*5 being about average. Howard-7 -Was under siege in the first half, and only allowed one goal. He really got his backline disciplined in the 2nd half. Spector-3 -Probably the worst i've ever seen of Specs. He lost his starting spot today. Fortunately, Dolo had a good game, but i hope that he will improve so he'll at least be a reliable option off the bench for Boca or Dolo. Cherundolo-7 -Won back his place on the starting XI, and deserves to be the vice-captain. he was a leader in the back. Onyewu-6.5 -No one is really talking about Onyewu, but i thought he had a solid game. He didn't do anything super-human, but he was solid all around. What's strange is that his ground game has actually improved. He added a great deal of composure to our backline. I'm so happy to see he improved from his poor showing against the Czech. Maybe he just needed to shake the rust off. And hopefully, he'll continue to get sharper by june 12th. Goodson-4 -He was alright, but not as good as he was against the Czech. still no major errors. DeMerit-5 -I'd rate him about the same as Goodson. Neither stood out in my mind for better or worse....but for a CB, that's more or less what you want. Bocanegra-8 -Thank God, Bocanegra can play LB. i was nervous to see him play LB against such a fast team, but he was the best player on the backline and a true leader today. Bornstein-1 -we all know this story. hopefully, he won't see a minute in south africa. i swear to God, i'd rather see Beasley there at LB than Bornstein. you can well beasley isn't a LB, but he cannot be worse than Bornstein. he offers nothing going forward and he is a complete liability on defense. Bradley-6 -he started off slow, but when Torres came on, his game really picked up. As someone mentioned in another thread, maybe we don't need two over-aggressive CM's. Still, Mikey, shoot the damn ball. Feilhaber-4.5 -Feilhaber is so far behind Torres that it's ridiculous...still, i don't think that Benny had a "horrible" game, just when you compare him to Torres today, he isn't even in the same ballpark. Clark-3.5 -Clark was bad today. Really bad. Turkey was just running trough our midfield without a thought in the world and Clark has to take a lot of that blame. However, like Spector, i'm not ready to pull the plug on them entirely, but they did lose their starting spot today. Torres-9.5 -man o man. yeah, i was being a little bit sarcastic by saying that he was better than messi and cristiano ronaldo combined, but damn... he was just lights out better than everyone else on the field today. his passing and creativity were perfection, his ball-control was perfection, and his defense was perfection. Just everything he did was perfection. The only reason why i can't give him a perfect 10 is because he didn't have a goal or assist (to be fair, i may have given only a handful of 10's in my lifetime). Holden-6 -he came on late, but still provided that spark that was wanted from him. the midfield looks like it's going to fortunately be a battle between: Donovan, Dempsey, Edu, Torres, Bradley, and Holden. Donovan-8 -some might say it was a quiet game for Donovan, but you have to think that he had two assists and was double teamed most of the game. please, God, let this continue through the World Cup. Dempsey-7 -typical Dempsey. he'll lull you to sleep and then BAM he scores. he was unlucky to not have a hattrick. Altidore-7 -Altidore is a beast. He is such a different player (for the better) when he plays for us. Findley-6.5 -I think everyone looked at Findley at the half and was like what the hell is Bob thinking, but i think Robbie shut everyone up today. He didn't score, but he was a lot like ole Charlie out there. Fast and Cocky. he and torres really opened up the game for us. it looks like Bob got this pick right. Still, Findley has a little bit of work to do, but he looked like he belonged today.
Can't really argue with that assessment except the rating for Clark. If you're gonna give him a 3.5 for being part of the midfield that was overrun, then Bradley won't be much higher. Bradley's only saving grace though was that he got to make it right in the 2nd half. But other than that, all pretty much spot on.
Agreed. I was really unimpressed with Junior today. He was below average. Clark, Feilhaber, and Borstein were dreadful today.
My criticism of Clark's game wouldn't be the defensive thing, although it was poor in the first half, I thought it was tactical more than anything else. It's what Clark did when he got the ball. Where Bradley was actually stringing some nice passes together, Clark looked as timid as any other player on the team, usually just longballing it forward, just to get the pressure off. Poor game from Clark, I thought Bradley was just fine today.
I agree with basically everything but this. I don't think Howard was that great today and got lucky some of the crazy times he came out. On the goal, it looked to me like he shouldn't have come out as much as he did, both the defenders were there and they completely cut off the attackers ability to go far post or cut it back inside. He comes out and leaves the near post open. Hard to say he was great today imo.
Howard - 6 - Didnt really make much of an impact. Didnt take advantage of the US defenders' closing down Arda's far post angle, and allowd Arda to exploit the near post. Spector - 3 - The worst player on the field. Sad because I like Spector quite a bit, but that was a downright failure with it all on the line for him. Lets hope he gets his confidence up. DeMerit - 4 - Jay did a good job cleaning up trash, but he has a difficult time distributing. Got beat in a sprint on Arda's goal where he should have covered for Spector's run. Goodson - 5 - Nothing special, nothing awful. Very average. In Gooch's absence, Goodson didnt help organize very well. Bocanegra - 5.5 - He whipped some excellent balls into the box in the first half. Good all-around showing from the Captian. Donovan - 8 - Best player on the field. Man of the match. His runs were brilliant. Two very nice assists. Bradley - 7 - Mike was everywhere. He came back to help the struggling defense in the first half. He moved the ball well about the midfield. He had some nice runs and passes in the second half when Findley stretched the field with his speed. Clark - 5 - Nothing special, nothing awful. Average. Feilhaber - 5 - Did a good job moving the ball in the first half, but never made a stand-out play. Dempsey - 7.5 - Game winner. Dempsey was being mugged all day long and still fought through to scrap for a nice goal. Dempsey actually held the ball better than Altidore at forward. Altidore - 6.5 - Jozy scored a gift goal and set up a near-goal with a very good run. Other than that, he was pretty much missing in action Subs Torres - 7.5 - Reminded me of Claudio Reyna with smart distribution that took advantage of what the defense gave the Nats midfield. The difference between today and his past Nats performances: effort. He put in the defensive work needed by a US central midfielder. Very impressive day from the young man. Onyewu - 7 - Calmed the back four and improved distribution out of the back exponentially. Cherundolo - 7 - Shut down the Turkish left flank. Earned the starting spot against England. Findley - 6.5 - Impressive day from Findley. He showed just how important that it is for the Nats to have a speed option up top. His stretching of the defense gave the US midfield ample room to operate. Dempsey credited Findley's presence as the reason that the Nats were able to "find pockets" in the Turkish defense. Holden - 6 - Made some good passes in his short time on the pitch including a thru-ball to Bradley that resulted in a shot on goal from Dempsey that clanked the post.
Howard 6 - saved us. Spector 3 - maybe should be moved to left. DeMerrit 5- Ok but a bit slow. Bocanegra 5 - still not fit. Goodson 4 - seem lost and slow. Tempo was over-bearing for him. Feilhaber 4 - made some mistake and not very sharp. Clark 4- seem still unfit Bradley 6 - woke up when Torres came in. Donovan 7 - was alone creating attack in first half, but Donovan saved from embarressment again. Dempsey 7 - seem better moving all over. Altidore 6 - really had poor serves in first half. But score when his chance. Torres 8 - MVP. control the tempo and help out Donovan creating the attack. Brought energy with intellgence. Bornstein 5 - did ok because the game was better control now. Gooch 5- a bit better. Cherundolo 6 - brought better defense and posession of ball. Findley 6 - did well moving from flanks and getting fouls with his pace, seem a bit smarter with his speed now.
The entire time Spector ran the ball forward I was yelling at the TV "PASS PASS PASS THE DAMN BALL PASS IT!!!" Alas, the outcome was him holding the ball till he was closed down and had it taken away to spring a counter attack in the gaping hole in our defense. Sadness, but a learning experience that will benefit us in the end as this is a friendly and not a cup game. At the other end, did anyone else already start screaming "GOOOAAALLLL" when Donovan had the ball at his feet and passed off for a goal? I was, well before the ball hit the net, Donovan had the ball and I KNEW that thing was a goal even though he didn't score it.
What game did you watch to say Bornstein was OK, they attacked him 3 times and the 3 times they blew right by him, one with a nutmeg and he's a speedy guy...
Feilhaber 3 He is such a step down from Dempsey or Donovan on the wing. In addition to his cross field pass that Turkey squandered, his passes were to the wrong side of his teammates all game. this inaccuracy kills the flow of a building attack. The USA's style is most dangerous when we're running at 'em showtime style a la '80s LA Lakers. I think Bob gave Feilhaber a seat on the plane as an extended thanks for the strike against Mexico a few years ago. Outside he aint fast or clever enough and inside he's nowhere near as good as Torres I agree with the rest of the OPs ratings.
Agreed on both. I was yelling for Johnny to dish it off WAY earlier. You're a defender for a reason. And when Dono sent it back across the middle, I knew. There are a few things I know for sure with this team: when Donovan makes a pass like that, there is going to be a goal scored; when Stewy sends in a cross, something good is going to happen; when Dempsey disappears from a game, it's only a matter of time before he puts one in the net; Timmy.
Agree with your ratings except for these two. Spector had a weak game, but you totally blocked out Bornstein -- maybe to save your sanity. Bornstein was the worst player on the field. And Feilhaber did have a "stand-out play" -- the beautiful cross over Spector's head to the Turkish player. That was Turkey's best crossing pass of the game.
Bornstein only got turned once (he only had time for one skinning). I dont know that Spector actually prevented a winger from skinning him over his entire course of play. Spector was flat awful.
I thought Feilhaber was fine and actually pretty good after his first 10 minutes. Though I think he should play on the inside and not on the wing. Whoever said he was a 3 was taking the poor play 2 minutes in too much into consideration (though he CAN'T do that against England if he plays) I didn't think Demspey had a great game. In fact I thought Dempsey played poorly. He was great at getting open in key spots on the field but mishandled the ball numerous times and missed some good oppotunities (though he did get the winner). Saying that, Demspey should still absolutely start on the wing or at forward, and Feilhaber showed he won't be starting vs. England. I think Torres really earned a spot, and I like Holden and Benny as subs.
I agree torres helped pick up the tempo with creative passes but to call him the MVP is a bit ludacris. Donovan had a better game and assisted on the 2 goals. I could even put him second but still would probably have Dempsey there. I still like clark alot but I would put torres ahead of him now. The announcer also would not stop getting on his knees in front of torres during the game, which I think helps with the craze over him. Sometimes he gets a little too creative rather than just playing the simple ball (pretty dang good for my only critizism).
Torres made Donovan's job easier, by great distribution and creative spark. Torres seem to have natural understand with Donovan.
It was Bradley that Torres meshed with. Torres himself said that he spent time watching tape of Bradley so that he could learn how Bradley positions himself defensively and moves without the ball. So in a sense, you could say that Torres taught himself to play a little like Bradley and that was the difference.