Fabian Johnson at Borussia Monchengladbach

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by Dave Marino-Nachison, Dec 16, 2004.

  1. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #3501 bshredder, Jun 21, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2019
    Dooley, Brooks, Fabian & Jones all had big moments for the USMNT

    Most of the players who didn’t pan out (for the USMNT) weren’t heavily invested by US Soccer - guys like Kiesewetter, Williams, Wagner, Mason, Hurzeler, Parker’s, George, even Wooten. US Soccer invested a lot in Green and the prospects of him being an important USMNT player continue to diminish. But that's mostly because Green really isn't that great.

    Far more than Morales (who is a useful player in limited roles), Chandler is the probably the biggest and only true disappointment of the German-American crowd. But when healthy he was and is a solid Bundesliga player. His best cap for the USMNT was his first one but generally he’s disappointed internationally.

    The gap between his talent and overall USMNT production is huge
     
  2. adam tash

    adam tash Member+

    Jul 12, 2013
    Barcelona, Spain
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    yeah his first cap was amazing ...I thought he would be a star for the team after that game.
     
  3. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    I was trying to go with "already capped or at least called up to a camp" guys - forgot Green was born in the states though.

    I'd say Johnson was a "consistent" B1 player, and he was very good when he was good, but his window was pretty short due to injuries etc.

    It does remind that the # of guys who really excel, compared to those who get hype, is pretty small across the board.
     
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  4. Ger90

    Ger90 Member+

    May 13, 2016
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    it's why it's always better to wait for someone to breakthrough the pro levels before hyping them. We are all guilty of that because you want players to succeed. But a lot of factors play into success and failure.

    still he played a successful German career

    202 1BL games
    90 2BL games

    over 300 pro games, think it's like 350 games overall too.



    Brooks is following behind them at 128 1BL and turns 27 in Jan so still has time to climb up.
     
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  5. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    Yeah, I think it's hard to say Fabio didn't have a very good B1 career, but I do think he never impacted as much as his obvious skill suggested he might - but I could be slightly biased...

    Brooks still (knock wood, spit, throw salt) could have a lot of years and his clearly a solid all around CD. He should/will (knock wood, spit, throw salt, bury various relics) be a B1 fixture for along time... gods willing.
     
  6. Bananenflanke

    Bananenflanke Member

    Jul 23, 2014
    borderland, Maas drainage basin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Faroe Islands
    auto-translate from today's TF:

    "Fabian Johnson continues to puzzle. Also in the past season, the 31-year-old disappeared largely under the radar. It all started very promising and later he seemed to establish himself in a new old role. But ultimately, the US international remained with 33% of the possible game minutes only a marginal figure. Things were looking good for Fabian Johnson in the run up to the end of the season. Through the introduction of the new system, the cards were mixed and Johnson seemed to have found his place as a left-wing attacker. He scored goals, worked hard with backwards and was consistent to start the match against Leverkusen in the starting XI. However, the Intermezzo took only one half as left-sided offensive player. Then he switched sides and scored his only goal of the season from this position. In the following three games he was the right offensive player in the starting lineup, where he was in the first Season defeat on Matchday 4 in Berlin was replaced at break. After that, Johnson disappeared almost completely from the scene, several times he was not even in the 18er squad. In the past few years he has had to contend with stubborn injuries, which often put him out of action for months, but this time - at least after the official statements - he was completely symptom free through the season. Nevertheless, he played no role except for a few short-cuts, while the team hurried from success to success. Only in December he reappeared when he replaced the form-weak Michael Lang in Hoffenheim in the last quarter of an hour - as right-back. In the remaining two games until the winter break Johnson was on the right defense in the starting eleven - without putting pressure on it (score 4.0 and 3.5). Even as a right-back Johnson could not bite. Dieter Hecking probably saw that too, because after the turn of the year Johnson did not play a minute in the first four games, twice was not even in the squad. But since Hecking was apparently not satisfied with the performance of Lang, he ordered Johnson in Frankfurt from the rostrum in the starting eleven. He did his job well in the back right (rating 3.0), as well as a week later against Wolfsburg - the defeat (3.0). At the next home game against Bayern, Lang surprisingly took the advantage, but again remained below his potential. Johnson replaced the Swiss in the final quarter hour and stood in the following three games as right-back in the starting lineup. However, Johnson could not really bite into this new old role. Against Mainz and Freiburg he played on average (score 3.5), in Dusseldorf he looked several times not good and was replaced after a pure alibi position in the 69th minute (score 5.0). In the following home game against Bremen Hecking switched to back-three and Johnson came in the last 24 minutes for Herrmann on the right offensive side to the course. These were also the last minutes of the season for the 31-year-olds. In Hanover, against Leipzig and in Stuttgart, he was only about the entire time spectators, in the final three games, it was not even enough for a place in the squad. So ended a hopefully begun season - already the sixth of Johnson at Borussia - very disappointing. Possibly the ways separate themselves still this summer. Even after all these years, Fabian Johnson remains an unsolved mystery. That he brings many plants, is undoubted. Its flexibility makes it a trainer and team player that suits every team. But beyond that, the impression remains that Johnson does his job rather unemotionally and it makes no difference to him whether he is on the pitch or not. Of course he will not be indifferent, but it lacks the obvious bite to assert its position in the final consequence. Therefore, it is absolutely open whether and how Fabian Johnson is planned for the new start under Marco Rose. His contract runs for only a year and he is considered one of the candidates from which one will part in the summer. The option to schedule Johnson as right-back is eliminated with the commitment of Stefan Lainer. It would be surprising if Marco Rose could ignite this with Fabian Johnson, which his predecessors only managed to a certain extent in six years."

    then again RP claims to know that the new coach values him high (in the past? in the present? in the future?)
    as always we have to wait and see, maybe Lang is leaving and Rose sees Beyer's future in central defense... LB position by the way isn't fully equipped at the moment (but the club is on the lookout... Sarr?)... in midfield it seems the upcoming formation is a flat diamond... if they sign more new players Eberl is gonna try to cut the roster back, that's for sure... no predictions from my side (but if a place in MLS opens up the club might say 'go for it' ;-)
     
  7. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    From all the things I heard I assumed AronJo had a chronic neuralgia, the sort of thing that never truly goes away, and predicted he was done a couple of years back.

    From all I know about FabJo, I suspect he has a chronic lumbar problem that is never going away either, and he'll be lucky if he can manage a month of starts ever again.
     
  8. ChrisSSBB

    ChrisSSBB Member+

    Jun 22, 2005
    DE
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    “But beyond that, the impression remains that Johnson does his job rather unemotionally and it makes no difference to him whether he is on the pitch or not. “

    That quote summarizes for me FJ. I always said that if there was an award on the USMNT for the most talented/least intense player, FJ would get it hands down. I suspect it causes issues for coaches as to whether they can trust him to do the work from one game to the next. Coaches like to know what they can expect when they put a player in the line-up and I don’t think that is something you get with FJ.
     
  9. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    It'd help if his crosses went to the incoming forwards instead of to the keeper, to be honest.
     
  10. Ger90

    Ger90 Member+

    May 13, 2016
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    I don't disagree, he was never that impactful but was a solid player. I actually don't member him in any game for German youth NT. I did say it about FJ for awhile, that Gladbach were prepping other players to take his place. His injuries have done him no favors.

    maybe not for Brooks. I recall there was EPL interest in him pre-Wolfsburg move. So Wolfsburg could be his last German club before trying himself elsewhere in Europe. In all honesty, I don't really see Wolfsburg as a club anyone really stays there a very long time.

    I mean even Chandler last season was heavily linked with Serie A, even reported to have went house shopping. Ended up staying and injured himself for a full year. It's one of those weird cases had he left he could have stayed injury free. The What Ifs of life. Has a 2020 contract, but his injury forced Frankfurt to buy another RB in Toure, while da Costa became 1st choice and did well. Does make one wonder if he's close to being done at Frankfurt.
     
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  11. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    yeah, I should have written "big 4" as it's hard to resist EPL money when it comes a calling sometimes.
     
  12. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Odd given that Fab was a starter at RM on the 2009 UEFA U21 tournament winner along with names like Neuer, Boateng, Ozil, Khedira, Howedes, and Hummels.
     
  13. Ger90

    Ger90 Member+

    May 13, 2016
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    I know he was a starter but doesn't mean he was memorable, guy was simply overshadowed. And he's not comparable to any of those guys. I don't remember much of Castro, Beck or Boenisch either.

    fyi, UEFA lists Neuer, Hummels and Ozil in their all time best XI for U21 tourneys.
     
  14. ChrisSSBB

    ChrisSSBB Member+

    Jun 22, 2005
    DE
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, that injury for Chandler was really tough. Hope he gets going again whether at Frankfurt or elsewhere as he was playing well before getting hurt.
     
  15. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He was very memorable to me. He was very memorable to Wolfsburg who bought him from 1860 based on his performances.
     
  16. Ger90

    Ger90 Member+

    May 13, 2016
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    The guys you listed are the only ones me and people I know still remember from that 2009 team+that bum Wagner scoring half the goals vs England. Truth to be told, it didn't bother me one bit that he switched to the USA. Fastforward 10 years later, I wasn't wrong not much of a loss. Solid player but that's it and had a good long career.

    tons of players get bought based on youth NT performances and winning teams get even more notice, doesn't really mean much. Did you forget Toljan getting bought due to his playing in 2017 U21 Euro, was in team of tournament and had a memorable campaign but bombed at Dortmund and Celtic. I wanted Toljan to succeed at Dortmund but was never fan of the move too early, ended up wasting 2 years.

    you list Wolfsburg buying him but he barely played for them in his 2 years there.
     
  17. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007


    what are these expectations? Starting for Real Madrid?


    Even Timothy Chandler before the recent injury was a top- performing Bundesliga player for the coach that Bayern Munich scooped up.
     
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  18. Ger90

    Ger90 Member+

    May 13, 2016
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    whether he ends up staying or not. For now he's in the Gladbach 1st team Summer Camp.
     
  19. Ger90

    Ger90 Member+

    May 13, 2016
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
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  20. Ger90

    Ger90 Member+

    May 13, 2016
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Starting 2nd half vs Spanish 2nd division. Drew a PK that was scored.
     
  21. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Should have taken that PK, he's not going to have many chances to score.
     
  22. Ger90

    Ger90 Member+

    May 13, 2016
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Eberl thinks the squad is too big for next season and wants to axe players. According to reports, Johnson is one of those candidates for an exit.
     
  23. ttrevett

    ttrevett Member+

    Apr 2, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Lovely, Mr. Frank DeBoer, there is a long distance call waiting for you from Germany! Our deep pocketed owner has a hole burning in his pocket for a versatile player like Fabian!
     
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  24. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    I'm not too sure Fabio is up to the task of playing in a very physical league like MLS, he's basically one bad hard tackle away from having to hang them.
     
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  25. HScoach13

    HScoach13 Member+

    Nov 30, 2016
    Club:
    Atlanta
    What does that really mean? Any player is on bad hard tackle away from having to hang them up.... Ask Stuart Holden...
     

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