Freese: Always available for the pass back. Good chemistry with back-line. When called into action, a save would have been a miracle. A-
Richards: Some wonderful interventions. Beaten for the second ball on Paraguay’s lone goal so not a perfect night but a very good one. Tougher tests await. A-
Ream: A very solid night, no obvious mistakes. Boring performance which is perhaps just what you want from a CB. The pressure high up the field took a lot of the pressure off the back line we must all say so I can’t get carried away. A-
Freeman: Similar report to the other CB but Freeman was a touch more involved in the regular goings on in the fray so I give him a higher grade – deserved or not I don’t know but his night was a touch more interesting. A
Robinson: Bright performance and all lit up like his hair. Natural wingback. My fav performance of the night A+
McKennie: Active and Everywhere and keeps that ball close to his feet – some turnovers but always has ambition.Worked hard off the ball too or this system would break down. A
Adams: Tough job for one man and he could have done without the card. How many miles did he run? A-
Dest: Fantastic – constantly slipping past – aggressive. A
Pulisic: Splitting the double was awesome and was super dynamic. I don’t like the crying about fouls but I can’t fix soccer and Christian is just playing todays game. B+ (only because he played just first half), otherwise A
Tillman: Active, instrumental. Easy decision as to why he starts. A
Balogun: No offense to past American strikers but we have never had a guy like this. That left footed blast was world class. A
Do we finally have a world cup team that can really go after another team?
Pochettino: Congratulations – you picked a great team and they were dynamic. Creating width with the wingbacks, Pulisic, Dest and McKennie, doomed a team that wanted to stay compact – surprisingly, Paraguay fell right into the trap. You did right by us: A Not perfect because of the soft goal conceded. See below.
Collective grade: Ruthless soccer and high quality. Paraguay clearly not prepared for the intensity though. The conceded goal was soft and that worries me a fraction but it was 4-1. A
Wilson Warrior Soccer 