No love for Feilhaber?

[The Clientele]

I've noticed that Benny Feilhaber has dropped almost everybody's starting eleven...

I realize that he had a bad situation with Derby and that he seems to have some 'ego' problems (or whatever we want to call them)...

But, IMHO, I think he is one of the best ball-handlers and passers that the US has. The guy can operate in tight spaces... And he also has an offensive instinct that is absent from many of our players... Moreover, he actually can shoot - we would not have won the Gold Cup without his rocket of a shot versus Mexico...

Personally, I think he is the best match with Bradley or Edu. I felt he was the heir apparent to Reina and Jon O'brien.

What do you think his future is going to be with the Nats? Could he drop off the radar altogether? Or will we see Benny revive his Nats career?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

[Cannons]

Must be his attitude :rolleyes:

[JuanPeron]

He gives the ball away a lot.

[Sandon Mibut]

Love is earned. Feilhaber hasn't earned it.

[The Clientele]

Wow... And do you think Benny will be back for the Nats? Or?...

[onefineesq]

If you are going to play an offensive player in front of Edu or Bradley, I'd rather have Adu. He's a better dribbler, draws more fouls from opponents, and in my opinion passes the ball better.

[cc-atl]

I for one would love to see Feilhaber get back on track and fulfill his potential because I think he has great potential.

Right now my dream 2010 WC lineup would probably look something like this:

Dolo----- Gooch--- Califf-----Pearce
----Edu/Bradley--- Feilhaber-------
Donovan-------------------Beasley
--------------Adu-----------------
---------------Altidore------------

But the fact is Benny is currently injured and out of form. Until he gets healthy and gets some playing time somewhere you will not see him on any current starting 11 lists.

[Sachin]

Isn't he out for the summer with an injury?

[USvsIRELAND]

Feilhaber sucks balls. At least right now.

He didn't play for Hamburg, he didn't play for Derby.

Time to go somewhere where he can actually play some soccer.

Then we will see if he's any good.

He should be nowhere near the Nats until he finally earns some PT.

[silverlion]

He's my favorite defensive midfilder and after Jozy my favorite player to have emerged in this WC cycle. In the Spanish speaking networks they talk a lot about him they see him as first team players along with Dempsey and Adu, it probably has to do with their style of play. If he's smart enough he'll go to another league in continental league that suit his style, he's too good for the CCC. He should be a starter, no doubt, for the USMNT once he regains his form.

[The Clientele]

I for one would love to see Feilhaber get back on track and fulfill his potential because I think he has great potential.

Right now my dream 2010 WC lineup would probably look something like this:

Dolo----- Gooch--- Califf-----Pearce
----Edu/Bradley--- Feilhaber-------
Donovan-------------------Beasley
--------------Adu-----------------
---------------Altidore------------

But the fact is Benny is currently injured and out of form. Until he gets healthy and gets some playing time somewhere you will not see him on any current starting 11 lists.

I am with you on getting Benny on the field... I think that he is one of more talented players we have...

On a side note, you see Califf in that CB position come 2010?

[shooter6065]

Feilhaber sucks balls. At least right now.

He didn't play for Hamburg, he didn't play for Derby.

Time to go somewhere where he can actually play some soccer.

Then we will see if he's any good.

He should be nowhere near the Nats until he finally earns some PT.

Amen. I don't understand the fascination with Feilhaber. The basic problem is that, well, he doesn't play soccer for a club, or really play soccer at all.

He rarely played at Hamburg.
He rarely played for the worst team in EPL history.

Am I missing something?

[The Clientele]

Amen. I don't understand the fascination with Feilhaber. The basic problem is that, well, he doesn't play soccer for a club, or really play soccer at all.

He rarely played at Hamburg.
He rarely played for the worst team in EPL history.

Am I missing something?

Did you see him play for the National team? The guy added a great deal...
The question here is about inherent talent, and I think he has that in spades.

[Clint Eastwood]

Amen. I don't understand the fascination with Feilhaber. The basic problem is that, well, he doesn't play soccer for a club, or really play soccer at all.

He rarely played at Hamburg.
He rarely played for the worst team in EPL history.

Am I missing something?

Yes, people are caught up with his goal against Mexico. A great goal no doubt, one for the record books.

Still he's never done anything in his club career. If he hadn't gotten injured at the Toulon tournament, this summer he would have achieved the distinction of having more appearances for the USMNT than 1st team club appearances. At it is he has 16 caps, and 19 club appearances.

Don't get me wrong, he's got talent. If he can find the right situation and get back to "match fitness" then I can see him re-entering the fray for the national team. Then again, he wasn't even playing in Derby's reserves. Guys like Kljestan and Holden are earning playing time with the Nats due to their play in MLS.

Would it shock anybody if Benny wasn't on the Olympic roster. Not me. Not in the slightest. Maybe he's out due to his injury anyway. I don't know.

[Maitreya]

He always shows just enough to tantalize and not enough to solidify a starting role. Hopefully he finds the right situation.

[Maximum Optimal]

Some Poetry about Love and Ben

1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Corinthians 13

Ah Ben!
Say how, or when
Shall we thy guests
Meet at those lyric feasts
Made at the Sun,
The Dog, the Triple Tun?
Where we such clusters had
As made us nobly wild, not mad;
And yet each verse of thine
Outdid the meat, outdid the frolic wine.

My Ben
Or come again,
Or send to us
Thy wit's great overplus;
But teach us yet
Wisely to husband it;
Lest we that talent spend,
And having once brought to an end
That precious stock, the store
Of such a wit the world should have no more.

Ode for Him by Robert Herrick

[Prime Time]

I've noticed that Benny Feilhaber has dropped almost everybody's starting eleven...

I realize that he had a bad situation with Derby and that he seems to have some 'ego' problems (or whatever we want to call them)...

But, IMHO, I think he is one of the best ball-handlers and passers that the US has. The guy can operate in tight spaces... And he also has an offensive instinct that is absent from many of our players... Moreover, he actually can shoot - we would not have won the Gold Cup without his rocket of a shot versus Mexico...

Personally, I think he is the best match with Bradley or Edu. I felt he was the heir apparent to Reina and Jon O'brien.

What do you think his future is going to be with the Nats? Could he drop off the radar altogether? Or will we see Benny revive his Nats career?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.


I agree with you. I'm hoping he gets his stuff together because his talent is unmatched in the center of our midfield. If he can get fit and in form he is an automatic starter IMO. The question now is who would you pair him with, Michael Bradley who he's had success with? Or Maurice Edu who looks to be surpassing MB on the NT stage.

[Marko72]

I am personally a big fan of Feilhaber's talents, and think the team lacks for what he is capable of providing. However, he has just had a horrible season in which he couldn't get time with a sorry (now former) Premiership outfit and is rusty and out-of-form. And to make things worse, he was just injured in the Toulon tournament.

There are a lot of posters who are not nearly as appreciative of his talents as I am and wouldn't include him even if fit and in form. I am not one of them, but at the time being, he wouldn't be in my first XI either, sadly.

[Maitreya]

Some Poetry about Love and Ben


Darn reputation spreading around message. :)

[The Clientele]

I agree with you. I'm hoping he gets his stuff together because his talent is unmatched in the center of our midfield. If he can get fit and in form he is an automatic starter IMO. The question now is who would you pair him with, Michael Bradley who he's had success with? Or Maurice Edu who looks to be surpassing MB on the NT stage.

I agree with you about Edu surpassing Bradley on the NT stage. I would love to see a Edu/Benny pairing. I don't think we will ever see that, unfortunately.

I am pretty sure that Michael will start every game while his father is coach. Michael is a very good player, but I do think he is getting preferential treatment, so far.