Player Ratings: Dynamo vs Toronto FC

5 quick observations about this one:

1)    You get a yellow card! You get a yellow card! You get a yellow card!

2)    Brad Davis is playing out of his mind good, and Barnes is stepping up his game as well

3)    The first half hour was inspiring for Dynamo fans

4)    The rest of the game can best described in inaudible grunting noises and long exhales

5)    If the Dynamo haven't hit that panic button yet, they need to really consider doing so

Houston Dynamo Player Ratings:

Tally Hall (5) - Hall had an interesting game. He made some great saves, especially early into the game including one low save where he had almost no visibility through his teammates and another reaction save where he tipped a rocket of a free kick over the top. However, he also bobbled a ball which led to Toronto's first goal. Hall also made two initial saves (one was a great 1v1 save), but the rebounded balls after the saves led to goals.

Kofi Sarkodie (4) - Sarkodie was pretty good at pushing up the field and actually worked better with Driver than I've seen in awhile. However, I can't give too much praise to a defense that let in 4 goals.

David Horst (3.5) - Horst has made it somewhat of a penchant for picking up red cards and silly fouls. He got lucky in this game as he brought opponents down in the box and handled a ball and got away with it.

Jermaine Taylor (4) - Taylor will miss the next game because of yellow card accumulation. Taylor really wasn't the reason things got out of hand for the Dynamo, but the entire backline needs to work as a unit better. This starts with the center backs and Taylor has seniority.

Warren Creavalle (3.5) - Creavalle started the game pretty well and filled in nicely for the injured Corey Ashe. Creavalle made it really tough for the offense to flow through his side, especially on Oduro, but as the game went on, Creavalle got caught up the field one too many times which did result in a goal to put TFC up.

Brad Davis, MotM, (8.5) - Since the Dynamo are struggling to score, Davis has picked up the slack scoring 3 goals in his last 2 games. Davis has come back from Brazil even better and is trying to carry this team. In this game, as Michael_D put in the comments of the recap, Davis was not only the best player for the Dynamo, but likely the best player on the pitch.

Ricardo Clark (6.5) - Clark disrupted play and even pushed into the attack at times, but Clark became visibly frustrated with the lack of support around him, in particular at the defense's poor response in winning 2^nd balls.

Oscar Boniek Garcia (5.5) - This was an odd game for OBG. I don't think he had a poor game, but the offense never really flowed through him (which is odd considering he was playing in central midfield). Eddie Robinson noted in the broadcast that playing Boniek in the center takes away a lot of the ways he can hurt teams and that assessment seemed to hold up in this game.

Andrew Driver (4.5) - I thought Driver did a lot of things right in this game: won balls, tracked back well to defend, saved balls from going out, and he made some pretty good runs here and there, but it's the turnovers that really kill it for him. His passing and crossing have got to improve or else someone like Ownby is going to snatch away his starting spot.

Giles Barnes (7) - For the first half hour of the game everything ran through Barnes and Davis. Barnes made several clever runs and passes which helped set up the Dynamo's only 2 goals of the game.

Will Bruin (2) - Where in the world is Bruin? Even when the team was playing very well in the first 30 minutes, Bruin wasn't really a part of the offense. Bruin didn't manage any shots, on goal or otherwise and hardly had any touches.

The Subs:

Brian Ownby (6) - Look out Driver, this kid is coming for you. Ownby and Driver both play a very direct game, and while Driver may be the faster player, Ownby is much stronger with the ball. He reminds me of Kyle Lowry (the basketball player who...now plays for Toronto come to think of it) how he barrels through defenders and somehow still keeps the ball. Ownby helped give the Dynamo a few chances to tie up the game including a very dangerous header.

Omar Cummings (4.5) - Cummings came on for Creavalle which did help create more chances for the Dynamo. The removal of a defender did create problems in the back though as TFC was dangerous in the counter.

Servando Carrasco (2) ­­- Did not play very long and played a lazy ball which led to a Defoe breakaway goal. That goal was a real face-palmer.

Coach Dominic Kinnear (5) - This team's road woes need to be put to rest. We can't keep relying on winning at home, which is nowhere near the fortress it once was. It is one thing to lose on the road, but allowing 4 goals after being up by 2 is not acceptable. I do have faith in this team and I only need to see the first part of this game to be reminded of the skill and talent that it has, but there are problems. Whether that problem is not getting enough from some players, focus, or discipline, it starts and ends with the coach. Dom is one of the best and if anyone can figure out a solution or identify a problem here, it's him.