AMSTERDAM – Both France and the Netherlands will turn the top flight lights back on this weekend, pulling three Americans out of winter-break mode to place them back into their respective league frying pans.
This first semester report card will take a quick look back at what the players have achieved on the season to date before placing some firm expectations on what's left of the season for both them and their clubs. All three US international will return to the field of play on a team sitting in the better half of the table, so the pressure is on immediately; no time for holiday hangovers here.
Alejandro Bedoya
Midterm grade: B-
In terms of consistency of effort, Bedoya is an example. With his Nantes work almost evenly split between the No. 10 spot and right midfield thus far, the American has been a top-shelf possession man (80 percent passing and just 23 total handling turnovers in 987 minutes) while still finding time to rank tops in the squad among non-defenders by making just under five total defensive stops per 90 minutes. No one is getting cheated by him being on the field.
On the other hand, the Canaries need a good bit more than one goal and one assist for every 16 Bedoya appearances. Sure, he's gone close with shots and watched good crosses end in poor finishes several times, but the common complaint on this player has been that his forcefulness in the final third comes and goes.
The task for the rest of the season is quite simple. Nantes are out of both cup competitions, so all focus will be on their seventh-place Ligue 1 standing. Bedoya will continue to get plenty of starts, but will also need to do more if the club wants to have any say in the Europa League race. Only two teams have scored fewer goals than the Canaries, so a few goals and a few helpers notched over the remainder would go a long way toward Nantes' table ambitions. He is quite capable of filling that order and his final spring grade depends on it.
Aron Jóhannsson
Midterm grade: Incomplete
The AZ Alkmaar hitman has been decent but not lethal in the seven Eredivisie games since returning from a pair of preseason injuries. Accustomed to playing as the central striker in a 4-3-3 set, Jóhannsson returned to find his club switched to a two-striker set and he has yet to find his usual killer's edge.
Jóhannsson was among a handful of major absences suffered by the Cheese Farmers in the season's first half, so their sixth-place standing at the break is a pleasant surprise. Not only are AZ currently in the Europa League playoff zone, they are but three points shy of an automatic invite and several of their young players have matured over the last few months.
Looking ahead, the good news is Jóhannsson won't face most of his favorite opponents until March of April, giving him plenty of time to adapt to the new tactics. He can still reach double figures in goals and can still help AZ return to Europe. Check back for his proper marks in May.
Rubio Rubin
Midterm grade: A-
In terms of raw production and Eredivisie impact, Rubin would not get a mark quite so high for two goals and five assists in 14 games. When one puts it all into the perspective of an 18-year-old professional rookie stepping into an FC Utrecht side that really needed him to work five contests up top, five as the No. 10 and a few on the wings, there really isn't too much more anyone could have conceivably asked of the youngster back in August.
Rubin and the rest of the Red and White Army will resume play this weekend without first choice No. 9 Ruud Boymans and ace set-up man Tommy Oar, placing a bit more pressure on Rubin to produce. However, he does have both of his goals and four of the assists in his last 10 outings, and the schedule should do Utrecht some favors.
They have already played champs Ajax twice and both missing attackers should be back by the time Utrecht they face leaders PSV Eindhoven next month. What might this mean for Rubin by the end of the season? Let's say he stays warm for a time, then maybe loses some minutes when he tires a bit down the stretch to finish with a half-dozen goals and 10 assists for a club finishing around eighth place. That would not be too shabby at all.
