Ben Tracy did a good job summarizing the US v. El-Salvador match, so I don’t want to repeat. However, I did have a bit more to add.  First, I felt that Sacha Klejstan got lucky to score his goal, and that overall he did not play that well. He continued his inconsistency by playing well at some moments and then playing poorly just after. He had two other clear chances to score and was not able to put it away. He also misplaced a number of passes. I don’t think he has gotten back to the form that could put him on the World Cup squad.

Second, I felt that Eddie Gaven came in and played very well. He looked very crafty with the ball and made some great one-on-one plays. Although he probably won’t make the trip to South Africa, I think he could be a strong contributor against CONCACAF opponents in the next round of qualifying after this World Cup.

Third, I thought that Brian Ching played very well. He showed how much better than Conor Casey he can be. Besides being in the right place to put away Heath Pearce’s cross, he did really well holding up the ball and passing to his teammates. Beyond that he gave a short interview after the game that was very humble. I suspect he is a great locker room presence. He has got to be the best target forward in our pool. Of course I would still start Jozy Altidore over him.

Fourth, Heath Pearce did play well, and his yellow card was completely unjustified.

Fifth, I thought that Kyle Beckerman made a good case as a defensive midfielder. He played with a lot of energy and put in good strong tackles. I think he could be a strong player for the US in the next round of CONCACAF qualifying after the World Cup.

Sixth, Clarence Goodson and Jonathan Bornstein both looked very good as centerbacks. I thought that they were an excellent combination. Goodson is tall, fairly quick, and good in the tackle. Jonathan Bornstein has excellent speed and is good in the air. I liked that Bornstein could catch anyone who got behind the US back line. I think they both made a strong case for being on the World Cup squad.

Seventh, Robbie Rogers showed that he should not make the World Cup Squad. He couldn’t cross effectively from the right side. Also he misplaced some passes and played selfishly in situations where the US could have scored. In one instance he shot from a terrible angle instead of passing across to Eddie Gaven at the far post for an easy tap in.

Finally, I didn’t think that Jeff Cunningham or Geoff Cameron got a chance to show what they had. I would like to have seen Jeff Cunningham get more minutes to see if he could contribute. Let me know what you think.