Digesting the USMNT one question at a time FJ?

I find where to play Fabian one of the toughest questions on this team simply because he's played just about everywhere as far as wide positions. He's been on both sides of midfield and defense and shown reasonably well in all of them. The easiest and most obvious answer seems to be midfield since that's where he prefers and that's where he plays his club ball. However, I still have trouble shaking the memories of him as a right back in Brazil where he was one of our best performers.

Seems like whatever you do, you have to go against the grain a bit to decide where to play him. Generally, if a player has had really good success in a role, you want to keep him there. But then again, you also generally want players playing regularly in the position they will play. So you gotta break the rules one way or the other.

 

I think that it's important for him that the coach makes a decision and sticks to it. In his first outing at midfield under Arena, he was disconnected a bit and looked out of sorts in the final third. I think that is partially due to his unfamiliarity with being that high up the field with those players.

I'd play him at left back, Yedlin at right, and Nagbe in front of him. FJ is good at late runs and can hit the ball well from outside the box. He's not that great at sitting up high, finding creases, and combining in tight spaces.

 

I voted for outside back only because I don't feel confident with our outside backs right now. I feel like we have other pieces that bring something to the table at outside mid. Either way, I'm a fan of Fabian being in the starting 11.

 

I worry thta F has lost his motivation.

 

I don't see the fire to be on the US national team, and we have equivalent options on the wing, that we don't at fullback.

 

Not wanting to travel to play in the GC or meaningless friendlies is not evidence of a lack of fire, especially in a veteran player.

He should play fullback as he has not been especially productive at wide midfield. If he plays fullback we have a strong pool of Johnson, Yedlin, Lichaj, Villafana, and Morrow.

 

I think if we go with three at the back, FJ would make a nice left winger. If we go four at the back, he would be a good left mid. In a midfield of MB, Nagbe, Pulisic on one flank and FJ on the other, we're doing pretty well.

 

I voted LB, but readily admit that I've changed my mind many times on FJ's best role for the US.
Last cycle I was OK with him playing as a RB, once Chandler fizzled, Cameron moved to CB, Lichaj was ignored, and Yedlin was still too raw to give the starting spot to. FJ plugged a hole and played well.

When the new (current) WC cycle began I wanted FJ moved permanently to LM because: 1) that was his club role and his preferred role; 2) outside midfield was a big weakness for the US; and 3) Yedlin was growing into the RB spot and the US had time to develop more outside backs.

But now that I see how pedestrian our LB options are (Villafana, Garza, Morrow, aging Beasley), while our outside midfield options have improved (Nagbe, Pulisic under certain conditions, Lletget when healthy again, Arriola, Zardes, Rowe, Saief), and how close we are to the 2018 Cup, I have changed my mind again. I'd like to lock down that LB role and build strong cohesion in a potentially excellent back-4 (Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, Johnson). Strong, reliable defensive play is the platform for a successful World Cup.

 

Very well reasoned.

I think there's one large issue to using FJ going forward. He told Bruce I'd like to play one position and stick with it. Ideally he stated he'd like to play outside mid like at club. However, Bruce likes to mix things up. From formation to tactics. There are certain tactics where FJ is going to need to moved and if he isn't open to it he's gonna sit but even with his last couple games being meh he still one of our better players.