AMERICANS IN EUROPE

Americans Abroad roundup

By Ravi Ubha
(Archive)

December 22, 2008

A roundup of notable U.S. players in action in Europe over the past two weeks:

Friedemann Vogel/GettyImages

Steve Cherundolo recovered from a neck injury to face Arminia Bielefeld.

England

Premier League

Brad Friedel, Aston Villa: Friedel earned man-of-the-match honors against West Ham in a thriller Saturday, pulling off eight saves as Villa prevailed 1-0 to maintain its unlikely position in the top four.

His best stop at Upton Park in east London came early on. Friedel stood tall and thwarted speedy striker Craig Bellamy's shot with his legs in the first half. In the second, he palmed away winger Valon Behrami's fierce effort and twice denied slumping forward Carlton Cole.

Friedel drew notable praise from Villa boss Martin O'Neill afterwards, mentioned in the same breath as icons Peter Schmeichel, Pat Jennings and Peter Shilton.

"I played alongside two unbelievable goalkeepers, at international level with Pat and at club level with Peter," O'Neill said. "Schmeichel was one of the great keepers of all time, and I mention the other two in the same breath. Brad Friedel's played all those games for Blackburn and can be considered as good as anybody."

Villa, which downed Bolton 4-2 on Dec. 13 with Friedel in goal, has a tough holiday schedule: Arsenal visits Villa Park on Boxing Day before Friedel and teammates travel to surprising Hull four days later.

Season: 22 games played (0 substitute appearances).

Tim Howard, Everton: Howard should expect to be busy Monday.

Everton hosts second-place Chelsea, with the Blues a perfect 8-0 on the road in the Premier League this season and scoring an average of almost three goals per game.

Howard had a comfortable time in goal Dec. 13, collecting the shutout in a 1-0 victory at stumbling Manchester City. He got some help, too, as winger Shaun Wright-Phillips struck the crossbar in the first half.

Season: 20 (0)

Clint Dempsey, Fulham: Life is good for Dempsey and Fulham.

The midfielder started his fourth straight game Saturday, adding the insurance goal in a 3-0 win against Middlesbrough. Dempsey collected a pass from Danny Murphy and beat the onrushing Ross Turnbull in the 59th minute for the third at Craven Cottage.

A goal for Dempsey was in the cards. He came close twice in a 0-0 draw at Stoke on Dec. 13, just missing with a left-footed shot from outside the box in the dying minutes.

The Cottagers, who miraculously escaped relegation last season, are unbeaten in seven games in the league and rose to eighth.

Season: 8 (7) -- 2 goals.

Brad Guzan, Aston Villa: Poor Guzan. Whenever he gets a game, he's essentially playing with the B team. All part of the learning process.

Missing stalwarts Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young, Martin Laursen and Gareth Barry, Guzan and Villa were thrashed 3-1 at Bundesliga contenders Hamburg in a virtually meaningless UEFA Cup encounter Thursday. Both teams had already qualified for the round of 32.

Guzan had little chance on any of the goals, beaten by three stunning finishes. Croatian international Mladen Petric opened the scoring with a wicked left-footed strike into the corner, and countryman Ivica Olic snuck a header inside the post for the second. Olic made it 3-0, taking advantage of Villa's inability to deal with a long ball and sending another left-footed drive into the corner.

Season: 4 (0)

Jonathan Spector, West Ham: Spector is almost back from a serious hip injury that has sidelined him since early April. The versatile defender/midfielder captained the reserves in a behind-closed-doors friendly against an Under-21 squad from Major League Soccer in mid-December, scoring in a 3-2 win.

"It was great to get a goal, but more importantly I am just happy to be back playing," Spector said. "I really enjoyed it."

He also netted in a reserve game against Chelsea on Dec. 16, though that was an own goal in a 4-3 victory. Spector played all 90 minutes in the center of defense, and according to West Ham's Web site, was otherwise solid.

Spector didn't make the bench Saturday, though he figures to be included some time in the next week. The Hammers need points to steer clear of relegation worries.

Season: No appearances

Championship

Jay DeMerit, Watford: The Hornets' captain returned from a minor groin injury Saturday, replacing the injured Adrian Mariappa in the 52nd minute of a 1-0 loss at Derby.

DeMerit had an eventful time. The home fans wanted a penalty when he tangled with striker Nathan Ellington, and DeMerit's pass into the box later eventually led to a chance for Watford.

Rob Hulse scored the winner in the 83rd minute, keeping Watford uncomfortably near the drop zone.

Season: 18 (1) -- 0

Marcus Hahnemann, Reading: Hahnemann sustained a calf injury in the second half of Reading's 1-0 win over Blackpool on Dec. 9, and the keeper won't be back until January.

"As Marcus went to take a kick he stepped back and pulled something in his calf," Reading manager Steve Coppell said. "And it's a fairly substantial calf he's got."

The setback came at the wrong time: Hahnemann was named in the Championship's team of the week in early December.

Aussie Adam Federici replaced Hahnemann, and from the sound of it, could be there for a while if he excels.

"Federici has been very patiently waiting, and now is his opportunity," Coppell said. "We have great faith in him as a goalkeeper, and we'll see what he's made of now."

Federici hasn't done much wrong yet. In the game of the week in the Championship, Reading beat Birmingham 3-1 away Saturday to surpass the Blues and move into second, the final automatic promotion spot.

Season: 23 (0)

Bobby Convey, Reading: Convey made his first appearance since late September, featuring for the final eight minutes against Blackpool. The winger, though, didn't make the squad against Norwich on Dec. 13 and Birmingham. In between, he played for the reserves versus lower division Aldershot.

Season: 5 (3) -- 0

Eddie Johnson, Cardiff City (loan from Fulham): With his foot injury healed, Johnson made three substitute appearances in the past fortnight.

He missed a good chance to score his first goal in English soccer against Ipswich on Dec. 13, slipping as a Joe Ledley cross went in his direction late in the second half. Johnson played almost 50 minutes against Ipswich, getting the call when fellow striker Michael Chopra left injured.

Season: 5 (12) -- 0

Frankie Simek, Sheffield Wednesday: One step forward for Simek, one back.

The right back made his first league start in about a year earlier in December, having recovered from a serious ankle injury. But against QPR on Dec. 9, after giving away a penalty, Simek limped off with a torn hamstring.

He could be sidelined for as long as five weeks.

Season: 2 (1) -- 0

League One

Jemal Johnson, MK Dons: Johnson, a former Blackburn Rover, continues to impress for the Dons. Against Leeds, the undoubted behemoth of the division, the fleet forward set up all three goals in a 3-0 win that put the home team into second spot and an automatic promotion place.

Johnson also scored in a 4-2 win at Brighton on Dec. 12, curling a left-footed shot from outside the box into the corner early in the second half.

Season: 9 (9) -- 4

Spain, Primera Liga

Jozy Altidore, Villarreal: Altidore contested the final 44 minutes of Villarreal's 1-0 loss at Sevilla on Dec. 14 but couldn't do much -- by that time the visitors were reduced to 10 men. Sevilla dominated, registering 26 shots.

Altidore wasn't in the squad, either, against unstoppable leaders Barcelona on Sunday.

Villarreal caught a break in the Champions League draw, avoiding the big guns and landing Panathinaikos in the next round.

Season: 3 (4) -- 1

Italy, Serie B

Danny Szetela, Brescia (loan from Racing Santander): Brescia moved into a five-way tie for first on points -- the club is fifth on goal difference -- with a 1-0 win over Grosseto on Saturday. Szetela started and played 88 minutes in midfield. Returning from a minor groin injury, he was an unused substitute in a 2-0 loss at Cittadella the previous round.

Season: 7 (2) -- 1

Serie C1

Gabriel Ferrari, Perugia (loan from Sampdoria): Ferrari made his first start of the season up front in Sunday's 2-0 win at Lanciano after entering as a substitute in a 1-1 draw against Crotone on Dec. 14.

Season: 1 (6) -- 0

Germany, Bundesliga

Steve Cherundolo, Hannover 96: Cherundolo returned to his right back slot against fellow strugglers Arminia Bielefeld on Dec. 13 after missing the previous game against Wolfsburg with a neck injury.

He and his teammates were thoroughly frustrated, wasting a 1-0 first-half lead at home and settling for a 1-1 tie -- Bielefeld scored on its lone shot on target.

Instead of pulling six points clear of the relegation zone, Hannover headed into the winter break four points above the bottom three.

Season: 14 (1) -- 0

Michael Bradley, Borussia Moenchengladbach: First the bad news for Bradley and Moenchengladbach. They're in last place, have lost four in a row and are leaking goals. Assistant coach Christian Ziege, a staunch supporter of Bradley, quit last week.

The good news? Despite a miserable first half, Moenchengladbach is only three points away from safety.

Bradley failed to make an impact in his team's 2-1 loss Dec. 12 at surging Borussia Dortmund, which played a man down for almost an hour. He picked up a yellow card in midfield and was substituted early in the second half.

Season: 9 (2) -- 1

Neven Subotic, Borussia Dortmund: Subotic played all 90 minutes against Moenchengladbach and was rock-solid yet again.

In the 10 games he has teamed up with Mats Hummels in the center of defense, Dortmund's Web site gleefully pointed out, the club went unbeaten and only allowed nine goals.

Dortmund is sixth, only six points behind surprise leaders Hoffenheim. Subotic and Co. get a chance to make up ground early when play resumes, as their first two fixtures are against fifth-place Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, trailing Hoffenheim on goal difference.

Season: 19 (0) -- 5

Bryan Arguez, Hertha Berlin: Hertha is only two points behind Hoffenheim following an emphatic 4-0 win over Karlsruhe on Dec. 13. Arguez, a midfielder, didn't make the squad.

Season: No appearances

Sal Zizzo, Hannover 96: After seeing action against Eintracht Frankfurt and landing a spot on the bench against Karlsruhe, Zizzo couldn't crack the squad for Bielefeld's visit.

Season: 0 (3) -- 0

France, Ligue 1

Freddy Adu, Monaco (loan from Benfica): Distancing itself from relegation worries after going unbeaten in three games in late November and early December, Monaco lost two straight. Adu saw 15 minutes of action in Sunday's agonizing 4-3 home defeat against Bordeaux -- the hosts led 3-0 -- and didn't get off the bench in a 3-1 reverse inflicted by Valenciennes on Dec. 13.

Season: 1 (9) -- 0

Carlos Bocanegra, Rennes: Rennes entered France's Christmas break four points behind habitual leaders Lyon after downing Lorient 2-1 in the Brittany derby Saturday. Bocanegra suited up in defense, as usual, also starting in a 0-0 draw against Nantes on Dec. 13.

Season: 19 (1) -- 0

Belgium, Jupiler League

Oguchi Onyewu, Standard Liege: Onyewu is set to leave Standard, so the only question is when. The towering defender has been linked with Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain, Blackburn and Borussia Moenchengladbach as the January transfer window approaches. According to reports, though, the Belgian champions might refuse any offers and simply let Onyewu leave on a free transfer in the summer.

Meantime, Onyewu started three more games, including a vital 4-1 win at FC Bruges on Dec. 14. Sunday's 2-1 win over mid-table Gent kept Standard in second, four points behind Anderlecht.

Season: 25 (1) -- 3

Sweden, Allsvenskan

Season ended in November

Charlie Davies, Striker, Hammarby:

Season: 25 (2) -- 14

Colin Burns, Goalkeeper, Ljungskile:

Season: 14 (1) -- 0

* Ljungskile relegated

Etchu Tabe, Forward, Ljungskile:

Season: 17 (2) -- 0

* Ljungskile relegated

Ryan Raybould, Defender, Gefle:

Season: 4 (0) -- 0

Scotland, Premier League

DaMarcus Beasley, Rangers: The forward continues to struggle for playing time. He was an unused substitute in a 2-2 tie at Dundee United on Dec. 13 and a 1-0 win over Hibernian on Saturday.

Up next for Rangers is the big one, against archrivals and league leaders Celtic on Dec. 27. The Hoops lead by four points.

Season: 4 (5) -- 0

Maurice Edu, Rangers: Edu wasn't in the squad against Dundee United, and an ankle injury kept him out against Hibs.

Season: 2 (0)-0

Denmark, Superligaen

Season resumes in March

Danny Califf, FC Midtjylland:

Season: 16 games played, 0 goals

Jeremiah White, Aarhus:

Season: 17 games played -- 2 goals

Benny Feilhaber, Aarhus: The international midfielder is a long-term absentee following knee surgery.

Season: 1 game played -- 0