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

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 Brian O’Connell and Sean Donahue contributed ratings for the USA’s 4-0 loss to Spain.

Tim Howard – Average Rating: 3.75 (Brian 3.5, Sean 4)
Little he could do on the ones that got through, but poor distribution and communication with his backs didn’t help his cause. (Brian) … Howard made a couple of nice plays and there was little he could do on any of Spain’s goals, but his distribution was lacking. (Sean)

Eric Lichaj – Average Rating: 3.5 (Brian 3, Sean 4)
Wrong player for the wrong game. Couldn’t keep up with Spain’s speedy wingers, although he can’t be entirely faulted for being sent out to the wrong position. (Brian) … Struggled with Spain’s crafty midfielders and was beat quite a few times. (Sean)

Jonathan Spector – Average Rating: 3.25 (Brian 3, Sean 3.5)
One word: SLOW. And in a game where the Spanish burned down the flanks, Spector got torched often. (Brian) … Two of Spain’s goals game off crosses from his flank. Struggled to contain Silva all night and looked lost when moved to right midfield in the second half. (Sean)

Oguchi Onyewu – Average Rating: 3.5 (Brian 3, Sean 4)
Non-factor…for the Yanks. For the Spanish? They must have salivated when they saw the immobile center back on the pitch. (Brian) … Hard to fault Onyewu for too much directly, but he was a bit invisible out there. Could’ve used more leadership from him however with the young defenders around him. (Sean)

Tim Ream – Average Rating: 2.75 (Brian 2.5, Sean 3)
Worst performance I’ve seen from a center back during the Bob Bradley years. Exploited often and blindsided on the first two goals. (Brian) … Outmuscled, outpaced and out of position several times in the match. Not a good game for the young center back. (Sean)

Robbie Rogers – Average Rating: 3.75 (Brian 3.5, Sean 4)
First half shot was one of the few looks at goal in the game. Otherwise, indecisive and tried to do far too much. (Brian) … Scuffed the U.S. one change in the first half and otherwise had a pretty quiet game. (Sean)

Sacha Kljestan – Average Rating: 3.75 (Brian 3.5, Sean 4)
Too busy dropping back to add much to any ideas of an attack. Quality on the ball wasn’t great on the rare instances that he had it. (Brian) … Looked a bit better in the second half, but should’ve done better with his breakaway opportunity. (Sean)

Jermaine Jones – Average Rating: 3 (Brian 3, Sean 3)
Passes were off, communication was off, in fact, nearly everything was off for Jones. (Brian) … U.S. was overrun in the midfield in the first half and Jones could do little to stop it. (Sean)

Maurice Edu – Average Rating: 3.25 (Brian 3, Sean 3.5)
Didn’t even realize he was on the pitch until he was substituted for in the second half. Added nothing positive. (Brian) … Only marginally better than Jones. (Sean)

Jozy Altidore – Average Rating: 3.75 (Brian 3.5, Sean 4)
Put in a three-man striker set only set him up for failure. Smothered out of the game. (Brian) … Rarely saw the ball and was covered in defenders most of the first half. (Sean)

Juan Agudelo – Average Rating: 4 (Brian 4, Sean 4)
Hard to fault him for not getting any looks, but didn’t give his teammates a great target on the few occasions the Yanks had possession. (Brian) … Struggled to find any space in the attacking third. (Sean)

(sub) Steve Cherundolo – Average Rating: 4.5 (Brian 4, Sean 5)
Nice to see some life from back, but was victimized on the fourth goal. (Brian) … Active second half and looked dangerous going forward, though he was often quickly covered by multiple defenders. (Sean)

(sub) Clarence Goodson – Average Rating: 3.75 (Brian 3.5, Sean 4)
Lucky to avoid the Spanish onslaught seen in the first frame. Wasn’t tested often. (Brian) … Quiet second half as Spain was less on the attack, but could’ve done more on Torres’ goal. (Sean)

(sub) Clint Dempsey – Average Rating: 4.75 (Brian 4.5 , Sean 5)
Made some nice runs and gave the attack a solid option up top. (Brian) … Added some spark to the U.S. attack after halftime, though he may have been better off playing the ball quicker on a few occasions. (Sean)

(sub) Michael Bradley– Average Rating: 4.5 (Brian 4, Sean 5)
Actually did something on the ball the final passes were lacking. Added what little life the attack had in the second half. (Brian) … Combined well going forward and provided a steadying presence in the center of the midfield. (Sean)

(sub) Chris Wondolowski – Average Rating: 3.5 (Brian 3, Sean 4)
Didn’t see enough of the ball. Combined well on the few occasion, but also didn’t provide a great target. (Sean)

(sub) Alejandro Bedoya– Average Rating: 3.25 Brian 3, Sean 3.5)
Had a chance to pull one back in the 78^th, but donkey footed the pass and watched Iker Casillas collect it before the threat dissipated. (Brian) … Blew a potential breakaway with a horrible touch late in the game and didn’t add much otherwise. (Sean)