Tim Ream: Has any American field player ever looked quite this good at this high a level?
It's an open question - Deuce's 2010-12 run (ironically for the same club) probably the closest comparison
I’ll admit I am biased both in that I have been a big Tim Ream backer since his days with the Red Bulls and that I watch Central Defenders consistently more closely than most analysts of the game in this country who tend focus on attackers or defensive errors. But with all objectivity I am at a loss to think of an American field player that’s had this good a six months ever in a top European league. Here are the other candidates in my opinion and then I’ll state why I think Ream’s recent Fulham run takes the prize.
Obviously Clint Dempsey’s run from December 2011 to May 2012 with Fulham is the gold standard. The run began with a late winner against Liverpool in early December(in a match I watched on UK TV, from a cozy B&B in Chesterfield) and culminated on the final day of the Premier League campaign. Dempsey scored 16 goals in that period and was denied a 17th, when the dubious goals panel said his goal against Stoke was a keeper own goal. This to me is the toughest competition for Ream’s current run.
That same season, Michael Bradley hit his apex, at Chievo. Playing as a a box-to-box midfielder, Bradley had his best run of form ever. He played well at Roma the next season as well, but not quite at the same dominant level. Unfortunately, Chievo like many Italian clubs in recent memory was so financially mismanaged, they’ve been dissolved.
John Harkes performances from March to May 1993 at Sheffield Wednesday were the best by an American over that long a stretch of matches at that point.
Frankie Hejduk’s performances at the end of the 1998-99 season for Bayer Leverkusen were seemingly at that point a high-water mark for Americans. Hejduk, who had recently moved from MLS went on a tear and Leverkusen made the UEFA Champions League. Unfortunately, he’d never quite get back to that level outside of the 2002 FIFA World Cup where he played out of position but excelled.
The 2005-06 season was a year Carlos Bocanegra, Eddie Lewis, Brian McBride, Jay DeMerit and Bobby Convey all stood out in England. McBride in particular.
Both John O’Brien and DaMarcus Beasley had great six month runs in the Dutch League in the early 2000’s, but do we consider that really a top league?
Steve Cherundolo’s 2004-05 season for Hanover is arguably the best for an American not named Dempsey in a top European league.
Joe-Max Moore’s first five Premier League matches after moving from MLS in December 1999 resulted in five goals. Unfortunately, JMM only scored three more times in 47 Premier League appearances.
Charlie Davies started the 2009-10 season at Sochaux on fire, not only scoring two goals in seven Ligue Un matches but linking up the play well and opening space up for his teammates. Then that car accident happened.
Christian Pulisic had three goals and two assists during Project Restart period of the Premier League during the COVID-19 pandemic. That included a goal in the FA Cup Final at Wembley. Earlier that season vs Burnley, Pulisic had a hat-trick meaning in one afternoon, his first league start he recorded more Premier League goals than Jozy Altidore scored in 70 matches in the league! (okay maybe that was not nice, but it’s true.)
I’d put Geoff Cameron’s 2013-14 season at a pretty good Stoke City side on the list also. Cameron started all but one match, shifting around often wherever Mark Hughes thought he should play and Stoke finished 9th, which in hindsight seems remarkable.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Beyond The 90' to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.