ASN 100 Update
Nguyen, Zardes Make Huge Leap Up ASN 100 Ranking
Don't look for Tim Howard updates here. No Landon Donovan news either. Both icons are out of the ASN 100, but Josh Deaver has insights on the likes of Lee Nguyen, Gyasi Zardes, and, yes, Brek Shea.
Editor's note: Every 60 days American Soccer Now re-ranks the top 100 American soccer players and posts the results in a highly interactive grid. The latest update went live late last night, and we hope you check it out.
Fabian Johnson—ASN rank #1
Fabian Johnson plays right back for the U.S. national team. For his new club Borussia Monchengladbach, however, he has only started at that position once in his first four matches. So when Berti Vogts, Monchengladbach legend and U.S. national team advisor during the World Cup, sounds off on the club’s use of the 26-year-old, you can almost hear Jurgen Klinsmann speaking. In a recent interview with Bild, Vogts said that “left midfield is not Johnson's position; he might have three touches of the ball in 90 minutes there. He is a right back.” Message received? On Saturday, Johnson started the match at left midfield for ‘Gladbach, before moving to right back after halftime in a 4-1 win over Schalke. Jermaine Jones—ASN rank #3
Far from the glitz of his home in Los Angeles—about as far away as you can get in America—Jones continues to shine for his new club in New England. After delivering the game-winning assist last week, Jones was back in the XI on Saturday for the Revs' 2-1 win against Montreal. He was subbed off to begin the second half after suffering an ill-timed challenge from the appropriately named Montreal midfielder Calum Mallace. It was only a precaution, but Mallace should probably keep his head on a swivel when the two clubs play again. “We got a second game we will see what happens there,” Jones said post-game. “He hurt me...I can take it and I’ll see him again.” Clint Dempsey—ASN rank #2
DeAndre Yedlin—ASN rank #14
Lamar Neagle—ASN rank #76
Currently in a battle for pole position atop the Western Conference, all three Sounders had a hand in at least one goal during Saturday’s 3-2 stoppage-time win against Real Salt Lake. In front of a raucous crowd at the CLink, Neagle emphatically opened the scoring for Seattle in the 38th minute, uncorking a left-footed, 30-yard golazo off a pass from Yedlin for his sixth goal of the season. Dempsey helped give Seattle the lead five minutes later, putting Obafemi Martins through on goal after some tidy midfield interplay between the strike partners. Tied late on, and against 10-man RSL, it was Yedlin who provided the game winner, knocking down a cross into the path of Andy Rose to steal the three points deep into stoppage time. Having already clinched a playoff berth, the Sounders now focus on the U.S. Open Cup final against Philadelphia Union tonight. Geoff Cameron—ASN rank #6
The start of the European season couldn’t be going much worse for Geoff Cameron. From struggling for playing time to failing to find a suitor in the transfer window to a “muscle injury” that kept him from national team duty to, now, hernia surgery. Cameron is slated to a few weeks of inaction while he recovers from the procedure. Omar Gonzalez—ASN rank #16
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Tall, unmarked man scores on free header in the box. Graham Zusi—ASN rank #17
Losers of four straight, Sporting KC got back to its winning ways on Saturday, knocking out Chivas USA with a dominant 4-0 win. Zusi got the start and went 90 minutes, picking up his fourth goal and seventh assist in the process. In the 40th minute, Zusi proceeded to drop a 40-yard dime to the foot of Dom Dwyer who opened the scoring with a franchise record 19th goal of the season. In my best Taylor Twellman voice: “ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THAT BALL?” Six minutes after the break, Zusi increased the deficit to three, cutting in front of two Chivas defenders before firing a right-footed blast past poor, poor Dan Kennedy. The whole thing felt like it required the Jim Ross YouTube treatment. Benny Feilhaber also scored. Julian Green—ASN rank #21
Good: Getting loaned out to struggling Hamburg for much-needed playing time and receiving your first professional Bundesliga start. Bad: Playing only 45 minutes in a 2-0 loss to Hannover and having the manager who brought you in immediately sacked. With only one point in three matches, Hamburg take on Green’s parent club, Bayern Munich, on Saturday. Lee Nguyen—ASN rank #28
Are you even watching? Honestly, are you? Because I’ve lost track of all the brilliant goals Nguyen has scored this season. [Insert requisite win/Nguyen pun]. Nguyen added his 13th of the year during a 2-1 win over Montreal on Saturday, tying him for second among MLS American goal scorers this season. Thanks to some shambolic defending, Nguyen capped off a wonderful team movement from the red-hot Revolution by delicately chipping Troy Perkins for the game winner. ASN’s Brooke Tunstall spoke to the MVP candidate about the season and his national team chances, and while he remained demure on this topic, I’ll go ahead and say it: Jurgen, CALL HIM NOW! Gyasi Zardes—ASN rank #36
In possibly the biggest jump in ASN 100 history, the 23-year-old moved up nearly 60 places on the latest ballot. Riding a two-month hot streak where he has found the net in 14 of his last 17 appearances, Zardes has helped spur the Los Angeles Galaxy to a six-game unbeaten run in which they have outscored opponents 22-7. In midweek action, Zardes notched his 15th of the year—leading MLS for American-born players—in a 2-2 draw with Montreal Impact. For the nerds out there: enjoy this lengthy statistical treatise on Zardes’ growth this season. Chris Wondolowski—ASN rank #37
I’m not sure if we will ever truly appreciate the skills of Chris Wondolowski. Perhaps there is just too much baggage concerning a certain World Cup moment that I try not to think about. Regardless, in four-plus seasons the man has scored 85 goals…and counting. The latest, his 13th of this season, came on Saturday during a 1-1 draw with the L.A. Galaxy. So perfectly Wondo—right place, right time—he converted on a simple back-post tap-in off a scuffed shot. Wil Trapp—ASN rank #38
In addition to his statistically relevant passing proficiency, it’s good to know the soon-to-be-capped 21-year-old can also do this: Kelyn Rowe—ASN rank #39
Not to be outdone in the Revs’ Nguyen-ing effort [self-satisfied nod] against Montreal, Rowe grabbed his third goal of the season with this fairly spectacular effort. Brek Shea—ASN rank #71
Fresh off a recent national team appearance, the mercurial Shea made his return to competitive, first-team soccer this week, signing a three-month loan deal with struggling Championship side Birmingham City on Thursday. Thanks to the club’s recent injury woes, Shea received the surprise start on Saturday, playing 67 minutes and delivering an assist in a 1-1 draw with Leeds. Following the match, Shea commented on his slow start in England: “Any footballer just wants to play and it's been frustrating. I've had some setbacks and some injuries but that's all in the past now." Josh Deaver is a former academic turned soccer obsessive. Follow him on Twitter.
Fabian Johnson plays right back for the U.S. national team. For his new club Borussia Monchengladbach, however, he has only started at that position once in his first four matches. So when Berti Vogts, Monchengladbach legend and U.S. national team advisor during the World Cup, sounds off on the club’s use of the 26-year-old, you can almost hear Jurgen Klinsmann speaking. In a recent interview with Bild, Vogts said that “left midfield is not Johnson's position; he might have three touches of the ball in 90 minutes there. He is a right back.” Message received? On Saturday, Johnson started the match at left midfield for ‘Gladbach, before moving to right back after halftime in a 4-1 win over Schalke. Jermaine Jones—ASN rank #3
Far from the glitz of his home in Los Angeles—about as far away as you can get in America—Jones continues to shine for his new club in New England. After delivering the game-winning assist last week, Jones was back in the XI on Saturday for the Revs' 2-1 win against Montreal. He was subbed off to begin the second half after suffering an ill-timed challenge from the appropriately named Montreal midfielder Calum Mallace. It was only a precaution, but Mallace should probably keep his head on a swivel when the two clubs play again. “We got a second game we will see what happens there,” Jones said post-game. “He hurt me...I can take it and I’ll see him again.” Clint Dempsey—ASN rank #2
DeAndre Yedlin—ASN rank #14
Lamar Neagle—ASN rank #76
Currently in a battle for pole position atop the Western Conference, all three Sounders had a hand in at least one goal during Saturday’s 3-2 stoppage-time win against Real Salt Lake. In front of a raucous crowd at the CLink, Neagle emphatically opened the scoring for Seattle in the 38th minute, uncorking a left-footed, 30-yard golazo off a pass from Yedlin for his sixth goal of the season. Dempsey helped give Seattle the lead five minutes later, putting Obafemi Martins through on goal after some tidy midfield interplay between the strike partners. Tied late on, and against 10-man RSL, it was Yedlin who provided the game winner, knocking down a cross into the path of Andy Rose to steal the three points deep into stoppage time. Having already clinched a playoff berth, the Sounders now focus on the U.S. Open Cup final against Philadelphia Union tonight. Geoff Cameron—ASN rank #6
The start of the European season couldn’t be going much worse for Geoff Cameron. From struggling for playing time to failing to find a suitor in the transfer window to a “muscle injury” that kept him from national team duty to, now, hernia surgery. Cameron is slated to a few weeks of inaction while he recovers from the procedure. Omar Gonzalez—ASN rank #16
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Tall, unmarked man scores on free header in the box. Graham Zusi—ASN rank #17
Losers of four straight, Sporting KC got back to its winning ways on Saturday, knocking out Chivas USA with a dominant 4-0 win. Zusi got the start and went 90 minutes, picking up his fourth goal and seventh assist in the process. In the 40th minute, Zusi proceeded to drop a 40-yard dime to the foot of Dom Dwyer who opened the scoring with a franchise record 19th goal of the season. In my best Taylor Twellman voice: “ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THAT BALL?” Six minutes after the break, Zusi increased the deficit to three, cutting in front of two Chivas defenders before firing a right-footed blast past poor, poor Dan Kennedy. The whole thing felt like it required the Jim Ross YouTube treatment. Benny Feilhaber also scored. Julian Green—ASN rank #21
Good: Getting loaned out to struggling Hamburg for much-needed playing time and receiving your first professional Bundesliga start. Bad: Playing only 45 minutes in a 2-0 loss to Hannover and having the manager who brought you in immediately sacked. With only one point in three matches, Hamburg take on Green’s parent club, Bayern Munich, on Saturday. Lee Nguyen—ASN rank #28
Are you even watching? Honestly, are you? Because I’ve lost track of all the brilliant goals Nguyen has scored this season. [Insert requisite win/Nguyen pun]. Nguyen added his 13th of the year during a 2-1 win over Montreal on Saturday, tying him for second among MLS American goal scorers this season. Thanks to some shambolic defending, Nguyen capped off a wonderful team movement from the red-hot Revolution by delicately chipping Troy Perkins for the game winner. ASN’s Brooke Tunstall spoke to the MVP candidate about the season and his national team chances, and while he remained demure on this topic, I’ll go ahead and say it: Jurgen, CALL HIM NOW! Gyasi Zardes—ASN rank #36
In possibly the biggest jump in ASN 100 history, the 23-year-old moved up nearly 60 places on the latest ballot. Riding a two-month hot streak where he has found the net in 14 of his last 17 appearances, Zardes has helped spur the Los Angeles Galaxy to a six-game unbeaten run in which they have outscored opponents 22-7. In midweek action, Zardes notched his 15th of the year—leading MLS for American-born players—in a 2-2 draw with Montreal Impact. For the nerds out there: enjoy this lengthy statistical treatise on Zardes’ growth this season. Chris Wondolowski—ASN rank #37
I’m not sure if we will ever truly appreciate the skills of Chris Wondolowski. Perhaps there is just too much baggage concerning a certain World Cup moment that I try not to think about. Regardless, in four-plus seasons the man has scored 85 goals…and counting. The latest, his 13th of this season, came on Saturday during a 1-1 draw with the L.A. Galaxy. So perfectly Wondo—right place, right time—he converted on a simple back-post tap-in off a scuffed shot. Wil Trapp—ASN rank #38
In addition to his statistically relevant passing proficiency, it’s good to know the soon-to-be-capped 21-year-old can also do this: Kelyn Rowe—ASN rank #39
Not to be outdone in the Revs’ Nguyen-ing effort [self-satisfied nod] against Montreal, Rowe grabbed his third goal of the season with this fairly spectacular effort. Brek Shea—ASN rank #71
Fresh off a recent national team appearance, the mercurial Shea made his return to competitive, first-team soccer this week, signing a three-month loan deal with struggling Championship side Birmingham City on Thursday. Thanks to the club’s recent injury woes, Shea received the surprise start on Saturday, playing 67 minutes and delivering an assist in a 1-1 draw with Leeds. Following the match, Shea commented on his slow start in England: “Any footballer just wants to play and it's been frustrating. I've had some setbacks and some injuries but that's all in the past now." Josh Deaver is a former academic turned soccer obsessive. Follow him on Twitter.
