From Bradley to Onyewu, how the U.S. players rated
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Jun 14, 2012
[USA SPOTLIGHT] The USA wrapped up its five international with the second of two World Cup 2014 qualifiers on Tuesday night. How did the 23 players Jurgen Klinsmann brought in for the series rate?
Based on the Soccer America Report Cards compiled by its editors after each game, Michael Bradley (6.2) had the highest average, followed by Fabian Johnson, Landon
Donovan and Clint Dempsey (all 6.0). Of those players who played three or more games, Oguchi Onyewu (4.0) had the
lowest average.
Bradley and Donovan had the highest ratings in any game with 9s against Scotland in the 5-1 that opened the series.
Bradley's ratings dropped as the series
went along, though, from an average of 7.0 for the three friendlies to 5.0 for the two qualifiers.
Dempsey, Jermaine Jones and Carlos Bocanegra were the only players to play both qualifiers and have higher average ratings in them than in the three friendlies.
Onyewu had the two
lowest ratings with 3s against both Brazil and Antigua & Barbuda. Besides Onyewu, the only other regulars to average below 5.0 were Jozy Altidore (4.3) and
Maurice Edu (4.6).
U.S. PLAYER RATINGS
| Goalkeepers | SCO | BRA | CAN | A&B | GUA | Average |
| Tim Howard | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5.2 |
| Brad Guzan | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5.0 |
| Nick Rimando | -- | -- | -- | -- |
-- | -- |
| Defenders |
SCO | BRA | CAN | A&B | GUA | Average |
| Fabian Johnson | 6 | 7 | -- | -- | 5 | 6.0 |
| Clarence Goodson | -- | -- | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5.7 |
| Geoff Cameron | 5 | -- | -- | -- | 6 | 5.5 |
| Carlos Bocanegra | 6 | 4 | 5 |
6 | 6 | 5.4 |
| Steve Cherundolo | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5.2 |
| Edgar Castillo | 5 | NR | 4 | -- | -- | 4.5 |
| Oguchi Onyewu | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | -- | 4.0 |
| Michael Parkhurst | -- | 4 | NR | -- |
-- | 4.0 |
| Midfielders | SCO | BRA | CAN | A&B | GUA | Average |
| Michael Bradley | 9 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6.2 |
| Landon Donovan | 9 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 6.0 |
| Clint Dempsey | -- | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6.0 |
| Jermaine Jones | 8 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5.8 |
| Jose Torres | 7 | 4 | 5 | 6 | -- | 5.5 |
| Kyle Beckerman | 5 | NR | -- | -- | NR | 5.0 |
| Joe Corona | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5.0 |
| Maurice Edu | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4.6 |
| Forwards | SCO | BRA | CAN | A&B | GUA | Average |
| Herculez Gomez | 6 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 5.8 |
| Terrence Boyd | 5 | 5 | -- | 4 | -- | 4.7 |
| Jozy Altidore | -- | -- | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4.3 |
| Chris Wondolowski | -- | -- | NR | -- | -- | -- |
Onyewu is the worst defender in the history of the USA...why is he still playing? I have no idea, former coach Bradley and present coach Klinsmann must be "blind or incompetent", because this kid is simply not good at all!!!!!
Admittedly I'm biased, but Clarence Goodson was the best player the U.S. had whenever he was on the field.
Onyewu the worst in history? What a ridiculously stupid and offensive overstatement. Obviously you haven't watched much USA soccer if you can't remember the nightmare teams of the '70s and '80s, more recent players like Gregg Berhalter, Carlos Llamosa and David Regis, or present-day disasters like Bornstein, Pearce and Orozco. Before his injury, Onyewu actually had the potential to be the best US central defender ever, better than Pope or Balboa. Obviously the knee has wrecked his game and he can't do the job, but there's no reason to slander the guy.
Mike....you are spot on with your Onyewu comments. Pre knee injury, Onyewu was off to Italy to probably become one of the best center backs the US had ever produced. Post knee...he just does not seem to have the mobility to get it done anymore. If his knee is geting better he needs to find game minutes in less important games....THAT is a coaching problem....not a player problem.
Mike is right prior to his knee problems and I mean problems in plural(he had a couple) he was a stalwart in the back line one might say even better or often better than Bocanegra. Leave the guy alone and let him retire in honor as it seems that he no longer has the savoir-faire. But in the US we do not shoot the players with a wrecked knees like the horses with lame ankles!He has done his service for the USMNT.
Agree with Gaines, having friends that played with Oneywu during the (Adolfo Gregorio,Raul Rivera, Steve Cronin, DJ Countess) U-17 and U-20's youth national team, you cannot make those squads and not be talented. Although his knee injury has hampered his career with the national team during the last 3-4 years,you will not find a more accomplished defender present or past that has been to some of the top European leagues than Oneywu.
I imagine you thought Gooch was good when he was taking on Borgetti.
Mike and Eric I agree with you regarding the Onyewu situation. He was a great centre half before he had the knee problem, but I was astonished and angry when Klinsmann brought him on against A&B as he is clearly not playing well right now and there were plenty of better options. I also agree with the comment above about Goodson, he seems to be improving with every game, it was just a pity he got a silly yellow card and had to be subbed out of his last game. Cameron is worthy of a start as well and can consider himself unlucky to have conceded that own goal. My bigger concern is what has happened to Landon? He was GREAT against Scotland and has been pretty poor by his own high standards ever since. I would like to see Beckerman get more playing time and Jones and Edu get less! Gomez is also well worth his place and everytime Klinsmann subs him out the attack looks far less effective. Give him 90 minutes please Jurgen!!! I don't get what all the hype is about with Fabian Johnson. To me he looks like a left winger who hasn't got a clue how to play left back! What does Todd Dunivant have to do to get considered for the left back spot? He is and has always been an outstanding left back!!
Mike Gaire, I agree with you on Gomez, and I share your defensive concerns about Johnson, although I love his attacking ability. I don't share your positive assessments of Beckerman and Cameron, however... I think they're ordinary MLS players who are sub-ordinary internationals, and destined for bench spots (at best) when Stuart Holden gets healthy and assumes his rightful place in front of Bradley in the US midfield. As for Dunivant, I have always considered him the best defensive LB in the US, and I called for him repeatedly during the catastrophic Bornstein/Pearce days, but the fact is that a modern international outside back must be able to attack -- overlap, beat people off the dribble and get to the middle, or get to the end line and cut the ball back as Johnson did for Gomez' goal against Brazil. Think Philip Lahm, Marcelo, Patrice Evra, Leighton Baines. Dunivant doesn't have that ability. He can cross the ball, but he can't drive an attack. That's what JK wants, and that's why I don't think Dunivant will get the call.
Onyewu (Gooche)has ALWAYS been one of my favorite players. Alas,his days are numbered on the USMNT.
Agree with all. Gooch had his time in the sun for the US, but it ended on a rainy DC night. If he can't finish climbing back from injury, I hope he has the sense to pull himself out (a la Agoos) before he over plays and ruins his rep by playing in one too many WC(a la Lalas).
Guys, Onuewu suffered a terrible injury before he went to Italy and nearly a year before the World Cup and was not quite back to his former self then. Since then he made progress and was back to playing very well, until he injured his knee again and a surgery ended his season early. Klinsmann was being overly hopeful to even bring him into camp after the time off, but that is not Gooch's fault. He was never the most skilled player, but few could destroy an attack and win positional battles to defend as well as he. I hope he once again regains the mobility to be all he was. Those who claim he is no good or is washed-up shame on you! Anyone with a sense of decency would wish him well and hope he will regain his athleticism.
I wish I thought that was a possibility, Dennis. Unfortunately, at age 30 after such serious injury problems, it seems highly unlikely.