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 right back spot has become a strength for the US national team, with Jonathan Spector and Marvell Wynne holding down a grip on the position for the near future. But depth is a good quality to have. With that in mind, here are the top five right back prospects:

1. Jeremy Hall, 20, New York Red Bulls

He is been forced into the Red Bulls starting lineup due to an injury. He has had some shaky moments, but overall has looked like a promising prospect. He has a good size and speed, but needs to improve on his technical ability. He can also play in the midfield and on either side of the pitch.

2. Sean Franklin, 24, LA Galaxy

He was the 2008 MLS Rookie of the Year and was the lone bright spot for the Galaxy defense, where he played in the middle. However, he projects to be a right back at the national team level. An injury has set him back, but he still has to be considered a quality prospect.

3. A.J. DeLaGarza, 21, LA Galaxy

He is another Maryland product who has also been forced into a starting position due to an injury. He is capable of pushing-up into the attack and has helped the Galaxy turn around a leaky defensive unit.

4. Tyler Polak, 16, US U-17 National Team

He has showed well for the U-17 team and will have a shot at landing a pro contract after the U-17 World Cup. His size is an issue, but he has plenty of time to bulk up and get stronger. He is another player who can get forward easily and is solid at isolating an attacker.

5. Tony Beltran, 21, Real Salt Lake

Hardcore fans will remember Beltran as having a shaky youth national team career, but he has quietly put together solid play at Real Salt Lake. He has recorded nineteen starts in his MLS career. He can also play in the midfield.

Honorable Mention:

Amaechi Igwe, 21, New England Revolution

What do you think of the future at right back? Do any of these players have a chance to dethrone Spector as the future first-team choice? Does this position need to develop more depth? Share below.

Check back tomorrow for the top central defender prospects.

The US will play Brazil today in the Confederations Cup final. They have already faced Brazil in this tournament, losing 3-0. But this game is expected to be different, as they have been playing with more poise and grit since the embarrassing defeat.

The Americans will need to put pressure on the Brazilian defense during the first twenty minutes of the match. This will force them to respect the US’ attack and not throw as many bodies forward. One difference from the first game is that the US will lineup with two forwards, which should help keep the Brazilian fullbacks at home.

The US backline, bolstered by the return of Carlos Bocanegra, was outstanding in the 2-0 win over Spain. The unit will need to play even better today. Bocanegra did not get forward much and essentially set-in as the third center back. Expect more of the same. Jonathan Spector will likely provide an option to the attack, but he will need to be careful to not get caught out of position.

The midfield will need to replace its engine, Michael Bradley. He was sent off in the 87th minute of the semi-final.  Benny Feilhaber will likely get the start and pair up with Ricardo Clark. Feilhaber will need to play both ways, something he proved capable of the last two matches.

Landon Donovan will need to orchestrate the attack and exploit open space in the midfield. Clint Dempsey will need to continue to open things up with his through-ball ability. Both players are also expected to share in the defensive responsibilities.

Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies will benefit from having both Dempsey and Feilhaber in the midfield. Brazil will have to adjust to the strength of Alitdore and the pace of Davies. The forwards will need to finish any opportunities presented.

The Americans are playing with house money at this point, but a win over Brazil would set the table for next summer. They are playing with passion and confidence, with wins over Egypt and Spain to show. If the US can get the first goal, its theirs to lose.

Prediction: US 2 Brazil 1

How do you think the US will do? What are your keys to the game? Share below.

The US has faced four different teams in the 2009 Confederations Cup. But after many questionable decisions against the US, one has to wonder if they have played five opponents. Whether subconsciously or not, referees have not consistently enforced the laws of the game and have discriminated against the American players.

The Americans have been shown a red card in three of the four matches. The first two ejections were for late tackles and the last send-off was for a studs-showing challenge.

FIFA wants to draw a line in the sand and send a message that any sort of tackle that endangers an opponent will not be allowed in next year’s World Cup, which is fine. But it must consistently enforce that ruling.

There have been many instances were tackles were not punished in the same manner. In the other semi-final, a South African player tackled an opponent with a late, studs-up challenge. The referee only presented a yellow card. In the US-Spain game, Fernando Torres kicked out at Jonathan Spector and Jozy Altidore took a late challenge into the ankle. Neither player received a caution.

Why do the referees discriminate against the US? FIFA has told them to enforce late challenges and stud showing tackles with red cards. It gets simple after that. The refs refuse to create a controversy by consistently enforcing the rules against the world powers and the host country.

Whether we like it or not, soccer is not mainstream here. All of the red cards went virtually unnoticed by the media. The red card shown to Bradley was forgotten due to the win and has not been discussed in any of the major media outlets. It is a perfect situation for referees. They can send a message without creating much of an uproar.

Do you think the US is being treated unfairly? What can the USSF due to prevent this at World Cup 2010? Comment 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 US will play Spain on Wednesday, after an unlikely run to the semifinals of the Confederations Cup. The Americans will have another shot at proving they can play with the world’s elite teams, after struggling earlier in the tournament against Brazil and Italy.

There is a bit of keeper controversy, as Brad Guzan performed admirably in the nets against Egypt. However, Tim Howard should start. Howard is the undisputed number one, and he should play in any important match.

The back line will remain the same, as the unit has developed cohesion throughout the competition. Jonathan Spector and Jonathan Bornstein will be instrumental in getting forward, as well as helping shut down the potent Spanish attack. Ougchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit will have to stay connected and balanced while patrolling the center of the defense.

The midfield will need to stay compact, in order to force Spain wide. Ricardo Clark will have to tuck in and destroy. Michael Bradley will need to be more cautions and pick the right spots to join the attack.

Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey will presumably be playing the outside positions in the midfield. Donovan will need to run at the Spanish defense to create opportunities. Dempsey will need to continue to play with creativity and vision, all while avoiding being dispossessed in the midfield.

The US could opt to use a 4-5-1, but will most likely start with two strikers. Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies combined for a goal against Egypt, and the pair will need to pressure the back line of Span into a mistake. That is not likely considering that Spain has been scored on in the last four games.

The key for the US will be creating space in the attack, but quickly clamping down once the ball is lost. The Spaniards know how to score when give time and space. The Americans will need to be cautions while defending, but the fullbacks will need to provide width to the attack when necessary.

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.

The US will play its final Confederations Cup match on Sunday, looking to redeem its poor performance in the first two matches of the competition. The Americans will need to show effort, organization, and discipline against the Egyptians, which are playing for a semifinal spot in the tournament.

The defensive back four will likely remain the same. The only question mark is if Carlos Bocanegra will return from injury. Fullbacks Jonathan Bornstein and Jonathan Spector appear to be fit and able to play another match. A quality performance from Oguchi Onyweu, who has had a good tournament, could help him secure a contract offer from a top European side.

Bob Bradley needs to send a message to Clint Dempsey, who has looked uninspired during the summer national team campaign. This comes as a surprise to many, considering his solid effort during the Premiership season. A benching could send a message to Dempsey that his spot is not secure.

Ricardo Clark, the only destroying midfielder on the roster, will return from a suspension. If Clark starts, Michael Bradley will be able to push-up more. Bradley looked very poised in the attack against Italy. The midfield will need to get width from Landon Donovan on the right flank and Jose Francisco Torres, assuming he starts, on the left flank. Benny Feilhaber is expected to feature as the attacking midfield option if Bradley sticks with the 4-5-1.

If Bradley does only start one striker, Jozy Altidore would be the logical choice. But if he elects to use two strikers, Freddy Adu should start with either Altidore or Charlie Davies. Alitdore, not being a true target striker, would struggle to create chances for Davies.

Prediction: Egypt 2 US 1

Who would you like to see Bradley start? Would sending a message to Clint Dempsey be a smart idea? Could Altidore and Davies work together? Feel free to comment 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.