Walter Restrepo only spent one season with the Cosmos, but he spent that time in New York reinforcing the fact that he's very, very dangerous with the ball at his feet. At times, he can be a somewhat frustrating player to watch, but there's little doubt he'll be a good addition to Major League Soccer, even if he winds up simply as an impact sub when his side are searching for a goal late in matches.
Restrepo has a tremendous first touch, and exceptional close control. Those are qualities that New York fans noticed as he routinely tore our defense apart during his time in both Fort Lauderdale and Sana Antonio, and was surely the reason they made signing the wide midfielder away from the Scorpions a priority last winter.
As good as Restrepo is at beating defenders while dribbling, his tendency to slow the ball down when it's at his feet can be more than a little frustrating. There have been more than a few times where a quick touch and cross could have resulted in a great chance on the counter, and nothing ever came of it because Walter took three touches too many, and then rounded his man to find the defense back and organized.
That said, the Cosmos often found themselves facing deep and narrow defenses during the 2015 season, and Restrepo's ability to beat the first man and draw a center back or midfielder out of position created more than a few opportunities that the squad wouldn't have had without him. As long as he baffles MLS fullbacks in the same manner as he did in the NASL (and he had no problem doing so in matches against the Energy Drink or Manchester City II), he'll be a useful addition to the Union.
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Brotherly Advice: Walter Restrepo
Steven Schmidt of Twice A Cosmo - SB Nation's New York Cosmos blog - gives us some insight on the Philadelphia Union's newest player Walter Restrepo.
By
Eugene Rupinski and Steve Schmidt