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Landon Donovan: EPL Is "Pretty Intense"
One game into his EPL career, Landon Donovan compared the intensity to that of international matches.
Jan 9, 2010 3:57:02 PM
12 minutes into his English Premier League debut with Everton, Landon Donovan provided the assist to the game opener against Arsenal.
That doesn't mean the United States international thinks his 10 week loan in England will be easy. Quite the opposite. Arsenal scored two deflected goals past international teammate Tim Howard to earn a late 2-2 draw.
"Obviously, there's more talented players here," the 27-year-old told the BBC. "It's pretty intense here. The thing that I realized today, like playing in full internationals, is that you've got to be tuned in for the whole time you're out there. If you take one play off, a team, especially like Arsenal, can make you pay."
Thomas Rosicky's injury time deflected goal proved that when it pried two points away from the traveling Toffees side.
Donovan wasn't on the pitch when that happened. By then a lack of fitness caught up with him, as he hasn't played a competitive game since losing the Major League Soccer Cup final with the Los Angeles Galaxy in late November 2009.
"I thought I did ok. It's hard when you haven't played for a while," Donovan admitted. "It was my first game in eleven weeks, so I was a little off in some ways, and I know with some fitness it will get better. For my first game, I'm satisfied, I just wish we could have won the game."
Everton manager David Moyes agreed with his new acquisition's analysis of his own performance.
"I thought he done really well," Moyes told the BBC. "I'd hoped we could keep him on longer, because I think he was a real problem to them, but he quickly cramped up. I think the cold had a lot to do with it, but I think the sixty-some minutes we got out of him were very good."
One game into his EPL career, Donovan is already licking his lips for the next match, eager to use the lessons learned in his first week in England against Manchester City in a week's time.
"In the end, we look at is as giving away a couple of points, but the performance was great and the fact that the team is disappointed is very good," Everton's No. 9 said. "I've learned a lot this week. I'm looking forward to being here and I'm looking forward to Man City next weekend."
Goal.com
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That doesn't mean the United States international thinks his 10 week loan in England will be easy. Quite the opposite. Arsenal scored two deflected goals past international teammate Tim Howard to earn a late 2-2 draw.
"Obviously, there's more talented players here," the 27-year-old told the BBC. "It's pretty intense here. The thing that I realized today, like playing in full internationals, is that you've got to be tuned in for the whole time you're out there. If you take one play off, a team, especially like Arsenal, can make you pay."
Thomas Rosicky's injury time deflected goal proved that when it pried two points away from the traveling Toffees side.
Donovan wasn't on the pitch when that happened. By then a lack of fitness caught up with him, as he hasn't played a competitive game since losing the Major League Soccer Cup final with the Los Angeles Galaxy in late November 2009.
"I thought I did ok. It's hard when you haven't played for a while," Donovan admitted. "It was my first game in eleven weeks, so I was a little off in some ways, and I know with some fitness it will get better. For my first game, I'm satisfied, I just wish we could have won the game."
Everton manager David Moyes agreed with his new acquisition's analysis of his own performance.
"I thought he done really well," Moyes told the BBC. "I'd hoped we could keep him on longer, because I think he was a real problem to them, but he quickly cramped up. I think the cold had a lot to do with it, but I think the sixty-some minutes we got out of him were very good."
One game into his EPL career, Donovan is already licking his lips for the next match, eager to use the lessons learned in his first week in England against Manchester City in a week's time.
"In the end, we look at is as giving away a couple of points, but the performance was great and the fact that the team is disappointed is very good," Everton's No. 9 said. "I've learned a lot this week. I'm looking forward to being here and I'm looking forward to Man City next weekend."
Goal.com
For more on Americans abroad, visit Goal.com's dedicated page
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