Thoughts on Holden and EJ

After a mini-break for the holiday, USSD is back, and there are a few things in the news to discuss.

First off, Eddie Johnson's World Cup hopes were given a boost, as the former MLS standout will go on loan to Greek side Aris Thessaloniki for the next six months. EJ has found a rough go of it in England and hasn't been in the Fulham matchday squad for quite some time, so he would have had a hard time making a case for inclusion in Bob Bradley's World Cup roster when he was essentially limited to reserve duty. At Aris, he gets an opportunity for a fresh start and a chance to be the answer for a team that has struggled to produce on the offensive end of the field, scoring only 15 goals through 15 league matches.

It's no secret that Eddie's time at Fulham has been far from successful, but at the same time, he should not be written off as a failure quite yet. EJ has been the victim of his own early international success, with his quick start to his USMNT career creating somewhat inflated expectations from fans and pundits alike. He out-kicked his coverage, so to speak, by earning a move to Fulham after only two solid seasons in a then seven season career, and the fact that he was not good enough to break into a mid-table Premier League squad is not a damning reflection of his ability. Plenty of players are unable to make an impact in the EPL, arguably the world's best league, and EJ is just another addition to that group. With that being said, EJ now appears to have found a situation that is more reflective of his level of play (i.e. a mid-level European league), and he has to produce to show his worth. A failed stint at Aris (assuming he gets a fair shot at cracking the lineup) would leave even the most ardent EJ supporter with little to stand on.

So, with the striker position still far from settled with six months to go until South Africa, EJ will head to Greece in hopes of securing a return to the World Cup. He joins an sixth place Aris side that is currently in the middle of a tight Greek Super League table, with eight teams separated by just four points. Though it may have looked like an impossibility just a couple months ago, Eddie Johnson is just a couple productive months away from earning a spot in the final 23, and it's worth keeping an eye on for USMNT fans.

Elsewhere, Stuart Holden will be heading to Burnley for a trial, as the USMNT midfielder continues to weigh his options heading into the transfer period. While he has yet to rule out a return to MLS, this trial seems to indicate that Holden favors a move to Europe, where he would receive a much bigger paycheck than he would if he chose to stay in Houston. A move to Burnley would give Holden the chance to break into a team that is just two points from the drop zone and looking for an spark to boost their less-than-stellar offensive production. While going to Europe would involve the risk of a lack of playing time before the World Cup (which Holden appears to be headed to, at this point in time), it does also provide the opportunity to play at a higher level and to play more competitive matches in the lead-up to international duty.

USSD will keep you posted on any transfer news regarding Holden, so stay tuned over the coming days for his decision.