US National Team Abroad: Reviewing the Americans' Performances in Europe

Another week, another round of solid performances (with a few stinkers thrown in) for the American soccer diaspora in Europe. While the USMNT's biggest Euro-based name, Clint Dempsey, doesn't play until Monday evening, a cadre of Yanks put in shifts this weekend with varying success.

Let's do a quick run-down of the USMNT names in action for club sides in Europe this weekend. 

Goalkeepers

Tim Howard kept a clean sheet for Everton by making just one save as the Toffees blanked Swansea at Liberty Stadium. It was Howard's eighth Premier League clean sheet this season.

Defenders

Carlos Bocanegra and Rangers triumphed in the Old Firm derby 3-2, though Boca's day ended in the 88th minute with a red card. The foul resulted in a penalty for Celtic. Bocanegra will now miss Rangers' next SPL match against third-place Motherwell on Saturday. 

Steve Cherundolo went the distance in Hanover's 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, and Fabian Johnson started and played 90 minutes in Hoffenheim’s 2-1 win over Moenchengladbach. Hoffenheim is the first visiting club to pull off a win at Moenchengladbach.

Clarence Goodson started and played 90 minutes in Brondby’s 2-1 win over Lyngby in the Danish Superliga. Bronby sits eighth in the twelve-team league.

Timothy Chandler might be a defender for Jurgen Klinsmann and the USMNT at the moment, but he's typically a midfielder for Nuremberg. Chandler playing 90 minutes there in Nuremberg’s 1-0 loss at Stuttgart.

Jonathan Spector is nursing a thigh injury and did not play for Birmingham in a 1-1 draw with Cardiff.

New Bolton man Tim Ream continued his strong start at the club by going the distance in Bolton’s 2-1 win over Blackburn. Ream has four league starts for the Wanderers since heading to England in January. 

Michael Parkhurst went 90 minutes in defense and scored his first Danish league goal for Nordsjaelland in a 2-0 win at Horsens. The goal was Parkhurst's first in four seasons in Denmark. 

Midfielders

"General" Michael Bradley pulled his usual 90 minute shift in Chievo’s 1-1 draw with Siena. At this point, you can practically set your watch by Bradley's performances for the Flying Donkeys. He's going to play 90 minutes, he'll probably be effective if not flashy, and he'll do everything he can to help Chievo maintain their comfortable mid-table position.

Danny Williams started, but made way for eventual goalscorer Robert Firmino in the 59th minute of Hoffenheim's win over Moenchengladbach. 

Maurice Edu managed to outdo American teammate Carlos Bocanegra and last the full 90 for Rangers in their 3-2 win over Celtic in the Old Firm derby. 

Jermaine Jones played 90 minutes and picked up his requisite yellow card (that's nine on the season) in Schalke's 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen. 

Robbie Rogers, who suffered a concussion in his Leeds United debut and was cleared to play again just two weeks ago, dressed but did not feature in Leeds' 1-0 win over Millwall in the English Championship.

Ricardo Clark hasn't played in a very long time, at least on the club level. You can now consider Rico "back", after he made his debut for Staebaek in Norway, going the full 90 and picking up a yellow card. That's about as "back" as Ricardo Clark gets.

Forwards

Jozy Altidore come on for the second half in AZ Alkmaar’s 1-0 win over Waalwijk. The American forward pool in Europe is very young and not yet in the USMNT mix.