Nick Rimando and Connor Casey highlight the Socceracademics.com MLS Team of Week.
Goalkeeper:
Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake
Defenders:
Tony Beltran, Real Salt Lake
Cory Gibbs, Colorado Rapids
Eric Brunner, Columbus Crew
Jed Zayner, Columbus Crew
Midfielders:
Robbie Rogers, Columbus Crew
Peter Lowry, Chicago Fire
Ricardo Clark, Houston Dynamo
Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy
Strikers:
Connor Casey, Colorado Rapids
Robbie Findley, Real Salt Lake
Week 21 of the MLS campaign was highlighted by several quality goals and a few intense matchups that went down to the wire. There were also poor officiating decisions and a questionable ejection.
Game Recaps
FC Dallas 1, Houston Dynamo 0
FC Dallas opened the week with a Thursday night victory over the Dynamo. Jeff Cunningham continued his torrid pace, connecting for a goal in the 9th minute. Brad Davis was shown a red card for leaving the bench, even though he managed to restrain himself.
LA Galaxy 2, New England Revolution 1
The Revs staged a frantic comeback, but fell short to the streaking Galaxy. Landon Donovan connected on a wonder goal in the 21st minute. Jovan Kirvoski put the visitors ahead by two after a poor clearance by the Revs backline. Steve Ralston converted a penalty kick in the 83rd minute but the Galaxy held off additional pressure to win.
Columbus Crew 3, San Jose Earthquakes 0
The Crew struggled to create chances in the first half, but three quick goals but the game out of reach. Substitute Alejandro Moreno found the net first, followed by Robbie Rogers and Adam Moffat. The Quakes controlled the first half but quickly fell apart after surrendering the first goal.
Real Salt Lake 1, Seattle Sounders FC 0
Robbie Findley used his blazing pace to get behind a lackadaisical Sounder defense to score the only goal. The Sounders failed to create many chances against the stingy RSL defense, which silenced Fredy Montero. The Sounders should have been awarded penalty in the dying minutes of the match, when Will Johnson slapped a ball down in the area.
Colorado Rapids 4, Chivas USA 0
Connor Casey and Omar Cummings picked apart the weak Chivas USA defense, which featured Jonathan Bornstein in a center back role. Pablo Mastroeni scored a rocket in the first minute and Casey added three more. Shavar Thomas was shown a red card in the closing minutes of the first half.
Houston Dynamo 3, Chicago Fire 2
The Dynamo rebounded from a loss in the Texas derby with a win over the Fire. However, it did not come easy as the visitors scored two quick goals after half-time. Stuart Holden powerfully converted the game winning penalty kick to give the Western Conference leaders the win.
Player of the Week: Connor Casey, Colorado Rapids
Casey returned from injury to score a first half hat trick, giving his team a comfortable lead. While none of his goals were spectacular, he managed to put himself in a quality position and convert his chances.
Goalkeeper of the Week: Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake
Rimando hit the pass on a dime that sprung Findley’s goal. He managed to turn away what few chances Seattle could muster and had a great read late in the match to ensure his team of three points.
Goal of the Week: Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy
Donovan put his team ahead in the 21st minute with a cracking first-touch left footed volley. The Fire’s Peter Lowry has to get honorable mention, with his sweet first-time side volley while running at full speed.
Save of the Week: Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake
With his team nursing a 1-0 lead, Rimando snuffed out a chance late by coming off his line and calmly blocking the shot. He controlled the ball enough to scoop up the rebound and preserve the lead.
Assist of the Week: Robbie Rogers, Columbus Crew
Rogers unselfishly used his head to redirect a cross into the path of Moreno that led to the first goal for the Crew. He recognized he was not position to put the ball on frame while running at full speed.
Sub of the Week: Emmanuel Ekpo, Columbus Crew
Ekpo opened up the game for the Crew with his pace and quality distribution. His pinpoint cross to Rogers led to the first goal. He played both ways, contributing to the defensive effort as well.
Rookie of the Week: Omar Gonzalez, LA Galaxy
He did his part in helping his team to a 2-1 win over the Revs. The talented center back combined with his teammates to limit the Revs to only four shots on goal.
Best Coaching Performance: Robin Fraser, Real Salt Lake
Fraser stepped in for Jason Kreis, who was serving a one game suspension for being ejected, and led RSL to a critical win. With several job openings looming, Fraser is sure to get an interview somewhere.
Worst Coaching Performance: Preki, Chivas USA
Preki had to somehow patch together a backline riddled by suspensions and injures, but the Goats came out of the gate with no energy and showed a lack of discipline. After giving up a goal in the first minute, it was painfully obvious the game was destined to be a blowout.
Best Refereeing Performance: Alex Prus
Prus kept everything under control in Rapids-Chivas USA game, which is not always easy to do in a blowout and with Jesse Marsch on the field. He correctly sent off Thomas. His decision to give the PK was also correct, since the foul occurred outside but continued into the area.
Worst Refereeing Performance: Jeff Gontarek
The players in the Crew-Earthquake had no clue what was being called a foul and what was not. Gontarek was inconsistent with his calls and failed to apply advantage in two key situations for Columbus.
What are your thoughts on this past week? Was Lowry’s goal better than Donovan’s? Was the handball in the RSL-Sounder game a penalty or not? Comment below.
Editors Note: I apologize for not keeping the blog up to date over the last few weeks. I had to attend a family reunion and had some vacation time mixed in. In addition, I got behind at my real job and had to spend most of time on a few key projects. Things have settled down and I am looking forward to writing again.
Galaxy, Rapids, Real Salt Lake, Crew, and Dynamo Record MLS Wins
The MLS weekend featured plenty of exciting action. Connor Casey recorded a hat trick and Landon Donovan scored a cracking goal. MLS Recaps: MLS Week 21 Analysis, MLS Week 21 Recap, Domestic Weekend Wrap, The Weekend in Context, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Weekend Recap
Cooper’s goal highlights weekend for Yanks Abroad
Kenny Cooper scored in his debut for 1860 Munich, rising up for a header in the 17th minute. Charlie Davies made his debut for Sochaux and turned in a productive twenty minutes. More Yank Abroad Recaps: Americans Abroad in France and Germany, Americans Abroad in England, Americans Abroad, Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind, Big Debut for Cooper
Real Madrid tops DC United 3-0
The new galacticos put three past DC United in front of 72,368 punters. The fans were treated to a display of football talent. United played well in the first-half, but were outclassed in the second stanza. More: Top 5 Things I Learned in Landover, United Rewind,
Howard, US Prepare for Mexico Match
Eighteen players, including goalkeeper Tim Howard, have arrived in Miami for a brief training camp before Wednesday’s critical away qualifier. The rest of the squad will arrive shortly. Howard tells the New York Times, “We Don’t Have the Luxury of Looking Back“. Additional coverage: USA-Mexico Update, US National Team Practice Report, Howard and Bradley Talk Qualifier, Donovan Wants the Win, Quick Training Camp Notes
Altidore Secures Work Permit
Jozy Altidore has been granted his work permit and will play this season with expected relegation battlers Hull City in the English Premiership. Altidore should be given plenty of minutes for the club, which has an option to buy him after the season.
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.
The US played a hard-fought game against Brazil in the Confederations Cup final. Unfortunately, tired legs and some questionable coaching decisions led to a heartbreaking loss. But the US proved that they could play with world’s best when the spotlight is on. Here are the ratings:
Tim Howard [9] – He was fantastic. He made excellent save after excellent save. There was not much he could do on any of the goals. But he may have been able to get the third one. The back post is his responsibility if he does not assign a defender.
Jonathan Spector [8] He made several good defensive plays and hit another great cross that led to Clint Dempsey’s goal. He showed some fatigue at the end, but it was probably the result of playing every minute and not being match fit coming into the tournament.
Jay DeMerit [7] – He made some big defensive plays in the first half and had a critical tackle late while the game was still tied. But he allowed way too much space on the first Brazil goal.
Oguchi Onyewu [8] – He won everything in the air as usual. He did a better job looking to possesses and not boot the ball up-field. He needed to put his header on target in the 88th minute.
Carlos Bocanegra [5] – He drew an early caution on a questionable decision to hold back Kaka. He just knocked the ball up-field with little pressure instead of looking to possess the ball. He could have redirected the cross on the second goal.
Landon Donovan [9] – He worked hard throughout the entire match. He began the counter-attack by running into his space and then used his speed and precision to finish the second goal. He created chances and was not afraid to look for a shot.
Ricardo Clark [6] – He turned the ball over too easily but had the pass to Donovan that sprung the counter-attack. He forced passes in the second half, instead of knocking the ball around to try to keep possession.
Benny Feilhaber [7] – He did a good job filling in for Michael Bradley, but looks more comfortable in an attacking role. He was a little careless with his tackles but worked hard to get back and defend. He held the ball for too long in the attacking third.
Clint Dempsey [7] – He had the early goal but disappeared for long stretches of the match. He was willing to take shots if he had space. He could have marked up better on the header that led to Brazil’s third goal.
Jozy Altidore [6] – He had a quiet match. He did draw a free kick with a nice turn on the ball. Fatigue was an issue, and he looked exhausted in the second half.
Charlie Davies [7] – He did well to get forward and setup the second goal for Donovan. He showed energy by getting back and defending. But he tried to force the attack in several situations, which resulted in turnovers.
Sacha Klejstan [5] – He continues to struggle with his confidence. He gave the ball way too easily. He made a bad pass after the US had gained possession in the closing minutes.
Jonathan Bornstein [5] – He showed impatience on the ball and failed to hold possession.
Connor Casey [NR] – He was not on the pitch long enough to generate a rating.
Are these ratings fair? Who was your man of the match? What did you think of the game, now that you have had time to reflect back on it?
The United States looked spectacular in the first half against Brazil. The Americans attacked with fluidity and had their opponents constantly making poor decisions. However, a quick goal out of the half changed everything and once again Bob Bradley failed to adjust.
The US dropped into a shell after Brazil scored the first goal, which it simply could not do. Instead of responding by bringing in a substitution to add creativity to the field, Bradley continued to let his side sink deeper into a shell. The Brazilians were allowed time and space, and it was just a matter of time before they broke the defense down.
The US managed to bunker and hold the lead against Spain, but Brazil is too good for that strategy to work. They are a more a creative side that is capable of figuring out different ways to score. They scored the first goal by simple brilliance. On the second, they were allowed space down the flank and then outworked the tired US. The third goal was off a set-piece against a disorganized defense.
The substitutions were also puzzling. After Brazil tied the game, Bradley sent in Jonathan Bornstein for Benny Feilhaber that was clearly a defensive move. He also replaced Jozy Altidore with Sacha Klejstan, a player who showed nothing in the first game against Brazil and is lacking confidence. Sure enough, Klejtstan would turn the ball over and show no offensive spark. Bradley significantly reduced the American firepower.
After Brazil took the lead, he needed to insert a player to add a creative spark, create chances, and bring energy. Instead he inserted Connor Casey, by far the most lethargic player on the team. Casey should be brought on to help kill of a game, not in a desperate situation when you have to score a goal.
Bradley has shown some positive coaching traits. His tactical organization before the game should rarely be brought into question. But he has to improve his in-game decisions. It is a shame to see a tremendous effort undermined by a poor coaching effort.
What did you think of Bradley in this match? Should he have responded earlier? Are you puzzled about his substitutions? Share your thoughts below.
The US shocked the world on Wednesday, with a 2-0 win over Spain. The Americans used a combination of discipline, effort, and all-around solid play to defeat the Spaniards, ranked number one by FIFA. The ratings:
Tim Howard [9] – He was steady and made several correct decisions to parry instead of attempting to catch difficult shots. He set the tone with an important save in the beginning of the second half. He came off his line well, but his distribution was shaky at times.
Jonathan Spector [8] – He continues to impress. He did have a shaky moment early, when a bad touch led to a chance. But he stayed composed on the ball and made smart decisions on when to attack. He helped kill the game by staying compact and closing-down well.
Jay DeMerit [9] – He was the man of the match. He had several clutch tackles, and he threw his body around to block shots.
Oguchi Onyewu [9]- He was dominant in the air and quickly covered ground to thwart the attack. He was crtical down the stretch.
Carlos Bocanegra [8] – He positioned himself well. He helped to keep the back line composed. However, he did not get forward in the attack much and had an embarrassing foul throw.
Clint Dempsey [8] – His finish was pure effort. He opened the game up early with a long shot and combined well with teammates to set-up chances. He defended when called upon.
Ricardo Clark [9] – He ran with the ball well in the midfield, which helped to relive pressure off the back line. But he was everywhere on defense. He blocked at least three shots and was amazing in the closing minutes, highlighted by a bicycle clearance.
Michael Bradley [6] – His red card was unfair, but he has to show more discipline. He worked hard to pressure the ball in the midfield. He failed to connect on several through-balls.
Landon Donovan [8] – He put in another excellent, work-man type effort. He played box to box , and his set pieces were dangerous.
Charlie Davies [7] – He looked spectacular in the first twenty-five minutes. His bicycle kick would have been amazing. His pace caused problems, but he needs to work on his crossing.
Jozy Altidore [8] – He had a great individual effort on the goal, by using his strength to shield and then calmly converting. He won two corners and was a nuisance the entire match.
Benny Feilhaber [8] – His patience to hold the ball-up led to the run that created the second goal. He was smooth on the ball and worked hard to defend in the closing minutes.
Connor Casey [6] – He helped to kill some time, but should have held the ball in the corner.
Jonathan Bornstein [NR] – He was not on the pitch long enough to evaluate, but did block a shot late.
What did you think of the US’ historic performance? Who was your man of the match? Share your thoughts below.
The Americans showed spirit, discipline, and effort against the Egyptians, and the result was a 3-0 win. The US is through to the semifinal round, where they will face Spain. The ratings:
Brad Guzan [8] – He turned in a solid performance. He made an excellent save in the first half and was composed down the stretch. His distribution was on target, and he did a good job of looking to build out of the back.
Jonathan Spector [8] – His highlight of the match was hitting the wicked cross that led to the third goal. He did a good job staying compact in the final minutes, but he gave away possession twice in bad spots.
Jay DeMerit [8] – He had a critical tackle in the box that cleared a dangerous situation. He worked well with Onyewu to cover the outside backs, and he cleared out several chances in the air. But his passing was sketchy.
Oguchi Onyewu [9] – He was the man of the match for the US. He won almost every header, and he covered well for the full-backs. He read the game well and destroyed many chances.
Jonathan Bornstein [7] – He made himself an option on the left flank but had some questionable passes. He did well defending in 1 v1 situations, however he lost his man that led to an open header.
Clint Dempsey [8] – He had a gritty performance, with several excellent passes that set-up chances. His header was placed perfectly. He did turnover the ball over twice, but his overall contribution to the match overshadowed his mistakes.
Ricardo Clark [7] He had a quiet but effective game. He did well when forced to defend deep and blocked a shot in the 75th minute. He also had the flick to Bradley that sprung the second goal.
Michael Bradley [8] – He opened the game up by taking shots outside the penalty area and had some dangerous passes from deep in the midfield. His splitting run set-up the second goal, which was calmly taken. He worked hard to pressure the ball.
Landon Donovan [9] – He set the example by hard work on both ends. His runs forward were thing of a beauty and kept the Egyptians on their heels. His set-pieces were dangerous, and his linking with Bradley on the second goal was sublime.
Jozy Altidore [6] – He should have finished the sitter. He did a good job of the holding the ball-up and sent in dangerous crosses. But he failed to link up with the midfield, when his back was to the goal.
Charlie Davies [7] – He used his pace to be pesky. His persistence paid off, which led to the first goal. He challenged the keeper with a well-taken cross.
Benny Feilhaber [7] – He did well getting back to defend. He could have struck the volley better, but showed awareness to get off a quick shot.
Connor Casey [6] – He did have an unnecessary turnover without much pressure but helped to clear a corner late in the match.
Share your thoughts on the player ratings below.
On my second viewing of the US vs. Brazil game, I was optimistic to see more positives emerge from my frustrated initial thoughts. But that was not the case. It was a lousy performance from a team that played on its heels and rarely showed a complete effort. The ratings:
Tim Howard [7] – He could have done better on the first goal. But he kept the US in the game. Two plays standout: his punching out a chance in the 72nd minute and coming off his line to snag a ball in the 77th minute.
Jonathan Spector [8] – He was the man of the match for the US. He was collected and poised bringing the ball out of the back and provided support for the attack with his creative runs. He threw himself in the way of shots and intercepted numerous through-balls. The only knock was his partial responsibility on the first goal.
Jay DeMerit [6] – He was able to get his head to the ball in several dangerous situations and did a good defending when isolated. But he needed to read the game better on the third goal, where he got caught ball-watching.
Oguchi Onyewu [8] – He covered a lot of ground in the back for the US and continually pressured and forced shots wide. He had a critical tackle in the box and read the game well to cut-out many chances.
Jonathan Bornstein [6] – He did not appear to be intimidated and did a good job defending. But he has to do better at keeping possession of the ball. He had a couple of dangerous crosses.
Landon Donovan [7] – He put in a tireless effort, creating chances with his work-rate and composure on the ball. He combined well with teammates. His set-pieces were dangerous, and he worked with Spector to shut-down the right flank.
Michael Bradley [6] – He did well pressing in the midfield, but his passing out of the back was inconsistent. His bad touch led to the set-piece in the 7th minute.
Sacha Klejstan [3] – The red card was deserved for the unnecessary foul, committed out of frustration. He did a bad job of defending in the box , where Kaka blew right past him. His passing was questionable, and he was never dangerous.
Clint Dempsey [4] – Arguably, his worst performance for the national team. He repeatedly turned the ball over and struggled to defend. He held the ball for too long in the attack, when better options were available.
DeMarcus Beasley [3] – He has become painful to watch, taking too many touches and not connecting any passes. He gambled in the wrong spot defensively, but then failed to close his man down in the defending third. He takes the entire blame for the second goal, where a lack of concentration led to an easy chance for Brazil.
Jozy Altidore [6] – He was starved for service, and rarely got the ball where he could be dangerous. He had the best chance for the US. But his first touch popped the ball up, not allowing him to get a good strike on it.
Connor Casey [4] – He was lazy. He did not apply any pressure and committed too many fouls. He did have good one-touch pass and the header off the bar.
Benny Feilhaber [7] – He brought a much needed creative spark and energy to the game. He did well chasing back to cover and got forward to support the attack.
Bob Bradley has been a popular topic lately. After the dismal performance against Costa Rica in a qualifier last week, many were calling for him to be fired. However, on Monday, Bradley had a chance to redeem himself.
Formation: Critics have said he should not change the formation from match to match. The reality is that the United States is not good or deep enough. The 4-5-1 arguably gave the US the best chance to win, as it flooded numbers in the middle of the park to match against Italy’s best team attribute.
Squad Selection: Bradley tried to keep a cohesive unit on the pitch, despite the formation change. Jonathan Spector could have been moved to the center of the park but it is a moot point, because Jay DeMerit filled in admirably for Carlos Bocanegra. His decision to insert Jozy Altidore as the lone striker was his best decision. However, selecting Benny Feilhaber was questionable. Felihaber likes to spray the ball around the park. Several of his passes were not connected, since there was no width. Sacha Klejstan, who can open up things with his long shot ability, would have been a better choice.
Tactics: The US originally attended to clog the middle of the field, and put the ball over the top to Altidore. The US should have gotten more width, but there was plenty of room to work with and they took advantage to create some quality chances.
Decisions: The US came out attacking in the second half and then shortly after the first Italian goal. Instead, with a goal lead and only 10 men, they should have attempted to slow the game down and conserved energy. Bradley had to do something about the gaping space between the back line and the midfield. He failed to do so, and the result was two goals.
Subs: Altidore had been given the Italians fits and forced the defense to stay honest. With Charlie Davies in the game, there was no target man. Passes out of the back were not being connected. Connor Casey would have been a better choice. Klejstan and DeMarcus Beasley should have been flip-flopped.
Bradley’s squad selection and tactics were good enough to win against the defending world champions. But tactical, on-the-fly decisions are critical after a player has been sent-off. Combine his questionable in-game decision making and the poor substitutions, and the result is a below average grade.
Overall Grade: C-
