Before the US begins its next international competition, let’s take one final look at the Confederations Cup. Below are the player grades for the tournament, which takes into consideration all five games. The grades:
Goalkeepers
Tim Howard - He deservedly won the Golden Gloves for the tournament. He was huge in the semi-final and final. He established himself as one the top goalkeepers on the planet. Grade: A
Brad Guzan – He only played in one match but had a good showing against Egypt. He firmly claimed the backup role for 2010. Grade: B
Defenders
Oguchi Onyewu – He had a little extra motivation, looking to earn a contract with a big club in Europe. He was the rock of the defense and won almost every ball in the air. His only fault was not being more dangerous on attacking set-pieces. Grade: A-
Jay DeMerit -He had an excellent tournament and elevated his status as a fringe player to a lock. A move the Premiership would bolster his chances of starting alongside Onyewu for 2010. Grade: B
Jonathan Spector – He turned the right back position into a competition and established himself as the front runner. Regular time will benefit his cause. He could shift over and partner with Onyewu to form an interesting pair. Grade: B+
Carlos Bocanegra – He impressed in the Spain game but struggled against Brazil. His biggest problem is lack of holding the ball, when he just clears instead of looking to build. He is still the best option at left back. Grade: C+
Jonathan Bornstein – He proved to be a serviceable left back at the international level. But he did nothing to standout and had some break downs defensively. Never-the-less, he is a versatile player who probably did enough to earn a spot. Grade: C
Midfielders
Michael Bradley – He had moments of brilliance but also showed immaturity. His work ethic and play attracted interest from major European scouts. However, he must show more discipline at the international level. Grade: B-
Ricardo Clark – He recovered from his early red card and had an incredible game against Spain. He will most likely be on the 2010 roster, but a move to Europe will help his development. Grade: C+
Benny Feilhaber – He is back after dropping off the radar and showed the most skill on the ball. He proved he could be an effective two-way midfielder at this level. Grade: B-
Clint Dempsey – He started the tournament out horribly, but was a different player the last three games. A much needed rest will help for the qualifiers, and a proposed move to a bigger club will be beneficial. Grade: B-
Landon Donovan – He was the best field player for the US, and should have won the Bronze Ball. He showed that a MLS player can excel against the world’s best. Grade: A
Sacha Klejstan – He is struggling with confidence and this tournament did nothing to booster it. He needs to get out of his funk. Grade: D-
DaMarcus Beasley – Sadly, his days are likely done for the national team. He is still young enough to contribute, but injuries and lack of playing time have slowly taken a toll. Grade: F
Forwards
Jozy Altidore – He scored with great individual effort, but that was his only goal. His recent injury and lack of playing time showed, as he was usually spent by half-time. He needs to get regular first team football. Grade: B-
Charlie Davies – He is another player who improved his status from fringe to nearly a lock. His speed created all sorts of problems for opponents. Hopefully, he will break-out in the Gold Cup and move to a larger club. Grade: B
Connor Casey – He has been scoring goals and that warranted a call-up, but he played himself off the World Cup squad. He was lethargic and was never dangerous, which is not a good combination for a striker. Grade: D
Are these grades fair? Which players improved their stock? Which players should not be on the World Cup roster? Share below.
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