photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — No Timmy Chandler at left back. No problem.
For a second straight game, Fabian Johnson filled in for the absent Chandler at the position that has proved most troublesome for the U.S. men's national team in recent years. And just as he did against Italy in February, Johnson proved himself more than capable of holding his own at left back in the United States' 5-1 victory over Scotland at EverBank Field on Saturday night.
In fact, Johnson's performance in place of Chandler (who denied a call-up for this summer's games) may have seen him lock down the starting spot for the foreseeable future.
"For us having now a very good core of midfielders, this is for us ideal to use him in that (defensive) role because he is technically very gifted," said Klinsmann, "he never panicks, he's calm on the ball, and that allows us then to combine from behind and you don't have to bang the balls forward. I think we have here a very special player developing in the U.S. team with Fabian."
Johnson demonstrated some special qualities in the game that marked his first time playing in the United States, especially on offense. Johnson helped stretch Scotland's back line by constantly making marauding runs forward on the left flank, and he even showed his quality dribbling skills on a pair of occasions.
On one play in the first half, Johnson received a pass deep in the visitors' half and then looked up to see two defenders in his way. Rather than dish the ball back out, the TSG 1899 Hoffenheim defender, who was playing left back for just the second time with the U.S. team, dribbled into the penalty area before cutting inside two players and setting up Terrence Boyd with a shot in front of goal.
"His athleticism, he's intelligent, his positioning, he's tidy on the ball, his composure on the ball," said U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra of what Johnson brings to the team. "He's a smart player."
Johnson has received accolades for much of the week, with Klinsmann calling him the best left back in the Bundesliga during the final few months of this past season. Klinsmann did point out that Johnson enjoys playing left midfield and getting into the attack more during his postgame press conference, and that could be why the coach instructed his versatile player to get forward early and often.
"He told me I have to play like a winger," said Johnson. "Go forward from the defense and that's what I did."
Johnson exploited the space in front of him against Scotland as left sided attacker Jose Torres normally tucked in, and the 24-year-old defender constantly provided an outlet on the flank for his teammates. He joined in on the attack more often than counterpart Steve Cherundolo, even picking up a pair of fouls in dangerous positions in his fourth cap with the U.S. Team.
Johnson still needs to continue to prove that he can handle the rigors of left back, including when to pick and choose his spots to get forward and when to stay defensively disciplined. Scotland did not provide much of a threat going forward, so Johnson was able to sprint up and down the touchline with little to worry about.
The Brazil game will be a different story. But if Johnson manages to pull out an equally impressive performance, he'd take another step towards establishing himself as the left back of the immediate future and helping U.S. fans forget about Chandler.
You’ve got one winner (Lichaj) and one potential winner (Gatt, not sure if he is a RB though) in that group
Wouldn’t really say Spector was the unquestioned starter in 2009. He was pretty awesome in the Confederations Cup but the whole reason he was starting in that tournament was because Hejduk (the starter in the early rounds of the Hex) was injured and Dolo was coming off a long injury to his hip. Dolo returned with the B squad in the Gold Cup and was the starter come on the A team come the qualifier in Mexico City.
None of those players are actually good enough to be an international RB at this point in time except Lichaj, and many (Alston, Myers, Loyd, Beitashour, Wynne) never will be.
Stay classy.
USMNT RB’s
Kevin Alston
Chance Myers
Alfredo Morales
Zack Loyd
Steven Beitashor (spelling?)
Marvell Wynne (fastest player on the pitch, I know he’s not the brightest of the most skilled, but he’s not going to get beat for pace.)
Eric Lijach (can play RB just as well as LB – shut Gareth Bale down last year playing in that position)
Josh Gatt
Kofie Sarkodi
JK probably has eyes on all these guys and more, none of them are as good as Chandler, but they can go out there and do a job. At the end of the day, whether or not Chandler commits to the US, we have options to develop.
Did Marvel fund an Avengers tie in?
its funny that bobby convey went from being in demand at this position for the usmnt to not even making the bench for SKC within a couple years… what a loser
Here is who Germany have for RB that are probably better options for Ze Germans at this point.
Lahm
howedes
boateng
Trasch
Gonzalo Castro
Danny Schwaab
Lahm will be be playing RB while Benedikt howedes will be his back up. (natural CB, but plays RB just as well, but not as attack minded. Sound defender.)
schmelzer will start at LB this summer in the Euros.
Dennis Aogo will back him up.
Christian Trasch can slot in at RB, but is a natural DM. other than that,
“Gatt is a winger, defending is not his strong suit. ”
That is what they used to say about Ashley Cole. There are a whole lot of fullbacks who started out as wingers. Defensive skill can be learned. Speed and athleticism cannot be.
Gatt is 20. Three years ago he was playing for Detroit’s Central High school, I believe.
As a soccer professional he has a lot to learn having gotten a late start. Good athletic instincts and blazing speed can only take you so far. Moving him around, making him play fullback fast tracks him soccer education. Hyndmann did the same thing to Shea and Brek spoke about how it helped his wing play to understand first hand how fullbacks defended wingers.
Gatt is too young and new to be pigenholed.
Do you know who Eden Hazard is?
The new multi million target for Manchester United and other big clubs? The latest big thing?
Chandler, in his first game at left back for the US shut him down, gave him nothing.
Even though it was just a friendly that is not easy to do.
Chandler is the second or third best defender in the US Pool. His athleticism and speed make him a terror on offense but his defensive prowess comes from the fact that he fundamentally understands how to play defense and he displayed this in all the US games I saw him play. He is, right now, easily a better defender than Lichaj or even Johnson.
Just because he seems to be gone now and is unpopular, that does not change the facts.
“No Timmy Chandler at left back. No problem.”
Chandler is not a top LB. He knows it, his coach at Nurnberg knows it. That’s why he plays RB in Germany.
i think Lahm plays right back for the Germans now, but he may still play on the left for Bayern
Germany is a different animal. The amount of quality players in their pool allows them luxuries that we don’t have. They don’t go out of their way to cap every dual citizen player with potential like we do. You really can’t compare Germany to us.
Germany is the captain of the football team. We are more of a JV wide receiver. We don’t get to cheat on the pretty girls.
No, Johnson has been moved from winger to LB and is being lauded as one of the best in the league already. Gatt is a winger, defending is not his strong suit. You are right that Gatt is not the same type of player as Donovan, but he is also incredibly fast. And a year from now he will likely still be at Molde, just in a bigger role there, unless Ole decides to move on and Gatt is one of the handful of guys he takes with him.
It’s a tactical decision. If you don’t force Brazil’s backs to respect ours by allowing them to get forward on occasion we will pay also. For me,I’d rather make Brazil work for it by attacking.
I agree, he isn’t that far out. If he keeps progressing like he is, how good will he be when he is 26?
Germany wouldn’t want him? They haven’t called him yet because he wasn’t in plans for Euros (my speculation). I kind of doubt that Chandler has had zero contact with Germany.
I think we will have a definitive answer by fall. He will play with us or we will see him called into Germany’s camp.