Report Card: Caps vs. San Jose Earthquakes

A drab Friday evening affair meant a disappointing point for the Caps on the road in San Jose, as both sides held each other in check for a 0-0 draw. There isn’t a ton to break down in this one but some guys made some very positive impressions. Read on to see who ...

Maxime Crepeau:

After much praise for the performances of Thomas Hasal during the Gold Cup, it was nice to see Crepeau put in the type of performance that we all know he is capable of. His save to touch Jeremy Ebobisse’s long range shot onto the post was particularly memorable and one hopes he will carry this confidence forward.

Jake Nerwinski: 6.5

Was a capable performance defensively but rarely even made the effort to wander forward into more dangerous positions. San Jose really targeted the right hand side so he often didn’t have a ton to do, though he still put in four total tackles. Nothing transcendent from Nerwinski but it was a fine performance overall.

Andy Rose: 7

A refreshingly solid game for Rose, who came in after Erik Godoy was ruled unavailable to start. While I would like to see Florian Jungwirth get a run out in this role, Rose was generally composed, if not as aggressive as his Serbian partner.

Ranko Veselinovic: 8

Perhaps his best match in a Caps’ uniform, Veselinovic was everywhere, with some vital interventions, leading the team in interceptions. More than that, his positioning was generally strong, meaning I believe we are seeing some real growth out of Ranko this season. Even had a nice creative moment, playing in Raposo late in the first half. This match is proof that he no longer needs Erik Godoy as a sidekick to be effective.

Javain Brown: 7

Brown was everywhere and he had to be, as the Quakes really went after the right hand side of the defense. I can really only think of one chance where Brown was not up to the task and he was statistically the most robust Caps defender. His leg injury will be a concern, as he has quietly become one of the first names on the team sheet.

Russell Teibert: 6

Rusty was very involved in this one, as the Caps (for unclear reasons) really favored attacking down the left hand side. This meant that Teibert led the team in touches among the midfield/attacking band players. The problem is the “Teibert at left midfield experiment” only works with a more attacking minded left back (i.e. Cristian Gutierrez) behind him. With Nerwinski, you get matches like what we saw on Friday. Give him some credit for having the gumption to shoot from distance. And he did just enough to put off Cade Cowell on the Quakes’ late corner chance.

Janio Bikel: 6.5

Had another night where his pass completion was through the rough but he wasn’t taking the longer, more progressive passes that we were used to seeing. With the personnel, he seemed to drop back into a more conservative posture, which is a shame after how good he has looked as a marauding attacking-minded mid. Still, as someone who loves his tenacity and defensive abilities, Bikel is a vital presence and his potential injury is a real concern.

Leonard Owusu: 6

For a player many of us have wanted to see more of in recent matches, Owusu didn’t make a particularly strong impression. Had some nice attempts to play in wide players over the top but was generally fairly conservative in his passing. Would have liked to see a bit more of a buttoned up performance defensively.

Deibar Caicedo: 5.5

San Jose did a pretty good job cancelling out the Caps’ most dynamic attacking player, though I give Caicedo a lot of credit for working hard to try and find a workaround. His decision making left something to be desired at times and sometimes it seemed as if he took too many touches before making a decision. A quiet match for Caicedo but he will undoubtedly be helped when Dajome returns to the lineup full time.

Brian White: 6

The Caps’ inability to create chances in the attacking third was always going to mean to fairly quiet game for White but he got involved in a couple key chances for the Caps. Was forced to drop deep Lucas Cavallini-style to get possession of the ball and his passing was not good enough to really find success in that role. I thought he generally looked find but the Caps are going to need to figure out how to address this long-term structural issue.

Ryan Raposo: 7.5

Thought Raposo was quite dangerous at times, making a deft first touch and a savvy pass to create on of the team’s best chances of the first half. Lead the team in key passes and was at times the only player really looking to penetrate the final third. After being yanked in the first half of the last match he started, this was a much improved showing from Raposo. Thought he was unlucky to be subbed off when he was.

Ryan Gauld: 6.5

Was not quite as mesmerizing a sub appearance from Gauld as we perhaps all wanted, given how this match was crying out for a player of his skillset to help create something, anything. Did get a couple decent looks in and had two key passes, more than most of the Caps had created over the course of the 90 minutes. Just not enough end product to help get Gauld his first MLS assist.

Cristian Dajome: 5.5

Clearly is still easing his way back from injury and you could see why he perhaps didn’t start — he was not as dynamic as usual. Did his best to create chances going forward and got aggressive at times — perhaps too aggressive, with a couple of reckless challenges.

Tosaint Ricketts: N/A

Well placed sources can confirm that he was, in fact, on the pitch.

Michael Baldisimo: N/A

Didn’t do much after replacing Janio Bikel but his penchant for picking up yellow cards is a real concern — he is nearing another suspension for accumulating bookings and it is a bit frustrating for a guy who has not been a nailed on starter.

Bruno Gaspar: N/A

Came on to spell an injured Javain Brown into stoppage time.