By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Apr 13, 2009) USSoccerPlayers – This seems like the perfect time to finally wrap up the American Abroad March Madness tournament here at USSoccerPlayers. After what Clint Dempsey did with Fulham on Easter Sunday, is there any doubt as to who the winner is?
Dempsey has eight goals and three assists in all competitions, already surpassing his offensive output from last season with six games to play. Tim Howard has been good for Everton this year. Dempsey is starting to border on being named Fulham’s player of the season.
The interesting thing about Dempsey’s games is that it is still difficult to tell where exactly his best position is. He seems to think it is from a central, attacking role where he has free reign to pull the strings and get forward at will. The only problem is that he never plays there, neither for club or country.
At Fulham Dempsey has been utilized as either a target forward, second forward or wing player. All three managers who have come in (and out) of Craven Cottage since 2007 have seemed reluctant to hand him that free role that he so desires. Ditto with Bob Bradley and the US National team.
Now this could certainly be down to tactics more than any coach not fully trusting Dempsey in that spot. Chris Coleman, Lawrie Sanchez and now Roy Hodgson have all preferred players who play more of a “two-way” game than Dempsey does. Bob Bradley usually prefers two relatively defensive players in that central position.
I’d argue a few things though. One, Dempsey’s defensive abilities have never been better than they are currently. If you watch Fulham at all you will notice that Hodgson has made a point of making sure that all eleven players on the field defend first and attack when afforded the opportunity. Dempsey is no different, and he has taken leaps forward with this aspect of his game.
Two, it’s hard to say based on his play this term that Dempsey’s best position isn’t, in fact, out wide. He can still tuck into the middle and attack when space opens up. He can stay out wide and beat his man one on one. He can also interchange with any of the other attacking players when the opportunity presents itself.
If you score eight (or more) goals in the English Premier League you must be doing something right. If he can keep this form up into the summer the US could be a very dangerous team going into their difficult Confederations Cup group. In the meantime Fulham still have something to play for and Dempsey will look to push them into European play over the next month and a half.
Congratulations to the first American Abroad March Madness champion, Clint Dempsey.
American Abroad Report Card
English Premier League: Brad Friedel started in goal for Aston Villa in their 3-3 draw with Everton. Brad Guzan watched from the bench. Tim Howard started in goal for Everton. Marouane Fellaini, Tim Cahill and Steven Pienaar scored for the Toffees. John Carew, James Milner and Gareth Berry (pen) tallied for Villa.
Clint Dempsey started and scored twice for Fulham in their 3-1 win over Manchester City. Stephen Ireland opened the scoring for City before second half goals from Dempsey and Dickson Etuhu led the Whites to victory.
Jonathan Spector is out injured for West Ham United and missed their 1-nil loss to Tottenham Hotspur. Roman Pavlyuchenko scored the only goal of the game.
The Championship: Marcus Hahnemann was in goal for Reading in their 1-0 loss to Sheffield United. Brian Howard scored the only goal of the game. Hahnemann made five saves in a losing effort.
Frank Simek started and played the full match for Sheffield Wednesday in their 1-0 loss to Derby County. Rob Hulse scored the only goal of the game.
Jay Demerit started and played 90 minutes for Watford in their 1-all draw with Barnsley. Jonathan Macken scored for Barnsley while Tommy Smith scored for the Hornets.
Eddie Johnson was a 77th minute substitute for Cardiff City’s 2-nil victory over Crystal Palace. Ross McCormack scored twice for Cardiff.
Germany: Michael Bradley started and played the full game for Borussia Monchengladbach in their 2-1 loss to VfL Wolfsburg. Edin Dzeko and Sascha Riether scored for Wolfsburg. Dante scored a consolation for ‘Gladbach.
Sal Zizzo watched from the bench for Hannover 96 in their 2-0 win over Hertha Berlin. Mike Hanke and Arnold Bruggink scored for Hannover. Steve Cherundolo and Bryan Arguez were left out of for Hannover and Berlin.
Grover Gibson was not involved for Ahlen in their 2-0 loss to Alemania Aachen in 2.Bungesliga action. Benjamin Auer and Lewis Holtby scored for Aachen.
Luis Robles did not feature for Kaiserslautern in their 2-nil win over VfL Osnabruck. Srdjan Lakic and Florian Dick scored for Kaiserslautern.
David Yelldell started and played 90 minutes in goal for TuS Koblenz in their 3-2 win over 1860 Munich. Matt Taylor also started and scored twice Koblenz. Darko Maletic opened the scoring for Koblenz in the 4th minute.
Heath Pearce was not involved for Hansa Rostock in their 1-0 win over SpVgg Greuther Furth. Mario Fillinger scored the only goal of the game.
Scotland: Maurice Edu started and played the full 90 for Rangers in their 3-1 win over Motherwell. Goals from Andrius Velicka and two from Kris Boyd accounted for the Rangers scoring. John Sutton scored for Motherwell. DaMarcus Beasley is recovering from a rib injury.
France: Carlos Bocanegra started and played the full match for Rennes in their 1-0 win over St. Etienne. Romain Danze scored the only goal of the game.
Freddy Adu watched from the bench for Monaco in their 2-2 draw with Lyon. Jerko Leko and Juan Pablo Pino scored for Monaco. Cris and Frederic Piquionne scored for Lyon.
Spain: Jozy Altidore was not involved for Xerex in their 3-0 win over Hercules. Jeronimo Cabrera Momo scored twice for Xerex. Antonio Sanchez de la Calle also scored the promotion chasers.
Belgium: Oguchi Onyewu started and played 90 minutes for Standard Liege in their 1-0 win over KSC Lokeren. Christian Benteke scored the only goal of the game.
Jared Jeffrey was not involved for Club Brugge in their 1-0 loss to Anderlecht. Mbark Boussoufa scored the only goal of the game.
Italy: Danny Szetela and Brescia had the weekend off and wont play again until they visit Vicenza on Saturday April 18th.
Austria: Preston Zimmerman started and played the full 90 for Kapfenberg SV in their 2-0 loss to SV Salzburg. Marc Janko and Karel Pitak scored for Salzburg.
Graig Carbino covers American Abroad and writes a weekly column for USSoccerPlayers. Contact him at graiger11@yahoo.com
