Sure, the night time belonged to Landon Donovan, however as soon as we acquired previous the forty first minute it grew to become a unique recreation of soccer. The battle is on for spots with the U.S. nationwide staff, and Blake Thomsen has our rankings.
BY
Blake Thomsen
Posted
October 11, 2014
9:35 AM
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STARTERS
Brad Guzan: Guzan performed fairly effectively earlier than conceding late to Enner Valencia’s violently dipping, knuckling, long-range effort. The temptation is to dock him for being so wrong-footed by the strike, however it could have taken a unprecedented effort to maintain out Valencia’s blockbuster, so we received’t let that fully overshadow his glorious opening 85 minutes. Ranking: 6
Timothy Chandler: As is commonly the case with Chandler, we acquired a wholesome dose of high quality but in addition a troubling error. Towards Ecuador, it was a really poor problem on a counterattack that almost gifted the South People a objective, if not for a high save from Guzan. On the optimistic facet, Chandler usually defended effectively and likewise acquired ahead to good impact. He almost assisted Jozy Altidore with a superb cross, and a mazy run may have received him a penalty with a stricter referee. Ranking: 6
Michael Orozco: I questioned Orozco’s inclusion on this week’s ASN podcast, however the regular defender had a robust recreation earlier than his withdrawal on the hour mark. It’s laborious to see him incomes severe minutes at middle again shifting ahead, however his consistency and flexibility will doubtless maintain him within the image. Ranking: 6.5
John Brooks: Contemplating he’s been miles away from the Hertha Berlin first staff, Brooks performed reasonably effectively when rust would have been comprehensible. His positioning left somewhat to be desired at instances, however all in all it was one other positive efficiency from a person with an enormous nationwide staff future. Ranking: 6
Greg Garza: Garza was one of many stars of the night time for the U.S., doing his job equally effectively within the attacking and defensive thirds of the sphere. He seems exceptionally snug for somebody with simply two U.S. caps. It’s definitely early, however the Membership Tijuana common seems to have nearly as good of an opportunity as anybody to lock down the left again spot for years to come back. Ranking: 7
Alejandro Bedoya: As all the time, Bedoya labored very laborious defensively and was usually tidy together with his passing. Just a few giveaways in his personal defensive half took somewhat shine off an in any other case stable 60 minutes. Ranking: 5.5
Combine Diskerud: Diskerud is actually beginning to come into his personal for the U.S., and he put collectively a whole efficiency in opposition to Ecuador. His well-taken fifth-minute objective was the apparent spotlight, however maybe as spectacular was the consistency with which he picked out glorious ahead balls to Altidore and others larger up the pitch. He even did his share of defensive work, tackling and intercepting effectively on a number of events. Ranking: 8
DeAndre Yedlin: Yedlin’s meteoric rise doesn’t appear to be it’ll be slowing down anytime quickly. Making his first U.S. begin (that appears not possible, doesn’t it?), Yedlin starred in a proper midfield function, a place which appears to spotlight his strengths and downplay his weaknesses. His composed help to Diskerud caught the attention early, and his forays down the fitting had been a thorn in Ecuador’s facet all night time lengthy. Maybe his finest second was an explosive inside run that culminated in a nifty by way of ball into Altidore, which almost resulted in a second help for the younger Sounder. Ranking: 8
Joe Gyau: We will solely hope that studies suggesting that Gyau’s knee harm is only a sprain are correct. The Dortmund winger appeared vigorous earlier than a really early harm withdrawal. Ranking: Incomplete
Jozy Altidore: Harsh critics will level out Altidore’s failure to chest down and shoot on a second-half likelihood (he as a substitute opted to move it throughout the face of objective), however specializing in that missed alternative takes away from a superb total night time. With extra medical ending from Landon Donovan and Joe Corona, he may have had two assists, each by way of excellent passes. He held the ball up effectively all night time, and it’s a disgrace he didn’t come away with a objective or help. Ranking: 7
Landon Donovan: Donovan performed a stable 41 minutes, almost scoring on an instinctive header earlier than cruelly hanging the within of the publish minutes later. He additionally performed an enormous half within the buildup for Diskerud’s objective, operating and crossing effectively to the again publish. However does any of that actually matter? Tonight was a celebration, and it appeared like Donovan and the 30,000+ followers loved each minute of it. Ranking: LegenD
SUBSTITUTES
Bobby Wooden: Soccer is a humorous previous recreation. Had Wooden scored (or assisted) the 94th minute winner when it appeared inevitable, we’d be praising his contributions. As a substitute, we’re left to rue his indecisive play with the sport on the road reasonably than heralding his sensible contact and cross that so almost led to a Yedlin objective within the first half. After that second of magic, he combined the nice and the dangerous on an intriguing second cap. Ranking: 5
Joe Corona: Corona’s high quality was evident, by way of his imaginative and prescient and off-ball motion, however it didn’t actually occur for him by way of decisive contributions. His hesitant (and in the end blocked) shot from Altidore’s glorious by way of ball left a lot to be desired, and a foul giveaway early within the second half almost led to an Ecuador objective. Ranking: 5.5
Alredo Morales: Morales adopted up a robust cameo in opposition to the Czech Republic with one other business-like efficiency in entrance of the again 4. He hasn’t performed something that’s too awe inspiring but, however he seems like one who may stick round for a very long time. Ranking: 6
Tim Ream: Ream appeared snug from the second he got here on, blocking an early Ecuador effort (which was wrongly awarded as a objective kick) earlier than producing the play of the day for a U.S. defender on a superb recovering block. He may do nothing about Valencia’s ridiculous long-range strike, which comfortably cleared the six-foot-one middle again earlier than dipping violently into the far nook. Ranking: 6.5
Omar Gonzalez: Some shaky play made Gonzalez an enormous query mark forward of the World Cup, however he has excelled for membership and nation ever since his colossal World Cup debut in opposition to Germany. Tonight he additional confirmed his standing as a first-choice middle again shifting ahead. Ranking: 6.5
Chris Wondolowski: Ecuador dominated the portion of the sport that Wondo performed, and he hardly noticed the ball. Ranking: Incomplete
THE COACH
Jurgen Klinsmann: Klinsmann once more acquired his staff to assault, particularly within the first 60 minutes earlier than the U.S.’s rhythm was upset by a slew of substitutions. Three factors would have been good, however he can’t do a lot to account for some U.S. wastefulness in entrance of objective. Ranking: 6.5
OK, these are our rankings. Now we need to see yours. It is easy with our interactive Participant Scores device. Do it.
Blake Thomsen is a frequent ASN contributor. Comply with him on Twitter and let him know what you assume.
