Let's be clear: Despite a late flurry, the US did not "nearly beat" or even "nearly tie" the Netherlands Wednesday night in Amsterdam. Yes, they only lost by a single goal, and they dominated the last 10 minutes (counting extra time), but that was only after the Dutch had completely shut it down in the last few moments of an inconsequential friendly.For most of the match, the Netherlands just played keep-away, not interested in really trying to score, but assuming that sooner or later the US would make a big mistake. They were right. Late in the first half, Jonathan Bornstein completely lost his cool and tried to grab a surging Wesley Sneijder as he darted into the penalty box. The Dutchman flopped to the turf, and the referee gave the penalty. Was it a harsh call? Yes, especially as the referee on the night was repeatedly fooled by Greg Louganis wannabes on both sides of the ball. But Bornstein clearly grabbed the arm, even if only for a moment and without much force. He can only blame himself.
In the second half, the Dutch inserted Rafael Van der Vaart into the lineup and he immediately started to carve up the interior of the US defense. The second Dutch goal was unlucky for the US, as it deflected off a defender's back (Bornstein again, having a night to forget), but you can't say the Dutch weren't due for another. It was only after that point that the US really started to come into the game, when the Dutch were satisfied with a 2-0 lead (the old line about the most precarious lead in soccer has a lot of truth to it) and quit playing hard. It shouldn't take desperation to make you try a little attacking soccer.
So overall it was a disappointing night for US soccer, but not everything was bad. Read on for my individual player grades and thoughts about their possible positions in South Africa.
Grades (A is excellent, F is putrid):
The new uniforms: B+
I really like the new uniforms. The "sash" across the front is distinctive without being garish. I do wish it had a little more red highlight to it. The new "home" uniforms will be similar, only white with a "silver" sash across the front. I wish the "silver" sash was red, like the original 1950 uniforms (see earlier blog post for black-and-white pictures of that design), but I understand the "less is more" philosophy.
Starters:
GK -- Tim Howard : A
There was really nothing Howard could have done to play any better. He stopped a screaming Van der Vaart shot in the second half with an athletic lunge. He commanded the box and snuffed out attacks. He only gave up goals on a) a well-taken penalty shot and b) a crazy deflection at the top of the box. Howard is unquestionably a world-class goalkeeper and there's no reason he shouldn't be between the pipes come June.
D -- Jonathan Spector: C
Spector did some good things in this match. After a few outings for the US when he looked lost trying to defend aerial attacks, his positioning and headers were spot-on. He also was the only US defender who looked remotely comfortable on the ball, stringing a few passes together and getting forward for some crosses from the right. But Spector was also toasted a couple of times by Eljero Elia, who seemed to surprise the entire US defense with his quickness and touch. It's a safe bet that Spector will man one side of the defense in South Africa, and you could do a lot worse, but he won't exactly remind you of Paolo Maldini.
D -- Jay DeMerit: B
Although a step slow and sometimes awkward-looking, DeMerit did an admirable job in the middle of the defense. He snuffed out many attacks with timely headers and tackles. He was a liability on the ball, but not so much that you winced whenever he touched it. It's hard to say if he was any better or worse than Oguchi Onyewu, the injured player he's currently replacing, but at least he's close enough for debate. Central defense was not really a problem for us last night.
D -- Carlos Bocanegra: B+
The captain for the evening had a solid outing, plus he contributed the lone goal for the good guys. His communication with Bornstein on the right seemed a bit off all night, but I think that was just Bornstein having a nightmarish game. Bocanegra was usually in the right place at the right time, and he can make decent passes out of the back. Granted, he didn't always do it, but at least he's capable of it. His goal was a terrific header and sparked the US late in the game. Barring injury, Bocanegra will be on the field in South Africa. The only question is whether it's in his customary central role, or outside because we have a surplus of central defenders and a dearth of good outside options.
D -- Jonathan Bornstein: F
It was simply "one of those nights" for Bornstein. He couldn't do anything right. He was constantly beaten off the dribble by Arjen Robben and Eljero Elia. He was caught out of position a few times. He contributed nothing to the attack. He panicked and grabbed at Sneijder, giving up a penalty in the process. A few moments later he was incredibly fortunate not to have a second penalty called against him for an obvious handball. Was it unintentional? Probably, but it was also a clear handball in the box with nobody terribly close to him. I think the referee just felt sorry for him. That the final Dutch goal came off Bornstein's back was just unlucky, but a fitting end to his night. Bornstein is clearly not up to competing against world-class opponents. He can manage fine in MLS, and against most CONCACAF-level foes, but he will be a liability at the World Cup. Let's hope we don't have to use him.
M -- Stuart Holden: C
It's too bad Holden was felled by an awful challenge from Dutchman Nigel De Jong (a flying studs-up tackle which probably warranted a straight red card, but received only a yellow), as he was just starting to come into the game and make some positive plays. While he was out there, Holden never looked overwhelmed or out of place, he simply wasn't making much happen. He showed some good touch and had a couple of nice runs just before the injury, so I think it's fair to say he might've had a much bigger (and better) impact had he not been hurt. As far as South Africa is concerned, Holden probably did enough in this brief appearance to keep his name in the mix, but it would be a surprise to actually see him on the field in June.
M -- Michael Bradley: B
From one point of view, Bradley was the best player on the field. He hustled all over, winning the ball against all comers. His tackling was almost always superb and he avoided the crazy lunging tackles that have led to yellow cards for him in the past. His positioning was unimpeachable and his vision acute. There was just one little problem with Bradley... his touch was awful. Bradley missed pass after pass, simply giving the ball right back to the Dutch when a good ball could've started an attack. He also seemed reluctant to shoot, even when the situation called for it. While it was still a decent performance, and his place on the team is secure (and not just because he's the coach's son), Bradley left a lot on the table last night. Let's hope that maybe he just needs a new pair of shoes.
M -- Jose Torres: D-
Ugh. Look, I like Torres' skills on the ball. In the right system, or in a different environment, he might be a terrific player. But right now he's still trying to play a Mexican-league game when the conditions call for something totally different. What do I mean by that? I mean this: The Mexican league (where Torres plays, and quite well by all accounts) is built around ball possession and passing, punctuated by brief bursts of energy. The pace is relatively sedate, because you simply cannot maintain a full throttle for 90 minutes in either the altitude and smog of Mexico City, or the heat and humidity of the other locales. As a result, the game becomes more cerebral and requires a different skillset than the international game where all the players are supremely fit and the conditions usually conducive to running. In a cool Amsterdam ArenA, Torres looked like he was in slow-motion compared to the other players on the field. Passes that would probably connect in Mexico were cut off by hustling Dutch defenders, unafraid of burning out their legs. Defensive positioning that would probably be correct in Mexico was exposed by darting Dutch runs that could be repeated over and over again. Someone needs to get Torres out of the Mexican league to further develop his game, or else he needs to play only when the conditions are similar to what he faces at Necaxa.
M -- Landon Donovan: C-
Donovan didn't have a good game. He looked a little tired or tentative, and he rarely made anything happen. Honestly, I suspect he's still got his mind at Everton, where he's been playing very well for the past few weeks. Last night looked like just a job he had to get through before going back to the real games. Donovan is clearly the US' most consistently dangerous attacker, and he has to be the leader for us to be successful. He wasn't either last night, and the results speak for themselves. Hopefully, he'll be fully focused in June when the games count.
F -- Jozy Altidore: C+
While he wasn't able to make an impact, Altidore played a decent game. He did an admirable job holding onto the ball and trying to get other players involved, often while on an island up top. he cracked one excellent shot in the second half that forced a good save from the Dutch keeper. He also bamboozled one defender with a little backheel nutmeg that should've led to a shot on goal. It didn't, however, because Altidore's subsequent pass was terrible, and easily kicked away by a defender. That sums up his night. He had flashes of brilliance followed by moments of suckitude. Overall he was a positive, but we'll need more against England, Algeria, and Slovenia.
F -- Robbie Findley: D
In MLS, Findley's speed is a real weapon, one that his team Real Salt Lake used often en route to the title last season. In international play, Findley's speed is common, and his lack of complementary skills starts to show. Against the Netherlands, Findley looked like he belonged on the field, often getting to loose balls and trying to start attacks. In the end, however, he was unable to do anything with the ball or really trouble the Dutch defense. The defenders at this level of play are well-versed in dealing with speedsters, and many are themselves fleet of foot. Findley needs to add another dimension to his game before he can be considered a credible option for us in the World Cup.
Substitutes:
M -- DeMarcus Beasley: B
He came in for Holden after the latter was injured in the first half. Beasley has been struggling for fitness and playing time in Scotland, and it really showed in this game. In the first half and the first few minutes of the second, he looked lost. He scampered around plenty, but was usually out of position and completely horrendous on the ball. But with about 20 minutes left to play, the rust seemingly fell off and Beasley became one of the most dangerous players on the field. He started terrorizing the Dutch right with quick dribbles and hounding defense. He showed up in unexpected places to make plays. He assisted on Bocanegra's goal via a beautiful curling free kick. Where has this Beasley been for the last year? If the rusty DeMarcus Beasley shows up in South Africa, he shouldn't see the field. But if he can somehow bottle those last 20 minutes and play that way for a full game, we'd be idiots to not play him as much as possible.
M -- Maurice Edu: B-
Edu was a huge improvement over Torres, but that's almost damning with faint praise. Edu came in for the second half and held his own. His defense was adequate, but his passing and dribbling still leaves a lot to be desired. He was a positive on the night, though, and his efforts down the stretch were a key part of the US surge. Edu is still pretty young and could grow into a truly great player, but probably not in time for this summer. This summer, we'd be OK playing him in midfield, but we shouldn't expect too much.
F/M -- Alejandro Bedoya: B-
This was the first time I've ever seen Bedoya play, and I have to say I was intrigued. He didn't scare the Dutch defense, but he also held onto the ball better than any other of our forwards and made some smart passes. He tried to link up with Donovan and Altidore, and those combinations were the first signs of life our offense had all night. He moved to midfield late in the game, and seemed to have less impact there. I'd like to see some more of him, and he might have a role as either a withdrawn forward or a pure target man.
D -- Heath Pearce: C
Was largely invisible, even considering the brief time he was out there. He may deserve some small blame for the second Dutch goal, as he was nowhere in the picture while the Netherlands had multiple forwards at the top of the box. But really his job was to clamp down on the wings, and he seemed to do that. Also, defense is where you WANT your players to be largely invisible. That means your forwards and midfielders are constantly on the ball. Pearce may be on the roster in South Africa, but it would be a surprise to see him play much.
F -- Eddie Johnson: D+
Eddie Johnson is simply a slightly older Robbie Findley. At low levels of soccer, his speed and athleticism are enough to make him a dangerous attacker. Against the best teams, however, he's just another guy. Against the Netherlands he ran around and got near the ball a few times, but did virtually nothing with it. He won't scrap and fight for garbage goals, and the defenders are too good at this level to give him a lot of breakaways. At this point, it's pretty clear that Johnson will never develop into a truly great player. He'll always be a fallback option against lesser sides, and he'll probably have a fine career bouncing around second-tier leagues (he's currently doing OK in Greece), but we have to look for other options in the World Cup.
D -- Clarance Goodson: NG
He only saw 8 minutes of game time, and his only contribution of note was a desperate bicycle-esque attempt on goal during a corner kick. He looked OK, but I don't want to grade him on such limited exposure. He may be in South Africa, but we have several big central defenders already on the roster, and I'm not sure Goodson brings anything new to the table.
That's it for now. Feel free to comment below and add your own thoughts and grades. I'll have another post up sooner or later, so come back some time!
SAH
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