You lose something from Johnson playing left back instead of left mid. But I agree that you lose more playing Chandler on the left side. Chandler has been rather unimpressive on the left side so far. On the right side he seems to be a much more aggressive and confident player. So I agree that we are better off with Johnson rather than Chandler at left back. However, it would be terrific if someone else could play left back freeing both Johnson and Chandler to play elsewhere. Lichaj, Castillo and Shea are all plausible candidates to me. I know everyone will point out that Shea doesn't play there for club and it is risky to try this at the national team level. I recognize this. I recognize that with the qualifiers almost upon us were are running out of time for experiments. But I believe ultimately Shea to left back and Johnson to left mid will work best for this team. Btw Johnson is a natural right footed player. But his left foot is just as good and he actually seems more comfortable playing on the left side. I've seen Chandler make very good crosses with his left foot but he is much less comfortable on the left side. Just one of those things. But we need to recognize where each player is more comfortable and effective.
Johnson is naturally right footed but he just has a very good weak foot as far as I understand it. I completely agree with the rest of your assessment.
You know it might not even matter which foot is his dominant foot since you are right, they are both pretty darn good.
The way to tell whether a player is naturally left or right footed is to watch them take a re-start. They will almost always use their dominant foot in that situation (except when it is a short tap to a teammate). I say almost always because I once saw a US national team player take a corner with his non-dominant foot.
Holden, Hamid, Onyewu, Gonzalez, Spector, and Agudelo injured. The USMNT top-40 (4) GK Howard, Rimando, Guzan, ...Hamid (out. +Johnson) (8 -1) CB Bocanegra, Goodson, Whitbread, Ream, Hines, Cameron ...Onyewu (out. +Parkhurst), Gonzalez (out. +Beckerman) (6) FB Cherundolo, Johnson, Lichaj, Chandler, Castillo, ...Spector (out. +Loyd) (7 +1) MF Williams, Edu, Jones, Bradley, Torres, Diskerud,...Holden (out. +Morales) (8) AT Donovan, Dempsey, Kljestan, Adu, Shea, Corona, Beasley, Gatt (7) FW Altidore, Gomez, Buddle, Sapong, Boyd, Wondolowski...Agudelo (out. +Cooper) Outliers/Reserves (in order) GK Johnson, Hall, Pickens CB +Parkhurst, John, Orozco, Marshall, Parke FB +Morales, +Loyd, Pearce, Franklin, Anibaba, De la Garza MF +Beckerman, Clark, Larentowicz, Evans AT Zusi, Pontius, Feilhaber, Rogers, Gyau, Gil, Duka FW +Cooper, Wooten, Estrada, Bunbury While, i'd like to call in all 40, that's too much. So i'm going to make my cuts to 30. (If i had to cut it 25, i'd drop Diskerud, Corona, Shea, Gatt, and Castillo.) GK Howard, Guzan, Rimando DEF Hines, Bocanegra, Ream, Whitbread, Goodson, Johnson, Chandler, Lichaj, Castillo MID Torres, Bradley, Jones, Edu, Williams, Donovan, Dempsey, Adu, Kljestan, Diskerud, Corona, Shea, Gatt FWD Altidore, Gomez, Buddle, Sapong, Boyd v Scotland ------------Altidore---Buddle-------------- Dempsey--------------------------Donovan ------------Torres-----Jones-------------- Johnson---------------------------Cherundolo ----------Bocanegra--Whitbread---------- ------------------Howard----------------- Bench: Guzan, Hines, Chandler (Cherundolo), Edu (Jones), Kljestan (Torres), Adu (Dempsey), Gomez(Buddle) v Brazil ----------------Altidore------------------ Johnson--------Dempsey-----------Donovan ----------Bradley-----Williams------------- Chandler--------------------------Cherundolo ---------Bocanegra----Goodson------------ -----------------Howard------------------- Bench: Guzan, Whitbread, Lichaj, Jones (Williams), Adu (Dempsey), Buddle, Gomez (Altidore) v Canada -------------Gomez---Sapong------------- Dempsey---------------------------Donovan -------------Bradley---Diskerud---------- Castillo------------------------------Lichaj -------------Ream----Whitbread--------- -----------------Howard----------------- Bench: Guzan, Hines (Whitbread), Edu, Corona (Diskerud), Shea (Dempsey), Gatt (Donovan), Boyd (Sapong)
He hasn't said much lately, but judging from the things shown in no holden back he is close to starting some light training again. He started running on the zero g tread a month or so ago and doing some free weights workout as well. He had some video of some ladders he was doing without a brace so its safe to say he is progressing right on track. I am willing to bet he starts light training by the end of the year, and who knows maybe even some light first team training. There is no way he will see a game until preseason next year or the last part of the semi final qualifying round.
I really see JK calling in a 30 man camp, with some sort of plan/objective for each of the three friendlies as we get closer to the first WCQ in Tampa. I think he will want to see/play a series of groups/pairings. He will want to shorten the bench as each game passes to get closer to qualifying conditions.
WEll I love making lineup projections so I'll go with that GK: 3 Howard, Rimando(Guzan), Johnson We will see who the second keeper is, I'll guess Rimando for now since he's actually playing. Call in Johnson as one of the future keepers, with Hamid hurt, plus give him a bit of a confidence boost after the nightmare. Def: 8 Onyewu (If healthy), Bocanegra, Goodson, Ream, F. Johnson, Lichaj, Cherundolo, Parkhurst Four centerbacks, bringing Ream back after a successful half season at Bolton. Replace Onyewu with Cameron if he's not fit. Johnson and Cherundolo the starters at fullback, backed up by Lichaj and Parkhurst. MID: 8 Bradley, Jones, Edu, Williams, Shea, Donovan, Chandler, Beasley Bradley, Jones, Edu and Williams make up a four man rotation for the center midfield spots. The 8 and 6 as they are. Donovan and Chandler take the 7 and 11 jerseys, backed up by Beasley and Shea. Fwd: 4 Dempsey, Altidore, Gomez, Boyd No secret here. Dempsey and Altidore start like usual backed up by free scoring Gomez and young up and comer Boyd. Boyd gets a bit more of a taste of the big boys level and Gomez gets to show the staff what he can do.
it's perhaps because i haven't seen chandler play the wing so i can't say how good he would be, but i think id actually prefer to have johnson up at the wing and chandler at LB
Chandler doesn't really add all that much offensively at left back. Johnson is somewhat of a defensive liability but then I think Chandler is as well out of position. I'm going with what both are currently playing for their clubs.
Here's my Twilight USMNT lineup (fresh blood appreciated) 3 Gk's plus 20, depth chart style ------------------------Howard (Guzan + 1)------------------- ---Dolo (Lichaj)---Boca (Goodson)--Gooch (Whitbread+Cameron)--Chandler-- -----------------------Bradley (Williams)----Jones(Wenger)------------------ ---------Donovan (Morales)-----Dempsey (Schuler)--------Johnson (Shea)---- --------------------------------Jozy (Adu)---------------------------------------
Eventually, Fabian Johnson would come up against some pretty good right wingers to defend if he plays at left back. Valencia ? Cud be one grande problemo for somebody who doesn't play left back for a living.
I put Cameron at left CB when I meant Spector, based on his good play against Italy at that position. As for the left side, if everybody wants to get Chandler out of LB, is there any chance Wenger cud play there? We are pretty desperate for a LB if Chandler doesn't play there, aren't we? So, why not try player of the year for two straight years in college and #1 draft pick at LB for the USMNT at left back?
Wenger is a long way off from a call up to the US team at any position, and to my knowledge he's never played left back at any level.
um, ya, that could be said for any of our left backs. If you're advocating Lichaj or moving Chandler over there, or something else, make your case that it's better than what I posted. Wait, you're suggesting Wenger and criticizing Johnson? jajajajajajajajajajaja!
Well,I see you put Johnson there, atLB, even tho you say he is a defensive liability. I don't see how that works at the International level. He will be picked on by opposing teams with good right wingers and you will have the defensive liability while losing Johnson's offensive prowess in left mid.
I saw Johnson there against Italy. I don't think Johnson is presently international caliber left back like Chandler is. I don't criticize Johnson, I think he's a lock at left mid. I was asking if Wenger could be considered at LB since we all know that we have a huge hole there if Chandler is not playing there. We also know that Dolo might retire and chandler mite move to RB which is his more natural position. There are two years + before WC begins. Who else do you suggest we try out for LB?
List of players that Fabian Johnson has come up against in the past month while playing left back Jefferson Farfan Martin Harnik Marco Reus Julian Derstroff Lukas Podolski Patrick Helmes List of all players that Andrew Wenger has faced in a defensive position in his pro career. ......................
Johnson is a defensive liability on the level of a starting Bundesliga leftback. Andrew Wenger has never started a game in his pro career, ever. I'm fine listening to arguments about Chandler vs Johnson on who should be playing left back and who should be in the midfield. But Andrew Wenger doesn't really compare to either of them.