As Landon Donovan joins fellow Americans Anton Peterlin, Cody Arnoux, and Tim Howard at Everton, he has much to prove. Several previous stints in Germany have left Europe wondering what all the hubbub was about. Now Donovan has a new chance to show his skills to the greatest league in the world. Can he handle the rigors of the EPL, or will he struggle and land himself back in the States? To that question, one thing is certain: he will definitely be going back to the Galaxy, having just signed a new, four-year deal with the MLS. To make his time in England worthwhile, there are two key challenges that Donovan must overcome:

Injury Although Donovan possesses the foot skills and dribbling ability to make it in the EPL, he has never struck me as a particularly tough, gritty player, such as Italy’s Gennaro Gattuso or Denmark’s Thomas Gravesen. One can rest assured that the rough play of the EPL will undoubtedly force Donovan to adapt this characteristic to his game. However, it being a World Cup year, with England drawing the States in Group C, there exists no doubt in my mind that some of the English players will be gunning for Donovan. I’m not saying they will be going for the jugular, but don’t be surprised when you see the headline “Donovan to Miss 10 Days with Ankle Sprain.” Small injuries like that would not only hinder Donovan’s fitness, but will also strike a blow to his confidence. The Nats’ Group C opponents will be only glad to see our #1 star sitting on the sidelines in the months leading up to the World Cup.

Playing Time Donovan’s playing time has been somewhat subdued in his previous stays in Europe. While one cannot blame him for losing out on time to the likes of Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose during his last loan at Bayern, he was not able to secure significant minutes during either of his two periods at Bayer Leverkusen. However, as Everton faces injuries to the likes of Victor Anichebe and Jo, among others, we could find Donovan seeing an abundance of time up top, partnering with Louis Saha, while Tim Cahill continues to hold the attacking midfield role. While this notion is completely plausible, David Moyes might also want to keep Ayegbeni Yakubu and Jo in there for the long haul, leaving Donovan rotting on the bench. Finding this playing time to showcase his skill will be crucial in Donovan cementing a spot in the Everton starting XI for the beginning of 2009.