I'm movin' slow and runnin' on fumes... blasted flu!!! By the way, as I laid in a tomato soup/toast/lozenge of soup stupor trying to sleep two nights back, I came up with this joke: Since a French person got me sick, does that mean I have Freedom Flu? Shut up, I thought it was funny. #1 - Before the bug got me, I got Chivas USA ace Sacha Kljestan on the phone. Click to continue reading...

Well... not exactly that short, but it may as well have been. A couple of weeks back, we heard rumblings that mighty Serie A power Juventus were sizing up Borussia Dortmund center back revelation Neven Subotić. Depending on which Italian rag you perused, the former U.S. youth international was either being lined up for a January or summer 2009 bid from The Old Lady. Click to continue reading...

If you ever wanted to ask Freddy Adu a question, here's your chance. - Greg Seltzer Click to continue reading...

I'm still without net at home, but on the move today anyway. Ah, the joys of complimentary WiFi... #1 - Just in the nick of time, a rundown of today's UEFA Cup action involving Americans. I was going to do another Standard v. Everton LIVE, but I'm not making any promises until the tech comes out to fix whatever the connection problem is at home. Click to continue reading...

I'm sleepy, so let's not dillydally... #1 - The weekend Americans Abroad goal roundup won't take long this time around, but at least somebody broke the drought. For the second straight Danish Cup match, Randers FC attacker Lee Nguyen lit the lamp. Check out his opportunistic marker here. A pair of homies in Norway's second fight picked up assists: Nybergsund's Joe Lapira and Haugesund's Cameron Click to continue reading...

Big, bad Brad Friedel posted another victory last weekend as he and Aston Villa kept on rolling.

Friedel was one of few bright spots for Americans Abroad last weekend. How bad were things? Consider this linep of Americans:

------------------------------Jozy Altidore-----------------------------

DaMarcus Beasley-----------Freddy Adu-------------Clint Dempsey

---------------------Michael Bradley---Maurice Edu------------------

Heath Pearce------Jay DeMerit----Jonathan Spector---Frank Simek

-------------------------------Brad Guzan------------------------------

Like that team?

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So it's the day after the Los Angeles Galaxy's awful 3-1 loss to Chicago on Thursday and you're probably wondering where the Galaxy will go from here. I can tell you where at least one of their players is.

None other than David Beckham is in New York City today along with wife Victoria to promote their fragrance lines.

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Transplanted Brit reporter Nick Thomas has sweetened the long-running Pablo Mastroeni-to-Europe serial by uncovering a pair of Spanish suitors in Málaga and Real Betis. Of course, the veteran midfield stopper is also wanted in Italy (by both Serie A and Serie B clubs, so they say). Mastro would prefer a move to Italy, but I'm actually much more excited by these La Liga possibilities, especially Click to continue reading...

With The Office set to return in a couple of hours, I will try to contain my giddy excitement long enough to drop a few noteworthy blurbs... #1 - The Americans Abroad 2009-2010 European berth chase officially begins on November 9th after Troy Perkins backstopped Vålerenga to a 2-1 win over Odd Grenland on Thursday night. Click to continue reading...

It took a while, but Freddy Adu finally made his first start for AS Monaco. The U.S. Olympic midfielder made the starting XI in Monaco's French Cup match against Paris St. Germain. It could be Adu's last start for a while after a goal from one-time Chicago Fire target Fabrice Pancrate gave PSG the win, thus ending Adu's potential source for major playing time.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

Some nine months after being an MLS first round draft pick, goalkeeper Dominic Cervi looks set to reap the rewards for passing up a minimum salary contract offer from MLS.

Cervi is set to sign a three-year deal with Celtic FC.

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Marcus Hahnemann has a point. A lone voice in defense of the ubiquitously-ridiculed awarding of a phantom goal to his Reading team on Saturday, the Seattle native has argued that any number of officiating mistakes can change the course of the game over 90 minutes, so that ordering a replay every time there is a game-changing error is just impractical. Click to continue reading...

Do you want the 411 on LD? Then ya gotta go to AC. With Bayern Munich supposedly interested in expanding their market to the U.S. and apparently insisting only the best 'Nat will do, Landon Donovan finally admits he would be open to a move back to Germany after all. NSC pal Andrea Canales gets the story from every angle over at Soccernet. Click to continue reading...

Attention all U.S. national team fans, if you have seen Clint Dempsey please contact SBI. He has gone missing since returning to Fulham. At least missing on the field.

Dempsey has found a seemingly permanent place on the bench at Fulham, making him one of several key American players to ride the pine last weekend without getting a single minute of action.

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Watford's American skipper Jay DeMerit has spoken of his shock at the phantom goal awarded to Reading at Vicarage Road yesterday, which has been the talk of England's Championship.Twelve minutes into their 2-2 clash, 25-year old referee Stuart Atwell stunned the entire stadium by awarding Reading a goal, on his linesman's advice, when the Hornets' John Eustace had clearly put the ball out of play Click to continue reading...

**Yankee Stadium's last pitch will be thrown today and as might be expected, most of the farewells and eulogies have airbrushed the soccer played there. Between the death of Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds and the birth of Giants Stadium, Yankee functioned as New York's principal sports venue, which meant from time to time, spherical balls were kicked as well as thrown. Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Good afternoon folks. With another week in the rearview mirror, and another weekend upon us where we can relax and enjoy some soccer, here is a look back at some stories I missed during the week, some hot topics I wanted to touch on and some recommended reading:

The San Jose-Houston Dynamo match set for this weekend has been postponed as Houston recovers from Hurricane Ike.

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Friday Friday, busy busy busy, thanks for your patience and patronage... #1 - I realize today's Cut breaks the F-bomb rule. Please forgive me, but it's Friday, and like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, the Replacements will not be ignored. Just pretend you didn't hear it if you must. #2 - And we have another note on the bounds of good taste: it seems an amateur footballer in Germany, one Click to continue reading...

We'll be underway at the top of the next hour, here are your line-ups: Howard; Baines, Yobo, Lescott, Neville, Castillo, Arteta, Cahill, Anichebe, Yakubu Bench: Nash; Valente, Kissock, Wallace, Agard, Gosling, Rodwell, Vaughan, Baxter Espinoza; Camozzato, Onyewu, Sarr, Dante, Dalmat, Defour, Nicaise, Witsel, De Camargo, Mbokani Bench: De Vriendt; Goreux, Mikulic, Ingrao, Toama, Jovanovic, Click to continue reading...

You know it works, I may add as the day goes... #1 - English outlets are now talking up young Charles Renken-to-Arsenal academy. It should be quite fun to watch this young man's career unfold. Infamous (trust me... he'll like that modifier) BigSoccer blogger Bill Archer talks about the fuss and argues that he should forgo Euro-training to remain in the USSF Bradenton Residency program. Click to continue reading...

It's a little jumpy in spots, but the folks at YankedAround beat me to splicing together a few Jozy moments from the second half of Villarreal's Sunday win over Deportivo. Enjoy... - Greg Seltzer Click to continue reading...

With the Champions League group stage and UEFA Cup first round set to begin, let's go over the European matches this week involving Americans and their clubs. Jozy Altidore is not on Villarreal's roster for Wednesday's daunting Champions League trip to face holders Manchester United in their Group F opener, so stateside fans will sharpen focus on UEFA Cup matches. Click to continue reading...

This weekend was a memorable one for Americans Abroad as two recent MLS transfers made their European club debuts, while a few other Americans found the net.

Maurice Edu (pictured) made his debut for Glasgow Rangers on Saturday in a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock while U.S. Olympic teammate Jozy Altidore impressed in his La Liga debut for Villarreal.

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It's been an odd weekend. I'm still trying to regulate sleep after two middle-of-the-night U.S. matches in five days. But the games go on, so let's persevere... #1 - Jozy Altidore made a very strong La Liga debut as Villarreal scored a 1-0 win over Deportivo on Sunday. The U.S. international came on at halftime and displayed an array of power forward skills, drawing raves from Spanish daily Click to continue reading...

U.S. international Maurice Edu made his Rangers bow in a 2-1 home win over Kilmarnock that sent the Ibrox crew clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League table. The midfielder was called on late after Kevin Thompson pulled up lame and worked a solid hour - even could have had an assist had club and conutry mate DaMarcus Beasley not squandered a fine through ball. Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Good afternoon folks and welcome to the first installment of Emptying the Notebook. I plan on making this a weekly segment where I touch on all the topics and stories I wasn't able to get to during the week.

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I know I'm running a bit late for a Monday, but it's been a busy few days. Now that I'm done making excuses, let's get to business... #1 - With a dramatically reduced Americans Abroad schedule, the weekend goal roundup shant take long. Cameron Weaver bagged his team-high eighth of the season in the 90th minute to earn surging Haugesund a 2-1 win over Hødd The lone assist of the weekend also Click to continue reading...

Yep, as promised, U.S. international Jonathan Spector becomes the first guest Top 5 Lister in NSC history... wow, when I say it like that, it sounds really important. And so it is. I was all set to drop my own "Top 5 Summer Transfer Winners" when the West Ham defender submitted his picks for the wiliest, craftiest handfuls he's ever had the chance to square up against in competition. Click to continue reading...

Fast, but now a shade less than furious... #1 - Let's begin with weekend American goalscorers, shall we? Let's all say it together, now: Charlie Davies can't stop scoring! Sadly, his ninth of the season (media player link) came in a 5-1 loss to Helsingborgs. Nevertheless, CD currently sits third in the Allsvenskan goal chart, one goal and slot behind Helsingborgs star Henrik Larsson. Click to continue reading...

I know you're all waiting for info... so am I. When I have something, you'll know first. MINI-UPDATE: I still believe Oguchi Onyewu is on the move as we speak, I'm still digging on this one. There has been some talk of a Jonathan Spector loan move to noted Championship side Nottingham Forest, but I've been unable thus far to pin down his agent so far. Click to continue reading...

Multiple Dutch sources are reporting that Michael Bradley is set to complete a move to Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach... I'm on it. UPDATE: This is now on Dutch television, looks official. UPDATE UPDATE: Now on the H'veen site... fee agreed, Bradley goes in the morning to talk personal terms with 'Gladbach and have a medical. Click to continue reading...

Well, it's the start of a new season for my club (whose club anthem you can hear as Cut of the Day), so I will be in and out all day and night. I will add notes to this as I can, sorry for the temporary slack. #1 - The Spidey Sense post is now locked. Anything new will come in a resulting post, such as. Click to continue reading...

I decided to extract this entire portion from the previous post as it continues to grow and grow... With less than four days left in the silly season, I guess it's time I put my money where my mouth is concerning my personal thought on the likelihood of a move for several recent American transfer topics. Click to continue reading...

As if often the case, this edition will be updated through the day... #1 - Gooch... Standard... Bravo! If coach Boloni had replaced one of his tiring wingbacks, they may have made it to penalties. My hats off to you boys. Good luck to Standard with all the offers I'm sure their about to receive for Onyewu, Defour, Felliani, Mbokani, Espinoza, Marcos, Dalmat, Witsel. Click to continue reading...

....is not the new title for Greg & my efforts, by the way! US strikers squared up in the Welsh capital on Tuesday as Eddie Johnson's Cardiff City topped Jemal Johnson's Milton Keynes Dons 2-1 in the League Cup. 6,334 witnessed Eddie's Bluebirds debut at Ninian Park. Jemal was born in New Jersey but like Zak Whitbread, lost his American accent long ago and is now indistinguishable from the Click to continue reading...