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

Expectations are an interesting thing. They’re why Alabama fans are miserable most of the time and why Jazz fans are happy right now. If you’d told USMNT fans that we’d draw Wales a month ago we wouldn’t have been thrilled, but most would have accepted it. After looking like the much better team for a half and leading for 80 minutes though…a draw tastes a little less palatable.

A day and a re-watch later, things are okay. Not amazing. Not terrible, but okay. Here are the odds of advancing out of the group broken down by result after game one:

Win – 84% chance of advancing to knockouts
Draw – 59% chance of advancing to knockouts
Loss – 11% chance of advancing to knockouts

Sure would have been nice to be in that top group, but here we are so let’s take a look at the performance.

Grading Beverage – Talisker 10-year Scotch: I got this one in a three bottle sampler pack and it’s my favorite of the bunch. It has some of the smoke-y flavor that certain Scotches are famous for, but not overpoweringly so. I like it quite a bit.

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

The Grades

MOTM – Tim Ream (+9.5)

This probably isn’t a surprise to anyone. Ream was an adult out there in a team that needed someone to lean on. He was composed on the ball, solid in defense, and a serene presence that said, “This moment isn’t too big for me.”

Can you believe that Ream needed a rash of center back injuries to make this team? Without him the US would be in enormous trouble. He may get exposed for pace at some point in this tournament, but he’s certainly the best option on the backline.

Ream was also useful in starting attacks from the back. The first half was nice and all, but it’s not like we were generating all sorts of chances. That’s a hallmark of how Berhalter sets this team up. Defensively solid, but offensively challenged. Getting the ball to Ream’s foot was a better attacking option than any of the midfielders having it.

There was very little transition in this match so Ream’s points were split pretty evenly between “In Possession” (+4) and “Out of Possession” (+5). Great match and the US needs more performances like this if we’re going to make it out of the group.

Other Positive Performances

Tyler Adams (+8.5)

I’m honestly a little surprised Tyler wasn’t even a touch higher than this. He was everywhere. I think it was the fact that he was more influential in the second half (+6) than the first (+2.5) that made me think this though. He had to clean up messes and play Superman a few times in the second stanza while the first half was more of a calm possession game. Watching Adams read the game is really enjoyable. Check out how early Adams starts running here:

He doesn’t quite get there, but he sees the play developing so far ahead that he is almost able to jump the pass in the final third.

The second half saw Adams covering massive amounts of territory and putting out fires. This happened moments after a horrendous turnover from Acosta:

Without Adams the USMNT loses this match in the second half. He’s in the form of his life playing for Leeds United and so far it has carried over to the national team. Like Ream, it’s going to need to continue. (Critically, he also didn’t pick up a yellow against Wales.)

Timothy Weah (+8)

I’m not much of a hot take merchant, but this might qualify? Weah is the USMNT’s most important attacker. Pulisic, Reyna, and Aaronson are all very good, but they all do sort of the same thing. Weah on the other hand, sees space and makes runs that none of them do. He was the one that created the near own goal, he scored the goal, and I really wish Pulisic had seen him here:

When Weah is in the lineup the most threatening moments consistently directly involve him. He may be adding a zero or two to his price tag during the next week or so.

Room to Improve

The Substitutes (+2.5)

Berhalter made five subs in this match. Aaronson was +2 (good). Wright was +0.5 (whatever). Acosta (-1.5), Yedlin (-0.5), and Morris (0) were a combined -2. I hate to state the obvious…but that’s bad. Acosta and Yedlin aren’t playable. I mean, what is this?

And as much as I like Yedlin’s edge, he’s a relic from a bygone era of the USMNT. He’s not good enough to fit in with players on the level of Musah, Pulisic, Adams, etc. The US is about 13 players deep. I don’t know if that’s going to be enough in this tournament. There are zero trustworthy backups in the midfield, zero at center back, and possibly zero backup fullbacks (maaaybe Scally?).

Walker Zimmerman (-0.5)

I guess we have to talk about Zimmerman. If you take out the penalty he’s a respectable +3.5. Unfortunately, that’s a little, “Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?” It was a bad threat assessment of the situation (Bale was back to goal) and a really bad decision to try to make that tackle. I can’t imagine trying to sleep last night if I were in his shoes. He was good in the air and pretty solid defensively otherwise. He also didn’t have to do much distribution-wise since he was partnered with Ream. Just have to avoid critical errors like that.

Conclusion

Seems doubtful that we get anything out of the England game, but stylistically I think it might be a better match for the US. We are very poorly equipped for breaking down a set defense (see: the USMNT’s performances vs Canada compared to the matches vs Mexico). On the other hand, if a team tries to take the game to them the MMA midfield is more than willing to make your life miserable and turn you over in (hopefully) some dangerous areas. England might be so much better than us that a “styles make fights” advantage doesn’t matter, but it should be a fun one. Happy Thanksgiving, y’all.

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PS – I’m hoping to get the England game graded and written up by Sunday night, but it may not be practical. We are traveling and spending time with family over Thanksgiving.