DC United vs New England Grades [R]

[albionroad]

Grade our players. The scale is 1-10, worst to best. Try to keep things realistic - a 10 is one of the best games ever played, 9 is the best game of a player's career, 8 is the best game of a player's season...similarly, a 1 means a player should retire, a 2 means a player will surely be benched the next game, a 3 is a very bad afternoon, etc. I will average the grades in a couple of days.

Here's the lineup...

Rimando
Wilson
Boswell
Prideaux
Kovalenko
Carroll
Olsen
Gomez
Gros
Quaranta
Moreno

Stokes
Simms
Eskandarian

[ursula]

Rimando- 8 MOTM That's why we start him. When he's on he makes all the saves. I think he even had the shot off the crossbar covered if it was any lower. Defenders did a good job in cutting down on crosses- a Nicky weak point.

Wilson- 7 Very active again. NE is a big crossing team and this was his first time defending against Ralston and Co.- and he did alright.

Boswell- 6.5 Stayed cool under pressure. You could tell that Bobby and Nicky (and Brandon) did some talking after the Chicago game.

Prideaux- 6.5 Nice rebound game for Brandon. Very active also.

Kovalenko- 7.5 An unsung hero last night. I think folks here overplay his fierceness. That's not the most important thing he brings. Its his smarts. His off the ball runs last night were (and are) just what Moreno, Gomez, and Quaranta need. But it's not just that- he can then do something with the ball when he runs onto it. He also had quite a battle with Leonard early in the game- until he made Leonard disappear. That was key.

Carroll- 5.5 Also a better game from him but there were several times that his passing sucked. He's gotta play faster, get his head more involved.

Olsen- 7 If Moreno, Gomez, and (it seems) Quaranta are a trio, then Dema and Benny are a pair, providing off the ball running, ball-winning, and complimentary distribution.

Gomez- 7.5 What you want from an a-mid.

Gros- 5. Oh dear. Some folks might not want to read this but Josh ain't playing too good right now. He should be the third member of the Dema and Benny group but outside of hustle and some defense he's not on the same page. He has little offense to his game now. Like Carroll he's close to a black hole when he has the ball. He's exhibiting no vision, being unable to connect a pass longer than 15 yards- and usually those passes are square or back. Unlike Olsen and Kovalenko, he isn't doing the job of running into spaces either. Finally his yellow card was stupid, borne of the frustration of having to play against a better player. DCU needs more out of the position.

Quaranta- 7 Another strong game for Q. Meshes increasingly well with Moreno and Gomez. Nice opportunistic goal. Esky may get back into the starting lineup soon but not at Tino's expense.

Moreno- 7 What can you say? Probably the best thing to say is that he was constantly active last night. He goal was superb. His two missed breakaways were awful. But on balance he was vital to the win and thus he gets a high rating. Hope Peter sits him down about those breakaways though....

Stokes- 5.5 Okay. No errors but shaky at times. Definitely a drop in quality from Wilson and I'm glad TT wasn't playing. Overall from the beginning of the year he's improved 100%.

Simms- 5.5 Quiet game. I had hoped that he would connect more offensively. Still no errors.

Eskandarian- 5.5 I'm worried that these regular concussions will cut short his career.

[dadman]

Rimando - 7.5
Wilson - 7
Boswell - 7
Prideaux - 6.5
Kovalenko - 6
Carroll - 6
Olsen - 6.5
Gomez - 6.5
Gros - 6.5
Quaranta - 6.5
Moreno - 7

Stokes - 6
Simms - 6
Eskandarian - NR and two aspirin

Nowak - 7
Crowd - 7 :)

[Doctor Woo]

Gros- 5. Oh dear. Some folks might not want to read this but Josh ain't playing too good right now. He should be the third member of the Dema and Benny group but outside of hustle and some defense he's not on the same page. He has little offense to his game now. Like Carroll he's close to a black hole when he has the ball. He's exhibiting no vision, being unable to connect a pass longer than 15 yards- and usually those passes are square or back. Unlike Olsen and Kovalenko, he isn't doing the job of running into spaces either. Finally his yellow card was stupid, borne of the frustration of having to play against a better player. DCU needs more out of the position.


I have no doubt that the "5" is generous. Yes, he can run, yes, he might make a good left defense someday (see "Albright"), but right now he is a liability on the whole.

You know, I didn't think a few weeks ago that I would say this, but I think it's time to bring our own "Pescadito" back (taking the literal translation, "little fish"). The Guppster, The Guppinator, Guppomatic. When Guppy heals (we old folks just don't heal like we used to), he can let Benji and Dema run like mad, take advantage of Wilson (gotta come up with a moniker for him) when he overlaps, let Carroll hang back and cover for him when Wilson goes forward, and give us the crosses from the left that are almost forgotten in the present set-up.

(Hmm, maybe we can call Wilson "Slick Willie"?)

[Jman81]

Rimando - 8 Best game so far this season. MoTM.
Wilson - 7.5 Also best game yet. Really missed him in the second half.
Boswell - 7 Solid. Solid. Solid.
Prideaux - 6.5 Bringing his stock back up again.
Kovalenko - 7 Great effort all-around.
Carroll - 6
Olsen - 6.5 He and Dema have a real connection going on.
Gomez - 6.5 The usual...
Gros - 6 I agree with has been said before, he is not gelling that well with the Dema/olsen pair. However, nice solid performance.
Quaranta - 7 Wow. He has really grasped at the chance the adu callup has granted him. He is now a definite starter.
Moreno - 7 if he'd put one of those two breakaway's in, he'd get and 8. Neverthelss, he hustled all day and was, along with santino, DC's attacking engine.

Stokes - 6 Above average performance.
Simms - 6 Was strictly brought in to defend, didn't disappoint.
Eskandarian NR

[Sundevil9]

Rimando - 8
Wilson - 6
Boswell - 7
Prideaux - 6.5
Kovalenko - 6
Carroll - 5.5
Olsen - 6
Gomez - 6.5
Gros - 6
Quaranta - 7
Moreno - 7

Stokes - 5
Simms - 6
Eskandarian 5.5

Nowak's sub pattern: 8 Thank you for getting players in before the 70th minute.

[DCU]

Rimando - 6
Wilson - 6.5
Boswell - 6
Prideaux - 6
Kovalenko - 6
Carroll - 6
Olsen - 6
Gomez - 5
Gros - 5
Quaranta - 6
Moreno - 5.5

Stokes - 6
Simms - 4.5
Eskandarian NR

[gnat]

Rimando - 8 - MOTM. Jesus may love, but Nicky Saves, over and over again :D
Wilson - 6.5 - Continues to impress.
Boswell - 6 - Still showing that he is a rookie, but that he is going to be incredible.
Prideaux - 5 - Don't recall anything great, but nothing terrible either.
Kovalenko - 5 - Good as always, but since coming back from your injury you seem to be backing down when people get in your face.
Carroll - 4 - Are there any spots in passing 101 available? Where is the Carroll from the last couple of years?
Olsen - 6 - You are a work horse Benny.
Gomez - 6
Gros - 6 - I don't look for perfection from Josh, I look for the Benny like work ethic, which he continues to show in spades.
Quaranta - 7 - Yes I said 7 no matter how much it galls me. Not only did he get a goal, but it came from a free kick (actually didn't register until I watched this morning on Tivo). Now do it game in and game out.
Moreno - 6.5 - Glad you found the net without a PK. Are you really telling me you couldn't have gotten around Reis though (twice even)?

Stokes - 5 - Looked more solid than the last couple of games. I think he is getting back into a rythm.
Simms - 5 - As a D-Mid I take it as a good thing that I didn't really notice him after he came on.
Eskandarian - 4 - I gave you a bump cause I feel bad that you took that knock, but the other two showed you where the net was and you couldn't follow their lead.

-dave

[griffin1108]

I have no doubt that the "5" is generous. Yes, he can run, yes, he might make a good left defense someday (see "Albright"), but right now he is a liability on the whole.

You know, I didn't think a few weeks ago that I would say this, but I think it's time to bring our own "Pescadito" back (taking the literal translation, "little fish"). The Guppster, The Guppinator, Guppomatic. When Guppy heals (we old folks just don't heal like we used to), he can let Benji and Dema run like mad, take advantage of Wilson (gotta come up with a moniker for him) when he overlaps, let Carroll hang back and cover for him when Wilson goes forward, and give us the crosses from the left that are almost forgotten in the present set-up.

(Hmm, maybe we can call Wilson "Slick Willie"?)

Was at the game last night and I agree re: Gros as a generous "5" and the need for a real wing player. Whatever Dema is, he is not a classic wing so his forays from outside tend to go towards the middle. DCU needs a player truly comfortable on the outside and Guppy is exactly that player.

[kirchhausen]

Rimando (8) - Best game of the year, Micky came up big time and time again. My pick for MOTM.

Wilson (6.5) - Played very well both defensively and moving the ball forward.

Boswell (7) - Was huge in defense today, won every ball that came his way in the air, possibaly this was his best game to date.

Prideaux (6.5) - Solid game defensively, like Wilson he also moved forward well.

Kovalenko (6) - Made some nice off the ball runs and tracked back very well on defense.

Carroll (6) - One of his better games this year, I noticed he was pushing forward on defense, pressing the New England backs to get rid of the ball. Nice allaround effort.

Olsen (6) - Came back with a very nice effort, Benny showed nice distribution and a great workrate.

Gomez (7) - Served up the free kick that Tino scored from, Gomito is the straw that stirs the drink. When he was subbed out the game took on an entirely different complexion.

Gros (6) - Typical Josh game. Lots of hustle and gritty play. He didnt do much offensively but he didn't have to.

Quaranta (7) - Nice finish on the ball that was bounding through the box. Played very well tonight, maintened good possession. Seems to have developed a very good chemistry with Jaime up top.

Moreno (8) - This was a tough grade. He did miss one-on-ones, but he was all over the place offensively tonight. The goal he did score was a work of art.

Stokes (6) - Turned in what I think is the best half of his career.

Simms (6) - Another solid perfomance.

Eskandarian (NR) - In the few minutes he was on the pitch he showed great hustle. I hope he is ok soon, he really has starte to turn his season around.

[vivzig]

Rimando 7.0 He doesn't have the game that he had, and we lose it. MOTM if the 2nd half was the whole game. Excellent performance. What the hell was that yellow about?
Wilson 6.5 Only wish that he was fit enough to go 90.
Boswell 6.5 Another rock solid performance.
Prideaux 5.5 Another fairly good one--keeps making me revise my earlier impressions, but nothing spectacular
Kovalenko 5.0 Really didn't see it. Held down his side though, and that's what matters.
Carroll 4.0 I really hate his play this year. Plus, he'll get a card for high kicking one of these days.
Olsen 5.5 Tireless workhorse.
Gomez 6.0 Well done all around, looks a little tired towards the end.
Gros 6.5 He just never quits. He's everywhere. One day, Poitr will teach him to actually cross/shoot and he'll really be dangerous.
Quaranta 6.0 I am slowly coming around on Q, but I still think that he's lazy and lucky. Time will tell I guess. I miss Eski.
Moreno 6.5 I can completely understand his missing those two vs. Reis--too much time/thinking. His play otherwise warrants MOTM.

Stokes 5.5 Expected major ********ups. They didn't come. Saw decent play instead. Hmmm.
Simms 5.0 I like him. Don't like Carroll. Easy solution Novak.
Eskandarian N/R Please god, don't let him be hurt. But if he is, I think we can soldier on.

[Th4119]

Rimando - 8.5
Wilson - 7.5
Boswell - 7
Prideaux - 6.5
Kovalenko - 7
Carroll - 5.5
Olsen -6
Gomez - 6
Gros - 4.5
Quaranta - 6
Moreno - 6

Stokes - 5
Simms - 6.5
Eskandarian - NR

[dc 1sided]

Rimando 8
Wilson 8
Boswell 8
Prideaux 8
Kovalenko 7
Carroll 6
Olsen 7
Gomez 7
Gros 7
Quaranta 7
Moreno 7

Stokes 5
Simms 6
Eskandarian 5

[beltwayrob]

(Hmm, maybe we can call Wilson "Slick Willie"?)

How about we don't. That name reminds me too much of the former California Assembly Speaker and Former Mayor of S.F. Willie Brown who was nicknamed "Slick Willie" for his overpriced Johnny Cochran-esque clothes and his crude political manner.

As for the grades:

Rimando 7.5 - His best performance yet.
Wilson 6.5
Boswell 7
Prideaux 6
Kovalenko 7.5 - Boy I'm glad Dema is back
Carroll 6.5 - He silently a strong player and I'm sorry for those of your who don't agree but BC deserves his spot in the Starting XI.
Olsen - 7
Gomez - 7.5
Gros -7
Quaranta - 7
Moreno -7

Stokes - 6.5
Simms - 6.5
Eskandarian 6.5

[Winoman]

Rimando - 7.5 - Great saves, still needs better distribution - teammates not providing him with good options in some cases.
Wilson - 7.5 - Largely kept Noonan in check
Boswell - 7.0 - This kid is consistently better
Prideaux - 6.5 - Good game for Brandon on defense, and going forward
Kovalenko - 7.0 - Great off-the-ball runs, good reason the NE MF was quiet
Carroll - 6.5 - Big reason the NE midfield (especially Cancela) was silent
Olsen - 7.0 - Worked well with Carroll & Dema in MF, especially defensive
Gomez - 7.0 - Terrific skill & workrate
Gros - 6.0 - Played good defense on wing, a little short on offense
Quaranta - 7.0 - Another good, solid game for Q. Good goal to open the scoring
Moreno - 7.5 - Beautiful goal, would have had a 9.0 if he scored on his other chances

Stokes - 6.0 - Another solid effort. Has considerably better ball-skills than a lot of posters give him credit for.
Simms - 5.5 - Good, solid play.
Eskandarian - 5.5 before the KO

[albionroad]

Averages...

Rimando 7.7
Wilson 6.9
Boswell 6.8
Prideaux 6.3
Kovalenko 6.4
Carroll 5.6
Olsen 6.3
Gomez 6.5
Gros 5.9
Quaranta 6.7
Moreno 6.8

Stokes 5.6
Simms 5.7
Eskandarian 5.3