photo by Joe Nicholson/USA Today Sports
By FRANCO PANIZO
Jurgen Klinsmann stated on a couple of occasions earlier this month how important it would be to have fullbacks Fabian Johnson and DaMarcus Beasley healthy and available for the upcoming CONCACAF Cup.
They reminded us just why on Wednesday.
Johnson and Beasley each returned from their respective knocks during midweek action, and did more than just make their way back to the field. The two veterans made impacts in their league matches, with Johnson scoring a well-taken and technically-sound opener for Borussia Moenchengladbach and Beasley setting up a Houston Dynamo winner with a crafty dribbling run.
That Johnson, 27, and Beasley, 33, did not show any loss of form after spending several weeks on the sidelines is a good bit of news for Klinsmann and U.S. Men’s National Team fans everywhere. The nerve-wracking date with Mexico on Oct. 10 looms large, and there are very few other players in the pool that can provide what the experienced Johnson and Beasley bring to their respective right and left back positions.
Beasley, for instance, showed exactly the type of play on Wednesday night against Sporting Kansas City that Klinsmann has described as his preference for fullbacks. The Dynamo left back was energetic from the start and solid with his positioning and defending. After a drab first half in which neither team did much of anything in the attack, Houston picked it up after halftime.
It was Beasley, however, that helped provide the difference in Houston’s 1-0 victory. In the 67th minute, Beasley took a pass on the left and played a quick one-two with Brad Davis before sidestepping Chance Myers and hitting a perfect low cross that Will Bruin simply had to tap in at the far post. Beasley also helped the Dynamo grind out the shutout win with 10 men after Boniek Garcia was ejected in the 70th minute with a second yellow card.
Johnson was not deployed as a defender for Borussia Moenchengladbach on Tuesday – he was a left-sided midfielder – but still demonstrated the quality that he brings. Johnson wasted no time in making his mark in the club’s home tilt vs. FC Augsburg, finishing off a broken play with a superb half-volley that skipped off the ground before finding the back of the net.
Unlike Beasley who went the distance, Johnson lasted only until the 59th minute of Moenchengladbach’s 4-2 win before coming off. He still might need another week or two to get back to top fitness, but nonetheless Johnson’s return is a welcome sight for Klinsmann, especially since top-choice centerback John Brooks continues to miss time with a hamstring problem.
Now, the U.S. back line that will try to stymie the talented Mexico attack in a little more than two weeks is closer to full strength. The fullback spots might still not be that deep given the injury losses of Timmy Chandler and Greg Garza, but Johnson and Beasley are essentially guaranteed to start on the outside of the Americans defense against El Tri.
Their one-on-one defending skills, overlapping tendencies, ability to make decisive plays in the final third, speed, and experience should all be assets on Oct. 10 against the technical Mexicans, and Klinsmann is surely that much more confident now about the U.S.’s chances of coming out on top.
Awesome. They’ll be healed enough to start at striker and central mid!
Great play by Beasly over the weekend to set up Bruin.
Great news on both fronts; 2 indispensable pieces. Not sure where to play Fabian though. If Yedlin gets time at Rb and succeeds the next couple weeks with Sunderland, I would entertain starting him at RB and pushing Fabian in to the midfield. I was quite impressed with his play on both sides of the ball against Man City. Is that a chance we need to take though? That’s a decision I’m glad Jurgen has to make and not me, but I’d be real tempted to do it, as our attack is always more dangerous when Fabian plays in the midfield.
I’d start like this, and I know it’ll probably never happen:
GK: Howard
He’s simply the best keeper in the pool, sabbatical or not
RB: Yedlin
LB: DMB
Don’t like Ream’s lack of pace at LB in a must win game
CB: Besler and Cameron
Best CB pairing in the pool. No need to gamble with our CB; play the 2 best and lock down the defense with experienced anchors.
CM: Williams and Bradley
Don’t want to use the diamond. Williams as the holding mid, and Bradley as the box to box #8
RM: Fabian
LM: Zardes
ST: Dempsey and Aron
Dempsey slots in the hole under Aron, and must provide a link to the midfield more so than he normally does. I know he scores goals and his creativity can spark the attack, but I want him under Aron instead of next to.
Personally I think DMB won’t be able to keep up with the likes of tecatito, vela, (and gio if he plays).
Remember at Azteca in 2010 during WCQ Aquino was ripping him apart on that flank, and the players I named above are miles better then Aquino. I think Johnson might be able to hold his ground.
In 2010 DMB was playing LB for the first time with little to no experience in the spot.
He’s played primarily as a left back now for the last 5 years.
and he is now 33 years old. No future there
Not to mention that although Mexico is dangerous, DMB acquitted himself well in the World Cup against 4 teams that are all arguably better (at least none are objectively worse than) Mexico attacking-wise. I was right there thinking he needed to go away in 2009. I was wrong and I love DMB as long as he’s willing to give his all. His calmness and soccer IQ are immense.
have you ever been on a first date when you were a teen? was it somewhat ‘nerve-wracking?
there ya go…:)
Fullbacks set … now for centerbacks … Besler or Tim Ream paired with Gonzalez or Cameron. The Alvarado / Brooks experiment needs to go on the backburner.
Yeah I don’t think ether Brooks or Alvarado are starting at the moment anyway
I wanna see:
Altidore – Dempsey
Johnson – Bradley – Williams – Zardes
DMB – Besler – Gonzalez – Cameron
Guzan
I think this let’s us get our current best 11 on the pitch, and I don’t think right now that Bedoya or Jones are in that 11. That said, I highly doubt Johnson doesn’t play FB and that Jones doesn’t start.
” The nerve-wracking first date with Mexico on Oct. 10 looms large”
Confused by what is meant by first date. It’s not like this is a home and away, or am I completely missing something?
Frankly, I’d rather have a more defensive minded outside back against Mexico than DMB.
I still remember the 2009 Confed Cup, when DMB had an absolute howler against Brazil and was just terrible all around, and we had all written him off. It’s funny what time does. As fans, we’re just too quick to overreact and banish them to the scrap heap, and mob mentality usually prevails. We’re seeing this with Tim Ream right now. No, he hasn’t made a DMB-type turnaround, but the guy is still learning and can still contribute. Same for a number of other guys on USMNT.
But for sure, this is good news about Johnson and DMB.
I actually like Ream…within limits. He’s technically very sound, sticks in defensively, and distributes extremely well.
The problem is pace. He’s reasonably athletic but he just doesn’t have speed, which means against slow wingers – like Peru’s – he can be a positive but stick somebody with jets on him…well. He also doesn’t offer a ton going forward.
I like him as our #3 option at left back or left center back but he is what he is, which is a pure fullback. If he stays healthy, Brek Shea probably inherits (mostly by default) the left back spot…unless Yedlin catches on with Sunderland and allows Fabian Johnson to bump over to the left, which IMHO would be the best possible situation.
I look forward to seeing Timmy Chandler will turn around just like that someday and become one of the better defensive backs on the USMNT! I think world cup winner & defensive specialist, Betti Voltz should dedicate and spend more film study times specifically with Chandler, Brooks, Alvarado and Yedlin on their defensive positioning to correct and minimize all the unnecessary mistakes.
simonlovesusmnt
” Betti Voltz should dedicate and spend more film study times specifically with Chandler, Brooks, Alvarado and Yedlin on their defensive positioning to correct and minimize all the unnecessary mistakes.”
How long do you think that will take?
One power point session where those guys look at it and go ” So that is what I was doing! Who knew?” Maybe Betti can just e mail them the power point.
And how much time do you think those players actually get to spend on a practice field with Betti?
If those guys are deficient defenders do you suppose their club coaches would be working with them on their defensive positioning?
I’m talking about them working together on their defensive positioning as an USMNT unit, not as an individual on their club team.
After all, what else can Betti Voltz contribute as one of Klinsmann’s USMNT assistant coach staffs?
Good chance these guys are the starting fullbacks against Mexico which is great since it means no Chandler.
Oh should have read the whole article – Chander is injured.
Your point still stands.
Love to see more and more USMNT players are rounding into form again, with the exception of Altidore and Bedoya, unfortunately. At the same time, there are more injuries from key members of the Mexican squad. I’m feeling much better about an even match between the 2 rivals on Oct 10th! I really believe that Altidore need to work with a professional fitness trainer to shed 10 pounds or more to revive his declining career. He looks fat and overweight! How cow the fitness maniac Klinsmann does not see that?