On April 1st USA gave Trinidad and Tobago a sound beating. They dominated the game, especially in the midfield. Their game plan (which was fully executed) was to attack the wingbacks and move the ball in the midfield. Trinidad and Tobago showed that their team consisted of players at different skill levels.
A report on each player:
Clayton Once - Safe hands throughout most of the game. Good distribution of the ball, yet had an inexcusable lapse in concentration to allow the last goal. No excuses, cause that goal may come back to haunt us.
Anthony Wolfe - Poor game. I hope that experiment is over. He had no clue and one could tell that he had no experience how to defend the overlapping wingback. (Beasley) I blame this on the coach. If i was the coach, i would have called Yohance Marshall and Julius James and experiment with them when they arrived in Nashville. Simply because Marshall plays with Donovan everyday and James plays against him.
Kenyo Thomas - I personally don't think he is a good player, But on that night he WAS EXTRA BAD . Lost alot of head balls to Altidore, When he won the head balls the were off, poor marking skills, poor positioning as a defender ( on the second goal when Donovan went out wide, he left the middle of the defense causing it stretch and allowing Altidore an easy path through the middle). He is a laborer, with no skill. He can't play wit the ball at his feet.
Dennis Lawrence - Had the best game out of all the defenders. Won all the head balls, played well with the ball, and kept with the strikers. However, he lost concentration in the game and lost his marker. A huge part to this was because the wingbacks were exploited and the drew him out. Ok game tallman
A. Edwards - Please make a count of this stat if you look at highlights of the game. He passed the ball to the US team, either in throw-ins or passes 21 times. His lack of experience showed. He did not learn from his mistakes during the game, which is a bad sign. The US did not play with a right-wing essentially, and used Frankie Hejduk to bring in crosses. He crossed in the ball passed Edwards over 10-15 times. That is horrible. He never forced him to bo back. He could not string a proper pass together. He allowed Altidore to get on the inside and muscle his way to the first goal. But i guess in defence force, he is a big defender or a big player. As a player, i think his confidence was low after the first goal and Ince and company were yelling at him all game. Looked extremely uneasy before the game.
C. Edwards. I think his class was over the rest. His runs were well-timed. He came back to help the defence. He needs alot of help from his midfield to be effective. Due to Chris Birchall's fear of receiving the ball, he was forced to play in the middle at times, more than he should. Not the best crosser, but whats new. Put alot of pressure on Beasley and played very sensibly and within his game. He was fired up for that game.
Chris Birchall - I did not think he played worst that he really does. He was exposed during the game, to what his game really is. He was avoiding his role to receive the ball from the defenders. (please watch the clips) He did not check towards the ball to receive it. He tried defensively, but that is not good enough, because in today's game all defensive midfielders distribute the ball (Marco Sena, Andrea Pirlo, Micheal Carrick). He feeds off the other midfielders like Yorke, Latapy even Theobald and let's them retrieve the ball and he sits. That night, it was his job and he could not do it. His touch is not the best but he is a good guy. I think he got sub'ed because he did not get the ball. Chris i know you will probably read this but you should work on your attacking part of the game. Look to receive te ball from the defence more, this will help the team.
Leon - Did not play sensibly. Was, like Birchall inexistent. Hid from getting the ball. poor positioning and supporting the strikers. He did not string any good passes. However, defensively, i thought he was good at closing the midfielders down. Yet, he lost the battle...
Daniel - Showed he had class, but like Carlos, needed elp from the center midfielders. He is a player that works best with the ball played to him in a one v one position. However, because the center midfielders lacked the ability to go get the ball, he had the ball around the half-line and as such was ineffective. He needed to help Edwards more, but i dont know what the coach told him about defending.
Jones - I think he was good. Once again, he need alot of help from the midfield. Won alot of flick-ons but John, did not help the case. Moreover, when he held the ball up, he had no midfielders to lay it off to. Picture how attacking he would be if he had the crosses Frankie Hejduk gave.
John - I am a fan of 69 Goals, and i probably saw 40 of the goals fisrt hand. Over the last year, he lived on his past accolades but today, i think his time should be numbered. People say experience counts, but not as a foward. Performance counts. I know that people make mistakes, but when he received the call from Carlos, and he could not take it down it was embarrasing. I went to practice today and my American teamates thought that it was the most embarassing thing as well. To bring a ball down with his left foot? That is embarassing. That opportunity was a sure goal, cause had he taken it down it would have been a 2v1 for TandT. What he does best is holding up the ball and bringing it down. I like that about him. I hope he perfoms better in the future. I hate the attitude that he has, when for example A. Edwards messed up a pass and he put his hand in the air and when he gave a goal away he walks off. Scotty should have come on for him in the 60min in my eyes.
Despite the pressure and laughter i experienced from my teamates i saw alot of from the game:
- The Wolfe experiment is over
- Birchall's inability to check for the ball is exposed
- Carlos showed class and that he knows how to play even if his team is not
- Lawrence can still hold the fort
- Thomas is a poison to the defence, and he needs to go
- More scouting needs to be done on opposing teams.