New Year's Resolution

What’s your New Year’s resolution? Train everyday? Finish every goal? Never lose possession? Aim high, work hard and the on-field results will come. At least that’s what we’re learning from three of the most promising young Americans abroad. For Clint Dempsey, Charlie Davies and Freddy Adu, all the effort put into 2008 looks as though it will be paying big dividends in 2009.

Deuce finished the year with a firework display against Chelsea by scoring two goals that earned Fulham a massive away draw. The most mercurial of the Mercurial wearers, Deuce no longer has to worry about playing time or relegation; he’s regularly going the full 90 for a team that is playing with confidence and competing in the thick of the Premiership table. After the two-goal display, Deuce had this to say about his tendency to come up big against the toughest competition:

“You try every game to win and score goals. But any time you play against the best in the world, that doesn’t happen too many times, and you always want to make the most of your career. You want to make the most of your opportunities. I try to make sure that when I have these opportunities and these chances to get things done, I try to take advantage because nothing’s guaranteed. You never know if you’re going to get another chance.”

Who’s keeping pace? Fellow-Vapor aficionado Charlie Davies just finished his season with Hammarby as the Swedish league’s fourth highest scorer, posting 14 goals. Currently Charlie is out of the Scandinavian cold and into the US MNT training camp in Southern California. Look for him to suit up against his Swedish friends onJanuary 24th.

And Freddy? In his first game of 2009 for Monaco he drew the decisive penalty against one of Italy’s finest clubs.