Americans Abroad Quick Hits

Kind of a big deal

For the Yanks:

-Robbie Findley is moving to Nottingham Forest, who apparently had the need for someone who moves so fast it makes it impossible to kick a ball straight. Forest are, at the midpoint, just outside the EPL promotion playoff positions. They do have a few games to make up, making it conceivable Forest will be in 6th soon.

-Despite Aston Villa’s abominable campaign under Gerard Houllier, Eric Lichaj has quietly gone the full 90 in three December EPL fixtures. Relegation should be just a threat for Villa; too much talent with Ashley Young, Agbonlahor, Albrighton, etc. But get used to Lichaj; we all know how bad the USMNT fullbacks are, and if Lichaj remains a starter at Villa, there’s no reason he won’t be given the opportunity to win the role for the National team during the summer.

-Well, if you’re holding on to any hope that Jozy Altidore can be a good player, here’s his opportunity; with Nilmar on the shelf due to arthroscopic knee surgery, he moves up the depth chart. Marco Ruben will likely be the starter next to Giuseppe Rossi, but Jozy needs to show he can work his butt off to get a sniff of La Liga action. 12 matches in January and February. Let’s see if he can do something.

DELIVER US CHARLIE! DELIVER US!

-Everyone get on the Stuart Holden train. Now. Order your jerseys, bleach your hair and spike into a shape that is something Bart Simpson-esque, pledge loyalty to Owen Coyle in blood and/or first born children. Bolton are one of the stories of the year so far: 6th place for a side that were bottom-half, if not relegation-threatened, the last few years.

I knew Holden was going to be good last year, when Coyle stepped in to Bolton and put him in the center of the pitch. Nigel de Jong broke his leg in a flippin friendly and Stewie was lost for a few months, but this year has brought 18 starts and the trust of directing a surprising 32 goal attack.

It’s now the time for Bob Bradley to throw Stuart out into his Starting XI. Holden sits in the middle of the park for Bolton, and would be ideal next to Michael Bradley in an attacking (! USA? Attacking!) 4-4-2. With the Gold Cup in the summer, the US suddenly has the opportunity to turn the center of the pitch into a strength, with Jermaine Jones (I expect a winter move from Schalke), Bradley, Feilhaber, Paco Torres, Sacha Kljestan gaining more time in Belgium with Anderlecht, and Holden.  We’ll see.

-Brad Guzan moves to Hull City in the Coca Cola Championshiop (really? that’s still the league name?) for a month. At 26, Guzan has plenty of years left, and this move to Hull means one of two things. It could mean that Villa are want not to lose him, so giving him a month of starts will hopefully sate his appetite as incumbent Brad Friedel rounds out the year. Or, it could mean Villa are putting him in the shop window to sell come the summer months. Bradley trusts him, and he still looks to the future man between the sticks post-Tim Howard, but this summer is critical for Guzan. Wait for Friedel to exit Villa, or move on to assume the starting position elsewhere?

My  Off-the-Cuff Gold Cup 2011 Lineups:

“A-Team”

Guzan/Howard

Lichaj —– Omar Gonzalez —– Gooch —– Bocanegra

Donovan —– Bradley —– Holden —– Bedoya

Dempsey —– Altidore

Bench:

Jermaine Jones —– Paco Torres —– Kljestan —– Bornstein —– Charlie Davies —–Buddle

 

“B-Team”

Cervi

Sean Franklin/Marvell Wynne—– Agbossoumonde—– Ream —– DeLaGarza

Shea —– Edu

Diskerud —– Robbie Rogers

Wondolowski —– Agudelo/Bunbury