Category: Americans Abroad

USMNT U-20 attacker Caden Clark set for another loan after RB Leipzig return

The U.S. Under-20 attacker will return to RB Leipzig, but likely won’t be staying long

Caden Clark’s loan spell with the New York Red Bulls has ended, but it doesn’t appear that he’ll be staying at parent club RB Leipzig when he returns to Germany.

Clark was originally acquired by Leipzig last June, then loaned back to the Red Bulls for the remainder of the 2021 MLS season. Ahead of the 2022 campaign the teenager was sent on another loan to Leipzig’s sister club in MLS, this time for the entirety of the season.

But Clark played just 475 minutes for the Red Bulls in 2022, tallying one goal and two assists spread across 16 appearances (three starts).

A league source tells Pro Soccer Wire that Clark will be returning to RB Leipzig in January, but he is set to head on another loan. Teams in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands are eying a January move for the 19-year-old attacker.

Following the Red Bulls’ ho-hum loss at home in the playoffs last Saturday to FC Cincinnati, Clark posted a video to social media indicating he was leaving MLS again.

“It’s been a pleasure, thank you NY! Onto the next,” Clark said on Instagram.

Clark emerged as one of the top young talents in MLS after making his debut in 2020, earning a senior USMNT call-up last December.

In 47 league appearances (23 starts), Clark has seven goals and seven assists. But setbacks — including having his appendix removed last summer — have seemed to set Clark’s development back a bit.

Clark played a major role for the U.S. U-20 side this summer as it won the CONCACAF U-20 Championship, qualifying for the 2023 U-20 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics in the process.

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It won’t surprise you to learn Weston McKennie scored another header

The Juventus midfielder found the net off a corner kick against Empoli

Whether Weston McKennie is having a good game or a bad game, he will always be a dangerous weapon in the air.

So it proved once again on Friday, as the Juventus midfielder scored his side’s second goal against Empoli off a corner kick.

With Juve up a goal 10 minutes into the second half, the USMNT midfielder muscled off his defender and rose well to power home a header from the top of the six-yard box.

It was the second goal of the season for McKennie, whose first came, unsurprisingly, when he out-jumped a PSG defender to score off a corner kick in the Champions League.

McKennie has now scored 12 goals in his Juventus career, half of which have come off his head.

The USMNT will be hoping to see the 24-year-old’s scoring form translate to the international stage when they kick off their World Cup campaign in Qatar next month.

Watch McKennie’s goal vs. Empoli

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Leeds winless run hits seven as Jesse Marsch’s side falls flat at Leicester

Leeds are now only above the relegation zone on goal difference

It might be time to start worrying about Leeds United.

Leeds fell to a 2-0 defeat at Leicester on Thursday, extending their winless run to seven games. In that spell they’ve been shut out four times, and supporters appear to be getting pretty agitated.

That poor form has completely unraveled what was a good start to the 2022-23 season. Leeds took seven points from their first three games, including a 3-0 win over Chelsea. Since then, though, they’ve picked up just two points, and are only above the relegation places on goal difference.

Not all defeats are the same, and Leeds will maintain that they were unlucky to lose to Leicester, who even with the win remain two spots further down the table than Jesse Marsch’s club. It took a Robin Koch own goal to put Leicester on the board early, and the one and only shot on goal from the Foxes saw Harvey Barnes finish off a flowing move to make it 2-0.

That is a fair argument for Leeds to make, but they offered little going forward as Leicester defended their box with a distinct sense of comfort. Sure, Leeds gave up very little in the game, but even while trailing for most of the match, they managed to test Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward with a whopping two shots.

With all that in mind, it wasn’t a shock to find out that traveling Leeds fans were unhappy with what they saw at the King Power Stadium.

Pressure building on Marsch

Marsch is under pressure for a few different reasons. The raw results don’t help, and there’s always the issue of following a beloved coach like Marcelo Bielsa (who some fans brought up as this game wore down). Coaches from the U.S. are also received skeptically in the UK — just ask Bob Bradley — as a matter of course. Marsch’s past successes in MLS and Austria deserve respect, but in a “sure he’s won in Europe, but can he get it done on a rainy night in Brentford?” kind of environment, his seat will likely heat up faster than another coach’s would.

There’s also the fact that Leeds — after selling Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, it must be said — spent more than Liverpool on additions this summer, with five different players coming in on nine-figure transfer fees. That spending was designed to avoid needing another dramatic escape on the final day of the season, and at the moment that unwanted outcome appears to be distinctly possible.

On the plus side, at least for U.S. men’s national team fans, the heat Marsch is starting to feel hasn’t yet extended to Brenden Aaronson and Tyler Adams. Both have started every one of Leeds’ games in the Premier League, and Aaronson in particularly seems to have become an instant hit.

However, any time a team goes this long between wins, changes might arrive. Marsch has long stuck to his high-pressing principles, but we may soon see a change in roles, formation, or specific tactics that could impact the USMNT duo in some way.

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Antonee Robinson is ‘trying to get used to playing on one ankle’

The USMNT left back said he feared a long spell on the sidelines after suffering the injury

Antonee Robinson’s ankle injury looks like a good news-bad news situation at the moment.

Robinson is back on the pitch for Fulham, returning two weeks ago after missing over a month with the injury he suffered against Tottenham on September 3.

The left back’s return was most welcome for the U.S. national team just over a month before the World Cup. Robinson is absolutely vital for the USMNT, partially because of his dynamic two-way performances and partially because of the team’s lack of a clear alternative at left back.

But it appears that Robinson’s injury may have been worse than initially feared — and he may not yet be 100 percent recovered, either.

In an interview with The Athletic, Robinson revealed he suffered ruptured ligaments in his ankle against Spurs and said he is still getting used to playing at less than full strength.

“I ruptured one of my ligaments in that game. I was worried, thinking I might have a long spell out. But luckily, I managed to rehab it quite well. I didn’t need an operation and got back,” the fullback said.

“I’m feeling OK. I’m still trying to get used to playing on one ankle, really.

“No matter how I’m feeling, if I can get through a game then I want to be out there, helping the boys. I’m just going to have to get myself back up to match fitness, and the form I was in before I was injured.”

The 25-year-old has gone straight back into the Fulham squad, playing the full match in each of his first two games back. The Cottagers and the USMNT will hope to see him continuing to play while also getting closer to something resembling full fitness.

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Pulisic again makes case for bigger Chelsea role in scoreless draw at Brentford

Chelsea improved once Pulisic came on, but will Potter give him a start?

Christian Pulisic may not have started for Chelsea on Wednesday, but he still did enough to catch Graham Potter’s eye.

Pulisic came on in the 61st minute of what turned out to be a scoreless draw with Brentford. Though Chelsea ended up frustrated, Pulisic helped spark an improvement in the late going, nearly scoring an 89th minute winner only to be denied by a fine save from David Raya.

“I thought (Carney Chukwuemeka) and Christian did well when they came on,” Potter told reporters after the match. “They affected the game.”

The day before the game, Potter said Pulisic is “pushing for a start.” While he didn’t actually give the U.S. men’s national team captain that assignment, Chelsea did improve in the final half-hour with Pulisic — who also set Kai Havertz up for a shot that Raya saved — in the thick of things.

Unbeaten run making change difficult

Based on his performances, Pulisic’s hopes of cracking the starting 11 on a regular basis should be improving. However, Chelsea is unbeaten since Potter took charge, and haven’t even conceded a goal since Crystal Palace scored early in what became a 2-1 win for the Blues back on October 1.

That 533-minute shutout run is a signal that Potter’s choices are working, and his analysis of the talent at his disposal currently seems to list Pulisic as more of a super-sub than a starter. Pulisic scored in his only start under Potter and is making things happen every time he steps on the field for Chelsea, so it’s not like he’s failing to make an argument for himself. It’s just that with the results Chelsea is picking up, there are few reasons for Potter to consider shaking up his current hierarchy.

That said, Chelsea were largely uninspired against Brentford until Pulisic came in. That may move the needle enough that the USMNT star takes on a larger role in these final few weeks before the World Cup gets underway.

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Ricardo Pepi can’t stop scoring for Groningen

That’s five goals in six games for Pepi

Ricardo Pepi is loving life in the Netherlands.

The U.S. men’s national team striker scored a 90th minute goal as Groningen strolled to a 3-0 win over FC Dordrecht in the first round of the KNVB Cup.

The tap-in marked his fifth goal in six games since moving to Groningen on loan from Augsburg. Pepi’s instant success has made him an every-game starter for head coach Frank Wormuth, and he played the full 90 minutes as Groningen comfortably beat their second-division opponents.

While scoring the goal required little more than side-footing into an empty net from the doorstep, Pepi’s work rate was the key to the chance ever happening. With Dordrecht in possession and looking to spark any kind of hope for a miraculous comeback, Pepi dipped back into the midfield to catch Toine van Huizen by surprise.

Pepi pounced to knock the ball back to Ragnar Oratmangoen, and then took off to join the counter-attack. Oratmangoen fed Florian Krüger on the right, and Groningen quickly had two players in against Dordrecht goalkeeper Trevor Doornbusch. Krüger drew Doornbusch out before passing to Pepi, who effectively walked the ball over the line to end the game as a contest.

The difficulty for Pepi and Groningen will go up a level or two this weekend, as they face a difficult home match against second-place PSV on Sunday.

Provided he stays healthy, Pepi’s place on the USMNT roster for the World Cup seems secure. However, for Gregg Berhalter, the fact that Pepi keeps scoring is a significant boost, particularly coming in the same week that Jordan Pefok and Josh Sargent both had to leave matches early due to minor knocks.

Watch Pepi stay hot for Groningen

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Matt Turner credits Arsenal affection to rounds of FIFA and Premier League pub mornings

Turner went from playing with Arsenal in FIFA to playing for Arsenal in real life

Matt Turner is just like so many American soccer fans, except for the part where he plays professionally.

Speaking with reporters ahead of Arsenal’s Europa League match against PSV, Turner said that he started following the Gunners well before the London club brought him to the Premier League. In fact, he followed one of the most traditional American fan routes for picking a team in Europe, with Arsenal being his preferred team in the FIFA video game series.

“After the World Cup in 2010 I bought my first game of FIFA, and when it says ‘What club do you want to support or select?’ obviously ‘A’ came up first and Arsenal was there,” said Turner, adding that it played into a different, more personal connection. “My sisters both played for a local club team that was called The Arsenal, and so I just made that connection right there and kind of stuck with it.”

Turner added that as he got older, he followed another American tradition, heading to pubs bright and early to catch Arsenal’s Premier League matches.

“The 12:30pm kickoff here was 7:30am (on the east coast), so anytime Arsenal were playing I was doing my best to watch,” said Turner. “As I got a bit older I got into the pub culture in New York City and I have been around the fans for those types of atmospheres as well.”

Turner, Arsenal prep for PSV

Turner is expected to get another start in European competition Thursday against PSV. A win at the Emirates Stadium would guarantee Arsenal a place in the knockout rounds, and put them into an ideal place to win group A, which comes with a bye straight into the tournament’s round of 16.

Still, Turner is focused on earning his appearances.

“Playing for this great club is such an honor and I do not take it for granted. As an American player, I did not think (playing for Arsenal) would be possible. To play meaningful minutes for Arsenal is something special,” explained Turner. “My goal is to take this as far as I possibly can, to the highest level possible.”

That includes a potentially busy day at the office. PSV may be two points behind Arsenal, but they’re by far the highest-scoring team in the group with 11 goals from three games. Mikel Arteta praised Turner after his performance in a 1-0 win at Bodø/Glimt, and the U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper will likely have to match or better that showing if Arsenal’s unblemished record is to continue.

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Graham Potter says Christian Pulisic is ‘pushing for a start’

The USMNT star has managed to start just one game under his new manager

Chelsea head coach Graham Potter has said Christian Pulisic “needs to be ready” to start as he continues to fight for scant minutes at Stamford Bridge.

The 24-year-old fell out of favor under Thomas Tuchel and has not fared much better under Potter, with each manager handing the American just one start apiece this season.

Pulisic made the most of his start under Potter, scoring against Wolves on October 8 as Chelsea cruised to a 3-0 win. But in the two subsequent matches, Pulisic hasn’t seen the field.

The USMNT will likely rely heavily on Pulisic at the World Cup starting next month, but Potter said he couldn’t be swayed by any external factors when making his lineup decisions.

“You can imagine my focus is on Chelsea,” Potter told reporters on Tuesday. “I understand that all the players have ambition and want to play for different reasons, for their families, careers or World Cups.”

“That’s all fine but it’s my job to select the right team for whatever game. [I’m] not saying I am right all the time, I am not, but somebody has got to make the call.”

Speaking about Pulisic specifically, Potter said the American’s attitude has been good despite his lack of game time, and that he is pushing to start more games.

“With Christian I would say he has been fantastic around the place, been really good with teammates, contributed against Wolverhampton Wanderers,” Potter said. “He is pushing for a place, pushing for a start. Things change quickly in football and he needs to be ready.”

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No need to worry, Jordan Pefok’s thigh injury is just a ‘horse kiss’

Union Berlin’s head coach used a delightful German compound word to provide an injury update

Jordan Pefok limped out of Union Berlin’s win over Borussia Dortmund on Sunday, sparking concerns that the American striker could be set for a spell on the sidelines.

But Union Berlin head coach Urs Fischer calmed fears over Pefok on Tuesday by using one of those delightful German compound words: Pferdekuss, or “horse kiss.”

Fischer said Pefok would miss out on Wednesday’s DFB-Pokal match against FC Heidenheim, but would hopefully be back in time for Sunday’s Bundesliga game against Bochum.

“Jordan will not be available to us [against Heidenheim],” Fischer said at a press conference on Tuesday. “The injury isn’t bad. He got a strong horse kiss, but I’m confident that it should be fine by Sunday.”

According to Wiktionary, Pferdekuss comes from the idiomatic expression vom Pferd geküsst werden (literally “to get kissed by a horse”) which, in practical terms, means “thigh knock” or “charley horse.”

Pefok has been vital to Union Berlin’s surprising lead atop the Bundesliga table, starting all but one of the club’s 10 league games while contributing three goals and three assists.

That form wasn’t enough to see him called into the USMNT’s September camp, however. Though his recent injury will heal with plenty of time to spare before the World Cup, it still looks unlikely that Pefok will be in Qatar.

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Joe Scally says he ‘felt free’ during USMNT September camp

The 19-year-old feels his confidence growing with the USMNT

Joe Scally said he “felt free” during his 30-minute cameo against Saudi Arabia last month as he continues building toward a possible World Cup roster berth with the U.S. national team.

Scally was a bright spot in a difficult window for the USMNT, as he injected an immediate attacking thrust at right back in what would eventually end as a 0-0 draw against the Saudis.

It was just the third cap for the 19-year-old, who made his USMNT debut in June’s friendly against Morocco. The Borussia Mönchengladbach right back told the Orange Slices podcast that he’s starting to feel more comfortable with the USMNT.

“I would say that last 30 minutes I played in that last game, that’s the best I’ve felt with the national team. I felt free,” Scally said. “I was able to show what I can do, and just go out there and try and make something happen those last 30 minutes.

“At the other camps when you’re making your debut or something, you’re a little more tense, you don’t want to make a mistake, you don’t want something to happen where you do something crazy. So that game I just went in there and felt free, like I could just go out there and play like I do with my club.”

Scally has gained a lot of confidence from locking down the starting right back position at Gladbach this season, beating out Austria international Stefan Lainer.

“This last camp really was a good one because you have more confidence when you earn that starting spot at my club where Lainer is healthy and he’s there, so I really earned the starting spot, Scally said. “To know that gives you so much confidence going to a national team camp and every game.”

Scally is in the mix for a USMNT World Cup roster spot, coming in on the right side of the bubble in our latest projection due to his ability to play both fullback positions.

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