While thinking about the players called into camp ahead of the Holland match... I started thinking... Is Ben Olsen healthy these days?
healthy or not he doesn't belong in camp anyway. just my opinion, which i'm sure many will disagree with.
He developed some tendenitas in his knee (not the one he hurt towards the end of the MLS season) during the training camp and was sent home to rest before the MLS preseason started.
Re: Re: Whats the status of Ben Olsen? who would you put ahead of him??? klein...he's slower and worse on the ball reyna...he's better in the middle mullan...maybe but we still need a backup convey...I think he's better even at right wing...but he's also better in the middle...and perhaps even better at left back the fact is...when healthy olsen belongs in camp....the problem is he's healthy so rarely we forget that.
Re: Re: Re: Whats the status of Ben Olsen? It certainly is not a fact. He may have belonged in camp a few long years ago, before his injuries began ruining his career, but not anymore. I would much rather see Beasley or Donovan used on the Right than anyone you mentioned in the rest of your post. Beasley over there opens up room for Convey or O'brien to play left mid. Donovan on the right lets Jitterbug stay home and ensures convey and O'brien are available for center midfield (or left back). It also opens up a forward position, getting another attacking player on the field. Olsen ruins all of those scenerios with his lame knees and ankles. Leave him at home from now on.
He's 26. He's got many years left. Frankly, since his injuries he's one of several players (Klein, Ralston) who will be on the fringes of camp for a right wing spot...but would not see the field in a big game (with Reyna, O'Brien, Hejduk, Donovan, Stewart, Beas & Lewis available, any high stakes game will likely have one of these guys kind of playing on the right) Can he get back that little burst of speed & offensive flair? Maybe, but I also wouldn't be surprised to see Olsen in a defensive midfield role occasionally for the Nats. He's got the workrate, the attitude, and some pretty good ball skills for that role.
Benny was playing great for DC towards the end of last season before he hurt his knee and if he would have stayed healthy for those last few games, he probably would have been United's MVP. If nothing else, Benny will be good against the minnows when WCQ starts up.