Yanks in Europe: Weekend Preview

Here's a look at the last round of club games before Wednesday's USMNT friendly against the Netherlands:

Saturday:

After turning in a good performance in Bolton's midweek FA Cup loss to Tottenham, Stuart Holden could very well earn his first EPL appearance against Wolves (10 AM ET).  While I don't think he's in line for a start, I definitely think he did more than enough on Wednesday to merit a substitute appearance.  This game is a huge six-pointer, with the two sides separated by just one point at the edges of the relegation zone.  Hopefully Holden gets the call to help a Bolton attack that has been borderline unwatchable over the past couple of weeks, with just one goal in their last seven matches. 

Trying to keep Holden and company at bay will be Marcus Hahnemann, whose play with Wolves has made him the clear cut favorite for the third goalkeeper spot on the US World Cup roster.   He's coming off a game to forget, with zero saves and one blunder in a 2-0 loss to Chelsea.  Wolves' climb out of the relegation zone has been largely fueled by Hahnemannn's solid play over the last couple of months, so they'll need the former Reading starter to regain his form if they want to avoid dropping back into the bottom three this weekend.
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Elsewhere in England, Jay DeMerit and Watford play host to Championship leaders Newcastle United.  DeMerit will likely get the start next Wednesday against the Netherlands, so a match against the league's second best offense will be as good of a preparation as USMNT fans could hope for.  The Hornets are just six points clear of the relegation zone, dropping two points late in their last match thanks to a DeMerit handball in the box in stoppage time.  He will be looking to redeem himself Saturday at Vicarage Road, 10 AM ET. 

I usually include Kenny Cooper in these Yanks in Europe posts, but at this point, I think it's safe to say that he's not in Bob Bradley's plan for South Africa.  Until he starts lighting it up for Plymouth, I'll just pass on filling you in on his uneventful substitute appearances.
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In Germany, Michael Bradley and Borrusia Monchengladbach will host SC Freiburg (9:30 AM ET).  BMG, coming off of a disappointing draw with Hoffenheim, is actually closer to a spot in Europe than they are to the bottom three, a nice change from last year's nerve-wracking relegation battle.  They'll be looking to extend their mini unbeaten run to three games with a positive result against Freiburg, who haven't won a league match since November.

You've probably heard that Freiburg has a young right back by the name of Daniel Williams, who has quickly become the USMNT flavor of the week thanks to a couple of good games.  Maybe I'm just overly cynical, but I'd rather wait and see if Williams, who could also represent Germany, can sustain a high level of performance for a whole season before floating his name into the national team conversation.  Nevertheless, I'm sure plenty of fans will be tuning in to see this defensive prospect.  At least it will probably mean more people will see Michael Bradley, whose solid play in Germany has been flying under the radar.

Also worth keeping an eye on is Frankfurt's match at Stuttgart (9:30 AM ET).  Ricardo Clark could very well be on the bench for this one, thanks to his own progress and injuries to some of his teammates.  USMNT fans may be getting a little nervous about his lack of playing time to this point, but his manager has stated that he has been impressed with Clark in training, so we might not be too far away from Rico's Bundesliga debut. 
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Last on Saturday, Carlos Bocanegra and Stade Rennes will face off against title contenders Montpellier (3 PM ET).  Bocanegra had an awful game last weekend, getting subbed off at half time after struggling at left back in the opening 45.  After a stretch of games on the bench in the middle of the season, he worked himself back into the lineup in recent weeks, but the USMNT captain could end up back on the bench for this one after last Sunday's disappointing showing. 


Sunday:

Aston Villa will look to win their first domestic trophy since 1996 when they face off against Manchester United at Wembley in the Carling Cup final (10 AM ET).  Martin O'Neill had been exclusively using Brad Guzan in cup ties, but he opted for league starter Brad Freidel in Villa's FA Cup match against Crystal Palace a couple weeks ago.  Guzan did get the start in the replay, which Villa won, but there still are some questions as to whether he will get the nod in Sunday's final.  The former Chivas USA star has been one of the main reasons that Villa are in the final, pitching three clean sheets in five Carling Cup matches, including some penalty kick heroics against Sunderland.  However, his last match was his worst performance of the year, as he gave up four goals in Villa's 6-4 semifinal victory over Blackburn.  Though most USMNT fans will surely be hoping that Guzan gets the start and gains some very valuable experience on a huge stage, it wouldn't exactly be the worst alternative to watch a former USMNT star get the start either. 
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Immediately preceding the Carling Cup final is Everton's match against Tottenham at White Hart Lane (8 AM ET).  Landon Donovan is coming off of one of his most disappointing performances with the Toffees (not too hard to say that given he's mostly been great to this point), as he really didn't get involved in the flow of the match in yesterday's Europa League loss to Sporting Lisbon.  Both he and Tim Howard will likely get the start once again, as David Moyes' men look to knock off the Champions League hopefuls.  This is a rare day where a Landon Donovan match might be overshadowed by one featuring another USMNT player, but luckily the difference in start times means American fans won't have to choose between the this game and the Carling Cup final.
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North of England, DaMarcus Beasley and Maurice Edu will be looking to get the start in the season's third Old Firm match.  Rangers will host Celtic at 7:30 AM ET, looking to extend their lead atop the SPL table to 10 points.  Beasley started in the last league match, while Edu went the full 90 in Rangers' last Scottish Cup match, so both very well could be in the starting XI for this one.  With both players also getting the call for Wednesday's friendly against the Netherlands, this game is definitely one worth getting up early for if your an American fan.
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And finally, Freddy Adu, Eddie Johnson, and Aris will host Larissa in a Greek League match (9:45 AM ET).  Both have been earning consistent minutes since making the move to Greece, and they are still very much in the picture for South Africa.  We'll see if they can continue their respective revivals with strong showings on Sunday.
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Well, that's it.  As you can see, it's a pretty busy weekend featuring some great games involving USMNT players. Enjoy, folks.