Fit to be Tied
Just like the game against Italy in WC 2006!
A gritty USA Men’s National Team held off a talented Argentina side yesterday at a hot and muggy Giants Stadium and The Far Post was there!
Picture Pages, Picture Pages / Time to get your Picture Pages / Time to get your crayons / And your Pencils! More pictures!
Playa Ratings
Everyone else is doin’ them so we thought we would!
Starting 12:
- Tim Howard: 10. Dude is a flat out baller. Whilst Messi and Julio Cruz were running by the USA’s defenders and mids in the first 15 minutes, Howard was there to protect the honor!
- Steve Cherundolo: 6. He made good recoveries when he was beat. Didn’t give up any silly fouls close to the box. Needs to work on his crossing and height (grin).
- Oguchi Onyewu: 6. Solid, but inspired preformance. Worked well with Califf and didn’t give up many dumb fouls near the box. Needs work on his lateral movement - anyone quick can just side-step him and he’ll struggle to keep up.
- Danny Califf: 6. Solid night from a guy that usually isn’t in the line-up. Held strong against great attacking players — he’s too good to be in the Danish league.
- Heath Pearce: 8. Great night. Was solid defensively and got forward as necessary. Delivered a great cross in the second half that should have resulted in a goal. He should be regular starter for Hansa Rostock now that the club is in level 2 Bundesliga.
- Michael Bradley: 4. Dude was tired. Probably shouldn’t have started. He played well, but looked sluggish and mentally tired. I don’t like to see him pared with another D-mid. I’d rather seem him play behind an A-Mid like Freddy or a Donovan.
- Pablo Mastroeni: 5. Wasn’t agressive enough in the first half. In the second half he was much better. He knows his role and is effective. (Note: I’ve never liked Pablo’s game. So this is high praise from me.)
- Clint Dempsey: 5. Solid, but uninspired. Probably gassed like many of the euro-based guys that regularly started for their clubs.
- Landon Donovan: 8. The only real attacking threat on the team. (Someday he’ll convince me staying in MLS was right. For now, I still say he should be in Portuguese Liga.)
- DaMarcus Beasley: 7. Really good night from Beas. Did lots of work off the ball. Was a solid defender on the wings.
- Eddie Johnson: 4. He isn’t as bad as peeps like to think. But his role is to attack and score and he’s not doing it. After these qualifiers, I’d like to seem him off the US roster until he’s scoring for Fulham (note: any one can score at Fuhlam - the ladies are easy there!)
- Julio Cruz: 9. The USA’s best player. If not for his inability to get a shot past Howard the US would have been blown out.
Subs:
- Jay DeMerit: 5. Solid minutes, especially when the US was down a man.
- Maurice Edu: 6. I’m a big Edu fan. He was a valuable addition to the midfield in the second half.
- Freddy Adu: 6. I’ve always cheered for Freddy, not against him. I think he belongs on the Senior Team and felt he added some positive energy to the second half.
- Sacha Kljestan: 5. Dude is solid. But he needed to finish that breakaway play late in the second half.
- Eddie Lewis: NR Eddie Lewis should conduct a crossing clinic. ‘Dolo, Dempsey, and other must attend.
- Frankie Hejduk: 11. Hey-Dude goes to 11. So what if he’s not “talented” or “good.” Why you gotta be all uptight and label him, man? Just relax and go with it, baby!
It was a great game. But it also reminded us of this day.
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