1. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007
    #1 #1 Feilhaber and Adu, Dec 21, 2018
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2018
    Right to the point, this thread is simply about Fabian Johnson's 2019 prospects with the USMNT (and maybe beyond). If everything is equal, Fabian Johnson is currently a top 5 USMNT player in the world right now.

    Currently, he is a offensive rotational player for the 2nd best team in a rejuvenated competitive Bundesliga and in a pinch can step into a outside back role which he just did in BMG's last game (going 75 minutes at RB in a 2-0 win).


    Unfortunately, Fabian Johnson's supposed "lack" of US ambitions post 2018 World Cup were greatly exaggerated on deceptive lingo by certain people to the press.


    More accurate press:

    RP interview with Fabian from summer 2018: (credit to poster bananenflnake)

    Will the national team play a role again?

    "I hope so. Honestly, I do not know because after the failed World Cup qualification I hadn’t any contact with the US Association. It is also not clear who will be coach in the future. I'm just as smart as you are.

    Would you then first target the Gold Cup 2019 in the US or would even the 2022 World Cup still play a role in your plans? You would be almost 35 by then …

    Honestly, I don’t think that far. First of all I would like to return to the national team and that's what I'm working on."



    The angle of him being 31 years old now will be pushed as a narrative, but to compare- he is currently 6 months younger than Michael Bradley who continue to gets called in on "experience" , and fabian is currently playing and contributing at a level much higher than Michael Bradley. On top of this, Fabian Johnson is extremely smart, technical, and flexible as a player and can effectively play at a high-level SS,RM,AM,LM,RB, and LB. Making himself one of the most valued stocks in the US player pool.


    In addition, Fabian Johnson was a true silent professional for USMNT (highly under-rated) and was one of our most important players and highest-level playing players from 2014-2017.

    After putting in one of the best Offensive European seasons ever for a USMNT player, 2015-2016 saw Fabian Johnson starring in a Champions-League role with 2 goals and 2 assists within 3 games in a row vs the likes of super-powers, Juventes and Manchester City and a strong offensive influence in the Bundesliga to keep a Champions League spot for the next season. some 2015-2016 highlights





    After putting up a career- best offensive season, Fabian Johnson was chosen to take one for Team USA and play in a secondary role as the starting LB for COPA 2016, to help solidify a strong defense on the way to a Semi-Final run.

    The point is, Fabian Johnson can offer valuable champions-league, world cup, WCQ, and multiple- positional experience and mentorship to our young players and can fill-in as both a starter or sub role in a multitude of positions over the next 2 years.
     
  2. nobody

    nobody Member+

    Jun 20, 2000
    He's one of the best and most accomplished players in the pool. That he's never mentioned is a big sign of the dysfunction in the system right now as far as I see it. Not saying there may not be some old issues to deal with, but the absence of discussion around a guy with a career more successful than all but a small number of players easily counted on one hand should certainly be in the discussion.
     
  3. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Would he play Left Back?
     
  4. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007
    Fabian goes 94 minutes (80@ RB, and 14 @ LW) vs Borussia Dortmund in the top of the table affair. Really Strong game from Fabian on both the defensive and offensive side of the ball. Smart, smooth, and continuous active forays forward.

    Going into the break, Johnson is right behind Pulisic as the top American player in the world right now.

    Think of the value of a player, that a coach has confidence to switch him from defense to winger 80 minutes into the game on the opposite side of the field in a close battle of #1 vs #2.
     
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  5. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007
    #5 #1 Feilhaber and Adu, Dec 21, 2018
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2018
    He has been playing multiple positions for the US for years. Complete team-player. No special treatment ever came his way.

    A big part of this thread, is the belief that there will be one savvy veteran over 30 years old for the 2022 cycle. To me, that's Fabian Johnson. What I have seen from USSF HQ, is that they are trying really hard to force that role to be Bradley, and so far, to no avail. Now the question will be, will he be called up by Berhalter like Bradley?
     
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  6. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree..

    I mean by that is he would be most valued to us as a LB.
     
  7. GiallorossiYank

    GiallorossiYank Member+

    Jan 20, 2011
    NJ/Roma/Napoli
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I hope he comes back
     
  8. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    No Johnson, no Bradley. Time to move on.
     
  9. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007
    is this like a, "if Bradley cant be the veteran guy, then Johnson cant either"

    Johnson is a high-level player right now and Bradley is not.
     
  10. eric_appleby

    eric_appleby Member+

    Jun 11, 1999
    Down East
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I wish I could agree with you. But this is US soccer. Our talent pool is not so deep that we can discard a veteran player like FB.
     
  11. olephill2

    olephill2 Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Club:
    Watford FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I've been a charter member of the Fabian Johnson fan club for several years now and I think he was brilliant for us in 2014 (and a key cog in our 2016 Copa America run as well). I'd love to see him regain form and return to the national team. But he also needs to earn it. He has struggled with injuries and form since his standout 2015/16 season. He only managed 10 appearances (5 starts) last year in the Bundesliga, and 21 appearances (with 11 starts) the year before. He didn't really contribute much in 2018 WCQ and he was a non-factor in the Hex.

    It's good to see that he's starting to get minutes again for BMG - hopefully he can keep up his place in the team and ideally earn a consistent starting spot. The USMNT could desperately use the help on the wings as well as at LB.
     
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  12. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Johnson has the quality, but he only has 541' played this season.

    I don't think he's in the physical condition to juggle club and NT duty.
     
  13. Force11

    Force11 Red Card

    United States
    Dec 24, 2018
    His flexibility, technical ability, and tactical understanding of the game is a huge plus for me. And as mentioned above, the fact that he was always the guy who played whatever position the USMNT required for that day, speaks volumes from a veteran perspective.
     
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  14. ttrevett

    ttrevett Member+

    Apr 2, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Agree with the second, disagree with the first. FJ just played two matches in a row in the 1BL for the second placed team, and played very well. Put Bradley on the squad and he'd never see the pitch.

    FJ right now is technically better than any player we have aside from Pulisic. He is a really intelligent player based on the runs he makes. He is still versatile judging on his recent games and plays more two footed than anyone in our pool. I would say he is a better RB or LB than any we have, including Yedlin. Yedlin has the edge in recovery speed and may have the edge in crossing, but I'd rather see FJ out there in a must win game than Yedlin at RB any day of the week, except that then we'd have "insert any name here" playing LB.

    Unless Berhalter goes 3 at the back with wing backs, I'd rather see FJ in a flat back four as RB. Three at the back with wing backs makes it much easier to have both FJ and Yedlin on the pitch at once.
     
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  15. ttrevett

    ttrevett Member+

    Apr 2, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Fabian Bradley?
     
  16. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Fire Berhalter?
     
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  17. eric_appleby

    eric_appleby Member+

    Jun 11, 1999
    Down East
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    HA HA, J is pretty close to the B on the keyboard.
     
  18. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    I'd bet money Fabian is going to be out injured for long, again, soon.

    He has a chronic problem with his back. I don't know the specifics, but it sounds like a neuralgia, like the one that virtually ended Aron Johannsson's career (although in his case it was the hip).

    You don't ever get better with those. You get temporary reprieve, at best. I think it's wise not to count on him for this cycle.
     
  19. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007
    isent that what is so great about Johnson? you in general don't have to worry about him because he can play 6 positions, so hes a major additive to the team and not someone who is going to be a hinderance or a sudden risk because he is so important at just one position.

    He can literally be the super-sub for 6 positions if he is not in top shape or he can start in a position if he is in top shape.

    This guy can teach the younglings on teamwork and tactical understanding of several positions.
     
  20. Cynical US fan

    United States
    Mar 30, 2017
    Boston
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Does he feel pain in his arms or legs? Neurologically (I'm a board-certified neurologist) that is crucial to know before labeling it a "neuralgia." There is no specific neuralgia of the hip --- are we talking about "sciatica," low-back pain, or joint pain (not a neuralgia)?
    Be more optimistic, Fabian's playing 90" well now. AJ on the other hand has been out of action for very long stretches.
     
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  21. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    From what I've heard, the problem with Aronjo sounds like a femoral neuralgia (or neuropathy, as is more used in the USA). The only specifics is that he has chronic hip pain due to a "nerve problem in his right hip" and so far the surgeries have done nothing to help.

    https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/bremens-johannsson-has-surgery-to-fix-hip-issue/

    I don't like the idea of pushing someone who may be already well aware that his physical condition is not good enough to juggle NT duty besides club duty. Fabian Johnson himself asked to be called only for "important matches" and I doubt a healthy player would have made such request.

    http://www.espn.com/soccer/united-s...-quit-united-states-team-after-2018-world-cup

    "I still really enjoy playing for my country, but there is an agreement with head coach Bruce Arena that I will only play in the more important matches," Johnson told Bild. He said it "could very well be" that he opts to quit after the 2018 tournament, for which the U.S. has not yet secured qualification.
     
  22. HomietheClown

    HomietheClown Member+

    Dusselheim FC 1971
    Sep 4, 2010
    Club:
    --other--
    Not a big fan of someone who asks to only be called up for important matches.

    I say never call him up again.
     
  23. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007
    #23 #1 Feilhaber and Adu, Dec 29, 2018
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2018
    Nonsense. If you know the backstory behind it, several Born-Abroad Americans were being blamed for everything (even when they ask to be subbed in fear of aggravating more of an injury playing wingback for 100+ minutes) for being born-abroad by the same in-crowd people who walked and or sucked down in T&T that night like Tim Howard.

    Why? because they were "Klinsmann's" crew and even Michael Bradley was helping further along a coup to get Klinsmann out on belhalf of Flynn, Jay Berhalter, and Arena, because Klinsmann was gone anyway and the in-crowd already knew about it they were just waiting for on Flynn's heart problems.

    For example,

    https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/20...soccer-jay-berhalter-jason-kreis-vieira-nycfc

    "Despite recent losses, Jurgen Klinsmann remains the U.S. men’s national team coach and technical director, but multiple sources say that Klinsmann’s duties in the latter area have become more ceremonial than before.


    Over the past year, U.S. Soccer’s chief commercial director Jay Berhalter—the brother of Columbus Crew SC coach Gregg Berhalter—has started taking over a lot of the day-to-day technical director duties. Berhalter even called an important meeting in Chicago in August that did not include Klinsmann".



    Another Perfect example of how its still going on, here's a good-boy reporter making stuff up about Brooks recently


    https://sports.yahoo.com/usmnt-stoc...halke-teammate-weston-mckennie-004352980.html

    "Still, questions about his commitment to the national team continue to linger more than five years into his U.S. career"


    Fabian was always very loyal to the US, that's why he still showed up for games. I respect people like him for always being professional, never singling anyone out, even to the press with his name on it. Unlike all these phantom un-sourced articles like the major one in 2013 made up by journalists, who were having nice chats with certain people in the in-crowd.



    The moment Arena resigned, everyone wants to be in this team and move forward.

    Gregg berhalter is either going to prove himnself to be a puppet of Arena and Flynn like Stewart is or he is going to treat all American players equally.
     
  24. An Unpaved Road

    An Unpaved Road Member+

    Mar 22, 2006
    Club:
    --other--
    Klinsmann himself publicly questioned Johnson's commitment and sent him home to make a point so Johnson's reputation (deserved or undeserved) was set in place well before Arena took over.
     
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  25. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007
    Due to not over-extending a muscle issue in extra-time.

    Johnson was deployed as the wingback that CONCACAF Cup 2015 game. RWB, who had major defensive and offensive responsibility and ground to cover.

    If Klinsmann wins that game, he dosent call out Johnson. In fact, that's the one thing I respected about Klinsmann, was that, he was not afraid to call out even his own favorite players. If only he had the mindset to admit his own flaws as well.

    In contrast, I never heard Arena call out Bradley and Altidore for walking that night down in T& T. Walking is far worse than asking to be subbed due to muscle tightness after running up and down for 111 minutes.
     
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