Monday Back-Pass: Out of the Euro-Darkness

At long last, I'm back from my holiday travels. Sadly, I seem to have picked up the plague (or a near approximation) somewhere along the way, so my posting over the next few days will be of a necessarily more limited nature. Regardless, I managed to catch some footie this weekend, where all of the "Yank" headlines were dominated by one man . . .

He's Back . . .

Clint Dempsey hits a pair past Roman's Blue Meanies to earn Fulham a draw in the West London Derby. Sure, they were both off of set pieces, but combine that with an acrobatic volley attempt plus a goal earlier this week and the general sharpness and daring of his touches, and it looks like one of my favorite US Nats is getting back to his best.

It's been a long road back after summer struggles with the Nats and a fight to get back onto the field for the Cottagers. But the two goals against Chelsea merely capped what has been a really good run for Dempsey. The bonus? He's done it both at forward and on the right flank--both positions where the US could really use a difference-maker.

Highlights here.


But Others Are Missing In Action . . .

While it's great to have Dempsey back, many of the US's other Euro-mids are largely missing in action. Edu and Beasley have been seeing spot duty for Rangers, Michael Bradley is struggling to replicate his rampaging form from the Dutch league in Germany, Freddy Adu is lucky to pick up 5 minutes here and there for Monaco, and Feilhaber has fallen completely off the map.

Here's hoping for some more lost Yanks to find their way out of the Euro-Darkness.

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