In a sloppy 2-1 victory of Turkey Saturday in Philadelphia, the US Men's Soccer Team showed that there are a lot of questions that still need to be answered. I can't recall the last time I screamed so often and so loud at my television set. My dog ran out of the room at one point.
With only 2 weeks of training, and 1 warm-up match left before the tilt against group favorites England, I attempt to break down the most updated look of the US Men's National team shown against Turkey and look forward to the match vs. Australia next week.
The 4-4-1-1 Experiment
It started off promising with some intriguing connections between the midfield and the Altidore/Dempsey combination at the top of the formation. By the time 10 minutes had past, Turkey had no problem handling the pair. This was primarily due to Altidore's inability to make a solid first touch, hold the ball, stretch the defense, and allow the bulk of the U.S midfield to advance forward.
If this formation is attempted in South Africa, the top of the formation will need to be filled by someone who can get a good first touch, take a physical beating, and hold off defenders. Somebody like a Brian Chi... Sorry. I forgot. He's not getting a the plane. My bad.
MLS All-Star Voting is now open and the MLS allows you to pick just 1 GK (which is a mistake -- see bottom) but GKGrades.com has ranked the Top 5 MLS goalkeepers so far in 2010...
Statistics, especially Goals Against Average (GAA), can be deceiving for goalkeepers in this sport. These rankings are based more on overall impression of technical ability, intelligence, and results. Statistics are provided more as a helpful reference snapshot.
Top 5 MLS Goalkeepers (as of 05.26.2010)
1. Donovan Ricketts (LA Galaxy)
WLT 8-0-1; 810 min; 7 SO; 26 saves; 0.929 Save %; 0.22 GAA
By far the most dominant goalkeeper in the MLS. With only one vote allowed for each voter, this has to be the selection.
Although he has the privilege of being part of the best team in the league, his raw athleticism and shot stopping ability propels him to the top. As is mentioned in his GKGrades report, "with an intense focus on cleaning up the technical aspects of his game, Ricketts could find himself in a higher-level league in the future."
Brad Guzan (Aston Villa): Any time you let 4 goals get by you, you can't really say you've had a good game. Gunzan did not do anything spectacular... and you expect at least one exceptional save from your nation's #2 to help keep your squad in the match. Right now there is a huge gap between our #1 and #2 GKs. Lets hope Howard stays healthy.
Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA): Did not play well.
Steve Cherundolo (Hannover): Well played. Maintained positive possession with several nice moves on the touch line.
Clarence Goodson (IK Start): Very impressive. Both goals were due to contributions by Goodson. Played very well in the air. May be a good counterpart to Peter Crouch.
Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew): Was available as a sub but did not play. We should assume Chad will not be boarding the plane to South Africa.
Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan): Disappointed. Did not look stable on the rehabilitated left knee. Played okay when the ball was on the ground, but did not appear to be the old Gooch on air-balls. Appeared to limp around the field. I'm not sure he will be able to hold his own in South Africa.
Heath Pearce (FC Dallas): Poor showing. Won't be in the final 23.
DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers): Above average. Beasley has the ability to be dangerous with his change of pace. I've seen him play brutal and play great wearing the US jersey. His experience in 2 previous world cups, a decent performance against the Netherlands, and a solid performance here will probably earn him a ticket.
Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro): Played okay. I don't think he's done enough to be in the final 23.
Maurice Edu (Rangers): Played well in the midfield. Struggled when he got pushed to center-back with the Onweyu substitution. Got a goal... positive performance.
Stuart Holden (Bolton): Along with Goodson, the most impressive performance of the night. Handled nearly all set-piece duty.
Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA): A non-factor. Touched the ball maybe 5 times. Looked lost in the midfield.
Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew): Average. Got off a decent shot. Probably won't be on the plane.
José Torres (Pachuca): Played very well. Ball movement was crisp between Adu, Torres, and Holden.
Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy): Played above average. I was hoping to see Edson get a few more chances. Being pulled out to fix his wounds took away from his time on the pitch. Was in the middle of the aerial challenge that produced the first goal.
Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo): Slightly above average. Ching made a few creative touches and set up Gomez for a clear chance at goal. He may not have the ability to hold the ball long enough to get players forward in the World Cup.
Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake): Did not play. Won't be going to South Africa.
Herculez Gomez (Puebla): Got a goal with a lot of help from Goodson. I liked how he angled his runs when pressuring the Czech defenders and GK. May have earned a place on the squad.
Eddie Johnson (Aris Thessaloniki): Better than I expected. E.J. will be the safe selection if Bradley decides to go with international experience instead of un-tapped potential (Buddle, Gomez). I think Bradley may leave Eddie behind. If he doesn't... Ching may get the short straw.
MY FINAL 23 FOR THE USA - 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Marcus Hahnemann
DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo, Jay DeMerit, Clarence Goodson, Oguchi Onyewu, Jonathan Spector, Jonathan Bornstein
MIDFIELDERS (9): DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Ricardo Clark, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Stuart Holden, José Torres
FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore, Edson Buddle, Herculez Gomez, Brian Ching
Tomorrow at 12 noon CT... we will find out for sure as Bob Bradley announces his final 23 on ESPN.
Francesco's reaction is priceless. What is even more priceless is his shirt... thanks for dressing up before leaving the house.
But Francesco has one thing (outside his wardrobe) going for him... HE'S RIGHT! Juventus fans should be embarrassed. The MLS is getting better every year, but the talent pool Serie A gets to pull from is so much better than what the MLS gets to tap into... not even close.
Kudos to the Red Bulls for destroying one of the world's greatest clubs.
Final: Real Salt Lake 3, Houston Dynamo Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT MLS - Major League Soccer 05/13/2010
Nick Rimando Houston Dynamo, #18 Overall Grade: C
Summary Statement
The majority of Rimando's involvement in this match was clearing back passes safely out of the Real Salt Lake zone. Rimando struggled with some of the crossed balls into the box where his positioning was questionable. Nick did well in the last minutes of the match to come off his line quickly and snag a break-away from an attacker's feet.
I do not feel that there was a enough action for Rimando in this match to do a complete analysis of his skill set. Many of the grading categories went ungraded.
Strengths Foot skills. Clearances from feet. Break-always.
Hands: There were very few shots in this match. Perhaps only one dangerous shot off a header in the 21st minute… which was not handles well by Rimando and required help from his defender to clear from a dangerous spot and give up a corner kick.
Body Position: Caught out of position on multiple crosses.
Diving:NG - No diving saves were attempted. Not enough information. Rimando should have made an attempt on the Houston goal. He stood still while the ball was put in the back of the net.
Angles:NG - Not enough information.
Footwork: Caught out of position on a cross and on the goal.
Diverting: Completely missed a punch in the 71st minute and slapped a headed ball back into a dangerous area in the 21st min.
Foot Skills: The majority of Rimando's touches in the match were from his feet. Handles the ball well.
Breakaways/1-on-1: Did very well to quickly take the ball from the attackers feet in the 86th minute. Gave up a rebound but recovered.
Physical Attributes: C
Balance: NG - Not enough information.
Speed: Quick off the line to attack the ball.
Reaction: One true reaction save made. Did well to make the save, but gave up a very dangerous rebound.
Size: About 5'10". Considered shorter for a professional GK.
Strength: Not enough information. Did not encounter much contact.
Aerial Intelligence: D
Preparation: Positioning appeared to be good for air ball situations.
Decision Making: Rimando came off his line multiple times where he changed his decision. He found himself in a vulnerable no-mans-land position on multiple occasions.
Communication: NG - Not enough information.
Timing: Mis-timed crosses on multiple occasions.
Distribution: B
Punting/Drop Kicks: Some good. Some bad.
Goal Kicks: Some good. Some bad.
Throwing: Quick accurate throws. Probing throw up the middle in 6th minute to start a quick counter-attack.
Bowling: NG - None attempted.
From Feet: Did very well in this match with one touch clearances from back-passes.
Decision Making: Played the ball shot to outside defenders when appropriate. Cleared ball long and wide when appropriate.
Psychological: C
Confidence: Carries himself well. There is a definite presence with Rimando
Leadership: To lead by example means to put forth 100% effort. In the goal, Rimando stood still while the ball was buried in the back of the net. You must at least make an effort to keep your teammates on your side.
Mental Toughness: NG - Not many tests in this match, Not enough information.
Courage: Displays an element of fearlessness when leaving his line.
Attitude: NG - Not enough information.
Tactical: C
Knowledge: NG - Not enough information.
Decision Making: No poor decisions made in this game.
Organization/Communication: Limited content to go on here. Communication appears adequate although earlier calls for the ball when Rimando come off his line are needed.
Final Result: C
Victory/Draw/Loss: Win.
Shutout (1) or (0): Late goal allowed. No shutout.
Significance in Result (+/-): Rimando was not required to be much of a factor in the match. His counterpart had 25+ touches/tests while Rimando only had about 17…. Most of which were simple one time clearances from back-passes.
Uniform Kit: No Change
Style: Simple style. Clean. Short sleeve Adidas.
Coordination: Coordinated well… but I like more of a two-tone effect.
Color: All Black.
Key Moments
5 min. FOOT SKILL. DISTRIBUTION. One time clearance to midfield. Not a pretty ball.
6 min. CROSS. DISTRIBUTION. Deflected cross from high and wide. Rimando positions body well and waits to see how the ball reacts on the bounce before committing to the ball. Good hand technique on ball collection. Distribution throw up the middle of the field cuts right through Houston midfield. Nice ball.
9 min. FOOT SKILL. DISTRIBUTION. One time clearance to midfield. More effective that previous clearance.
17 min. FOOT SKILL. DISTRIBUTION. Simple ball played from feet to defender.
18 min. SAVE. Rimando comes off line to collect a bouncing through ball. Poor follow-up up punt that squeaks through Houston into an opening for Real.
21 min. FOOT SKILL. DISTRIBUTION. One time clearance to midfield.
21 min. SAVE. Ball headed towards goal from a cross. The ball takes a bounce before getting to Rimando who slaps the ball forward into a dangerous spot. Could have done better to secure this in his hands. Rebounded headed out quickly for a corner kick by Salt Lake.
32 min. FOOT SKILL. DISTRIBUTION. One time clearance to deep into opponents end.
41 min. CORNER KICK. Rimando starts to come off his line only to realize he will not get to the ball. He attempts to make himself big to block any header on goal. Rimando caught in no-mans land a little. Fortunate to have ball go oover the crossbar.
69 min. DISTRIBUTION. Dead ball distribution played from feet into opponents side of the field. OK.
71 min. CROSS. COMMUNICATION. Ball crossed into the top of the 6-yd area is cleared by a defender. Rimando comes off his line to attempt a punch. Communication lines were crossed with Rimando and his defender.
72 min. GOAL. 6 Salt Lake defenders playing passive in the box gave Houston an opening for a clean shot from 12 yards. Would have liked to see Rimando make a big step out toward the ball to cut off the angle one it became obvious the attacker was shooting. Also would have liked to see Rimando make some kind of diving attempt at the ball. Even if you're not going to make the save, teammates appreciate the effort.
74 min. COMMUNICATION. Rimando communicates well to properly set his wall.
86 min. BREAKAWAY SAVE. Rimando comes off his line quickly to take a through ball off the foot of the attacker. Slips while attempting to recover rebound, but no harm. Well done.
87 min. DISTRIBUTION. Punt of about 50 yards. Not bad, not great.
90 min. DISTRIBUTION. Goal kick. Average to below avaerage.
US Soccer recently caught up with Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel. Friedel talks about his longevity and what it's like playing in the English Premier League. You will notice in the clip that he's developed an English accent over the years.
Friedel, who is now 39, grew up in Ohio and went on to play at UCLA. The first time I ever saw Friedel play was in the 1990 NCAA Division I Final. UCLA defeated Rutgers on penalty kicks after a scoreless tie and four overtime periods. It still is one of the greatest goalkeeping efforts I have ever seen.
Friedel went on to play for the US National Team in the Olympics and the World Cup before embarking on a professional carrer that took him to Denmark, Turkey, and England (Liverpool, Blackburn, Aston Villa).
He also spent some time with the Columbus Crew of the MLS before his transfer to Liverpool. During this time, he was awarded the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award.
Onstad had 25+ touches/tests in this match so it was a pretty good sample of his ability.
The game was over almost from the start with the goal that was allowed in the 3rd minute. The Dynamo never really tested Rimando and Salt Lake until after the 70th min. By that time it was already 3-0.
Onstad is an intelligent goalkeeper. At 42 years old, he may also be the oldest player. With age comes wisdom, and that is probably why Onstad does not take many risks. I preach about this often... there is little reward to be gained from risky goalkeeping.
In addition to limiting risk, Onstad also does very well to maximize his advantage with his positioning in the goal mouth and while playing his angles. He is a very tall man and more often than not, Onstad was in a perfect initial position to give him the best opportunity to keep his body between the ball and the goal. In the 7th minute, the save was made purely because of this body position as he was distracted by an attacker and the ball bounced off his chest.
Now, here is where the positivity stops. Once the ball is struck, Onstad's footwork and balance become a big problem. In nearly every case where a ball was directed toward goal in this match, Onstad's weight would immediately shift from being forward and on the balls of his feet to moving backward and falling back on his heels.
With his weight and balance shifting backward, there is a natural tendancy to make your dives go back toward the goal. This creates an obtuse diving angle which limits the real estate one can cover side-to-side. In addition, any diverted balls that are not caught will be diverted backward toward the goal. An optimal dive is one that is executed at an acute or right angle.
Strengths
Angle play. Body position. Breakaway/1-on-1 play. Communication. Size. Makes intelligent decisions.
Hands: There was one soft header on goal. Technique looked okay, but not enough information.
Body Position: Was initially well positioned on almost every play. He was distracted in the 7th minute and good body position bailed him out.
Diving: See footwork below… this is generating undesired diving effects.
Angles: Onstad knows where to be within his goal area to maximize his angle advantage. If he can combine an proper footwork with this angle play, he will be more effective.
Footwork: Postive: Moving side to side in the 50 min. was very well done. Negative: Taking a close look at Onstad's footwork at the time of a shot shows that he is falling backwards on nearly every attempt. This is also generating obtuse diving angles rather than acute (or right) diving angles. Your balance is off when you are going backwards... and you are limiting the amount of side-to-side real estate you can cover when falling backwards.
Diverting: One poor punch on a cross diverted low and up the middle. Other saves that resulted in rebounds required immediate attention from defenders to clear/contain.
Foot Skills: Very effective with his feet. Makes good low-risk decisions. Did very well in the 55th minute to use his body to clear a ball out of bounds.
Breakaway/1-on-1: Two breakaway situations were presented to Onstad. He does not over-commit and likes to stay on his feet. This works well against some attackers who like to get the simple chip over an on-rushing GK. Findley lost the one-on-one battles with Onstad in this match.
Physical Attributes: C
Balance: I have issue with him falling backward and redistributing his weight towards his heels on shot attempts.
Speed: He's 42 years old… not lightning quick.
Reaction: Hands are very quick in one-on-one and point-blank situations. Loses a point because balance is an issue with reaction saves.
Size: Very tall… about 6'4". Knows how to make himself even bigger when required.
Strength: Does not appear tremendously strong for his size. Did not handle contact very well on the on instance I witnessed.
Aerial Intelligence: C
Preparation: Pat does very well to position himself in a proper starting postion within the goal mouth.
Decision Making: The preparation is good. The decisions made are acceptable. Execution needs improvement.
Communication: Onstad is always communicating with his team. Very vocal.
Timing/Execution: One cross was misplayed due to judgement or contact. Another was punched poorly into a questionable area. Caught in no-mans land on a goal.
Distribution: C
Punting/Drop Kicks: I don't know if a punt was attempted in this match.
Goal Kicks: Adqequate.
Throwing: When you throw a simple bouncing ball over a teammates head and out of bounds to conceed possession, you will get a low score from me.
Bowling: 2 bowls attempted. One good. One sloppy.
From Feet: Long, well weighted, balls played into opponents end of the field.
Decision Making: I question the timing of some of the ditribution methods. In one instance a goal kick was played softly to a defender who had his back the the field…. The result ended up being a loss of posession. In another instance, a bowl would have delivered a nice ball to the feet rather than a bouncing thrown ball requiring extra touches.
Psychological: B
Confidence: Onstad has confidence in the knowledge he posses about the game. I question the confidence he has in his own technique and physical ability with him being in the 40+ club.
Leadership: I think Onstad has the respect of his teammates. Clearly provides leadership and direction.
Mental Toughness: I thought Pat kept his head on straight, even after the goals and lack of help. Possibly had checked out a bit on the last shot that hit the post.
Courage: Comes off his line to challenge when appropriate.
Attitude: Carries himself in a professional manner. Obvious frustration after the 3rd goal, but I can feel his pain.
Tactical: B
Knowledge: Onstad is a very experienced keeper who obviously knows the game and how to identify how to approach each situation.
Decision Making: No poor tactical decisions. Sound play.
Organization/Communication: The only reason Pat gets a 3 here instead of a 4 is because of the final goal. I truly believe that the tactical miscommunication with the guys in the wall pulled focus away from reinforcing the communication to the runners to follow their men. Defenders need to be encouraged and reminded... OFTEN... otherwise they can get lazy.
Final Result: F
Victory/Draw/Loss: Loss by 1+. Houston was never really in the match.
Shutout (1) or (0): 3 goals. Houston has some work to do.
Significance in Result (+/-): Onstad had 25+ tests/touches in this match. He was very busy and played like a professional.
Uniform Kit: Plus (+)
Style: Simple style. Clean.
Coordination: Combination looked really sharp. The gloves even matched. Best GK kit I've graded so far.
Color: I'm a big fan of the white GK jerseys. Black Shorts and white socks.
Key Moments
2 min.
BREAKAWAY SAVE. Onstad positions his body perfectly, has proper footwork, plays his angles well, and keeps his hands ready to make the save against Findley. A better choice for Findlay may have been the near post as Onstad gave more of an opening to the near side. Onstad soes get caught back on his heels slightly, but does brilliantly to divert the breakaway shot to the side. OFFICIATING NOTE: The rebound gets played back into the hands of Onstad and should have been a free kick for Salt Lake.
3 min.
GOAL. Near post cross is redirected by Findley into the goal. Onstad's body postion was proper. His initial hand position is low, which he quickly changes to high when contact is made, but then has to change back to a low hand position to attempt to make the low save. Onstad also gets caught on his heels again and makes an obtuse angled dive attempt. Keeping hands low and making an acute angle dive from the balls of the feet would have given Onstad a better chance.
5 min.
DISTRIBUTION. Throw to the outside back.
5 min.
FOOT SKILL. DISTRIBUTION. Ball collected and played from feet. Accurate long ball to an attacker at midfield.
7 min.
SAVE. Narrow angle shot from the right side. Onstad is distracted by oncoming attacker attempting a diving header. Ball deflects off of Onstad's chest to another oncoming attacker who has a shot blocked by a Dynamo defender. Good body position. Poor concentration.
8 min.
DISTRIBUTION. Approx 60 yd. goal kick.
11 min.
SAVE. Ball crossed into dangerous spot from an inside position about 25 yards out. Great body position by Onstad. Once again, falls back on heels slightly when making the save. Distribution clean and safely bowled to the outside defender.
20 min.
SHOT. Long, hard, shot over bar. Onstad well positioned.
21 min.
DISTRIBUTION. Approx 65 yd. goal kick.
24 min.
GOAL. One time shot into near post from 17 yards out. Onstad may have been screened as his body is not set completely for a shot and he does not make a diving move until the ball has traveled to about the 8 yard mark.
25 min.
SHOT. Probing run into the box produces dangerous situation. The shot goes wide of the far post. Onstad falls back on heels slightly once shot is hit.
31 min.
DISTRIBUTION. Long, easy, bouncing ball sent into Houston goal area. Onstad collects and sends a simple throw to the right side.
33 min.
DISTRIBUTION. FOOT SKILL. Collects easy ball from head of own defender. Sloppy bowling distribution back to teammate. No harm, no danger.
35 min.
BACKPASS. SAVE. Onstad dives to his left to collect a backpass header from his own defender. Good work to safely secure a below average backpass.
35 min.
DISTRIBUTION. Lazy throw to left back. Ball still bouncing on arrival to his feet. A strong bowl is a better option here.
38 min.
SHOT. Shot from about 23 yards sails over the crossbar. Onstad maximizes his advantage by creeping out past the 6 yd. line.
39 min.
GOAL KICK. Short rolling goal kick delivered to defender at top of the box. Subequent ball from the defender was played poorly out of bounds on the opposite touch line.
46 min.
CROSS. Dead-ball cross from wide and about 40 yards into the penalty area near the spot. Onstad makes an early decision to challenge for the ball but completely misplays the ball flight and/or does not handle the contact well.
46 min.
DISTRIBUTION. Ball from feet played into opponents area (about 45 yards).
50 min.
FOOT WORK/BODY POSITION. Onstad effectively moves from one side of the goal mouth to the other, while moking the most of his angles at each position (at top of 6 yard box at the peak). Shot missed the target.
54 min.
DISTRIBUTION. Collects ball at top of the box from a long through ball. Extremely poor throw to left side which skips past teammate and out of bounds -- conceeding posession. GKs need to make it easy for players to receive balls at their feet. No bouncing, difficult balls. It should only take one easy touch to control.
55 min.
FOOT SKILL. Long quick counter-attacking ball played into a dangerous area outside the Dynamo box. Onstad does well to get the ball cleared out of bounds quickly as possible, eliminating the possibility of Findley getting to the ball and allowing his defense time to get back and defend.
60 min.
GOAL. Onstad appeared to struggle in communication with his wall on the set piece. This indirectly may have contributed to the goal as it did not allow him to turn his focus to directing traffic elsewhere. The defenders simply did not continue to follow their runners and one man was left completely wide open on the near post. Onstad was caught in no-mans land without a definitive plan for defense. Onstad is not at fault for the goal, but should attempt to stay set on his feet and ready to react to flicked headers when there is not an opportunity for the GK to get to the cross.
66 min.
BREAKAWAY. Onstad positions his body well, stays on his feet, and forces Findlay to make the play. Shot goes wide. Well played.
78 min.
DIVERTING. Onstad punches away an inswinging cross from 38 yds out. Punch is diverted low and up the middle. Punches should always be high and wide… and the further… the better.
79 min.
SHOT. Quick shot from top of box hits the post. Poorly playd by Houston defender to give up ball. Onstad was slow to react and clealy beaten. The post can be your friend.
Nielsen was involved very little in this match (9-10 times) which was dominated on the field by Kansas City. The goal in the 12th minute was deflected off a KC defender. The goal in the 34th minute was primarily due to a poorly played ball by a KC defender.
Nielsen in no way should be faulted for the loss against a struggling DC squad who had yet to win a game in 2010. Although fault can't be placed on Nielsen, there were some flags raised regarding his performance.
The most notable area of improvement for Jimmy Nielsen surrounds his footwork. On both goals it is very clear that Nielsen is not properly setting his feet to prepare for the shot. It's such a small detail, but when your feet are still moving, you're body is still moving, which gives you a fraction less time to react to a shot.
There is also an opportunity for improvement regarding Nielsen's speed and quickness. His feet looked very heavy and he was not moving with the bounce a professional goalkeeper should have (imagine a boxer in the ring) on game day. This may be an injury issue, or an issue with fitness. It wasn't clear during the broadcast if an injury was present. At 32, there is still time to work hard in training and place a focus on maximizing speed and agility.
The most positive aspect of the match for Nielsen was how he played in breakaway/1-on-1 situations. He successfully turned away chances from D.C. on two occasions.
Strengths
Breakaways/1-on-1. Confidence. Angle play.
Weaknesses
Footwork. Speed. Reaction time. Understanding how to deal with weaknesses.
Hands: Not enough information. Only caught the ball one time on a bouncing through ball.
Body Position: Body position is proper. The major issue for Jimmy right now is speed.
Diving: The diving form is proper. The speed of his dives are an area of concern.
Angles: Did not see anything to indicate great or poor angle play. However, with his lack of speed he may need to adjust his angles to make up for this deficiency.
Footwork: Footwork needs to be addressed. In this particular match, Nielsen's footwork was exposed on both goals. Although the goals were not completely due to bad footwork, the technique limited the GK's ability to make the dramatic save. Nielsen needs to set his feet in a ready position a fraction of a second sooner than he was in this match. When the ball is leaving the foot of the shooter, Nielsen's feet are still moving. If you're feet are still moving, you're body is still moving... giving you less of an opportunity to make a proper play on a shot.
Diverting: Not enough information.
Foot Skills: Collected the ball well using feet/body. Clearances on back passes were shaky.
Breakaways/1-on-1: Presented with a 2 on 1 breakaway situation in the 41st minute. Did well to stay on feet, didn't commit too early, and made his best save of the night.
Physical Attributes: D
Balance: No grade.
Speed: An area of concern. Was clearly beaten (hit post) on a long range set piece that should not have been an issue. One of the announcers mentioned the possibility of an injury… this was not confirmed.
Reaction: Reaction time can be tied to other characteristics. I this case, speed and footwork are limiting Nielsen's reaction time.
Size: Tall, but not aphysically imposing.
Strength: Could benefit from some strength and agility training.
Aerial Intelligence: NO GRADE
Preparation: Not enough information. No grade given for category.
Decision Making: Not enouth information.
Communication: Not enough information.
Timing: In the 34th min, a bouncing ball was played into the area from the other GK. Nielsen's technique on this ball was below average. The timing of the jump was off and the ball was not collected at it's peak. Although this was not a very dangerous situation, it could be a symptom of an aerial issue.
Distribution: C
Punting/Drop Kicks: Not enough information in my notes.
Goal Kicks: Not enough information in my notes.
Throwing: Not enough information to grade.
Bowling: Not enough information.
From Feet: Clearances on back passes were shaky. Other simple balls played well.
Decision Making: No poor distribution decisions.
Psychological: B
Confidence: Carries himself in a confident manner. Does not appear to be easily rattled.
Leadership: Appears to have respect of team. They respond well to his direction.
Mental Toughness: Not tested very much in this match. No grade.
Courage: Not enough information.
Attitude: Positive attitude. No obvious issues here.
Tactical: C
Knowledge: Part of goalkeeping is understanding your own strengths, weaknesses, and limitations… and doing what is necessary to shield yourself from having your weaknesses exposed. One way this can be done is with organizing the other resources on the field (teammates) to help in certain situations. The other is individually making decisions to hide your weakness (ex. cheating your angles more to make of for your size or quickness). As Nielsen continues to get older (he's 32 now), he will need to become more reliant on knowledge of the game rather than on an athletic skill set to maximize his longevity in the professional ranks.
Decision Making: This grade is primarily based on one play in the 76th minute. DC is set up for a very long free kick from 35+ yards out and Nielsen does not want a wall. A decent shot is struck, bounces, beats Nielsen, and hits the post. With one of his weaknesses on the night being speed/reaction, he should have had a 1-man wall set on the near post to assist with the weakness. This should have not been a dangerous situation for KC and could have been easily avoided with better decision making.
Organization/Communication: Communicates with his squad and organizes well. At least one of the tactical decisions was questionable (see above).
Final Result: D
Victory/Draw/Loss: Loss by 1. Late goal by Keimara from KC.
Shutout: 2 goals.
Significance in Result (+/-): One more save could have secured a draw for KC, but Nielsen was not the reason his squad lost this game. Poor balls played out of the back by DC defenders led to the loss.
Uniform Kit: Minus (-)
Style: Simple style. Acceptable.
Coordination: The jersey and socks are two different, unacceptable shades of yellow. The same kit Dario Sala wore in a previous grade.
Color: Neon yellow, mustard yellow, and white.
Key Moments
12 min.
GOAL. Shot from about 16 yards deflects off defender for a goal. Unfortunate for Nielsen and DC. Nielsen could have set his feet a half second sooner, this may have given him a better opportunity to respond to the deflection. It's tough to react to an altered shot when your body is still moving the set for the shot.
22 min.
FOOT SKILL. Shaky foot skill on the handling of a back pass.
34 min.
OFF OF LINE. Poor technique on a ball played from other goal box. Collect the ball above your head at its peak.
34 min.
GOAL. Goal off of intercepted pass. Nielsen played his angle well, but his footwok was once again poor. He was still moving his feet when he should have been set for the shot. If you are still moving, you lose that fraction of a second of reaction time that could mean a save rather than a goal. With that said, this goal was not Neilsen's fault.
41 min.
SAVE. Foot save on a one-on-one. Good save and good work to quickly get back to feet and safely secure the ball.
60 min.
FOOT SKILL. Example of Nielsen speed ball at feet.
61 min.
FOOT SKILL. Example of Nielsen speed ball at feet.
65 min.
SAVE. Good work to stay on his feet and follow the 2-on-1 passing. Clutch save from Nielsen.
76 min.
SHOT OFF POST. Communicated that he did not require a wall. Shot pinged to near side beat Nielsen who is only saved by the post. Slower to get to his right that what I would like to see. Questionable decision on the wall. A one man wall would have been sufficient.
Hamid started out the match very shaky, which is understandable considering this was his professional debut. As the macth went on, you could see Hamid becoming more comfortable on the field and communicating with his defenders.
There is an obvious gap in ability on different types of crosses. Hamid does exceptionally well covering corner kicks and crosses from a narrow position. With crosses from a wider angle position (12 yards and out), Hamid struggles with these types of balls. There is some clear indecision and uncertainty on how to properly play these balls.
Overall, I was impressed with the level of play for a 19 year old making his professional debut. His size and stature are impressive. Speed off the line may be an area of improvement.
He has very good hands for a big man. As mentioned, he was shaky in the beginning of the match, and that was clearly displayed in at least one ball being mishandled. Later in the game, his catching technique was superb. Very secure, catching with soft fingertips and the staple 'W' hand formation..
I will be interested in following the progress of this young man as he continues to mature as a player in the MLS. Hamid may also be worth a look by the Men's National Team at the U-20 and U-23 levels.
Strengths
Size. Communication. Crosses from narrow/short angles.
Weaknesses
Crosses from high and wide. Indecision coming off his line. Distracted by potential contact.
Hands: Early in the game the hand technique was erratic (fumbled the ball coming out for a challenge and akwardly parried a long shot). As Hamid got further into the game, his technique and stability improved.
Body Position: Great at times (60th min.). Other times very poor (26th min.).
Diving: Strong when covering narrow near post shots.
Angles: Fantastic save made in 1st half made purely because of his angle to the shooter. Did very well overall to maximize his angles.
Footwork: Average.
Diverting: One instance of parrying the ball away on a cross. Diverted into a safe location.
Foot Skills: Played the ball well using body and feet.
Decision Making: There were multiple instances of indecision on whether to come off his line or not. With that said, no damage.
Physical Attributes: B
Balance: Stayed in control of his body well. Kept concious of his location relative to the goal line on a cross in the 60th min. Momentem was pushing him into the box and he did very well to not panic, keep the ball out of the goal, and not give up posession.
Speed: Average speed coming off the line.
Reaction: Did well on quick shots, especially the save in the 45th minute.
Preparation: Good positioning and prep-footwork for crossing situations.
Decision Making: Definite area of improvement. Indecision can lead to goals.
Communication: Clear, simple, loud communication to other squad members.
Timing: When Hamid commits, he does well. When there is indecision, timing is off.
Distribution: B
Punting/Drop Kicks: Decent distance, accuracy, and weight.
Goal Kicks: Decent distance and weight. Not great, not bad.
Throwing: Not enough information.
Bowling: Not enough information.
From Feet: long & well played into opponents end of the field.
Decision Making: No mistakes or poor distribution decisions.
Psychological: C
Confidence: This is Bill's first professional game. With time and success, this will naturally improve.
Leadership: In the first match for the 19 year old, there is no expectation for this category.
Mental Toughness: Did very well to maintain composure in first professional match
Courage: Hesitated and took eyes off the ball when presented with potential contact. With his stature, he should be less fearful than those entering his goal area.
Attitude: Positive.
Tactical: B
Knowledge: No grade.
Decision Making: Tactically, no major mistakes.
Organization/Communication: For a 19 year old rookie playing his first game, I was really impressed with how vocal Hamid was in the match. He was providing loud, clear, and simple communication. He appeared lost on a couple occassions where he may have been uncomfortable or unsure on set piece set-up.
Match Result: B
Victory/Draw/Loss: Win. First win of the season for D.C.
Shutout (1) or (0): Unfortunate goal allowed in extra time.
Significance in Result (+/-): First game as a professional is a win. First win of the season for D.C.
Uniform Kit:
Fun category that can apply a plus or minus to grade.
Style: Simple style. Acceptable.
Coordination: Coordinates entire ensamble well. Matches DC United color schem
Color: All red. Works well.
Key Moments
3 min.
CROSS. Shaky coming off the line for the first challenge of the match. Took eyes off the ball which led to the fumble.
17 min.
SAVE. Good save on point blank shot. A touch of hesitation by Hamid almost created a big problem. Well done to recover from misdecision.
20 min.
CROSS. Nice work to snag a narrow cross at near post while at it's peak.
26 min.
SAVE. Hard shot from 30 yards out punched away. Body position was erractic. His nerves appear to be elevated (understandable) but he needs to do better to control his body and the direction of his diversion (or catch the ball).
29 min.
CROSS. Came off the line a secuely captured the ball. Good communication and subsequent quick outlet throw.
33 min.
DISTRIBUTION. Goal kick.
39 min.
CORNER KICK. Parryed a corner kick out of danger
42 min.
CROSS. Amid hesitates again coming off his line and is distracted by potential contact on a cross. Lucky that the
attacker misplayed the ball as well.
45 min.
DISTRIBUTION. Ball played deep into other area from ground.
45+1 min.
SAVE. Great reaction save made possible by perfect positioning in front of goal and with his angles.
45+2 min.
COMMUNICATION. Loud, simple, clear, direction to teammates. "Keeper", "Away", Step Up". When I can hear you from the stands, you are communicating properly. However, he still appears out of his element when applying the proper team tactic to his defense… this will come with more playing time.
46 min.
SAVE. Shot from wout wide was saved at the near post. Rebound given up for subsequest corner kick.
46 min.
CORNER KICK. Good work to get to corner kick and punch away from danger. Took some contact.
48 min.
DISTRIBUTION. Punt. Great distance and weight on punt from top of own box to tope of other box.
57 min.
SAVE. Safely covered a narrow angle shot to the near post.
60 min.
CROSS. Kept concious of his location relative to the goal line on a cross. Momentem was pushing him into the box
and he did very well to not panic, keep the ball out of the goal, and not give up posession.
63 min.
COMMUNICATION. Example of communication.
73 min.
CROSS. Nicely secured ball on a low dangerous cross. Soft hands, good technique on dificult ball at chest level.
80 min.
FOOT SKILL. Good one time clearance to half field from back-pass.
85 min.
CROSS. Long cross into box. Bill comes off his line but does not challenge for ball. If the attacker got to the ball with his head, Bill was in a very vulnerable postion.
92 min.
GOAL. Unfortunate injury time goal to spoil the shutout. Very well placed by KC's Keimara. DC defense caught sleeping with 2 men open on the back post. A potential opportunity of improvement for Hamid is to stay in the game until the end and keep his defence focus and organized.
FINAL
Other Match Notes:
Youngest goalkeeper in MLS to win a game. 4 days younger than Tim Howard.
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