Klinsmann: Fabian Johnson needs to "rethink approach" to team

I think we use him where we need him based on opponent. I've said this in the past, but I'll say it again.

Against teams that will PRESS US, he's useless as a LB or RB. He's better inserted closer to the action so he can get the ball already in dangerous positions (CM/LW/RW).

Against teams we can shove the ball down their throat, we can play him as an outside back because essentially, he'll be overalapping a ton/switching roles with our midfielders when he gets the ball deep.

 

You got me thinking about the number of US Nats who over the years have generated the most debate about the best positions/roles.

Fabian Johnson: LB, RB, LM, and some suggesting CM.

O'Brien: LM, CM, LB, as you already noted.

Donovan: LM, RM, SS, ACM. He was arguably the best US player in each of those roles during most of his years. We argued a lot about this on BS.

Holden: CM and RM. This got mixed into the nepotism mess, too, since BB was accused of protecting MB90's starting role by keeping Holden at RM.

Dempsey: RM, SS, ACM, and even as a #9. Although I think these debates were not as heated as others.

Cameron: RB, CB, or DM. This debate still exists today.

Bocanegra: CB or LB.

Adu: ACM, SS, or LM. Though I think this got mixed into views of Adu potential as well.

Reyna: CM, ACM, RM, DM, and even RB at times.


These players were all fairly versatile and could play multiple roles well. Nice to have those options.

To me it comes down primarily to two things: 1) where does the player currently play with his club team and 2) where is the greater need on the Nats.

Right now Fabian Johnson's primary club role is a flank midfielder during the last two Bundesliga seasons, and I see the US Nats' LM role as the biggest hole since Donovan was dropped in May 2014. I also think Ream has been a pretty solid option at LB while between Yedlin, Chandler, and Lichaj we should have 3 good options at RB. So, in 2015 and 2016 I'd play FJ at LM for those two reasons. Back in 2013 and 2014 I favored FJ as a LB, because he played there primarily for his club, the US had a pretty big hole there, and we still had Donovan for LM. In the last 2 years, the situation has changed both in how FJ plays for his club and where the US has a greater need.

 

The best attacker in a team generally gets played where he is most prolific as the best attacker being at his most prolific is typically a key driver of team success.

Bob moved Donovan to midfield so he could see more of the ball and thus be more prolific especially against decent sides.

JK should move Fab around midfield and forward until the best position(s) in which he is most prolific for the team are found. Fab is the best attacker in the team. Starting an attacker at fullback for tactical purposes is something that should be done only with supporting players like Brek Shea.

 

Outside of bicanegra, that looks like a list of the best US soccer players in the last 15-20 years.... A player or two could be missing. I just hate the out position arguments we see now.

 

You say it looks like a list of the best us players without Boca but leave Adu on? Your tripping. As for a player or two missing (outside of keepers) the obvious player missing is Dolo.

 

I deeply apologize fore leaving Adu on and after much thought, Cameron would the next guy taken off. I'd say the other six were our most talented soccer players in the last 10-15 years, but I'm sure will correct me if I'm wrong.

I suppose cherundolo could have been one of the players left off.

 

If you're just talking about talent you need to leave Adu on, and move him up.

 

I don't really remember... I probably left him on because of talent. I did not leave him on or take him off to create a debate. My general point was that international caliber players can be successful in many positions and I don't agree with all the complaints about players being played out of position. If they can't adapt, it just highlights the weaknesses in their games. I'd take FJ at left over Frankie Heyduke any day.

 

This is the rub, the job of a coach is to put players in the best positions for the team to be successful. Putting them in positions to highlight their weakness is dumbassery of the highest order.

Jk needs to rethink his approach to coaching. By all accounts, he wants players to play on instincts with minimal tactic instruction. Which can be a valid approach even if it does make some players uncomfortable. It is very likely the best approach to line-up selection in light of the laissez faire approach to tactics is to put players where they feel most comfortable positionally.

I am not totally opposed to playing players out of their positions, but I do believe that/those player(s) need more specific and detailed tactical instructions.

FTR if our on field performance was decent and/or our recent record was not abysmal then there could be a valid argument proffered that it was working. Such is clearly not the case. Just as we setting new records in the run up to the last WC we are now setting records in epic fail in the beginning of this cycle.

 

Fact is, Fabian Johnson is probably our best player. Another fact is that he's soft. Hard to win in CONCACAF with softer players.

— US Soccer Feed (@ussoccerfeed) December 16, 2015

 

We won plenty in CONCACAF with Donovan as our best player, and he was quite soft, perhaps even softer than Fabian. On the other hand, Landon is a genius.

 

You had to catch Dono before dealing with soft Dono. That wasn't so easy.

 

LD was mentally soft at times but was a real cyborg in terms of stamina and durability.

Fab is mentally strong, but his body breaks down giving him a fair amount of muscular injuries. This is partially why I'd like to see him played at wing-forward or central midfield where he won't have to do the type running required of wingbacks and wide-mids.

 

LD wept...

Is that really a USsoccer twitter account as in USSOCCER posted that about one of our players.

Say it aint so....

 

It's hard to win concacaf with softer players, but fairly easy to win in the Bund or CL with them, I guess.

Lol. Give me a team of Fabio-level "soft" players and I'll give you the head of the Hex, every time.

 

Just found it to be such a crap tweet

 

It is.

But, JK was the first to call FJ soft.

 

Link?

 

they have nothing to do with USSOCCER other than being 3 guys who talk about the USMNT and MLS. noone employed by USSOCCER would ever say anything like that.

 

Don't you know what thread you're in?

 

The JK rebuked Fabian for throwing his team under the bus for his other team thread?

 

I'm willing to give Klinsmann the benefit of the doubt on this issue right now, although I'm not siding with him at this moment. I'd like to know more facts. Landon questioned a few dual-nationals, refused to mention any names, but its reasonable to suspect that a player that the coach has questioned in the past for his commitment might be one of the players that Landon was referring to.

 

This is the type of hot take that makes me long for a world without twitter.

 

Being one of the best and being "soft" at the same time are antithetical. .. I'd like to see the metrics used to measure softness as perceived on the field...no one, IMHO, who makes it to the top tier of professional soccer can be truly soft; they'd have never made it that far if they were. Relative to other pro's perhaps, but still un-quantifiable, hypocritical in essence and just plain wrong.

 

You can be ace for your club but "soft" for your NT. Messi was an example of that until recently.

Also, there,s physical soft (not uncommon with smaller guys --after a brutal foul, they don't play the same, and that was LD's case at times); mentally soft, when they disconnected when things started goimg south; and those who started the game "soft" already, more concerned about keeping healthy for their club when playing for their NT.