Fabian Johnson in midfield

Well, from a production standpoint and an aesthetic standpoint, the 5-1 over Scotland was the most impressive offensive game in this cycle. The combo play and numerous insightful penetrating passes to create goals were wonderful to watch.

Of course, the problem with that game as a measuring stick is how poorly Scotland played, giving the US way too much space and time on the ball.

In general, I love that Johnson has the potential to give the US a high-quality starting left back, both offensively and defensively. Outside backs are important in the modern game and downgrading that spot with Castillo may not be a better move. Castillo exceeded my expectations in the 1st half at Azteca, but without Donovan helping him in the 2nd half, Castillo looked much weaker, and simply has not convinced me that he is anything but a rotational sub option. Plus, Johnson appears to have locked down Hoffenheim's left back spot, so that's where he will be training and playing all year.

However, I do understand the interest in getting his nice 2-way skills into midfield. IF Lichaj can nail down the LB spot for his club, and can convince Klinsi to call him in, then the US may have a strong enough LB to allow Johnson to slide up into midfield. But I'm definitely not sold on the idea if Castillo is the LB.

And all of that also assumes that either Chandler returns to the US to play RB, or that Cherundolo can hang in another 2 years as a good international RB. If neither of those two things happens, then Lichaj will be needed at RB, and Johnson will be needed at LB.

 

Useful arguments to ponder. I have been very pleased with Johnson's play at LB. Finally it seems as if the NT has found that player to solidify the position.

However Johnson has surprised me with his ability to create for others and aggressively take on defenders when played in midfield, especially last season with Hoffenheim. It seems like something we lack enough of with Donovan best on the counter and Jones a bit of a red herring as an attacking player. Torres is another. Possession in the middle third and the ability to make the accurate pass moving forward but not effective joining the attack in the final third.

Hopefully Bradley can still become this player, but while I like Mikey on the pitch, he sometimes lacks the creativity needed for this role.

I'm all for moving Fabian into the midfield but don't feel Castillo is an answer at LB. Possibly if a fast-rising talent like Adam Henley commits to the US or one of the pleasant surprises in MLS, Morrow or Lade pans out soon, it could happen.

 

I love Johnson as a player. But I think some things need to happen before he moves to midfield (for my memory, he was more of a wide player in the Slovenia game, but it has been a while).

1) We need more proven fullbacks to step up. I'm not ready to start Castillo, though I think he's played his way into consideration as a backup. That means Dolo needs to hang on at RB, Chandler needs to rejoin the team, AND we need at least one more fullback to step up in the pecking order (Lichaj, Spector, someone from MLS, whomever).

2) I the other LM candidates have to continue to struggle. Shea doesn't progress. Beasley proves he isn't an option.

For the time being, Johnson is our best LB and could be our best RB, depending on how Dolo goes and Chandler's decisions. I think we'll sit tight and see how Shea/Beasley hold up through qualifying and if Lichaj can secure a spot with Villa, and how Dolo does in the beginning of the season. Still a LONG way to Brazil.

Last, I think Klinsi is building out of the back. Unfortunately, I don't think he has a lot of backs he real confident in right now (Boca, Dolo, Cameron, and Johnson would be the entire list), so that doesn't leave him with much flexibility. And that foursome has never player together, that I can recall. Once he is sure he can have a solid back 4 with Johnson in midfield, we'll see it more.

 

I actually like fabian johnson at LM. I will say though that his offensive productive to me isn't hampered by him going to LB. From what I can tell he isn't the best goal scorer (at least statistically in the bundesliga), but he is able to stretch defenses out and provide a lot of assists in the attack. I think the way klinsmann uses his fullbacks to me actually allows fabian johnson to play him in a role that suits his strengths, and lets us bring in a dynamic winger like shea to make our attack more dangerous than sticking castillo at LB and moving johnson to LM

 

This would be my preferred lineup right now.

In the attack, Jones and Bradley press like we saw against Scotland. Beckerman stays home and helps clean up in defense. Dempsey will naturally draft to the middle, and Johnson will have a wide channel to attack on the left. Donovan and Cherundolo combine more on the right.

The defensive side effect of Klinsmann's crowding of the central midfield is that opponents are forced to try to beat the US out wide. Nutmeg brought up recently the importance of Donovan's and Dempsey's defensive work on the wings. After re-watching the Mexico game, I understand his point. Klinsmann's idea with Williams on the right is to help defensively more than it is to contribute to the attack, but it has been too much of a trade off. Donovan brings a defensive work ethic and of course is a better attacking option. Dempsey's defensive work has long been underrated.

Long term I would like to see Holden step up and compete for one of the two more forward central midfield spots. Gomez, Boyd, and Wondolowski allow the US to switch to a 2-forward formation when the US sees less of the ball. Shea brings a spark off the bench. And I still believe Feilhaber should be considered more as a more attack-minded player in the central midfield.

 

While I liked Castillo in the game, he had help from LD who couldn't be as offensive as we need him to be. He's extended his run with Klinsi and hte Nats but at this point I see him as a backup or someone to call in when we are in a pinch.

Between Johnson, D Williams, Eric Lichaj, Castillo, Spector, Parkhurst, some MLSers.........................................and Chandler we will have options on the outside of the defense.

We have to remember that Dolo (while I love the guy) will be 35 for Brasil 2014. Eventually, a Boca (35), Dolo (35), Goodson (32) cannot be relied upon due to their age. They have given everything for the shirt so putting them in the Agoos position is unfair. I'm more concerend about the middle of the defense. Can Cameron keep his level of play up and can we get a partner for him? Gooch? Omar? Edu? G John? Goodson?

 

the DREAM scenario for USMNT fans: Chandler and Lichaj (can't believe people forget about him, he had 10 straight EPL starts till today, did amazing during the Gold Cup and before that all of last year, and is knocking on the door to regain his position on a team that's prob. gonna finish mid-level EPL this year) at FB. Then utilize Fabian in the midfield just like the OP said. Watch a Hoffenheim game with him and you will drop your jaw.

 

I don't see Castillo as the solution at left back. But I think Brek Shea could do the job, which would facilitate Johnson moving to a more attacking role.

On the right side, Lichaj is the logical challenger/successor/backup for Cherundolo.

 

The diamond used against Slovenia was too weak defensively. Against sides of reasonable strength a destroyer needs to be deployed either in the 6 spot or in attack as a pressing midfielder.

Johnson has been the 2nd best attacking player in the team almost since first joining. His being in midfield was just a matter finding a left back. Castillo seems to locked down a starting spot on the 3rd place team in Mexico and certainly did the business at Azteca. Hopefully he gets the start against Jamaica and Johnson moves into midfield.

If Dempsey isn't ready then Shea, Johnson, and Donovan can play as the attacking three in 4231.

 

The whole idea that we can play Johnson in midfield because we have "EPL-starter" Eric Lichaj is premature, to say the least. Yes, Lichaj started many games for Aston Villa last year. The problem with that is that, at that time, Aston Villa, was not an EPL-level club, but would have been lucky to finish mid-table in the Championship with what they were putting out there at that time. Lichaj looked pretty good in the Gold Cup, but he, like all of our committed outside back candidates other than Dolo (and age is a reason to doubt whether Dolo will remain at this level) and Johnson, completely unproven as being able to play at the level we would like for the USMNT. So, for me, unless the other midfield options collapse, Johnson to midfield is an experiment we can't afford at the moment.

 

I think chandler is perfect at LB in this system.

in this system the LB and RB play wide and the top half of the LW and RW cut inside more often. like beasley did.

the triangle in the middle are required to clog things up and force action outside.

something we did very well in the first half last game.

 

Actually one of Slovenia's goals was straight up the gut, through Dempsey, Bradley, and Beckerman. Likewise a number of opportunities.

The team is fairly set at left back imo with Johnson, Castillo, and then a comfortable third option in Torres. Seems like Lichaj can start on the right.

 

A couple of things about that Slovenia game. Firstly, Matavž was terrific and simply beat some of our players 1v1 for his two goals. The guy was "on" that game. Also, what I think we could see last year from a series of SPARTACU5 slides was that Beckerman struggled with speed as the #6 that match and Chandler struggled some as the LB, alowing opposing players to get inside of him and behind him.

Since then Johnson has played LB much better than any other US player, including Chandler. And Edu is a quicker, more atheltic #6 than Beckerman.

 

its also tough for us to play in europe but we have gotten better in the past year at doing so.

looking forward to Russia friendly in november or whenever it is.

 

Beckerman has done well against speedy teams, e.g. France. In the overall framwork a destroyer is going to be needed somewhere in the central midfield. Not complicated.

 

I agree that Lichaj at LB and Johnson in midfield is worth a shot, at some point. I don't think the two Jamaica matches coming up will be those matches. Lichaj has been a non-entity under JK so far and won't be suddenly thrust into the starting XI in these important qualifiers. Johnson's been the US's best LB since the Italy game and won't be moved out of there suddenly, either.

Maybe in October, if we get 4 or 6 points from Jamaica. Although I think experiments with new CBs like Gonzo are more important in that case.

 

His 1v1 defending was excellent but struggled at times tactically at LB. Castillo and Johnson aren't physically on Chandler's level but actually play on the left side with their respective club teams and don't make the mistakes.

 

I would prefer Chandler to play RB like he does for Nurnberg.

 

In a dream scenario, I'd have Johnson be our '10', as he has shown he can run at defenders, do cuts, step overs, 1-2 passes, and has great vision (that assist and run from the wing vs. Guatemala for dempsey's goal was impresssive).

But that all depends on if we can have someone cover at LB, like others have mentioned. He's soooo good though, I hope we can experiment trying him in the middle of the park, and see if we can find a good option at LB instead of him...

 

Doesn't Castillo play LM? Something to keep in mind for the, "players can only play for the national team where they play for their club," crowd.

At the end of the day I always come down on favoring the player who helps the team against world cup level competition. Villa was falling apart when Lichaj was getting his run of games playing against EPL competition, while he did not cover himself in glory he seemed to be one of the only players who could consistently walk off after the game with his head held high. On a team full of dejected players playing at a Championship level he was one of the few who looked like an average PL player. I have never seen Castillo put together 90 minutes at LB against the kind of pressure or opponent Lichaj faced and come out looking as good as Eric did.

I would expect Gomez to be fighting for a spot in that 3.

I think it was more the openness of the game. If we play a very tight 3 formation then Kyle won't have as much space to have his lack of pace exposed in.

 

I like what Johnson adds to the attack as a left back. I would rather Klinsmann try other more attack-minded options in midfield than try to steal from the defense to make the attack better. With a style that pushes the opponent to attack out wide, the US cannot afford to weaken their full back positions.

Johnson is not a perfect defender, but he is better than other options tried. Johnson was switched to left back in the second half against Mexico, and did a better job isolated against Hernandez than Castillo had done. Castillo is defensive depth in my mind. The only options I see for moving Johnson forward are:

1) Chandler comes back and assumes the left back role he played against Slovenia with Johnson in front of him (and let us remember Chandler had his issues there).

2) Lichaj wins back a spot he has apparently lost at Aston Villa and gets worked into the US Team as a left back.

We will know Chandler's intentions soon enough. He said he would be back in the US fold in September. Lichaj is trickier because he still needs to work himself into Klinsmann's system. I do not see him as an option until the Hex.

EDIT: The problem with the attack seems to come down to one issue. Klinsmann has miscast Torres as an attacker and hoped he would become a player he simply is not. The next big test of the Klinsmann era - for me - is whether Klinsmann stubbornly tries to shoe horn Torres into this awkward outside midfield position, or whether he moves on after a number of lackluster/poor performances.