Minnesota United's recently arrived right back Alan Benitez calls himself already accustomed to his new team because he played a similar style back home in Paraguay.
But he and his new coach Adrian Heath are working to reach an understanding about just what that position means to each.
In Paraguay, Benitez mostly played higher up the field and wider, as what Heath terms a "wingback" on a five-man back line.
With the Loons, he has played outside next to center back Michael Boxall in a four-man backline in his five appearances.
"Everybody plays differently," Heath said.
But there's usually one way Heath prefers.
His teams use their outside defensive backs to attack and cross the ball into the 18-yard box, but without sacrificing too much their defensive shape and responsibility.
"I'm very used to that," Benitez said in Spanish interpreted by a team employee. "In my previous team in Paraguay, we played in a similar manner. How this team plays fits well for me."
Benitez has made five appearances so far, including starts in the past three games and a winning goal in a 2-1 victory at Nashville two weeks ago.
He's expected to start at left back again in Saturday afternoon's home game against Houston. He'll do so for a team that is 7-1-2 in its past 10 games.
Heath called Benitez's performance better defensively at Nashville than it was the week before in a 4-3 loss at Colorado — and better yet in a 2-1 victory over Austin FC last Saturday than he was the previous games.
That's mostly because Benitez has stayed nearer Boxall, unless you count his long run down the right side at Nashville that led to his goal at the back post in the 75th minute.
Heath attributed some of that defensive improvement to a conversation between the two.
"It's something we've shown him," Heath said, "and something we'll continually work with him on. He's used to being a little higher up and a little wider. We need him staying a little bit more connected with Boxy, especially when the ball is on the other side of the field."
The Loons acquired Benitez last month from Paraguay's first division on a 2 ½-year contract with a club option. At age 28, he is fit, powerful and an attacking threat from a defensive-back position. He's also a worthy replacement for injured right back Romain Metanire, who has played one game this season.
"That's the profile we want at that position, right?" Loons veteran defensive midfielder Wil Trapp said. "You think of Romain, the ability to get forward and influence the attack."
Benitez's presence paid off with the winning goal at Nashville.
"It's just his natural instinct to go forward," Heath said. "He wants to play in that attacking third. Maybe ideally, I would have wanted him at the back four and not in that back post. But after he scores, you go, 'Well done, great decision.' "
It took Benitez two short second-half substitutions and two 90-minute starts to take DJ Taylor's place and score his first MLS goal, and a winner at that.
That isn't long for a nine-year veteran who among his many tattoos has "patience" inked on his neck.
"In soccer you don't always get to play every game like you'd like," Benitez said. "So you have to have a lot of patience through that."
Teammate and fellow Paraguay national team member Luis Amarilla vouched for Benitez. Amarilla also vouched for MLS and Minnesota to Benitez, who brought his wife and daughter with him from Paraguay.
"That helped me make the right decision," Benitez said. "… It's totally [different] from the league in Paraguay. Here you play very fast, have to run a lot. But I'm used to that. It's a nice city, very calm. I'm used to something else in Paraguay. I'm very happy to be here."
Benitez and Amarilla have known each other since they were 12. They now live in the same apartment building and carpool to training.
"There's a good relationship there," Amarilla said. "I know what type of player he is. He can help the team."
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Minnesota United newcomer Alan Benitez finds a fit in Adrian Heath's system - Star Tribune
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