loss vs. Hannover 96 on Saturday.
BUNDESLIGA 2 
  • Luis Robles dressed but did not play in Kaiserslautern's 1-1 draw vs. FSV Frankfurt on Saturday.
  • Matt Taylor did not dress in FSV Frankfurt's 1-1 draw vs. Kaiserslautern on Saturday.
  • David Yeldell started, played 90 minutes and made eight saves in TUS Koblenz's 2-0 loss vs. RW Oberhausen on Friday.

France

  • Carlos Bocanegra started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Stade Rennes' 1-0 win vs. AS Monaco on Saturday. 
  • Charlie Davies did not dress in Sochaux's 1-0 win vs. Toulouse on Saturday. He is recovering from multiple injuries.

Portugal 

  • Gale Agbossoumonde dressed but did not play in Sporting Braga's 0-0 draw vs. Vitoria Setubal on Saturday.

Greece

  • Freddy Adu dressed but did not play in Aris Salonika's 1-1 draw vs. Kavala on Saturday.
  • Eddie Johnson came off the bench and played 10 minutes in Aris Salonika's 1-1 draw vs. Kavala on Saturday.

Denmark

  • Benny Feilhaber did not dress in AGF Aarhus' 5-0 loss vs. FC Copenhagen on Sunday. He is recovering from an ankle injury. 
  • Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play Aalborg BK on Monday.
  • Marcus Tracy and Aalborg BK play FC Nordsjaelland on Monday.
  • Chris Rolfe and Aalborg BK play FC Nordsjaelland on Monday.

Mexico

  • Jose Francisco Torres started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Pachuca's 3-0 loss vs. Monterrey on Saturday.
  • Edgar Castillo started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Tigres UANL's 1-0 win vs. Indios de Ciudad Juarez on Sunday.
  • Marco Vidal started and played 90 minutes in Indios de Ciudad Juarez's 1-0 loss vs. Tigres UANL on Sunday.
  • Herculez Gomez started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Puebla's 4-1 loss vs. Pumas UNAM on Sunday.

Argentina

  • Michael Hoyos started and played 80 minutes in Estudiantes La Plata's 0-0 draw vs. Lanus on Saturday. 

There you have them...and the MVP is.....Carlos Bocanegra.  Game winner for Rennes as he re-establishes himself in France.  Well done to Captain America.  

Sunday, March 7, 2010

All- American Tilt looming, Donovan makes the news....

Everton vs. Hull in the wings later today, but, is Landon Donovan going to be wearing all blue again this summer?  With Donovan set to return to MLS on March 15, unless the players union strikes, most believe Donovan's best chance to make a permanent move to Europe will be following a solid showing after the World Cup.  Now there's big money to deal with.  Several media outlets, including the Daily Mail, are reporting that Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is eying Donovan as a replacement for Joe Cole who's contract expires following this season.  Chelsea definitely have the money that MLS is going to want but how much playing time Donovan would get is anybody's guess.  As an Arsenal fan, I can't say this is the team I'd prefer our best player plying his skills at, and I think Everton is the better fit, but Everton don't exactly have the cash that Chelsea does either.  Still, a story to keep an eye on nonetheless.