His ability to break down defenders is among the best on the team, if not the entire MLS.
"Freddy is a difference maker, and he has to be able to do that for us in order for us to be successful in the playoffs," Union assistant coach John Hackworth said.
It's been a whirlwind year for Adu, who played well for the U.S. national team this summer in its run to the Gold Cup final. The United States lost to Mexico, 4-2, in the championship game, one in which Adu was a standout. Earlier this year, Adu competed for Caykur Rizespor of the Turkish Second Division.
Since playing 11 games for Real Salt Lake in 2007, Adu had competed for five teams before returning to MLS and joining the Union.
A player who has been in the national spotlight since signing as a 14-year-old with D.C. United in 2004, Adu remains one of the more recognizable players in MLS. Yet he apparently has been more than willing just to blend in with the Union.
"As a player, I have to be prepared for starting or coming off the bench," Adu said this week after a Union practice. "It depends on the direction the coach wants to take for the game."
That doesn't mean Adu sees himself as just a complementary player. With his ability to break down defenders, he is always looking to be a difference maker.
"One of my strengths is breaking down players, going one-on-one, and creating space for my teammates," Adu said. "I think that will be our mentality going in the playoffs."
Adu certainly has the attention of the Houston coaching staff and team.
"He's the type of player who makes things happen," Houston coach Dominic Kinnear said in a phone interview. "He is a very talented player."
