Benji has scored more breakaway goals than Cade has over their respective career. We should be sending him thru like we try to do with Cade. I think this is a miss by Luchi. He doesn't realize that Benji also has very good wheels.
You’re seeing the same thing I am. His abilities are wrecking team defensive shape for opponents. Even Espinoza as hot as he is doesn’t do that. When Cade’s on the field this year he’s making his teammates better because he drawing too much attention. I’d argue he’s helping the defense too. Opponents rarely press high with their back line because they fear him breaking out in a counter attack. Stats or no stats, the Quakes are better when Cade plays this year.
As I said, I don't believe we are leveraging Benji's speed when he plays. You've seen what he can do (see goals I posted above). There's no reason we can't send him to run though as well. I think that's a miss by the coaching staff.
Whatever the reason is, they are not trying to play him through like they should be, based on what I've seen so far this season. You've seen what he can do with those videos I posted. Benji said in an interview that he and Cade raced (last year or the year before), and he was coy with his response - he didn't say who won but he had a big smile on his face. I think Cade is noticably faster in shorter sprints, but Benji has a 5th gear that might enable him to run paste Cade at 30 yards or so. I've seen that 5th gear few times, I wish we'd see it more often. Here's another example (first sequence). Watch how quickly Benji closes down the space on that defender (and then wins the ball for an eventual Chofis goal).
What if he scores but Mensah gives the ball away deep in our half and Ferreira easily finishes against a helpless JT and we tie or lose? Benji bad?
What if Benji doesn’t score and Mensah doesn’t give the ball away, and Quakes lose? Which scenario is more likely?
That's one of the reasons I've been calling Benji lazy this year... he just isn't trying to blow past defenders this year (though that looked better against Dallas). It has made me wonder of he's being coached to play more conservative.
He needs 20 yards or so to reach his Benji Blast 5th gear. I thought they were looking to play him thru a little more last night but few chances to kick into Benji Blast. That said I’d like to see him use it on defense occasionally like in that video I referenced where he chased down a long ball that was going to be an opponent possession because the guy had a 10-yard cushion, won it, and then Chofis scored.
Cade Cowell with his 3rd Goal for Team USA in the under 20 World Cup. His goal gives USA a 2-0 lead over New Zealand in the round of 16.