Olsen setting pace in United midfield

In D.C. United’s post-Marco Etcheverry period, Ben Olsen has emerged as the man to keep the team’s talented and speedy midfield tight and organized.

Coach Peter Nowak has asked Olsen to be a vocal leader in making sure the midfield keeps its shape for all 90 minutes. In the past, Olsen played wide on the right flank like a typical English-style winger, making long runs and delivering crosses into the box. Now the hard-working midfielder has moved to a more central role.

“I’m enjoying it in the middle, and I feel more part of the game,” Olsen said. “When you’re out wide, you do a lot of watching while running 60 yards. Now I feel I have more impact on games for the duration.”

Olsen’s new position is to play in front of rookie defensive midfielder Brian Carroll, where his vision of the game is broader. He no longer can rely on his boundless energy, speed and guts to make an impact.

“I’ve got to be more of a thinker,” said Olsen, the club’s longest tenured veteran. “Before, I could just zone out and play wide midfield and run when I could and then get back and defend. It was more of a blue-collar position.”

With Olsen, Bobby Convey, Earnie Stewart, Dema Kovalenko, Brian Carroll and new-comer Joshua Gros, United has one of the fastest and creative midfields in Major League Soccer.

“He’s not only vocal,” Stewart said. “When the others see Ben move, they move with him, and that’s probably his biggest asset.”

Convey, Stewart and Gros are all capable of making dangerous runs on the flanks, while Kovalenko likes to run with the ball close to his feet through the middle of the field.

“Myself, Bobby and Dema, we share the responsibility of going forward, and that’s where the organization comes in,” Olsen said. “Do I hold? Do I press up? Do we have the numbers? Little things like that I can improve on.”

So far this season, United (1-1-1) has played attractive possession soccer but has faded in the second half of its last two games. After a brilliant 45 minutes against the MetroStars at Giants Stadium last week, complacency and lazy marking set in and the team became riddled with holes. United fell apart, giving up three goals in 13 minutes in the 3-2 loss.

“Even if we can’t maintain that brand of soccer, we need to know how to withstand pressure,” Olsen said.

That will require tighter marking and added stamina against the Chicago Fire tonight at RFK Stadium.

Olsen, who turns 27 next month, was an integral part of United’s 1999 championship season. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he helped the U.S. team reach the bronze medal game. His play caught the attention of England’s Nottingham Forest. He was loaned to Forest and was on the verge of earning a contract when he injured his ankle. Late last season, Olsen seemed to be back to form until he came down with a knee injury in September. In 111 games, he has scored 15 goals for United, including a goal in last week’s loss. He says he is now fully fit.

“I’ve got three 90-minute games under my belt,” said Olsen. “Of all my injuries, now I’m hurting from blisters.”

Olsen is hoping U.S. coach Bruce Arena will call him back onto the national team program. He was a regular on the team until the ankle injury, which required four operations and kept him off the field 16 months. Arena didn’t name him to the 18-man roster for a game against Mexico at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Wednesday.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed,” Olsen said. “You hope you do something to impress the big man. I’ve played on the national team, I know what it’s about and I enjoyed it. Maybe I took it for granted back then. I think I would appreciate it more after going through so much adversity. To fight my way back on the team is my goal.”

Meanwhile, Olsen is enjoying the attention his teammate Freddy Adu is bringing the league.

“This league has changed through one kid — it’s amazing,” Olsen said. “The last five years, the league was stagnant when it came to talent and media attention. There’s a new professionalism now.”