Americans Abroad: Concern creeps in over Edu's move to Stoke City

Maurice Edu finds himself wading through traffic these days, no matter which uniform he is wearing.

The U.S. midfielder's transfer out of financially embattled Scottish club Rangers was a must for his career, and a move to the Premier League looked like a step forward for the talented 26-year-old. But two months into his tenure at Stoke City, the questions are starting to be raised as to whether it was the right move for his long-term prospects.

It is way too soon to make a complete judgment on the transfer, but the early returns have not been great. Edu has seen a total of 10 minutes on the field since making his move at the end of the summer transfer window, and he joined a team stocked at the positions he plays. Considering he is already locked in a multi-player bout for space in U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann's lineup, the lack of playing time on the club level will certainly not translate to a full role on the international level. In the last three qualifying matches under Klinsmann, Edu was a 72nd-minute substitute, an unused sub and a 78th-minute substitute. That is a far cry from the player who started seven of the previous eight matches for the national team.

"Mo right now is going through his initial stages in Stoke City and has to break into the team," Klinsmann said upon his inclusion of Edu for this month's World Cup qualifiers. "He hasn't had enough playing minutes over the last couple of weeks that we hoped he would have, but he's on the right track."

That track is not accelerating very quickly. His fight for time in central midfield under Stoke boss Tony Pulis has him battling the likes of Charlie Adam, Glenn Whelan, Dean Whitehead, Steven Nzonzi and Wilson Palacios. That leaves him behind in the battle for minutes with Danny Williams, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones and Kyle Beckerman for a place in Klinsmann's central midfield, or with Carlos Bocanegra, Clarence Goodson and Stoke teammate Geoff Cameron for a place in his central defense. There is still time for Edu to stake a claim at Stoke and regain full match sharpness and fitness, especially with the next meaningful U.S. match not for more than three months, but Edu is running the risk of being the odd man out for both club and country during such a vital year.

While Edu is searching for a way into Stoke's lineup, a couple of Americans made notable returns to the their respective starting lineups last weekend. Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel began another Premier League start streak by stepping in against Chelsea for Hugo Lloris, who had just ended Friedel's 310-game run prior to the international break.

Bolton center back Tim Ream benefited from manager Owen Coyle's dismissal, making his first start in about seven weeks, but he unfortunately conceded a penalty as part of the Trotters' 3-2 win under caretaker boss Jimmy Phillips. Ream and the rehabilitating Stuart Holden will now have to prove their worth to former Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman at Reebok Stadium, as his hire as Coyle's successor on Tuesday will directly impact their fortunes going forward.

The week around the world for Americans was quiet elsewhere. Alejandro Bedoya factored into a goal for Helsingborg against his former team Orebro in Sweden, and Jozy Altidore and Danny Williams were forced to sit out their respective matches through suspension. Here is how the Americans abroad fared upon the restart of club soccer after the international break (season statistics encompass all competitions):

Premier League

Geoff Cameron, D/M, Stoke City -- Started, played 90 minutes in Stoke City's 4-2 loss to Manchester United on Saturday.SEASON: 8 games, 7 starts

Cody Cropper, GK, Southampton -- Not in the 18 for Southampton's 4-1 loss to West Ham on Saturday.SEASON: 0 games

Clint Dempsey, M/F, Tottenham -- Started, played 74 minutes in Tottenham's 4-2 loss to Chelsea on Saturday.SEASON: 8 games, 8 starts, 1 goal

Maurice Edu, D/M, Stoke City -- Not in the 18 for Stoke City's 4-2 loss to Manchester United.SEASON: 1 game

Brad Friedel, GK, Tottenham -- Started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Tottenham's 4-2 loss to Chelsea.SEASON: 7 games, 7 starts, 12 goals allowed

Brad Guzan, GK, Aston Villa -- Started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Villa's 1-0 loss to Fulham on Saturday.SEASON: 7 games, 7 starts, 9 goals allowed, 2 clean sheets

Tim Howard, GK, Everton -- Started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Everton's 1-1 draw with Queens Park Rangers on Sunday.SEASON: 8 games, 8 starts, 9 goals allowed, 2 clean sheets

Eric Lichaj, D, Aston Villa -- In the 18, came on as a 62nd-minute substitute in Villa's 1-0 loss to Fulham.SEASON: 7 games, 4 starts

League Championship

Conor Doyle, F, Derby County -- Not in the 18 for Derby County's 1-1 draw with Blackburn on Saturday.SEASON: 2 games, 1 starts

Stuart Holden, M, Bolton -- Not in the 18 for Bolton's 3-2 victory over Bristol City on Saturday.SEASON: 0 games

Will Packwood, D/M, Birmingham City -- In the 18, did not play in Birmingham's 1-1 draw with Leicester City on Saturday.SEASON: 4 games, 4 starts

Tim Ream, D, Bolton -- Started, played 90 minutes in Bolton's 3-2 victory over Bristol City. Ream was guilty of conceding a penalty midway through the first half in his return to the starting lineup.SEASON: 4 games, 4 starts

Jonathan Spector, D/M, Birmingham City -- Started and was sent off in second-half stoppage time for picking up his second yellow card in Birmingham's 1-1 draw with Leicester City.SEASON: 12 games, 11 starts, 1 goal

Zak Whitbread, D, Leicester City -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Leicester's 1-1 draw with Birmingham City on Saturday.SEASON: 3 games, 2 starts

League One

Mike Grella, F, Scunthorpe United -- In the 18, did not play in Scunthorpe's 1-1 draw with Swindon Town on Saturday.SEASON: 12 games, 9 starts, 2 goals

Robbie Rogers, M, Stevenage -- In the 18, came on as an 83rd-minute substitute in Stevenage's 1-0 victory over Milton Keynes Dons on Saturday.SEASON: 5 games, 3 starts

Frank Simek, D, Carlisle United -- Started, played 90 minutes in Carlisle's 1-1 draw with Bury on Tuesday and in Carlisle's 2-0 loss to Colchester United on Saturday.SEASON: 12 games, 10 starts

Bundesliga

Timmy Chandler, D, FC Nurnberg -- Started, played 90 minutes in Nurnberg's 0-0 draw with FC Augsburg on Sunday.SEASON: 9 games, 9 starts, 1 goal

Steve Cherundolo, D, Hannover 96 -- Started, played 90 minutes in Hannover's 3-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.SEASON: 15 games, 15 starts

Fabian Johnson, D, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim -- Started, played 90 minutes in Hoffenheim's 3-3 draw with SpVgg Greuther Furth on Friday. Johnson returned from his bout with the flu that prevented him from playing in the U.S. national team's World Cup qualifiers during the international break.SEASON: 8 games, 8 starts, 2 goals

Jermaine Jones, M, FC Schalke 04 -- In the 18, came on as a 79th-minute substitute in Schalke's 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.SEASON: 7 games, 6 starts, 1 goal

Danny Williams, M, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim -- Not in the 18 for Hoffenheim's 3-3 draw with SpVgg Greuther Furth. Williams, who had picked up yellow cards in his previous five consecutive league matches, was suspended for card accumulation.SEASON: 6 games, 5 starts, 1 goal

2. Bundesliga

John Anthony Brooks, D, Hertha Berlin -- Started, played 90 minutes in Berlin's 2-0 victory over VfL Bochum on Friday.SEASON: 7 games, 4 starts

Joe Gyau, M, St. Pauli -- In the 18, came on as a 75th-minute substitute in St. Pauli's 1-1 draw with SC Paderborn 07.SEASON: 2 games

Alfredo Morales, D, Hertha Berlin -- Not in the 18 for Berlin's 2-0 victory over VfL Bochum.SEASON: 1 game

Andrew Wooten, F, SV Sandhausen -- Started, played 79 minutes in Sandhausen's 3-1 loss to Kaiserslautern on Friday.SEASON: 4 games, 2 starts

Serie A

Michael Bradley, M, AS Roma -- In the 18, came on as an 88th-minute substitute in Roma's 4-2 victory over Genoa on Sunday.SEASON: 3 games, 2 starts, 1 goal

Primera Division

Oguchi Onyewu, D, Malaga -- In the 18, did not play in Malaga's 2-1 victory over Real Valladolid on Saturday.SEASON: 0 games

Segunda Division

Carlos Bocanegra, D, Racing Santander -- Not in the 18 for Racing Santander's 4-2 extra-time loss to Las Palmas in the third round of the Copa del Rey on Thursday. Bocanegra started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Racing Santander's 0-0 draw with Lugo in league play Sunday.SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts (7 games, 7 starts with Rangers)

Eredivisie

Jozy Altidore, F, AZ Alkmaar -- Not in the 18 for AZ's 2-0 loss to NEC on Saturday. Altidore was serving a one-game suspension for being sent off in AZ's previous match.SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts, 9 goals

Pro League

Sacha Kljestan, M, RSC Anderlecht -- In the 18, did not play in Anderlecht's 2-0 victory over Waasland-Beveren on Friday.SEASON: 15 games, 8 starts, 1 goal

Primeira Liga

Caleb Patterson-Sewell, GK, Vitoria Setubal -- In the 18, did not play in Vitoria Setubal's 1-0 victory over Tondela in the third round of the Taca de Portugal on Saturday.SEASON: 2 games, 2 starts, 7 goals

Tony Taylor, F, Estoril Praia -- In the 18, did not play in Estoril's 2-1 loss to Pacos de Ferreira in the third round of the Taca de Portugal on Sunday.SEASON: 4 games, 2 starts

Bundesliga

Terrence Boyd, F, Rapid Vienna -- In the 18, came on as a halftime substitute and picked up a yellow card in Rapid Vienna's 2-0 loss to rival Austria Vienna on Sunday.SEASON: 16 games, 14 starts, 7 goals

Liga MX

DaMarcus Beasley, M, Puebla -- Not in the 18 for Puebla's 2-0 loss to Jaguares on Friday.SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts

Jonathan Bornstein, D, Tigres UANL -- Not in the 18 for Tigres' 5-0 victory over Pumas UNAM on Saturday.SEASON: 3 games, 2 starts

Edgar Castillo, D, Tijuana -- Not in the 18 for Tijuana's 2-2 draw with Cruz Azul on Friday.SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts

Joe Corona, M, Tijuana -- In the 18, came on as a 59th-minute substitute in Tijuana's 2-2 draw with Cruz Azul.SEASON: 14 games, 10 starts

Michael Orozco Fiscal, D, San Luis -- Not in the 18 for San Luis' 3-2 victory over Atlas on Saturday.SEASON: 12 games, 9 starts, 1 goal

Greg Garza, D, Tijuana -- Started, played 90 minutes in Tijuana's 2-2 draw with Cruz Azul.SEASON: 11 games, 9 starts, 1 goal

Herculez Gomez, F, Santos Laguna -- In the 18, came on as a halftime substitute in Santos Laguna's 4-1 loss to Toluca on Sunday.SEASON: 10 games, 7 starts, 3 goals

Benji Joya, M, Santos Laguna -- In the 18, came on as a 63rd-minute substitute in Santos Laguna's 4-1 loss to Toluca.SEASON: 4 games, 1 start

Jose Francisco Torres, M, Pachuca -- Started, played 90 minutes in Pachuca's 1-1 draw with Monterrey on Saturday.SEASON: 13 games, 12 starts, 2 goals

Superliga

Charlie Davies, F, Randers -- In the 18, came on as an 84th-minute substitute in Randers' 1-1 draw with AGF Aarhus on Monday.SEASON: 11 games, 2 starts

Clarence Goodson, D, Brondby -- Not in the 18 for Brondby's 1-0 loss to FC Copenhagen on Sunday.SEASON: 9 games, 9 starts, 1 goal

Conor O'Brien, M/F, Sonderjyske -- Started, played 90 minutes in Sonderjyske's 2-1 loss to Aalborg BK on Saturday.SEASON: 13 games, 13 starts, 3 goals

Michael Parkhurst, D, FC Nordsjaelland -- In the 18, came on as a 73rd-minute substitute in Nordsjaelland's 3-0 victory over Silkeborg on Friday.SEASON: 13 games, 12 starts, 2 goals

Tippeligaen

Chad Barrett, F, Valerenga -- In the 18, did not play in Valerenga's 3-1 loss to Aalesund on Sunday.SEASON: 5 games, 5 starts

Steve Clark, GK, Honefoss -- Started, played 90 minutes and earned the clean sheet in Honefoss' 0-0 draw with Stabaek on Sunday.SEASON: 26 games, 26 starts, 32 goals allowed, 9 clean sheets

Sean Cunningham, D, Stabaek -- Not in the 18 for Stabaek's 0-0 draw with Honefoss on Sunday.SEASON: 21 games, 21 starts

Mix Diskerud, M, Rosenborg -- Started, played 90 minutes in Rosenborg's 2-0 victory over Sandnes Ulf on Friday.SEASON: 10 games, 9 starts, 2 goals

Josh Gatt, M, Molde -- Started, played the first half and picked up a yellow card in Molde's 1-1 draw with Stromsgodset on Sunday.SEASON: 23 games, 19 starts, 6 goals

Allsvenskan

Alejandro Bedoya, M, Helsingborg IF -- Started, played 90 minutes in Helsingborg's 1-1 draw with his former club Orebro on Sunday. Bedoya assisted on Helsingborg's goal with a standard run and pinpoint cross from the right to give his side a 1-0 lead at the time.SEASON: 10 games, 9 starts, 1 goal

Brian Span, M, Djurgarden IF -- Not in the 18 for Djurgarden's 3-0 victory over Gais on Monday.SEASON: 9 games, 2 starts, 1 goal