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Johnson picks up assist in Borussia Moenchengladbach Europa League victory

Johnson-BorussiaMonchengladbach

By RYAN TOLMICH

For the second time in as many Europa League contests, Fabian Johnson made an impact with his passing ability.

The U.S. Men’s National Team fullback picked up an assist Thursday in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 7-0 (10-2 aggregate) victory over Bosnian side FK Sarajevo. With the victory, Moenchengladbach advances to the tournament’s group stages, which will be revealed in a draw Friday.

Johnson played a full 90 minutes on the left wing and his key moment came in the 34th minute. The 26-year-old Johnson added an assist to the scoresheet by finding Branimir Hrgota for the first goal of the Swede’s hat-trick.

The American’s helped with Hrgota was the duo’s second of the tie, as Johnson previously assisted his new teammate in Moenchengladbach’s 3-2 opening victory over Sarajevo last week.

What do you make of Johnson’s quick start with Moenchengladbach? How far will the German side advance in the Europa League?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. He could play any attacking midfield position, side midfield position, or either fullback spot and would be the best player in the squad at any of them.

    Reply
    • Hah, Robbie Keane had two like that for the Galaxy against Vancouver. I thought it had to be one of the most misleading stats in history–one assist from a bad shot, one assist from a shot attempt he whiffed on. FJ looked awfully good during the WC, I think he could be an outstanding player in the Bundesliga and for the US internationally.

      Reply
  2. two assists in two games. each from the wing. the first on the right, the second on the left. i said it in other threads with my projected starting XI for the next game, but i’ll say it again. he starts at LM for the US.

    Bedoya will play RM, Chandler at RB, and either Ream or Garza will play LB. that said, maybe JK will play Green at LM and FJ at RM leaving Bedoya on the bench. tough to say.

    Reply
      • “We are too thin at fullback to move him”
        disagree. with Yedlin, Chandler, Garza, Castillo, Beasley, Lichaj, etc., there are more than enough options. and now would be the time to start getting them into the mix.

        “especially not when we have better options at the more attacking positions.”

        really disagree. FJ is the best RB, LB, LM, and RM we have. he prefers midfield, JK prefers him in midfield, so he should play in midfield.

      • The only decent FB on that list is Yedlin. Beasley is done, Garza is garbage, Castillo is out of chances, and Lichaj can’t even get a camp invite. Chandler is inconsistent and average.

        Better options going forward are Green, Bedoya, Gyau, etc. Fabian has played more at FB under Klinsmann than he has in midfield.

      • according to you.

        “Beasley is done”

        i guarantee you he isn’t.

        “Garza is garbage”

        according to you, but i disagree as do the US staff and Xolos.

        “Castillo is out of chances”

        probably fair, but the dude is playing very well for Atlas.

        “Lichaj can’t even get a camp invite”

        can’t argue there.

        “Chandler is inconsistent and average.”

        doesn’t have enough games to claim he is inconsistent. plays in the Bundesliga, can’t be that average in terms of US players.

        “Green, Bedoya, Gyau”

        better than FJ?!?!?! Green is a great talent, but you are nuts if you think he is a better wing option than FJ at this point.

        Bedoya plays RM and certainly is not better than RM. this may be the most ridiculous of your points.

        Gyau is playing with Dortmund II and while i like him a lot, he is not on FJ’s level.

        “Fabian has played more at FB under Klinsmann than he has in midfield.”

        correct, but what happened when JK moved him into midfield? he shined and JK has since come out and said he like FJ in the midfield. while FJ, himself, has repeated that he prefers midfield, preferably the right side.

        this is not to say i don’t like FJ at fullback, he’s awesome there (like I said, our best LB/RB/LM/RM). but if JK is moving forward with other options so he can get FJ in the midfield, then i think, in this game, he’ll put him in the midfield.

      • When I say better I don’t mean better than FJ as a player, but better than his would be replacements in defense. Fullback is an attacking position in JK’s system, and FJ is one of the few we have that can attack and defend.

        Beasley won’t be in the squad in 2018. Book it.

      • To be more clear, I’d rather have FJ at fullback and Green/Bedoya ahead of him than FJ in attack and some scrub like Garza or Castillo behind him.

      • i’m aware, which is why it’ll be Yedlin and Chandler at FB barring some big change with those two. Garza and FJ will be depth options if needed.

        FJ is decent at defense, but it’s not like he’s some amazing defender. in fact, during the WC this topic came up.

        “Beasley won’t be in the squad in 2018. Book it.”

        i’m not saying he will be. i said he isn’t done. he’ll be involved through 2016 if i had to guess.

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