By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Dec 1, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- Being consistent is not easy. Whether it’s in your everyday life or your work routine, doing things over and over the right way is a tough proposition. Are you always on top of your game? Have you ever taken a sick day when you probably could have made it in? If you are Brad Friedel, the answer is no.
Friedel set an English Premier League appearance record on Saturday making his 167th consecutive start in the top flight. Sure, the goalkeeper position is one typically devoid of hamstring pulls or knee injuries. They are not required to run for full games or stop and start repetitively like their outfield teammates. That’s not to say that there aren’t dangers when it comes to tending the net. Just ask Chelsea’s Petr Cech.
Friedel has been an absolute measure of consistency when it comes to his form and innate ability to avoid major injuries. It goes without saying that if his form had dipped during this consecutive games streak he would have been replaced in the line-up. The English are as sentimental as the next, but results (especially victories) will turn even the sappiest supporters against a deposed starter. If his backup keeps a clean sheet you may never hear from the ousted net-minder again (think Lou Gehrig and Wally Pip).
Most US National Team fans will remember Friedel for his heroics in the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan. What they wont remember is that Kasey Keller appeared to have an inside edge on the position leading into the tournament before a few nagging injuries swayed the ballot towards Friedel. Things have always seemed to workout this way for “Big Brad.” Natural ability and hard work are always the variables the great players point to when looking back on their storied careers. A little bit of luck along that way never hurts either.
The success that Friedel has had in Europe certainly hasn’t hurt the prospects for other Americans in making the move across the Atlantic in search of continental accomplishment. Based on the type of player and person that Friedel is, it would seem that this influence is seen as a pleasant secondary result of his personal achievement. He shows up everyday because he loves to play and is paid well to do it. Nothing more, nothing less. In today’s world there is something refreshing about that outlook.
American Abroad Report Card
English Premier League: Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes for Fulham in their 0-0 draw with Aston Villa. Brad Friedel started in goal for Villa with Brad Guzan backing him up from the bench. Friedel, starting for a record 167th consecutive time, did well to keep Dempsey out on two separate occasions. Gareth Barry and Steve Sidwell squandered good scoring opportunities for Aston Villa.
Tim Howard was in goal for Everton in their 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Steven Pienaar scored the only goal of the game. Howard made three saves to preserve the shutout. Everton attacking ace Yakubu suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the 11th minute and will miss the rest of the season.
Jonathan Spector’s West Ham United take on Liverpool at Anfield on Monday. Spector is still recovering from injury.
The Championship: Jay Demerit started and played 90 minutes for Watford in a 1-1 draw with Doncaster. Tommy Smith opened the scoring for Watford in the 31st minute before a 70th minute Steve Brooker tally knotted the score at one.
Frank Simek watched from the bench as Sheffield Wednesday beat Norwich 3-2. Tony McMahon, Leon Clarke and Marcus Tudgay scored for Wednesday while Sammy Clingan and Leroy Lita accounted for the Norwich goals.
Eddie Johnson is out injured and missed Cardiff City’s 2-2 derby draw with neighbors Swansea. Joe Ledley and Ross McCormack scored for Cardiff while Darren Pratley and Gorka Pintado scored for the Swans. Not surprisingly, each team had a player sent off in the second half.
Marcus Hahnemann and Bobby Convey’s Reading take on Coventry at the Madejski Stadium on Monday evening. Hahnemann should start in goal for the Royals while Convey will look to make the bench for the first time in months.
Germany: Steve Cherundolo started and played the first half for Hannover 96 in their 3-2 win over Karlsruhe. Sal Zizzo was an unused substitute for Hannover. Mike Hanke scored twice for Hannover who also received a goal scoring contribution from Mikael Forssell. Antonio da Silva and Lars Stindl scored for Karlsruhe.
Michael Bradley started and played 70 minutes for Borussia Monchengladbach in their 3-1 loss to Energie Cottbus. Bradley had a rough day scoring an own-goal in the 17th minute to hand Cottbus an early lead. Dennis Sorensen and Emil Jula also scored for the visitors. Steve Gohouri scored the ‘Gladbach goal.
Neven Subotic started and played the full ninety for Borussia Dortmund in a nil-nil draw with VfL Wolfsburg. Bryan Arguez was not involved for Hertha Berlin in their 2-1 win over FC Koln.
David Yelldell and Matt Taylor each started and played 90 minutes for TuS Koblenz in their 4-1 win over Ahlen in 2.Bungesliga action. Grover Gibson started and played the first 45 minutes for Ahlen. Matej Mavric opened the scoring for Koblenz before a Lars Toborg penalty kick evened the match at one a piece. An Emmanuel Krontiris double put the game out of reach before Taylor rounded off the scoring in the 84th minute.
Luis Robles started and played 90 minutes for Kaiserslautern in their 1-1 draw with Alemania Aachen. Benjamin Auer scored for Aachen before a 90th minute Srdjan Lakic tally knotted the game at one-all.
Gregg Berhalter started and went 90 minutes for 1860 Munich in their 3-3 draw with SV Wehan. 1860 scored the first three goals of the game through Benjamin Lauth, Timo Gebhart and Jose Holebas respectively. A Benjamin Schwarz own goal and tallies from Sanibal Orahovac and Benjamin Siegert brought Wehen level.
Heath Pearce is serving a red card suspension and missed Hansa Rostock’s 2-0 loss to FC Augsburg. Michael Thurk and Sandor Torghelle scored for Augsbug.
Scotland: Maurice Edu was an unused substitute for Rangers in their 2-1 loss to Hearts. DaMarcus Beasley did not make the game day roster. Marius Zaliukas and Laryea Kingston scored for Hearts. A Christos Karipidis own goal provided the scoring for Rangers.
France: Carlos Bocanegra started at his usual left back position for Rennes in their 1-0 win over Paris St. Germain. Bruno Cheyrou scored the only goal of the game. Freddy Adu was an unused substitute for Monaco in their 1-0 win over Auxerre. Nikola Pokrivac scored for Monaco. Andrew Jacobson was not named to the squad for Lorient’s 1-1 draw with Lille.
Spain: Jozy Altidore started and played 78 minutes for Villareal in their 2-1 win over Recreativo Huelva. Santi Cazorla and Ariel Ibagaza scored for Villareal while a late Adrian Calunga penalty accounted for the Recreativo goal.
Belgium: Oguchi Onyewu started and played 90 minutes for Standard Liege in their 0-0 draw with KV Mechelen on Sunday. Onyewu drew a yellow card in the 74th minute. The draw leaves standard in 3rd place in the Jupiler League standings on 28 points.
Italy: Danny Szetela was an unused substitute for Brescia in their 2-0 win over Mantova. Andrea Caracciolo scored both goals for Brescia. The win sees Brescia jump up to fifth place in the Serie B standings.
The success that Friedel has had in Europe certainly hasn’t hurt the prospects for other Americans in making the move across the Atlantic in search of continental accomplishment. Based on the type of player and person that Friedel is, it would seem that this influence is seen as a pleasant secondary result of his personal achievement. He shows up everyday because he loves to play and is paid well to do it. Nothing more, nothing less. In today’s world there is something refreshing about that outlook.
American Abroad Report Card
English Premier League: Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes for Fulham in their 0-0 draw with Aston Villa. Brad Friedel started in goal for Villa with Brad Guzan backing him up from the bench. Friedel, starting for a record 167th consecutive time, did well to keep Dempsey out on two separate occasions. Gareth Barry and Steve Sidwell squandered good scoring opportunities for Aston Villa.
Tim Howard was in goal for Everton in their 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Steven Pienaar scored the only goal of the game. Howard made three saves to preserve the shutout. Everton attacking ace Yakubu suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the 11th minute and will miss the rest of the season.
Jonathan Spector’s West Ham United take on Liverpool at Anfield on Monday. Spector is still recovering from injury.
The Championship: Jay Demerit started and played 90 minutes for Watford in a 1-1 draw with Doncaster. Tommy Smith opened the scoring for Watford in the 31st minute before a 70th minute Steve Brooker tally knotted the score at one.
Frank Simek watched from the bench as Sheffield Wednesday beat Norwich 3-2. Tony McMahon, Leon Clarke and Marcus Tudgay scored for Wednesday while Sammy Clingan and Leroy Lita accounted for the Norwich goals.
Eddie Johnson is out injured and missed Cardiff City’s 2-2 derby draw with neighbors Swansea. Joe Ledley and Ross McCormack scored for Cardiff while Darren Pratley and Gorka Pintado scored for the Swans. Not surprisingly, each team had a player sent off in the second half.
Marcus Hahnemann and Bobby Convey’s Reading take on Coventry at the Madejski Stadium on Monday evening. Hahnemann should start in goal for the Royals while Convey will look to make the bench for the first time in months.
Germany: Steve Cherundolo started and played the first half for Hannover 96 in their 3-2 win over Karlsruhe. Sal Zizzo was an unused substitute for Hannover. Mike Hanke scored twice for Hannover who also received a goal scoring contribution from Mikael Forssell. Antonio da Silva and Lars Stindl scored for Karlsruhe.
Michael Bradley started and played 70 minutes for Borussia Monchengladbach in their 3-1 loss to Energie Cottbus. Bradley had a rough day scoring an own-goal in the 17th minute to hand Cottbus an early lead. Dennis Sorensen and Emil Jula also scored for the visitors. Steve Gohouri scored the ‘Gladbach goal.
Neven Subotic started and played the full ninety for Borussia Dortmund in a nil-nil draw with VfL Wolfsburg. Bryan Arguez was not involved for Hertha Berlin in their 2-1 win over FC Koln.
David Yelldell and Matt Taylor each started and played 90 minutes for TuS Koblenz in their 4-1 win over Ahlen in 2.Bungesliga action. Grover Gibson started and played the first 45 minutes for Ahlen. Matej Mavric opened the scoring for Koblenz before a Lars Toborg penalty kick evened the match at one a piece. An Emmanuel Krontiris double put the game out of reach before Taylor rounded off the scoring in the 84th minute.
Luis Robles started and played 90 minutes for Kaiserslautern in their 1-1 draw with Alemania Aachen. Benjamin Auer scored for Aachen before a 90th minute Srdjan Lakic tally knotted the game at one-all.
Gregg Berhalter started and went 90 minutes for 1860 Munich in their 3-3 draw with SV Wehan. 1860 scored the first three goals of the game through Benjamin Lauth, Timo Gebhart and Jose Holebas respectively. A Benjamin Schwarz own goal and tallies from Sanibal Orahovac and Benjamin Siegert brought Wehen level.
Heath Pearce is serving a red card suspension and missed Hansa Rostock’s 2-0 loss to FC Augsburg. Michael Thurk and Sandor Torghelle scored for Augsbug.
Scotland: Maurice Edu was an unused substitute for Rangers in their 2-1 loss to Hearts. DaMarcus Beasley did not make the game day roster. Marius Zaliukas and Laryea Kingston scored for Hearts. A Christos Karipidis own goal provided the scoring for Rangers.
France: Carlos Bocanegra started at his usual left back position for Rennes in their 1-0 win over Paris St. Germain. Bruno Cheyrou scored the only goal of the game. Freddy Adu was an unused substitute for Monaco in their 1-0 win over Auxerre. Nikola Pokrivac scored for Monaco. Andrew Jacobson was not named to the squad for Lorient’s 1-1 draw with Lille.
Spain: Jozy Altidore started and played 78 minutes for Villareal in their 2-1 win over Recreativo Huelva. Santi Cazorla and Ariel Ibagaza scored for Villareal while a late Adrian Calunga penalty accounted for the Recreativo goal.
Belgium: Oguchi Onyewu started and played 90 minutes for Standard Liege in their 0-0 draw with KV Mechelen on Sunday. Onyewu drew a yellow card in the 74th minute. The draw leaves standard in 3rd place in the Jupiler League standings on 28 points.
Italy: Danny Szetela was an unused substitute for Brescia in their 2-0 win over Mantova. Andrea Caracciolo scored both goals for Brescia. The win sees Brescia jump up to fifth place in the Serie B standings.
