MLS's most abused player - Ben Olsen?

[PumaJohnny]

hi all. I was at the Burn game on Saturday, and I noticed what seems to be an increasing trend of Olsen abuse during the season.

Despite all the talk of Freddy-fouling, it seems like Olsen is the most often cheap-shotted (is that a word?) player in the league. He doesn't get the light, professional fouls either.

I think he's quite fed up with it too because he even pulled down his sock to show the ref where he had been cleated in the leg near the beginning of the match.

Thoughts?

[griffin1108]

Welcome to the middle of the field, Ben.

[Pauncho]

Olsen may be the most-fouled player on DCU, but the most-fouled player in MLS is K-Mart.

[Clint Eastwood]

I'd say he's fouled a lot, but after his acting job yesterday you can't complain. That mystery foul that got Mr. Pareja sent off was obscene. From the replay it appears Pareja MIGHT have grazed him with his elbow and Olsen went down like he was shot. Meanwhile Olsen's elbow was up too. I don't think the Burn players were too happy about that.

By the way, Olsen used to be a highly skilled midfielder. What happened to him. He's just another Dema Kovalenko out there. He makes very few creative moves and seems to have lost all of his goalscoring ability.

[uniteo]

What do you mean "what happened to him"? How could you not know?

And he still shows a lot of skill on the ball...he just lost a lot of speed.

[onefineesq]

I'd say he's fouled a lot, but after his acting job yesterday you can't complain. That mystery foul that got Mr. Pareja sent off was obscene. From the replay it appears Pareja MIGHT have grazed him with his elbow and Olsen went down like he was shot. Meanwhile Olsen's elbow was up too. I don't think the Burn players were too happy about that.

By the way, Olsen used to be a highly skilled midfielder. What happened to him. He's just another Dema Kovalenko out there. He makes very few creative moves and seems to have lost all of his goalscoring ability.

I agree with you. Not only was that not a red card, but it wasn't even a foul. Pareja did not extend his arm (unlike Ben). His arm went straight up, and he wasn't even looking at Ben. This is not the same Olsen of old. I would have to agree that he has little creativity out there and is basically another version of Dema. That being said, I still think he should be captain of the squad, but we have to admit what he is today.

[Barbara]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14435-2004Sep11.html

"I've got a good-sized lump on my head, but there wasn't any malice," Olsen said.


Ben isn't even claiming it was a foul but I'd like to know where the lump came from if there wasn't any contact.

[CHICO13]

I had a direct view of the play standing at the rail in 135.I don't think Ben was acting. There was contact and Ben to a pretty good shot to the noggin but I don't think it was intentional and the red was absurd. Horrible call by the ref.

[prk166]

hi all. I was at the Burn game on Saturday, and I noticed what seems to be an increasing trend of Olsen abuse during the season.

Despite all the talk of Freddy-fouling, it seems like Olsen is the most often cheap-shotted (is that a word?) player in the league. He doesn't get the light, professional fouls either.

I think he's quite fed up with it too because he even pulled down his sock to show the ref where he had been cleated in the leg near the beginning of the match.

Thoughts?

My thought ---> The MLS tracks this stat. No need to speculate on who's the most fouled player in the league.

[swedcrip34]

My thought - provide us with that stat.

I think it was Beasley.

[swedcrip34]

FOULS SUFFERED
PLAYER TEAM GP FS
Davy Arnaud KC 25 90
Richard Mulrooney SJ 25 70
Andy Williams CHI 22 70
Kyle Martino CLB 24 69
Jose Cancela NE 21 64
Eddie Gaven MET 24 64
Brian Mullan SJ 23 61
Brian Ching SJ 22 59
Clint Dempsey NE 20 54
Justin Mapp CHI 24 54

[Barbara]

Davy Arnaud
Richard Mulrooney
Andy Williams
Kyle Martino
Jose Cancela
Eddie Gaven
Brian Mullan
Brian Ching
Clint Dempsey
Justin Mapp

[Knave]

On average Olsen is fouled 2.5 times a game while Arnaud is fouled 3.6 times a game.

[sch2383]

Benny also dishes out a fair amount of fouls. He has changed from a quicksilver winger to a centreal midfielder made of leather...quite a transformation.

[kebzach]

Welcome to the middle of the field, Ben.

welcome to the real world, Ben. Ben Olsen has always been the biggest whining little girl of a player in MLS and I for one enjoy hearing Eric Wynalda rip him up and down every time they do a DC game.

Less than 3 minutes into the Fire/DC game a week ago he went after Nate Jacqua after BOTH players left their feet and slid into each other. Foul on Jaqua, foul called, no problem there, Jaqua gets up and backs away only to have Ben Olsen run up on him and try to cheap shot him to "send a message".

Mr. Brown and Marsch planted Ben back on the ground 3 seconds later and that was the last we heard from him all night.

For his position, 2 goals and 1 assist sure sucks, doesn't it?

[kebzach]

Ben isn't even claiming it was a foul but I'd like to know where the lump came from if there wasn't any contact.

Just because there's contact doesn't mean it was a foul, Barb. Only in U-12 girls soccer would my statement be wrong.

But in this case, it was a foul, and it should have been called as a foul. Or, at worst, a yellow because the arms got near his head. But a red was without question the stupidest decision that could have been made.

[PumaJohnny]

My thought ---> MLS tracks this stat. No need to speculate on who's the most fouled player in the league.

fixed your post - it is not 'the' MLS :)

[Barbara]

Just because there's contact doesn't mean it was a foul, Barb. Only in U-12 girls soccer would my statement be wrong.

But in this case, it was a foul, and it should have been called as a foul. Or, at worst, a yellow because the arms got near his head. But a red was without question the stupidest decision that could have been made.

Nowhere did I argue that it was or wasn't a foul. I was responding to this post (http://bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3200143&postcount=4) in which the poster expresses doubt that there was an significant contact at all.

[vivaelbolivar]

welcome to the real world, Ben. Ben Olsen has always been the biggest whining little girl of a player in MLS and I for one enjoy hearing Eric Wynalda rip him up and down every time they do a DC game.

Less than 3 minutes into the Fire/DC game a week ago he went after Nate Jacqua after BOTH players left their feet and slid into each other. Foul on Jaqua, foul called, no problem there, Jaqua gets up and backs away only to have Ben Olsen run up on him and try to cheap shot him to "send a message".

Mr. Brown and Marsch planted Ben back on the ground 3 seconds later and that was the last we heard from him all night.

For his position, 2 goals and 1 assist sure sucks, doesn't it?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
First of all Olsen is not the biggest whiner in MLS that honor goes to Ruiz. Secound of all most of everything that Wynalda says is garbage anyway. About the fire game last week i didnt see it so i cant say anything about it. As far as his productivity sure he is not having a good year in fact its bad but whats important to get points or to win balls and control the midfield.
After his injury the MLS 99 Cup MVP was never able to regain his form that made him one of the best wingers in the national team it is a real shame.

[CHICO13]

I for one enjoy hearing Eric Wynalda rip him up and down every time they do a DC game.


I wasn't aware Wynalda's opinion mattered. It never has to me.