Player Ratings: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Canada

After each match the contributors to New England Soccer Today will rate the performances of the United States National Team players who made an appearance on a 1 to 10 scale (1 horrendous, 5 average, 10 perfection). This week Sean Donahue and Julian Cardillo contributed ratings for the USA’s 0-0 draw with Canada.

Tim Howard – Average Rating: 6 (Sean 6, Julian 6)
Relatively easy night, but did what was needed and distribution was good. (Sean) … Did all he was asked to do, made some basic to moderately difficult saves. (Julian)

Edgar Castillo – Average Rating: 5.25 (Sean 5, Julian 5.5)
Mixed performance. Some good runs, but also some issues defensively. (Sean) … Liked to drift into attack, though he often did so aimlessly. (Julian)

Carlos Bocanegra – Average Rating: 5.25 (Sean 5.5, Julian 5)
Missed another dangerous header off a free kick. Otherwise wasn’t test much. (Sean) … Passing out of the back was average, and he failed to do better on some set pieces. Not a bad job pairing with Goodson though. (Julian)

Clarence Goodson – Average Rating: 6.5 (Sean 6.5, Julian 6.5)
Used his height to good effect when Canada tried some route one long ball efforts. Proved an effective partner for Bocanegra and had an excellent, powerful header that nearly won the game for the U.S. (Sean) … Stood tall all game, worked well with Bocanegra and Onyewu and cleaned up a lot of messes. Good header late in the game. (Julian)

Steve Cherundulo – Average Rating: 5.25 (Sean 5, Julian 5.5)
Unusually quiet night. Wasn’t test much defensively and involvement in the attack was less than normal. (Sean) … Not a bad job defending, but couldn’t join into the attack like he usually does. (Julian)

Jose Torres – Average Rating: 5 (Sean 5, Julian 5)
Set pieces were solid and was active early, but largely ineffective in the run of play for most of his time on the field. (Sean) … Still can’t figure out Torres role. Likes to take those long strides way too often and as a result didn’t do much when he had the ball in an offensive position. (Julian)

Jermaine Jones – Average Rating: 4.25 (Sean 4.5, Julian 4)
Good effort, at times, to get forward into the box, but too many turnovers. Didn’t make much of an impact from his spot in midfield and picked up his typical yellow card. (Sean) … Subpar night from Jones. Seemed to have a temper and was one step too slow too often. (Julian)

Michael Bradley – Average Rating: 5 (Sean 5, Julian 5)
Didn’t have as much of an impact on the offense without Maurice Edu behind him, but managed to keep the play going and limited turnovers. (Sean) … Had a good set piece late on and did okay to clean up the center of the field, but was pinned too far back to be the engine the USA needed him to be. (Julian)

Landon Donovan – Average Rating: 4.5 (Sean 5, Julian 4)
Invisible at times, but did have a nice combination with Dempsey and a quality cross to Jones early. (Sean) … Played way to wide. Not enough involvement in the thick of the action. Didn’t run or create much. (Julian)

Clint Dempsey – Average Rating:  5.75 (Sean 6, Julian 5.5)
Completed an impressive 92% of his passes despite a clear effort by Canada to mark him tightly. Looked dangerous from the run of play and a set piece early. Faded in the second half and doesn’t seem quite 90 minutes fit yet after recovering from his injury. (Sean) … Not a bad job by Dempsey to make some clever passes and get into the attack, but he was very tightly marked. (Julian)

Herculez Gomez – Average Rating: 4 (Sean 4, Julian 4)
First touch continues to let him down. Often isolated up top and doesn’t seem comfortable as the lone forward. (Sean) … His first touch kept him from making the most of his chances and he didn’t really seem to have a clear role. (Julian)

(sub) Oguchi Onyewu – Average Rating: 4.75 (Sean 5.5, Julian 4)
Toronto started to take their foot off the gas a bit shortly after he came on, but played strong and smart in his final 28 minutes. (Sean) … Struggled to cover his men after coming on. (Julian)

(sub) Jozy Altidore – Average Rating: 4 (Sean 4, Julian 4)
Didn’t see much of the ball, but would’ve liked to have seen more of an impact from Altidore in his 28 minutes. (Sean) … Didn’t do much to link up with Dempsey and didn’t make many runs when he needed to. (Julian)

(sub)  Maurice Edu – Average Rating: 5 (Sean 5, Julian 5)
Solid performance for 17 minutes, but not enough to change the game. (Sean) … Came on a little late to be a general in midfield. (Julian)

(sub) Chris Wondolowski – Average Rating: N/A (Sean N/A, Julian 4. 5)
Did he see the ball in his ten minutes? Not enough time or given a chance to make an impact. (Sean) … Did not had much to the game after coming on, maybe could have done more had he come in earlier. (Julian)

(sub) Michael Parkhurst – Average Rating: N/A (Sean N/A, Julian 5)
Tried to use his fresh legs to get forward, but not enough time to make an impact. (Sean) … Not sure he belongs at right back, but you have to applaud him for drifting into the attack. Undressed by DeRo late on. (Julian)