Saturday Action: Bradley Hits The Bench

Michael Bradley: A Settling Jewel

M’gladbach fell further in the league table today, dropping a 1-0 result to Hamburg SV (they now are second to last in the table).  Michael Bradley was an unused substitute, and you have to wonder what the manager is thinking.  Gladbach is disastrous in possession and also has shown really poor tackling in the midfield, so it seems that Bradley would be a perfect injection of quality.  As I did some internet digging, I found this article, which after some translation, consoled me a little:

…But because of Patrick Paauwe’s injury [Bradley] was tested again on Tuesday in the German cup second-round game against Energie Cottbus, after his unplanned Bundesliga debut against Hertha BSC Berlin (0:1) last Saturday.

The son of US national team coach Bob Bradley couldn’t help the Borussians with his already enormous strength in on on one situations and his astonishing maturity yet, but coach Jos Luhukay first wants to give his new jewel time to settle in anyway. “Michael tried. For a first game that was ok” – the coach attests at least that he had a good debut. But the threshold for Bradley is much higher – as he wants to take the next step in his already meteoric career.

So hopefully there is some truth to Luhukay’s implied desire to let Bradley settle in slowly.  But to be honest, can M’gladbach afford to do so?  They need help, and fast, before they find themselves even more mired in the relegation swamp.

Ah well, at the end of all this speculation, only one thing will ACTUALLY get Bradley into the lineup, and that’s performances in training.  So let’s cross our fingers that Mikey can adjust to the German air and seem settled enough to feature next week.  God knows M’gladbach needs him.

In other Saturday developments, Dempsey was an unused sub in Fulham’s loss to West Ham.  Not too surprising there, as he went 90 in midweek Carling Cup action.  Later on today Villarreal will take on Sporting de Gijon, but early word is that Jozy is left out of the squad (now that Rossi and Nihat are back, I don’t think we’ll see Jozy until Copa del Rey kicks up).

How’s Saturday going for everyone?

Remember to head to Watch Soccer Online for all your Yanks Abroad weekend highlights.

–psc