WASHINGTON – The one player perhaps making the most of this season’s return of the reserve league is a new face in D.C. United camp, and he’s also suddenly making life for head coach Ben Olsen very interesting.
Rookie Blake Brettschneider has scored three goals in two reserve games after an active and impressive preseason. But only time will tell if the Supplemental Draft Pick out of South Carolina can really crack a proven United front line.
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“He’s making it tough, and that’s what we ask of everybody in reserve games to do,” Olsen said. “Make it as tough as possible on the staff to keep them out of the lineup. He’s been very good in those games."
Brettschneider is already beginning to prove he has the physical tools to make the jump to MLS, but he’s not naïve. He still needs work on his technical skills now that he’s looking to provide some competition for DC starting candidates Josh Wolff, Joseph Ngwenya and leading scorer Charlie Davies.
“The one thing I’ve really focused on since I’ve been here is the technical aspect of my game,” Brettschneider said. “Obviously I think physically, I can hold my own pretty well, but the big leap up for me was being able to hold the ball and make decisions faster. That’s what I try to focus on out here and just try to make sure that it gets better every time I get out [to train].”
Scoring goals in preseason games or in reserve matches, of course, isn’t the same as scoring in league play. But throughout the past two months, his athleticism has stood out to the coaching staff.
“He’s got good pace, but his athleticism is the reason why I think he’s been as effective as he has at this level,” Olsen said. “Now, this level is reserve games and preseason games, but saying that, it’s better than college. He’s transitioned well into that stuff."
While Brettschneider has one eye on getting out and seeing minutes with the first team, he’s also patient and eager to pick things up from the experienced group of forward he competes with for playing time.
“With Wolff, Joe Ngwenya and with Charlie, that’s a top class of forwards right there,” he said. “Just to be able to come out here and train with them every day, I can learn so much and try to pick up everything I can.”
His hard work has been rewarded not only with the playing time in the reserve league, but Brettschneider has also made the 18-man roster in both games thus far. He’s been an unused substitute in each, but knows that his time will come at some point this season.
“It’s going to be tough to get minutes, but it’s a long season, and you never know when people are going to pick up knocks and little injuries,” he said. “So for me, it’s try to do well in the reserve games and do well here in practice and be patient, wait for my time.”
D.C. United travel to face the Colorado Rapids on Sunday night (7 pm ET, Galavisión).
