I thought I'd create separate threads for some of the principal countries where US players are located. Thus here is the thread for US players based in England so here you can discuss topics related to Tim Howard, Carlos Bocanegra, Brian McBride, Jay Demerit, Bobby Convey, Marcus Hahnemann, Brad Friedel, Oguchi Onyewu and the other English based US players.

I'm curious to hear opinions about Onyewu. I've watched the Newcastle games since he joined. It seems that Nat fans went ga-ga over his game where closed down Borghetti, which was quite a performance, but I haven't seen much since then. He looks shaky to me, although Newcastle has been questionable overall this year. Any thoughts?

I haven't had the chance to see Onyewu at Newcastle either but according to SKY Sports ratings system his average rating this year at Newcastle is 5.8

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This is their standard for rating players,

So for what it is worth as of now Onyewu has been rated by Sky Sports as being slightly below average since coming to Newcastle.

I went back through Sky Sports' website and found out how they've rated the other US players in the English Premier League (it looks as if the ratings are only available for the Premier League and not any of the lower leagues in England). Anyway it made for some interesting reading as to who are the US players doing the best, according to Sky Sports, this season. Here are their average ratings throughout the season:

Friedel (Blackburn) 6.8

Howard (Everton) 6.5

Bocanegra (Fulham) 6.4

McBride (Fulham) 6.5

Beasley (Manchester City) 6.2

Onyewu (Newcastle) 5.8

Hahnemann (Reading) 6.6

Convey (Reading) 6.5

Demerit (Watford) 6.0

Spector (West Ham) 5.8

So not unexpectedly Friedel has been the best player followed by his fellow keeper Hahnemann with McBride, Convey and Bocanegra the three best field players this season. Onyewu and Spector had the lowest ratings. Since Reyna has left Manchester City I couldn't find a rating for him and Dempsey, who has only appeared as a late game sub this season did not have enough playing time to receive a rating.

As a point of reference most players were in the 6.0-6.5 range with their ratings. Cristiano Ronaldo had a 7.3, Essien a 7.1 and Rooney, Lampard, Drogba and Terry all were at 7.0 so that shows you how well Brad Friedel is playing this season according to SKY Sports.

I've seen all but one of Onyewu's matches thus far, and I think his overall Sky rating is a little harsh. Onyewu was poor in the first half of his first match and in the second half of his most recent match. Otherwise, however, I think he's been very good, and Newcastle's improved defensive performance since Onyewu joined the club certainly supports that opinion.

Good to read your review of Onyewu's play Gunners and they provide a counter point to SKY's view of the player. Of course these ratings from a media outlet aren't an end all to how a player is performing but they provide another option to analysing a player and they are done by different journalists so this average of his ratings over the season aren't being done by a single person.

Agreed. Admittedly, I'm a "Gooch" fan, so my evaluation of his play may not be completely accurate either. However, rating Onyewu's play the same as that of Jon Spector and lower than that of Jay Demerit is well off the mark IMHO.

I'm in enganche's camp on this one. I am not an Onyewu admirer. Too rough around the edges and a very poor passer. Playing for a midtable English team probably suits him though as his style of play will go along with how mid table to below teams play there but I'm not really sold on him and I think the US has better options in it's central defense.

In the Guatemala-US game thread I also discuss that I am not crazy about Spector either. For me he loses concentration too easily and he's another whose passing lets him down. I can see why Onyewu and Spector are the two lowest rated US players in the English league.

Oneywu and Spector's best days are ahead of them.

I've asked before and I'll ask again: Name them please.

I'll chime in here and agree that the US has other options to the clumsy Onyewu and I'll name then Conrad and Bocanegra. And although he wasn't brilliant in his debut I'd like to see more of Demerit. And if he ever recovers from injuries Gibbs is another defender I'd rate ahead of Onyewu.

To me Onyewu is a flash back to a previous era in US soccer when brawn was all that was necessary in defense. Onyewu has very little skills with the ball and a sothers said is a foul waiting to happen.

Conrad is getting old in the teeth, but has been playing nicely. Bocanegra, I agree, is always in the mix and is tough as stink and will be age appropriate in South Africa. DeMerrit, also, is not a youngster, but has forged his game to the point where he has to be taken into consideration when filling out the roster card. They are certainly decent options now, but we still have three years to go before it really counts. Alot will happen in the interim and efforts from all these players (including Onyewu/Spector) will be needed thru qualifying.

I wouldn't be too surprised if Nat Borchers starts popping up in the mix as well for central defense at some point. He is tall, tough and getting more experience in Norway. He has already been capped and is in the same age group as Spector.

And, of course, when Cory Gibbs gets his form back, he will be in the mix.

I couldn't agree more cafetero. I wouldn't discard Onyewu but at the same time I also wouldn't place my eggs in his basket thinking he's going to be the standard bearer of the US' defense. Can you imagine Onyewu and his tendencies to foul in an away World Cup qualifier in Central America? I'd see penalties, free kicks and cards galore.

Need to give a cheer to Clint Dempsey for salvaging Fulham's season. Great time to score your first in England and showing off some nice skills in the process.

I could've sworn we had a separate Beasley thread, but no matter. As of today, DMB is out of the EPL after Man City decided not to buy him. I suspect it's strictly a business decision; he did pretty well with the Blues, but not well enough to make himself worth a seven-figure transfer fee.

That sends him back to PSV Eindhoven, and we know what happened there. So is it likely that another English club, possibly a promoted side, will pick him up?

Further to this, you may or may not have heard that Newcastle have released Onyewu. I suppose their new boss Sam Allardyce didn't rate him. I wasn't actually aware that Onyewu was on loan at Newcastle, and they've simply decided not to keep him on, as with Beasley at City.

Sounds to me Onyewu, or perhaps his agent, made a big mistake in turning down a transfer to Marseille for a loan to Newcastle. It looks like next year Marseille will be in the Champions League while now Onyewu is back to Standard Liege and has seen his market value dip.

The same can be said of Beasley who I always thought made an error trying to play in England as the style of play especially with a club like Man City didn't fit his game. I don't know if PSV still wants him but they could have used a left sided midfielder this season. I'd like to see him try and win a place on PSV's squad for next season.

I didn't really see him play much for the Toon but so many players need time to settle in the top division. Look at Sheva, he didn't just forget how to play, he just didn't adjust to the league. Gooch will be fine, he just needs the right situation. A newly promoted team would be ok, but a midtable team and a run of games would be best. Problem with promoted teams is that the defenses are under siege for most of the year.

It technically isn't England but headed to Glasgow Rangers is Damarcus Beasley who'll now get the opportunity to play in some European matches. I think I was hoping he might stay and give it a shot at PSV as they desperately need a left sided midfielder but it also sounded as if he wasn't a favorite of the club's coach Ronald Koeman. So it is off to Glasgow for Beasley now and let's hope he doesn't become like Brad Friedel and start picking up the local accent!

I think this is a good move for Beasley. While PSV is a better club, he doesn't have the technical ability to play in Koeman's system. Conversely, I think he will fit very well into Scottish football, which should also allow him to get some games in European competition.

Ideally, I would've liked to see him catch on with another English club, as I still think Beasley's pace and direct style of play is perfect for a number of lower-level EPL teams. However, he unfortunately didn't show that during his stay at Man City, although in fairness to Demarcus, the club was a total disaster while he was there.

Merengue, who cares about him picking up the accent??? I am worried he might start picking up the pints again!

Has Beasley been known to partake in the fermented hops too much?

My question is does anybody here know what is going to happen with Eddie Lewis at Leeds now that his club are relegated to what is the third level of English league play? Will he stay there or look to move?

He (Beasley) was nabbed for a DUI/DWI in the Netherlands in early 2006, IIRC. Dunno if there have been any other alcohol-related incidents, though my guess would be not. One ticket for being over the legal limit (especially given his weight), it may not be a good thing, but it can happen. If there have been others, I'd be worried it's a problem.

Haven't really heard anything about Lewis, but I'd be a little shocked if he remained with them---they're in such complete and utter disarray and he's now 33. I'm not sure how much sense that would make from either side.

I've heard through the grapevine that Lewis is contemplating a return to the U.S. The issue is that he'd have to take a huge pay cut.

Beasley, I believe, has had two alcohol/driving related incidents while in Holland.

He is supposed to play his first match for Rangers this weekend.

Beasley scored and got racially abused by fans in Macedonia as Rangers won a preliminary Champions League qualifying series.

Elsewhere Benny Feilhaber has been sold by Hamburg to Derby County in England. I'm not sure whether that is a good move or not for him but he should get more playing time in England than he got with Hamburg.

I read where Brian McBride scored in Fulham's 2-1 loss today to Middlesbrough but in scoring his goal he dislocated his kneecap and will be out several months! Ironically I had been thinking last spring how McBride's retirement from international play seemed to have helped him as he had a relatively injury free season last year! Looks like that was just a coincidence and not causative.

McBride's injury was one of those freak things. No contact. His support leg (left) just crumbled after he shot and scored.

Eddie Lewis off to Derby County, I see.

Looks like Lewis has landed on his feet after the struggles with Leeds.

A freak injury and Brian McBride, who would have thunk it???!!!

I too am happy to read Lewis is now with a team in the Premier League. If I am not mistaken this will be his first time in the top level of Britain. Good for him, it is a nice reward for a long career.

And McBride, well it is too bad it was yet again another freak injury which did him in. Hopefully he won't be out too long as his club look like they could be in a relegation fight this season.

Actually, I believe Lewis had one EPL appearance with Fulham.

And add another American with Fulham as they just signed Kasey Keller as an experienced backup as their number 1 keeper Juskalainen (I know I screwed up his last name, it looks like an eye chart!) is out injured and his backup isn't that steady.

So that's now 4 US players there isn't it (McBride, Bocanegra, Dempsey and Keller). Fulhamerican! They are to US players what Liverpool are to Spanish ones and what Arsenal once were for the French.

It's actually another Finnish keeper, Niemi, who would be in net for Fulham if he wasn't hurt right now. His backup, Tony Warner, has done some good work in the EPL, so in a way I'm surprised that KK would go there--he didn't like riding the bench at Tottenham, and it won't be any easier in a different part of London.

But hey, he needed a job, Fulham needed a spare keeper, and if he plays I sure hope he does better than he did in Venezuela.

Unfortunately, up until this weekend, Eddie has only had one appearance for Derby too.

On a brighter note, Clint Demsey scored ten mintues in for Fulham (ended in 1-1 tie with Wigan) in his fifth straight appearance....

Bejeebers.

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I read where DaMarcus Beasley injured his knee this week in the Champions League against Stuttgart when he collided with the opponent's goalkeeper. According to wire service stories he's going to need knee surgery and will miss most, if not all, of the rest of the season. Tough news for Beasley and Rangers as he seemed to be settling there pretty well. I didn't see any specific mention of what sort of knee injury he suffered but hopefully it wasn't an ACL.

That is a shame to read. Beasley had been playing better for Rangers and had the chance to help them get into the 2nd round of the Champions League. From a national team perspective it may be beneficial, if that's possible, as other players will now get a chance to play on the left side of midfield but it is bad news personally for Beasley and Rangers. I wish him a speedy recovery as I've always enjoyed watching Beasley's energetic play.

Any word on Cory Gibbs' recovery? He must have a bad case of O'Brienitis! When was the last time Gibbs played regularly, about 3 years ago? With an absence this long you can't realistically expect him to ever play internationally again. Too bad as he looked like a potentially good defender before getting injured.

Looks like Fulham is using MLSish ticket sales campaigns to fill some empty seats:

http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/200...ms-cottage.html

Guess you can pretty much count on a ticket if you can get to London.

Shame about Gibbs.
Dr. Yogi it looks like your diagnosis of O'Brienitis may be correct!