Alejandro Fuenmayor has taken to life mightily quickly at the heart of the Houston Dynamo defence. He is now the perfect cornerstone to build on.
Defender Alejandro Fuenmayor came to the Houston Dynamo in January to strengthen the back line at center back. The transfer came based on his Venezuela performances, but so far he’s exceeded expectations.
He played 72 games before his move to Houston, scoring two goals. He already has two goals this season in only eight games, seven of which are starts.
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Teammates have noted Fuenmayor’s competitive ferocity. Detailed scouting reports confirm what they’ve seen.
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He’s a strong tackler and is frequently successful in intercepting balls, making a number of defensive actions throughout the season, something that is indicative of his busy style. Fuenmayor had five tackles, three interceptions and won an aerial in the last game alone, an impressive 3-1 win against New York City FC that was sure a statemet from the Dynamo to the rest of the league.
The scouts go further to say he enjoys tackling, as well as playing long balls and threatening during set pieces. So far this season he’s averaging 2.5 tackles and 3.5 interceptions a game. He factors in clearances every game, as well. Dynamo head coach Wilmer Cabrera named him one of the most important players, speaking to his mentality.
Goalkeeper Joe Willis added that Fuenmayor tracks opponents with skill. In Cabrera’s formation, he has a great sense of position.
Fuenmayor, meanwhile, said he stepped up his game when coming to MLS. He acknowledges the quality of defenders on the Houston Dynamo roster, including team captain DaMarcus Beasley, and says that he recognised the need for him to be at the top of his game if he was going to compete for playing time.
His style fits in brilliantly with the fast-moving 4-3-3 of the Houston Dynamo. Fuenmayor can contribute to solid defense while helping with possession, dribbling and making the offense work from deep.
He’ll need to keep the offense in his arsenal as an option. He’s entirely too valuable to consider moving him from center back to midfield or forward, but his distribution from deep is invaluable for a team that likes to play at a fast pace to carve open the opposition.
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And at age 21, he’ll be part of the Houston Dynamo back line for a long time. What a wonderful cornerstone to build the defensive wall on.