Beckerman looked out of synch with the team broke up pAssing lanes ok. To me Bradley was the incompetent c-mid not Beckerman. Bornstein looked schoolboyish out there tonite. It looked like he played wide mid in a 3-5-2 with Landon at forward in 1st half, at least on attack. Boca was the best of a bad back line - at least he broke up plays. I was at the game. Why was Altidore's 2nd goal disallowed? I have no idea. Overall we were too often settling for cute passes without enough one v one agressive attacking. I agree feilhaber was just ok and Bradley awful. LD and forwards made the best of it. Is Davies seriously hurt? Where was Rico Clark?
According to Harkes the center ref called a foul on Dempsey on his sliding pass. After getting the ball, on the follow through he and an El Salvador player collided. Don't know if that's a foul strictly by the rules, but I never see it called that way.
Most of the ratings here are consistent with what I saw tonight. Kudos to almost everybody for paying attention and rating fairly. Regarding Holden, I was impressed (again). Most of the props he's received here were for getting forward and delivering nice crosses, and perhaps rightly so. Still, in terms of his defense, there were at least two occasions where I breathed a huge sigh of relief when Holden was johnny on the spot in preventing some real danger in our box. There was one ball he cleared out of the middle of the box, and he was positioned perfectly to prevent a dangerous chance. Also, several minutes later he hustled his butt off to get to a loose ball that either of two unmarked ES players were about to pounce on. That was the play where he got clipped down as he smartly passed the ball back to Marshall (or maybe it was Spector) so they could clear it. If he doesn't make that play, who knows... we might have lost two points tonight. I almost feel sorry for Bornstein... just awful tonight. The play late in the match where he brought the ball up the left flank totally unmarked and didn't have the ability to complete a simple ten-yard square ball to Beckerman... wow. Bad. I think Davies might have been slightly over-rated by some. He did have a pretty nice game overall, but his passing could have been much better, as well as his decision-making. The play where he hesitated in their box and went down injured was not exactly a thing of beauty. He's so strong and has such good balance, I think he sometimes goes down too easily looking for a call. He hasn't quite mastered that "art" yet (fooling the ref). He should probably watch more Mexico matches.
Starters: Howard- 5 - Really caught with his pants down on the first goal but did a good job saving our arse in the second half. Spector - 6 - Even though he got burned twice, still the best US defender on the pitch. Marshall - 2 - Absolutely not international quality. Torched time and again, always caught out of position. How he gets minutes and not Orozco stupifies me. Bocanegra - 4.5 - Played a terrible game. Looked out of sorts all night. Bornstein - 4 - Gave his man all kinds of problems, but didn't push up and his mishit clearance led to an El Salvador goal. Bradley - 4 - Mishit balls and looked terrible. Coughed up possesion at a Kljestan rate. Should no longer be starting for the US National Team. Feilhaber - 3/8 - Played a very solid game. I have a mixed score because Benny would have had an 8 if he wasn't routinely fouled on every play. Benny must have slept with the Referee's wife to get treatment like that. Donovan - 8 - Played an extraordinary game. Dempsey - 4.5 - Despite scoring a goal, rated very poorly. Didn't defend very well and missed more chances tonight that Taylor Twellman. Davies - 8 - A perfect game. The only thing wrong with his game is that the referee let the El Salvadorans foul him far too often. Should have gotten the penalty. Altidore - 7.5 - Finally getting a touch. Played very well, had a completely legit goal disallowed. The subs: Holden - 6.5 - Tenacious, was the crux of the US Attack late in the second half. Beckerman - 2 - Came on as fanservice for the Real Salt Lake crowd. Energized the crowd, then nearly cost us the game. The US should, from now on, NEVER give away caps to appease a hometown crowd. This was not a friendly, this was a World Cup qualifier. Clark or Cherundolo coming on in the central defensive mid to hold the lead would have been the wise and safe call to make. Torres - 7 - I say..Why isn't this kid starting? Has wrested a spot from the ineffective Bradley. Referee Pineda- OBVIOUSLY this guy wanted a draw. When it was 0-0, the calls went ALL El Salvador. Then when El Salvador got a goal, it went the US's way for a time, until we went up 2-1. Remember, a draw would have helped Honduras the most- Remember, They have to play the US and El Salvador still. SHENNANIGANS DETECTED CAPTAIN!
You know, I do feel sorry for Bornstein. Overall, the kid didn't play poorly at all, he really did tenaciously mark his guy. Just that he screwed up HUGE four times. On that cross you just mentioned, on another play where he should have passed to Davies, on the bad clearance that led to the goal, and in a mistimed tackle. Just sucks. If only Bornstein could not have the small mental lapses he wouldn't be a bad Left Back at all. But he is way too much of a liability and he has NOT learned from his mistakes and after chance after chance it looks like he isn't. It really does look like Hejduk may have a legit shot at making the 2010 squad after all.
I'm curious as to why the entire four-man officiating crew was from Honduras. Aren't the refs supposed to be from a neutral country with nothing at stake in the outcome? And, what is the official call on Jozy's 'second' (non) goal? I though the entire US team had a very average game, Landon and Jozy above average, and Bornstein way below. As several have mentioned, Howard was out of position (too far off his line, and cheating to his right) on the first goal, no thanks to Bornstein's 'clearance' back toward the middle of the pitch, but was solid otherwise. I'm seeing a tendency for him to give up more 'soft goals,' of course, there is also almost always a defensive miscue. I've seen several Everton games this season, and he seems definitely in a bit of a slump. Maybe tired, hurt? Time to give Guzan a game? I like Torres' play, he brings some confidence and skill to the middle of the pitch. And Holden did a great job in a limited time.
We definitely missed Gooch. I would have liked to have seen this lineup with him in it. I also think Holden may be a better starter than Feilhaber. Left back... I have no answer. Bocanegra may be the best we got there. I am surprised everything thinks Michael Bradley played so poorly.. I thought he was decent. Spector makes some mistakes but he can cross and I prefer him at RB. Overall I liked the lineup tonight and thought we were unfortunate not to get more goals.
Rewatch the game and notice how many times his passes were cut out or he was dispossesed. His shots were also way off target. It doesn't matter if you can find the lanes to run in, you move very well or can steal the ball from the El Salvadorans (Which he did very well), what matters is when Bradley had the ball, he couldn't capitalize one bit. Bradley would get possesion and run with the ball only to turn it over, make an errant pass, or shank a shot. In attack, it was like he was forcing everything, trying to prove he is the automatic starter, while allowing himself to get muscled off of the ball because he was too busy looking downfield. This is very interesting because it shows why so many people on this board were so high on Sasha Kljestan for so long--Because Sasha DID move well, steal well and cut out the other teams passes very well. He just never tightened up his passing, shooting, or hit the weight room, and likewise he was never patient and always forced things. We dealt with Sasha because we all thought he was going to get better, and he never did. Bradley seems to be an automatic starter, but that is unwise considering his certain incumbency has really made him very sloppy as a player.
Howard - 6 Spector - 4 Marshall - 5 Bornstein - 2 Bocanegra - 4 Feilhaber - 4 Bradley - 5 Dempsey - 7 Donovan - 9 Altidore - 8 Davis - 8 Torres - 7 Holden - 7 The referee - 0
I think most people are being a little too critical. This game could have easily been a blowout. Lets say that Altidore's second counts (which it absolutely should have), Torres puts away his point-blank header, and Dempsey puts away just one of his many easy chances, and it is 5-1 with no one playing any differently. I agree that the last ten minutes we played pretty terribly, but I was relatively happy with the rest of the game. Included in this is the play of our CMs. They both had a few giveaways, but for the most part they played a good, controlled game with some nice balls forward (especially that chip pass from Bradley to Altidore). To put a number on it, I would give Bradley a 6 and Benny a 5.5, the difference being that Bradley seemed more active on the pitch while Benny disappeared for stretches.
Aldidore - 7 Scored a goal, one more disallowed, had a presence up front which drew defenders. Occasionally showed a decent touch with the ball but still needs to work on this. Davies - 7 speedy, active, didn't make the right decision once or twice and unfortunately injured late. Donavon - 9 Nothing to criticize that I can remember. Only active player forward late in the game at times. He was all over the field. His creativity was often not rewarded with good finishing by his teammates. Feilhaber - 6 I liked the touch that he had though his finihsing passes were not as impressive. Dempsey - 7 Scored once, missed a few good chances, was tired late in the game though. Bradley - 5 Did have some dangerous long range shots, otherwise so-so. Not nearly as bad as lots of people say. We need to turn down the '"MB only starts because he's the coach's son'' talk. He's been one of our top options at CM for the past year. End of story. Just because he has faults doesn't mean the replacements will be better. That said, his not starting at M'bach might be an issue if it continues. Spector - 5 Crossing was inconsistent, as was his attacking runs. Bocanegra - 4 As a standard player ok, but a disappointing captains performance. Should marshal the defence better. Played some really terrible balls. Marshall - 4 Looked inexperienced but serviceable. We need Onyewu back. Boarnstein. - 4 People should give this guy a break. Didn't play well, made mistakes, one of which lead to a goal. There were A LOT of mistakes in this game, with lots of blame to go around. Tim Howard - 6 Was partially at fault for the goal, but made a game saving stop near the end. Subs: Holden and Torres looked good in brief stints.
Ratings (5 being average) Howard: 4.5: I thought he was at fault for the 1st goal. He got caught cheating way too much to the far post. Did make 1 good save at the end and commanded his area well, but didn't do enough to make up for his big mistake. Bornstein: 3: Also at fault for the 1st goal with that horrible clearance. He has no confidence in his right foot, and never just simply plays the ball back to the keeper to clear danger. Instead, he always turns to the touch line and takes away his passing options. Tentaive. Does have decent pace. Doesn't get forward. Sad, though he might be our best. Marshall: 5.5: OK. Solid, not spectacular. Composed. Didn't panic. Bocanegra: 6: Gave a lot of space as always at times. Did make some crucial tackles. Dangerous on set pieces as always, although may have taken a goal away from Bradley. Spector: 4: Got beat on the goal. Doesn't seem to have any confidence. Did send in a couple nice crosses, including the sitter that Dempsey missed. I'm starting to agree with people who say he's a tweener, not enough pace for an outisde back, not good enough in the air for a central defender. Bradley: 5.5: Some poor first touches, but does have a nice calming influence and tries to keep possession Feilhaber: 5.5: Great skill at times, but not that influential and some bad giveaways as always. Donovan: 8: Amazing. Best USA player in almost every game. Tired slightly towards the end and lost a few balls. His pace, touch, assists on both goals. Just great. Dempsey: 6: Missed 1 sitter (header), 1 one-on-one, and 1 good chance (left foot). I thought his goal was not offsides. He certainly wasn't offsides, but 3 USA players were. However, I don't think the presence of the other 3 offsides players influenced the play at all. Also had the pass to Josy's goal which for some reason was not allowed. Touch did seem off again. Lost the ball a couple times trying to be cute. Mixed bag, which seems to be his usual with USMNT. Davies: 6.5: I loved that move he had on the left wing when he sent the cross that Dempsey sent wide. Disappeared at times though. First touch inconsistent, but has good control of the ball once he settles it. Very dangerous. I think he's our best striker currently. Altidore: 6.5: Took his goal nicely. Had a second goal that for some reason wasn't counted. Inconsistent hold up play which he's got to get better at. Touch so-so. Certainly tired, but not at full fitness yet. SUBS Holden: 6: While doesn't do anything spectacular. Good speed, hustle, touch, gets forward, defends, makes good decisions. I think he's a great option off the bench. Beckerman: 4: Didn't seem confident. Didn't really do anything. A couple of bad touches probably more from bad passes to him. Torres: 6: Hard to judge in short period of time, but great run and header that Montes saved. Otherwise hard to tell.
I would give Howard a 4. He gifted the first goal to ES. He was good after that.... but gifting a goal to the away team was pretty bad.
Howard 7 - saved from dsigrace. Spector 4 - terrible in reading the game. Marshall 4 - screw up on the goal and seem nervous. Bocanegra 5 - just average and screw up in first goal. Bornstein 3- screw up on that goal, couldn't read the game and fatigue. Dempsey 6 - did miss a lot chances, but show some heart. Bradley 5 - never really won that much balls and destroy tempo. Feilhaber 5 - one great pass, never control the tempo and very tire. not a 100% fit. Donovan 8 - he won us the game, without him = we're screwed. willing move all over. Davies 6 - knew how use his pace, vision and dribbling, just miss a few chances and got hurt. Altidore 7 - kid has skills, speed and power. too bad refs had something against him calling off his goal and calling him for made-up fouls. Holden 6 - gave some spark in the end. Torres 6 - came in too late, but gave us some life. Beckerman 4 - seem full of nerves, screw up his passing and timing was horrid.
That was pretty much the story. Unfortunately, yesterday was one of those days, and a lot of it IMO had to do with the peskiness and cynicism of our opponent which affect the composure of a lot of our guys and had them just a tad off their finishing game. Which is one of the reasons that El Salvador is way down in the standings, and yet they've managed to stay in every game they've played in this Hex. This match was the least composed and least organized we've played this entire Hex, even counting the two we'd lost. At the same time, it was also the match in which we created the most golden opportunities to score, even counting the T&T match at home that we won 3-0.
There were a number of mistakes that led to that goal--letting it in was a team effort. I don't think Howard's game should be based solely on that error, though it is troubling.
Holden a non factor!!!! Are you kidding me. He added energy down the right flank and for the first time in years had someone put cross after dangerous cross over the El Salvador goal. One of which resulted in a terrific header by Torres that I still can't believe didn't go in. What I don't understand is the love fest for Dempsey. How many misses do you get before you put one in?
Howard - 5 Ogunsola - 5 Marshall - 5 Boca - 5 Bornstein - 4 Dempsey - 6 Bradley - 4 Feilhaber - 5 Donovan - 7 Altidore - 7 Davies - 7 Holden - 7
6 point average. Bradley 6 Easily his best game since the CC. Very good linking play. Bad shooting. Decent defense. Picked good times to go forward but didn't do very well on the move. Some defensive half turnovers. Screened Dempsey on goal-scoring chance. Feilhaber 5.5 Lots of touches, few dangerous. Too many turnovers. Kept wishing we had a 2nd Donovan. Holden? Donovan 7.5 One man wrecking crew. It gets tiring listing all his great plays so we don't bother anymore. Dempsey 6 Relentlessly physical. Should have put another away but was a constant thorn. Davies 7 The kind of first half I've rarely ever seen from a US striker (counting Donovan as a midfielder.) The two shake-and-bake moves to the end line were more La Liga than CONCACAF. Tired in the 2nd half, otherwise he'd be higher. I think he actualy injured his calf in the first half. Altidore 6.5 Very good first half. Got into good situations, made good decisions. Showed some good technical skill and finished his chance(s). Second half tired, hung out in offside position too often and struggled to hold the ball up against one defender. Bornstein 4.5 Struggled to keep possession. Not a good decision on the goal. Specter 5 A couple of strong crosses don't make up for a large number of turnovers, some igniting counters. Not sure why Cherundolo didn't play this match. Bocanegra 5.5 a handful of bad touches, uncomfortable defending quick Salvadorans. Made some key tackles. Marshall 6 Ref picked on him early. Generally solid defensively. Howard 5 You can't just guess in that scenario, it's the only way they score. Didn't have enough action to make up for that blunder. Holden 7 Can't rate his 20 minutes any lower because he only had one bad touch out of many (left footed attempt to slot Bradley behind the D). Everything else he attempted was successful, including a bunch of defensive challenges and the 50-50 challenge + wicked cross. Torres 6.0 Fine running header on goal but didn't get any other touches. Beckerman 5.0 Lost his man Castillo on El Sal's near equalizer. Touches often missed teammates. Overall, the score didn't indicate our level of play.
The criticism of Bernstein in these post-game threads is way overboard. Too many BS posters seem to base their opinions of a player's performance on the one or two obvious plays that stand out in the course of a game and seem oblivious to the rest. In the game vs El Salvador it was the mishit clearance that led to a goal (other players were at fault BTW for that goal, which some posters have noted) and the poor pass to Beckerman late in the 2nd half (both of which John Harkes criticised and thus made perfectly clear for all of the "astute" viewers on these boards). I rewatched the game this morning, and Bornstein's play, at worse, called be called average. I live in LA and I'm a Galaxy fan but I've watched quite a few Chivas games over the years so I believe I have a pretty good sense of Bornstein's strengths and weaknesses. He is no where as bad a player as some seem to suggest (e.g., "barely MLS caliber", "never should be seen on a US national team again", etc. etc.). Absurd, simply absurd.
Howard 6 - Caught in no man's land on the ES goal. Great reaction save in the 87' minute to keep us up. Spector 5 - Disappointing game from him, and I've been a big supporter of starting him at RB. Didn't provide the offense he did in the CC, outjumped Hejduk-style on the goal. Marshall 6 - Ref really had it out for him. Thought he was solid in the middle, and did a good job of distribution. Bocanegra 6 - Typical Boca game. Bornstein 4 - Besides the obvious error, he didn't combine very well when he pushed up either. Donovan 8 - He's just playing on a different level right now. Fantastic service on both goals. Dempsey 7 - Great goal, fantastic assist on the wrongly-disallowed Altidore goal, and more involved in combination play than usual, but I can't believe he blew that breakaway. Bradley 6 - Much better linking play than last time out. Feilhaber 6 - Drifts in and out, but provides dangerous passes when he's in. Davies 7 - Unbelievable the difference in our forward play since Davies started the Egypt game. Really hope he's available for Wednesday. Altidore 7 - Great finish on both goals. Improving on his ability to hold the ball up with his back to goal. Subs Holden 6 - Really like him as a dynamic substitution on the right. Beckerman 4 - Useless. Torres 6 - Should have been the sub that Beckerman was. Great header to force a great save from Montes late.
I notice something of late with Landon: he barely sings the anthem, he seems to be so focused on the game that he's not even paying any attention to the crowd. It's been a good sign so far. I watched the game again this morning (it was on one of the HD channels), and my ratings: Howard - 5. He did well, but since 5 is average, and I don't think he was above average yesterday, that's what he gets. Spector - 4. He just wasn't all there. Not one of his best games. Boca - 5. His usual rather mediocre self, but it was enough for ES. Not sure I'd want to see him when playing the likes of Holland or Italy. Marshall - 5. He did well, considering he's a new addition to the team. I feel that he can make the 23 now. Bornstein - 3. He was bad. It's not just judging his two big mistakes, but his overall game --sorry, but can't make excuses. He was the weak spot in defense (and the ES players realized as much) and didn't help going forward. Bradley - 4. The guy knows little of positioning. Why put yourself right behind a Salvadorian guy when asking for the ball? I think I had overrated him before. Feilhaber - 5. He wasn't as good as he can be, but still he has a better idea of positioning and passing than Mike. Dempsey - 5. He was a threat, but a truly world class player doesn't ruin opportunities left and right. Donovan - 8. This was a victory thanks to him. Disappeared in the late second half because he was left alone on his side by the CMs who stopped going forward. Jozy - 7. The best in attack, ran the whole time and tried to poke holes in the ES defense. The best attacking option USA has. Davies - 5. Not his best game, but still he was consistent in attack. Subs: Holden - 6. He's got vision, but I'd have liked to see him linking more with Donovan, who was left alone on the left. Beckerman - 3. A wasted sub. Torres - 5. He did quite well, considering he only played 10 minutes. MOTM: Donovan. Revelations: Holden and Torres as creative mids. I think they could be great coming off the bench for big games. Who I don't want to see any more in the USMNT jersey: Kyle. That's it. And Bornstein is running out of chances too.