Write On Sports LLC - "EPL of America" by Gareth Sleger

EPL of America

2007-02-02 19:29:17 | By: Gareth Sleger

Now, I realize that the Super Bowl is just days away, so excuse me for writing about something not NFL related; Besides, what more do you need to know about the Colts and the Bears that you haven’t already heard?

But while football fans will be immersed in Super Bowl mania, Prince and all, soccer and football fans alike will be focusing at least some warranted attention on this weekend’s English Premiership action.

Lost in all the Super Bowl bustle and hustle is an exciting time for U.S. soccer fans. Arguably the most competitive league in the world, the EPL over the past few years has seen some of America’s most anticipated up and comers enter the league’s ever-demanding threshold. Just this past month, Clint Dempsey and Oguchi Onyewu, U.S.’s two brightest talents, joined up with Fulham and Newcastle, respectively.

And this weekend, Fulham and Newcastle are set to square off. Onyewu will be making his built-up EPL debut in Newcastle’s suspect defense to take on fellow Americans Brian McBride (team-high 7 league goals), Carlos Bocanegra (on-and-off defender) and Clint Dempsey (new midfield spark off the bench).

What makes this match-up compelling is how close in the standings they two teams are. Newcastle sits tied for ninth place with 33 points and Fulham is 15th with 29 points (but dangerously close to regulation, a lose to Newcastle and a Sheffield United win over beatable Blackburn, where American goalie Brad Friedel starts, would send Fulham even closer to the drop zone).

But what makes the game even more gripping is the fact that Onyewu snubbed Fulham a couple of weeks ago when it appeared he was all but set to join the American-friendly organization.

Don’t be surprised to see Onyewu thrust right in to a starting position with three starting Newcastle defenders out with injury. Bocanegra and McBride are assured starters for Fulham, but with the recent additions of two EPL experienced midfielders, Alexei Smertin and Simon Davies, Dempsey will probably stick with his 12th-man role.

Also this EPL weekend Reading’s Bobby Convey and Marcus Hahnemann faces Manchester City’s DeMarcus Beasley. Although Claudio Reyna has left ManCity, the recently inspired play of Beasley makes for a worthy encounter.

Beasley’s start at ManCity (Sept. 17) was as slow as his end at PSV Eindhoven. But after scoring a game winning goal Dec. 30 in a 1-0 victory over West Ham, the former MLS star has shown regained confidence. As a starter the following week, Beasley provided an assist in a 2-1 win over Everton and American goalie Tim Howard and, last week, helped finished off Southampton in the FA Cup by scoring the icing goal in a 3-1 win.

As Reading goalie, Hahnemann has been a key in the EPL newcomer’s surprising run to a current seventh place spot. A win over ManCity could put Reading just one point out of the top four and closer to qualifying for a UEFA tournament next season.

Convey, on the other hand, has found it difficult to reclaim his starting position after returning from a lengthy knee injury early last month. The attacking midfielder started the season in good goal-providing form with three assists in the first seven games. So, don’t expect him to warm the bench much longer.

Comments

Gareth Sleger commented,
Fulham 2, Newcastle 1: McBride continued what could prove to be his best Fulham season yet with a goal in the 73rd minute, that turned out to be the game winner, as Bocanegra and rest of the defense, despite a solid performance, let a 90th minute goal slip. Dempsey, unsurprising, came off the bench with 13 minutes to go. Onyewu started in his debut. And although he played his usual mouth-smashing defense, the loanee went without a foul after the ref turned a blind eye to a questionable goal-stopping tackle let in the game.
February 3, 2007 1:24 p.m.

Gareth Sleger commented,
Reading 2, Manchester City 0: For the second time this season Hahnemann shutout ManCity. He may have earned man of the match honors with this 10 saves if it wasn’t for Leroy Lita’s two-goal showing. And for the second consecutive EPL game, Convey wasn’t selected for first-team play. Beasley, who playing a full 90 minutes, managed only one shot on goal.
February 3, 2007 1:45 p.m.

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