Americans Abroad: Friedel, Rovers are stunned by Coventry in FA Cup third round.

Friedel, Rovers are stunned by Coventry in FA Cup third round.

By Robert Wagman (in Washington, D.C.)
SoccerTimes

(Tuesday, January 8, 2007) -- After a back-breaking holiday schedule with most English Premier League clubs playing four matches in two weeks -- some as many as five -- things slowed down this past weekend with third-round FA Cup matches being held.

American goalkeeper Brad Friedel and the EPL's Blackburn Rovers were dumped from the competition 4-1 by visiting Coventry City, a mid-range member of the second-tier English League Championship.

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes tried to use a below-.500 opponent as an occasion to rest a number of his regulars, but the move backfired and Rovers fell behind 1-0 at halftime, 2-0 midway through the second half and 3-0 in the 83rd minute en route to one of the club's embarrassing defeats in recent memory.

While Blackburn (9-6-6, 33) is having a decent league season, sitting in ninth place in the Premier League and within sight of a UEFA Cup berth, Coventry is in 17th place in the second division at 9-11-5 with 32 points, only seven point below sixth place and the promotion playoffs, while only five points above the relegation zone.

The FA Cup setback was in sharp contrast to Blackburn's most recent league match last Wednesday when Friedel was at the top of his game, stopping a penalty kick to preserve a clean sheet to defeat Sunderland 1-0.

Friedel made an amazing save in the 10th minute when he parried away a stinging, angled drive from Daryl Murphy, then stopped Dean Whitehead's penalty try in the 52nd minute.

United States defender Carlos Bocanegra and midfielder Clint Dempsey went the distance for Fulham, which used a late goal from Danny Murphy to draw 2-2 Sunday with visiting Bristol Rovers before 13,364 at Craven Cottage.

Bristol City, which stands 19th in the 24-team, third-tier League One, will host the replay after twice losing leads against Fulham. Fulham, which is 19th in the Premier League, has a new manager in Roy Hodgson, who took over just before New Year's from Lawrie Sanchez. Charged with leading the Cottagers out of the relegation zone, Hodgson has promised more attacking football and was unhappy with the team's slow start against Bristol, following a 2-1 league loss to Chelsea in his debut.

Fulham is expected to make some acquisitions during the transfer period this month. The Cottagers are also hoping to get a lift from American striker Brian McBride, who has resumed training after surgery on his injured left knee. McBride, the team's captain before he went down in August, has been penciled to be back on the field for a January 29 road match with Bolton Wanderers.

Dempsey has played well with six goals this season, but will probably now move back into the midfield rather than on the front line where Sanchez had him most of the time.

Fulham (2-10-9, 15 points) is two points below 17th place and escape from the drop zone.

Derby County (1-16-4, 5 points) is the only team below Fulham in the standings and looks to be headed back to the League Championship after one season in the Premiership. Derby, which has not won in league action since a 1-0 decision over Newcastle United September 17, going 0-12-3 since, erased a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 Sunday with visiting Sheffield Wednesday of the League Championship.

Derby will head hit the road next Tuesday for a replay with Sheffield, which is 19th in the second division and only one point above the relegation zone.

American Eddie Lewis has been starting and playing 90 minutes either on the left side of midfield or sometimes at left back. U.S. midfielder Benny Feilhaber has been limited to late relief appearances.

American defender Frank Simek, normally a regular for Wednesday, is currently sidelined with an injured knee and has missed several matches.

Host Everton, with American Tim Howard in goal, has been in a bit of a slide over the holidays, culminating in a disheartening 2-1 loss to Chelsea today on an own goal in stoppage time of the opening leg of the Carling Cup semifinals at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea dominated, but Everton drew level at 1-1 in the 64th minute on a Ayegbeni Yakubu goal. Just as it looked as if Everton would escape with a draw defender Joleon Lescott turned a cross into his own net in stoppage time.

Everton was sent packing from the FA Cup 1-0 Sunday by Oldham of the third-tier League One. Everton manager David Moyes sat out many of his regulars, including Howard, apparently a bad miscalculation.

Everton had lost two of three league matches during the holidays before defeating Middlesbrough 2-0 on the road on New Year's Day behind four saves by Howard. With the victory, the Toffees (11-7-3, 36) are in sixth place, 14 point below league-leading Arsenal, but still in contention for a berth in a European tournament next season.

Reading (6-11-4, 22) continues it up and down season. It 13th place, the Royals are in no danger of relegation, but have fallen short of their remarkably good 2006-07 season. It is often said the second year after promotion is always the harder for a team and Reading is showing that to be true.

Reading lost to Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur, while beating Sunderland and drawing with West Ham, Reading can never be accused of playing dull matches. Against Tottenham, U.S. keeper Marcus Hahnemann suffered the indignity of being beaten six times in a 6-4 loss, a match that saw seven goals scored in the closing half hour, though the American made six saves, including denying a penalty kick by Robbie Keane.

On Saturday, Reading came back from a two-goal deficit on the road to draw 2-2 with Tottenham in the FA Cup, getting a pair of goals from Stephen Hunt to force a replay next Saturday at Reading. Hahnemann sat out Saturday with his backup, Adam Federici, making eight saves.

U.S. midfielder Bobby Convey, having recovered from knee surgery, has reclaimed his place in the starting lineup, but has yet to score in nine outings, though his performances are growing stronger.

American Jonathan Spector has been back in the starting defense for West Ham United over the past several matches. West Ham (8-7-5, 29 points) is in 10th place, probably doing better then many expected through the first half of the season. The highlight of the holidays was a 2-1 upset of second-place Manchester United, followed by a loss to league-leading Arsenal.

At home Saturday, West Ham drew 0-0 with visiting Manchester City in the FA Cup, forcing a January 16 replay at City. Spector came on as a sub and played the second half.

In the League Championship, Watford (14-7-5, 47) is tied with West Bromwich Albion and Bristol City at the top of the table with two automatic promotion berths at stake. American Jay DeMerit continues to be the backbone of the Watford defense.

Robert Wagman is SoccerTimes senior correspondent.

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