MLS All-Star Player Ratings: Few impressed

• by Ridge Mahoney  @ridgemax, Jul 28, 2011

[MLS ALL-STARS REPORT CARD] Last year, Manchester United beat the MLS All-Stars, 5-2. This time Man United thumped them, 4-0, Wednesday night before 26,760 fans at Red Bull Arena. Soccer America's Ridge Mahoney grades the 22 players who represented MLS. ...

MLS ALL-STAR PLAYER RATINGS
(MLS 0, Manchester United 4)
Starters
Rating Player (Club)
6 Faryd Mondragon (Philadelphia Union). Thwarted Wayne Rooney with a good save, commanded his penalty area, and wasn’t to blame on the two goals United scored before he departed at halftime.

3 Sean Franklin (LA Galaxy). Schooled by Ji-Sung Park, who twisted past him to fire a shot just inside the far post for United’s second goal just before halftime. He won very few tackles and left gaps on his flank.

6 Jamison Olave (Real Salt Lake). Patrolled the middle confidently until suffering a knee injury that forced him off the field

4 Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls). Hit a few good passes over distance but also passed the ball twice to opponents in his defensive third of the field. He allowed Anderson space to score by tracking Dimitar Berbatov on first Manchester United goal, and was out of sync with Geoff Cameron when he stepped up to challenge as Wayne Rooney played ball for Dimitar Berbatov to score.

4 Bobby Convey (San Jose Earthquakes). Drawn into foolish midfield challenge in buildup to United’s first goal. Often seemed lost deciding whether he was a left mid or left back, and seldom got the better of Park in their duels. Unable to cross effectively.

5 Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution). Tackled and covered solidly in the middle but because of sporadic All-Star possessions after the first few minutes didn’t find opportunities to get forward.

6 David Beckham (LA Galaxy). Tested the United keepers several times with bending shots and crosses while playing centrally and often dropping deep to initiate plays. He sprayed the ball to good spots with typically accurate passes, and was also careless with the ball on occasion in dangerous areas.

5 Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo). Took a three left-footed shots from medium range; one missed the target, two others were saved. Unable to work effective combinations when Convey overlapped, and his influence waned as United took command of midfield.

4 Omar Cummings (Colorado Rapids). Tried both flanks, more often on the right, with limited effect. Ran at defenders with the ball and didn’t get the call twice when tripped up as he lost possession. Won a free kick the All-Stars couldn’t take advantage of. Put a shot on goal in the opening minutes.

3 Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls). Accorded space at times by United that he couldn’t exploit, Henry’s link-up efforts with Omar Bravo and the midfield usually ran aground. He botched a great opportunity on a ball hit to him from long-range by Beckham and let it bounce over the end line for a goal kick. Played a ball that Davis put on frame.

4 Omar Bravo (Sporting Kansas City). His acumen and acceleration caused United some problems, but he squandered his best two scoring opportunities, including the rebound of a saved Chris Wondolowski shot that he fired a yard wide of the far post. Nice through ball set up Omar Cummings for a shot that was saved.

Substitutes
4 Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo). Pressed into emergency service when Olave hobbled off, Cameron broke up a few plays with decisive tackles, yet also permitted Berbatov to beat him to a long ball and then score on the rebound off the crossbar. He used the ball well on several occasions. United’s final goal deflected off him. Closed ground to deny Danny Wellbeck a point-blank chance after misplaying the initial pass.

5 Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes). Nailed a hard left-footed shot that caromed off the keeper for Bravo to put wide, and sent a nice ball up the right flank that Jack Jewsbury squared for Nick LaBrocca to shoot over the bar.

5 Jack Jewsbury (Portland Timbers). Ran down the right wing to center ball that Nick LaBrocca fired high from close range, teamed up with Juan Agudelo to win a corner, earned another corner with a shot that took a deflection.

4 Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake). A nice touch from Beckerman helped set up the shot that Wondolowski hit on frame. He won balls with his tackles but had more trouble shutting off lanes and anticipating the next pass.

4 Heath Pearce (Chivas USA). His poor passing hampered the All-Stars’ attempts to keep possession and launch attacks, and while he won the ball a few times, he also gave it right back. Stood up Evra on occasion but also lost duels to him and others.

5 Nick LaBrocca (Chivas USA). His range and energy livened up the All-Stars’ midfield. He raced through from a deep position to first-time a Jewsbury square ball over the bar. His poor attempt at a tackle gave Wellbeck space to score a deflected goal.

4 Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo). The keeper was stranded in no-man’s land when Berbatov’s lob hit the crossbar and couldn’t react in time to the carom. Marooned without a chance on deflected goal.

5 Corey Ashe (Houston Dynamo). Like Convey -- a midfielder converted to left back -- Ashe brought strength and bite to his defending and showed good wheels running withNani down the line.

NR Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City). Bad giveway marred an otherwise competent performance in the final minutes.

NR Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls). Lost his balance going one-v-one with Phil Jones near the endline but still won a corner kick.

NR Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC). Cleaned up a few plays easily after flying from Panama following Tuesday night Concacaf match.

(1-low; 5=average; 10=high.)