A pair of Americans found the net on Monday night, with Man of the Match Benny Feilhaber scoring the winner in Aarhus GF's 3-2 decision over Randers FC (full highlights and a postgame interview with the U.S. internatioal).
The result saw AGF take the league lead through two rounds and Feilhaber was named to the TV2 Team of the Week for his excellent all-around efforts.
Meanwhile, in Sweden, Örebro midfielder Alejandro Bedoya opened his Allsvenskan account in rousing fashion. The Florida native hopped off the bench with 13 minutes left to score twice, rescuing a 2-2 draw at Häcken.
Both strikes and a postgame chat with the hero...
- Greg Seltzer
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6 comments:
Benny almost got an assist on the second goal wit the nice back heel too..looks to be in great form!! Hopes he can continue and stay healthy
Yeah... it's impressive what he can do when played in an attacking role, as he should be.
Nice to see Benny in good form, regardless of the eventual impact on the national team. He really fought through the experience at Derby and with injuries. Good for him.
But is he an ideal (or even a good) fit to pair with Michael Bradley in the middle(at least in Bob Bradley's 4-4-2)? It seems like Edu, Clark (or Jones) better compliments Bradley's role with the USMNT.
No, he does not organically fit into that 4-4-2 set. And yes, in it, Bradley has better starting options.
However, I really think the coach needs to work with another formation or two with late game attack in mind. Almost any attacking set will have a real place for him, and THAT is how he can impact the USMNT this cycle - as a playmaker off the bench.
Ah yes--the hatred for the empty bucket is palpable.
Maybe a 4-2-3-1 with Bradley and a Clark/Edu/Jones type player in the "2" and Benny in a more advanced attacking midfielder position? I guess the question would be who would play up top. I have been impressed with Charlie Davies and his ability to make things happen, but I am not sure he fits into the above formation--you need a point striker to possess the ball and hold up play, no? Ching is the obvious choice, in large part because Altidore did not impress in a similar role in the Confederations Cup. Will playing time improve his touch? Sure. He already has a unique understanding of how to use his body (a skill that I think Ching has mastered, and for which Ching remains underrated). But I am not sure that is where Altidore belongs.
The alternative would be to consider a 3-2-3-2 (modified 3-5-2). That way you could have a point forward up top with a speed player like Davies playing off of him. Then again, three defenders in the back will catch a lot of flack with most supporters (Bocanegra-Gooch-Spector) because it isn't the fastest bunch in the world and I am not convinced that Donovan and Dempsey are defensively oriented enough to track back.
But I am rambling now. Maybe that is not what you meant at all.
It would be nice to see the US change their formation a bit. We need a more attacking style of soccer. Perhaps a modifiable 3-5-2. But, many of us can go back and forth with why this could work and couldn't work. I feel our stay-at-home defenders stay home a little too much on the transition. Benny is an attack minded player with creativity. We need more of him.
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