HalfSpaces usmnt HalfSpaces Player (+/-) Grades: USMNT vs Mexico

HalfSpaces Player (+/-) Grades: USMNT vs Mexico



HalfSpaces (+/-) Player Grades

Have you ever felt totally inadequate to a task? I do – what am I supposed to say about that game? It’s night’s like Sunday that make being a sports fan worth it. (As a USMNT, Lions, and Michigan fan it’s been a minute since I got to feel good about things.) Last night’s USMNT match is one of those things you bond with a stranger about 10 years from now at some bar.

You watched that?! I watched that too!

And also, my schtick is to reduce player performance to numbers when the game last night was much less about tactics and analytics than it was about courage and will. I’m not a baseball fan anymore (I was years ago), but it felt like a pitcher without his best stuff battling through an outing and getting the W more on grit than his great slider.

This is what watching the USMNT used to feel like. They spilled their guts on the field and found a way – too often in the last five years that hasn’t been the case. Even if effort wasn’t a problem, they rarely found a way in the face of adversity. Last night – they found a way.

Grading Beverage: Dalwhinnie Scotch – broke out one of my favorites for this one

If you haven’t read one of these USMNT (+/-) Player Grades articles before click here for an explanation of the system.

HalfSpaces (+/-) Player Grades for: USMNT vs Honduras, USMNT vs Switzerland

USMNT (+/-) Player Grades

MOTM – Weston McKennie +13

Weston McKennie came up huge last night. When the team needed a goal he came up with two (sort of). When his teammates needed a pick-me-up, he put an arm around them (or told an opponent to place certain things of his in their mouths). When the ref (who was a spineless weasel) needed some schmoozing…he did this:

He wasn’t perfect, but he showed out and gave the team everything he had for 120 minutes. I don’t know how anyone doesn’t love this guy. On a night when the US was having trouble creating offense he brought it off set pieces and a little bit from midfield. If Tyler Adams isn’t healthy then I think he’s the best candidate for captain.

Other Positive Performances

Christian Pulisic (+10.5)

At halftime I would not have put money on Christian ending up in this section of the article. Check out his +/- over time:

He was -3 at halftime and at zero well into the second half. Pulisic never quit though and his effort never lagged. He didn’t have “it” last night whatever “it” is, but he battled through and came up with the winning goal somehow. Historically, Pulisic hasn’t been a great penalty taker, but he may have figured that little problem out last night. If you watch where his PK was placed compared to Guardado’s you’d certainly think Guardado was the inexperienced one. It was another gutsy performance in an evening full of them.

This gif sort of sums up his match. On another night maybe he does the first defender and is off…in this match he fought through and kept possession.

Gio Reyna (+8)

The USMNT was having trouble keeping hold of the ball all evening, but when Reyna went off their chances went even lower. He didn’t have his best game either, but he had an assist, scored a goal, and still looked dangerous out there. Oddly, the US never looks like they know what they’re doing on the counter to me, but getting Reyna the ball with room to dribble is pretty much how they should all start. We never got a replay of this for some reason, but this sure looked like it should have been a dangerous free kick to me:

Kinda felt like an El Tri fan was in charge or replays last night

Also, this ball was incredible:

The prospect of watching Pulisic and Reyna on the wing for the next ten years is something I’m not exactly sure how to deal with as a USMNT fan accustomed to watching try hard, but not that dangerous wingers. I think I’ll figure out a way to handle it though.🤓

Ethan melon farmin’ Horvath (+7)

I have never given a +5 out for a save before, but this seemed like a good time for the first. Let’s watch it again in Spanish just because:

He did a couple other good things too, but who cares? This man is available on a free transfer. Some team needs to come get him and give him the starting gig. I’m fuzzy on the details (I know they’re somewhere pages deep in his BigSoccer thread), but Brugge has been screwing this kid over for years now. Watching him come up huge in this match and tear up afterwards…that’s the good stuff.

Mark McKenzie (+4)

That grade doesn’t usually justify an inclusion in this section of the article. However, I wanted to include McKenzie because it’s sort of amazing that he got it back to +4. You all know what happened one minute into the game. That was a -4 event. He also committed a very dangerous turnover in the 34th minute that cost him another -2 by my reckoning. Those moments stick in your mind, but do you remember this?

Now if mistakes like the ones I mentioned become a trademark of his game…we’ve got a problem and he can’t be trusted. However, I think that was the most pressure packed game he’s ever played in and he will grow from the experience. A center back depth chart of John Brooks, Mark McKenzie, and Chris Richards sounds pretty dang good to me right now. Just need a fourth to prove themselves now.

Room to Improve

Sergino Dest (-3)

Maybe it was something Mexico was doing to the whole left side, but Dest didn’t look great in that left wingback/left midfielder role he was playing. He did have one really nice run where he scarred Edson Alvarez for life…in fact, let’s look at that real quick:

On the downside, Dest didn’t have “it” either and he didn’t turn it around like Pulisic did (tbf he didn’t get the chance like CP did). Whatever the problem was – I took points for “lack of awareness,” losing the ball, and even a bad touch. This has been a couple not so good performances in a row from Dest. I’m still not concerned long term. I am starting to wonder if putting him on the right might not be for the best.

Tim Ream (+1)

Honestly, for what he was asked to do I don’t feel like +1 is that bad. Ream is not the guy you want singled up against Antuna or Lainez and he was in that position several times last night. Berhalter finally moved Acosta over there to deal with Lainez, but Ream gave it what he had. He was acutally up to +4 at one point in the second half, but maybe he ran out of gas? Things really got tough for Ream once Lainez was inserted and Ream went off shortly thereafter. As I’ve said before, I really like Tim Ream – I just think his time has come and gone.

Now What?

We finally beat dad at one on one in the driveway. Was it a fluke or the start of a trend? The Gold Cup will provide some clarity on depth, but we won’t get another “A Team” match up with Mexico until November in World Cup qualifying. A lot can and will happen between now and then. For now, let’s all just have a Pepsi Max and enjoy the feeling of actually winning one of these for a couple days.

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7 thoughts on “HalfSpaces Player (+/-) Grades: USMNT vs Mexico”

  1. Continue to enjoy the grading & analysis. Thank you for the effort put into this! Buy you a whiskey at the next USMNT game we both make it to.

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