Onyewu scores in UEFA Cup romp

U.S. national team defender Oguchi Onyewu added some extra momentum to his already soaring stock with a goal today in Standard Liege's 3-0 UEFA Cup stroll past Italian side Sampdoria. Onyewu's header helped the Belgian club qualify for the UEFA Cup's round of 32.

That sound you hear is European clubs getting funds together to bid on the big American center back, who is in the midst of another stellar club season.

Here are today's UEFA Cup results:

• FC Metalist Kharkiv 1, Olympiakos 0

• Hertha Berlin 0, Galatasaray 1

• Sevilla 3, Partizane Belgrade 0

• Standard Liege 3, Sampdoria 0

• Spartak Moscow 1, NEC Nijmegen 2

• Udinese 2, Dynamo Zagreb 1

Did any of today's results surprise you? Where would you like to see Onyewu wind up? England (again)? France? Italy?

Share your thoughts on the UEFA Cup, and on Onyewu's future in Europe, in the comments section below

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

[Steve B]

Oguchi Onyewu is A BEAST!!!

[cbr]

can we please have an American in the Serie A?

[Dz]

Its Dinamo(Dee-na-mo) Zagreb, not Dynamo.

[Ryan]

Sounds like, from other reports, that it's between Olympique Marseille and Borussia Monchengladbach for Onyewu.

Both destinations would be decent ones, though I can't help but think that Marseille might be slightly more desirable?

[Isaac]

Get it Gooch! He should go back to the EPL and see how he does there. It fits his style of play.

[Jayboy]

Gooch has consistently improved his spacing, heading, and body control to the point where he rarely gets carded and is a threat on corners. I think a place like Lyon or Bordeaux would be perfect for him - French speaking, Champions League, and Ligue 1 is much better than Belgium. I'd be excited for him to move to Rennes too...

[John]

I'd love to see him at Arsenal pairing up with Kolo Toure in the back! (who knows how long Gallas will be around..) I think he could definitely compete with Senderos and Djourou for a starting spot.

[luis]

:]

[John C]

Lets put him with Bradley at Gladbach. It wouldn't hurt to have them playing together an extra 30 times a year. However, it would be cool to have an American in Series A.

[green]

Other games:
FC Twente Enschede 2 - 1 Schalke
Manchester City 0 - 0 Paris S.G.

[Chuck]

Is he eligible to play in Champions League despite playing the early rounds with Liege?

[CD]

Thus far he has been part of a shutout against a Spanish club an Italian club and next up is a German Club. Plus his team defeated a English club to get to the UEFA Cup and they out played a top English club until barely losing. I am thinking Gooch might be able to pick which ever league he is most comfortable with, his list of admirers should be extensive.

[CD]

can we please have an American in the Serie A?

Posted by: cbr | December 03, 2008 at 07:00 PM

cbr,

US defenders are always hesitant to go to Italy as they know they can never live up to the standard of the great red bearded one :)

[ggsrrg]

So France or Germany? He's been linked to Lyon, PSG and Marseille and BMG and Koln. I'd say best option would be a team like Marseille where he would have competition on a weekly basis but should be able to start. Regardless this is good for us.

[HenrikSSW]

This is the way to go. Gooch to a top mid table or top table French/German team would be wonderful. Especially with the amazing path Bocanegra has taken in France, other future national team members should head there to work out their technique. I can imagine come WC in 2010 all of our roster will be our Euro stars and most should be playing as stars on mid table teams.

I can see Rogers, Klejstan, Wynne, Holden all making it in either France or Germany/Holland.

[TorresyVilla]

World Cup here we come. I can feel it. I know for sure we can pass the group stage. We have the talent with Boca/Gooch at the back and Altidore/Cooper in front.

[metrostar 4 life]

Gooch!!! great to hear for American soccer fans

[Johnny]

I have a crazy feeling that Onyewu makes a schock move to a really big team. Maybe Liverpool or Chelsea? I would rather see him go to a mid-table team in the one of the top 4 leauges to ensure more playing time. That being said don't we hear about Onyewu getting transfered every window and nothing happens. Will this finally be the window in which Gooch make the move to bigger and better things. I'll beleive it when I see it. No wait, I'll believe it when I read it on this blog!

[Ben]

I always prefer for Yanks to get transferred during the summer period. That way, they have an entire offseason to get acclimated to their new team and don't just get thrown into an unfamiliar situation immediately. Just my preference.

[Ethan]

Ben and Johnny both have good points.

If I could choose any club in the world, I'd go with Rennes. Why? Because having our starting centerbacks play together for their club would be phenomenal.

Another dream option would be having him go to Dortmund to recruit Neven.

[eric]

Awesome for Gooch, and that's another nice scalp for Standard. They totally dominated a group with Sevilla, Sampdoria, and Stuttgart - pretty impressive! And that's another wake up call for Ajax to get it in gear, it's unacceptable that a Belgium team is more accomplished than the best Holland has this year.

Bad news from the English cup world, Jay DeMerit left with injury in Watford's loss to Spurs...

[PanchoMiguelMoralesdeConejo]

Gooch to Borussia Dortnond to pair with Subotic...just to get in some work prior to WC2010

[northzax]

chuck: no. he will be eligible next season, but once he leaves Standard Liege, his european days are done for this year.

I'd like to see him in Spain, actually. the speed and technical attacks would be great for him to be able to adjust to. that said, could he start in EPL or Serie A? you'd certainly think so, maybe not for a top four side, but a top ten side certainly. be nice to see him get some more Champions League play though.

anyone else see Tevez' quad?

[zach]

Any rumors on clubs looking into a bid on Onyewu???

[zach]

Put him in Reines with Boco to rock out the French 1 ligue!!!!

[Jer]

Count me among the excited. But not long ago things didn't pan out for Oneywu at Newcastle. What's the verdict on that?

[Justin O]

Dz - Dynamo is the more or less conventional English translation of the club's name. I realize club names aren't typically translated (and I myself always write Dinamo) but for whatever reason, Dynamo seems to be an accepted alternative in the English speaking football world.(see - Dynamo Moscow vs Dinamo Moskva)

[eric]

Call me crazy, but I want to see how far Gooch and Standard can go in the UEFA Cup. Transfer in the summer, he's cup tied anyways, right? Find a team in the summer.

[RSLinIDAHO]

Gooch is headed for France (Marseille). It's a good place for him too. (He speaks fluent French.)

[Fireball]

Eric- GLalas writes it how I remember it. Newcastle self-destructing, a coaching change, Titus "own goal" Bramble pairing, and after a great debut Gooch didn't have enough time to adjust to the pace. Unfortunately, it's remembered as a disaster.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/greg_lalas/09/01/onyewu/index.html

[rocky]

Gooch should go were he will start. If he keeps this up he will be considered world class. I def. see him in 3 years starting for one of the big clubs in europe. I would love to see him play with bradley in germany. It really doesnt matter as long as he starts. Our defense is looking very strong for the national team, just hope subotic declares for the usa.

[Felix]

Well I've heard on WSD that there is a hard offer by OM (Marseille) for 'Gooch already, now I don't know much about them, but it is an high-profile club in France, who I know needs defensive help, so that might be a good place for Onyewu. As long as he avoids another situation like Newcastle where he's expected to save the club defensively and he's paired up with a bum like Titus Bramble.

[Ryan]

Onyewu should sign on at Marseille. Nice club, champions league ready and fantastic atmosphere. Would be a great move!!! Goooooch!!

[A.S.]

Rennes doesn't need him - they already have the best defense in Ligue 1. Besides, it wouldn't be the same as when they play together for the USMNT, since Boca plays left back for Rennes, not center back.

[cee]

he'd be awesome for spurs.

[Andy in Atlanta]

Guys... I know we all seem to remember the Gooch that can't hang with a little quick striker but those days are over... Onyewu could start for any club outside of maybe 5-10 in Europe. Playing time will not be an issue unless it is a team like Galaticos (even then he may start), ManU, Chelsea, Barca etc...

He is now rated a top 50 defender in the world.

[Ethan]

A.S.:

Rennes defense is great, granted, but if Subotic signs on (and given how well Rennes is doing with Bocanegra at left back), it would still be good to have them play together...and that could be the partnership they have in the future. Even if not, they would still build more chemistry, which is a positive...but with Rennes defense, he might not see playing time.

[Jonathan de la Torres]

This guy is a joke!! He just pushes people around and charges through people to get headers. I think he would do awful in the EPL and any other league. I think a better destination for him would be the Denver Broncos.

[DMEE]

Every single comment on this post is insane. I really enjoy the people who claim that he's going to a big club, brilliant that is. Please get this thorough your thick MLS-loving domes: Gooch has reached his ceiling. He may transfer to france or maybe to BMG with bradley, but that will be it. Gooch is not a good player, and he never will be. Nobody in the EPL wants him for a reason. Sorry to be a debbie downer, but that's that way it is. Gooch will still be in belgium in february.

And Ives, his stock is "soaring"??!! You've been man-crushing on gooch for years. It's sad.

[Dave]

DMEE you are wrong. Have you watched any of Liege's matches? Did you watch yesterday? Doubtful.
I watched the match and as previous posters noted-Gooch's positioning, his touch on the ball, his passing, have all improved marketdly this campaign-I saw him commit 2 or 3 fouls the entire match-against an ITALIAN side no less. And his goal was EXTREMELY well-taken-and certainly not a fluke.
I've always been a big critic of Gooch, and I didn't think he had what it took to get to the next level-but you have to be rational-and his stock is "SOARING" both because his play has been outstanding and because Liege are a really good side. They are fun to watch-some really crafty, pacy forwards, good midfield play and solid defending.
I'd like to see Gooch go to Marseille, I think that's an ideal move for him but like others here-I could see him at a big 4 level club-hell he's better than Sammy Hyypia.

[Chris]

DMEE, perhaps you'd care to provide some reasoning behind your harsh words? "Nobody in the EPL wants him for a reason" - please explain the reason. And please don't claim that the reason is his failed Newcastle stint. Everyone knows there was much more at play there than Gooch had control over.

Now, on the positive side, you look at liege's impermeable defensive record this season, their success both domestically and in the CL versus some of the most dreaded attacks in Europe, and you look at Gooch's dead ball prowess and physical envelope, and you have the reasons he will be popular come January.

[15]

This guy has been linked to big clubs every transfer window for the last 3 years, yet apart from a short loan at newcastle, nothing ever materializes. I think hes over rated by US fans.

[former atl soccer player]

i remember an andy from atlanta who was like king ref down there. he was the worst ref in soccer history and one of the nerdiest guys on earth