Revolution at Philadelphia Union, 10.6.12

In today’s mlssoccer.com, Jonah Freedman makes the case for five former U.S. men’s national team regulars who he thinks could help the team now. Benny Feilhaber is the fifth player on the list, and Freedman claims that Feilhaber “creates chances at a better rate than nearly anyone currently in the US pool.”

I don’t know what statistical evidence Freedman is drawing on to make his claims, but presumably it’s derived from MLS’s Opta Chalkboard. In any case, Freedman did not mention the fact that Feilhaber has recently struggled to get playing time for one of the league’s worst teams, nor did he mention that Feilhaber has played 2,057 minutes this season and still has just one goal and two assists over that stretch.

There are of course other ways to judge a player besides studying electronic “chalkboards” and goals and assists statistics. One must have only a passing knowledge of the game to agree with Freedman that Benny Feilhaber has, by MLS standards, great skill. It’s a pleasure to watch Feilhaber with the ball at his feet. And he combines that skill with an admirable work rate and willingness to play defense. In the 32^nd minute of last Saturday’s game against Philadelphia, for example, he worked hard at midfield to help his team win the ball, running around and even sliding in his attempts to pressure the opposition. When New England did gain possession, striker Jerry Bengtson played the ball back to Feilhaber, and Feilhaber went to work, using a subtle touch with the underside of his cleats to stop the ball and roll it forward before he proceeded to slalom through a trio of Union defenders. He then cut the ball back and played a pass to Clyde Simms. The little buildup eventually led to a rather weak cross into the box, but it was a chance nonetheless and it likely wouldn’t have occurred without Feilhaber’s skill and tenacity.

So in some important ways, Feilhaber is clearly a cut above most players in MLS. His relatively high salary attests to that fact. At $400,000 per year, Feilhaber’s contract is currently worth more than twice that of any other Revolution player. But for my money, Feilhaber’s injured midfield mate Lee Nguyen was New England’s MVP this year, and Nguyen’s skill on the ball and soccer IQ rival that of Feilhaber’s. As long as we’re mentioning salaries and statistics, Nguyen makes almost ten times less than Feilhaber, with an annual base salary of just $44,000. Before Nguyen went down with a season-ending shoulder injury, he played 2,386 minutes and had five goals and two assists, all better than or equal to Feilhaber’s numbers. Statistically, you could make an even stronger case for another injured Revolution player as this year’s team MVP. Saer Sene scored eleven goals before he tore an ACL on September 1. In short, Feilhaber may have great qualities, but he’s failed to meaningfully assert himself this season, even on a bad team.

There is something to be said for the idea that Feilhaber is the type of player who needs good players around him in order to truly shine. This can be said of all soccer players, of course, though it is truer for some players than others. Former New England midfielder Shalrie Joseph, for example, could control the midfield, win balls, and outmuscle opponents no matter who he was playing alongside. But Feilhaber is a creator, the type of player who routinely tries to squeeze through balls past crowded defenses, and that kind of player needs teammates who make intelligent, timely runs.

Having said that, a great player also needs to know the strengths and weaknesses of his teammates and play passes accordingly. It should be said that apart from a bad pass very early on in Saturday’s game against Philadelphia, Feilhaber protected the ball well and in general played well. But he has committed far too many unforced giveaways in other games this season, and I believe that’s why he eventually lost his starting job, before injuries began to accumulate for New England and he got it back.

What is more disappointing than the giveaways this season, however, is Feilhaber’s occasional on-field outbursts. Given his salary, his experience, and his considerable talent, he is far from a steadying presence in New England’s midfield. He is a strong competitor, but he sometimes has trouble channeling his emotions in useful ways. Some Revolution fans will remember that last July against Philadelphia, Union veteran Carlos Ruiz baited Feilhaber into a second yellow card midway through the second half. Feilhaber compounded his error by shouting and shoving opposing players before being sent off. It was an unfortunate display that hurt his team in that game and, because of the automatic suspension, the next.

Feilhaber again failed to master his emotions against Philadelphia last Saturday. He frequently berated the referee in the second half over calls and non-calls. He eventually, and predictably, received a yellow card, for a foul on Antoine Hoppenot in the 86^th minute. Feilhaber immediately resumed his bickering and it was clear from his naked rage that he was in danger of getting a second yellow. Sure enough, just a couple of minutes later he was sent off for an away-from-the-ball foul in the midfield circle. Feilhaber punctuated the foul with a boisterous and close-range “eff you” to the ref.

And so Feilhaber exited yet another Revolution game without a goal or an assist. His team would go on to lose, and he would be unavailable to play in the next match. The Philadelphia TV color commentator summed up the situation haltingly but accurately: “And even with the frustration and all the injuries they have, he’s got to be a team leader on this team. And that’s got to unbelievably frustrate Jay Heaps. . . . There’s no leadership in the context of the eleven on the field. You expect more from a player with that kind of experience.”

I agree with Freedman that Feilhaber still has the tools to help the U.S. men’s national team. But Feilhaber’s lack of composure and continued lack of goals and assists last Saturday will not help his case with Jurgen Klinsmann.