American Players Abroad

As a 2022-23 Major Leeds Soccer fan, I've never been more embarrassed

I've been watching Leeds United like a Marcelo Bielsa assistant stationed in a bush for over eight months now. And to everyone out in West Yorkshire who's been watching since closer to the club's foundation in 1919, I just want to apologize: I'm sorry we gave you the total American soccer experience of not being very good at this game.

Like the American in An American Werewolf in London, I feel like my spiritual presence here in England has only left a trail of destruction, blood and tears. 

Lampard comes to Boehly's defense after American owner's ‘embarrassing’ dressing-room speech

Chelsea are not a "broken" team this season and co-owner Todd Boehly had every right to address the squad he has invested in, manager Frank Lampard said on Monday ahead of their Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid.

Chelsea, who trail Real Madrid 2-0 on aggregate after losing the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, come into the game on the back of a six-match winless run, with interim boss Lampard losing his first three games in charge.

The neck and neck goalscoring battle between Ricardo Pepi and Santi Giménez in the Eredivisie

The spicy rivalry between the USMNT and México is having a remarkable round in the 2022-23 Eredivisie as strikers Ricardo Pepi and Santiago Giménez battle neck and neck among the division's top scorers. After 29 games, both have netted 11 goals and are just three behind Xavi Simmons (PSV) and Anastasios Douvikas (FC Utrecht), who currently lead the race with 14 each.

Although the realities of their teams are extremely different, Pepi and Giménez are not giving space to each other with both finding the net again this weekend.

Gio Reyna scores 92nd minute go-ahead goal but then Dortmund inexplicably chokes

STUTTGART — Borussia Dortmund conceded a stoppage-time equalizer from Silas Katompa Mvumpa to draw 3-3 at 10-man VfB Stuttgart on Saturday and missed the chance to go joint top of the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.

Dortmund thought they have won it when Gio Reyna struck in stoppage time but Silas drilled in his second to earn the hosts a point.

Gio Reyna goal vs. Stuttgart

Chelsea want to get rid of eight players this summer, Pulisic among those on the chopping block

Chelsea spent some serious cash in the latest transfer windows and it seems they will continue this summer. But in order to comply with financial fair-play rules, the team needs to cut a few players from their current squad. 

Reports from England say the club already has a list of eight men ready to be offered in some sort of "summer fire sale."

Is Chelsea selling Christian Pulisic?

Officially, the club hasn't mentioned the players' names, but insiders have some guesses as to who is on the chopping block. And USMNT star Christian Pulisic is among them. 

Here’s everything Christian Pulisic did at the Bernabéu in the Champions League on Wednesday

He didn’t play, but that doesn't mean that we don't have a recap.

Christian Pulisic vs. Real Madrid 

Christian Pulisic's first action was to ignore the artwork on the wall inside the Bernabéu. 

That’s the mindset of a champion right there. Why would he focus on the final in Istanbul when he has a big quarterfinal ahead of him? He takes things one step at a time like all winners do.

Next up was getting dressed and killing it in warmups.

Leeds suffer unbelievable collapse in 5-1 defeat to relegation rivals

Leeds United suffered a monumental collapse on Sunday afternoon, leading 1-0 after 45 minutes but ultimately losing 5-1 to Crystal Palace at Elland Road. The stadium was half-empty at the full-time whistle after Leeds' unreal capitulation, and the remaining supporters only stayed to let the players know the extent of their embarrassment.

After some early criticism in England, Weston McKennie showcased his game against Forest

With one victory, Leeds United climbed from 18th and relegation to the comfortable heights of 13th on Tuesday night at Elland Road. But with nine matches still to play and the gap between Leeds and 20th-place Southampton just six points, there's still a lot of post-Jesse Marsch ball to come this campaign.

Leeds got strong performances out of Luis Sinisterra, Jack Harrison and Marc Roca in a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest while there was also special praise for Weston McKennie alongside Roca in the team's two-man midfield.

A Frank Lampard managerial return to Chelsea could be great news for Christian Pulisic

In a shocking twist to Chelsea’s managerial merry-go-round, the London club is talking to former player and manager Frank Lampard for a potential reunion. Lampard would be a caretaker manager until the end of the season as the club figures out a long-term manager.

Lampard oversaw Chelsea from July 2019 through January 2021 when he was replaced by Thomas Tuchel. Lampard then spent a year managing Everton from January 2022 until January 2023. He was sacked after Everton sat 19th in the league.

Ricardo Pepi reaches double figures in the Eredivisie with another impressive goal

With just seven matches remaining in the Eredivisie season, Groningen slipped closer to relegation following a 3-1 away defeat to Fortuna Sittard on Sunday. They're seven points from safety and looking destined for the Eerste Divisie.

The lone bright spot for Groningen has been 20-year-old American striker Ricardo Pepi, who's on a year-long loan from FC Augsburg. Pepi scored Groningen's lone goal of the match and now has 10 this season to go with three assists. 

The club has only managed 26 goals in 27 games, but Pepi has now been involved in 50% of them.

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