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Chandler eager to get back into Frankfurt squad

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Timothy Chandler has had to wait a long time to get back on the field for Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.

After undergoing a successful knee surgery in August, Chandler is knocking on the door to jump back into Frankfurt’s squad as they kick off the second-half of their season. The 28-year-old U.S. Men’s National Team defender has returned to training over the last two weeks and has admitted he’s ready to get back into the fold.

“First of all, I’m pleased that I was able to train without pain with the rest of the team for the past two weeks,” Chandler said. “I’m making progress every day, but we’ll have to see about everything else. As soon as the coach feels I’m capable of playing, I’ll be there.”

Frankfurt are currently in fifth place in the Bundesliga, good enough for a European qualification spot for 2019-20. After a dismal way to go into the winter break, Adolf Hutter’s side are unbeaten in their last three matches including a recent 1-1 draw against leaders Borussia Dortmund.

Chandler has also been included in Frankfurt’s squad for their upcoming two-legged tie against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League Round of 32 despite not appearing yet this season. The Bundesliga side cruised out of the group stage with a perfect 6-0-0 record, which saw a pair of wins apiece against Serie A outfit Lazio and Ligue 1 representatives Marseille.

Should Chandler make a promising season debut ahead of next week’s first leg, he very well could play a major role in Frankfurt’s remaining 14 league matches this season.

“I don’t know whether I’ll be included for our trip to Ukraine [to face FC Shakhtar Donetsk], but I’m obviously pleased to have been registered after such a long time on the sidelines,” Chandler said. “I’ll try and put myself in contention in every training session. We’ll see whether it’s enough for me to make an appearance.”

“Against Dortmund we showed what we’re capable of again. All our games are very tight affairs,” Chandler said. “We want to keep playing the way we are and keep picking up points. We were able to do so for the most part against Dortmund – even if you ignore the result, we put in a good performance. I’ve rarely seen such a good game of football, with both teams wanting to win. I expect our game in Leipzig will be just as frantic. We want to win the game if we can and we’re looking forward to it. We’ll see at the end of the season where our points tally gets us.”

Chandler has not yet been guaranteed a place in Hutter’s 18-man squad for Saturday’s showdown with RB Leipzig.

 

Comments

  1. A lot of comments here about Chandler at RB, but he is also far and away the best LB we have in the pool. He has played well there in the past for the US and played there for Frankfurt just last year. Most outside backs are pretty one-footed, but he can hit good crosses with his left as well.

    As for his loyalty to the USMNT, there’s an article out there somewhere from last year where he says he definitely hopes to get called up again and would accept immediately. I take him at his word.

    I personally have never understood the hate for Chandler. IMO he catches criticism that doesn’t belong to him just because people don’t like him. I tend to think the reason he plays at a lower level with the US than with Frankfurt is because of the players surrounding him.

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  2. He has the talent and seems like a more natural fit than Yedlin in what we’ve seen of Berharter’s system as a right back. I think it’s fair to question his commitment level for the USMNT though, does he want to rep the US still? Honestly he was pretty terrible time and again when he played for us before. New coach, new system with defined role makes it worth a look. If he is 100% committed.

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  3. Last year I thought Chandler was one of the best Americans in the Bundesliga, or in Europe for that matter. However, he has been out a long time with a knee injury and he may not even reach top game shape for another two months or so, so it remains to be seen how valuable he will be. If he remains healthy, he certainly deserves a look during the Gold Cup.

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  4. Chandler is definitely worth another look, assuming he can return to his old form from before his knee injury. He’s a starting right back on a top 5 Bundesliga team; we’re not good enough to not even look at guys with that resume.
    Yedlin seems to be playing more of a wing/wide midfield role for Newcastle. If Berhalter used him the same way, you could play Chandler at right back with Yedlin in front of him.

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  5. I’ve watched a few Bundesliga games with Chandler in the past and always thought he was very good. He rarely showed that form for the USMNT. You could say that about some others too under Klinsmann. I wonder if a new coach who could give him a role that was well defined and clear could extract that out of him for the USMNT?

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  6. He’s only 28. A better passer and more skill than Yedlin. Bring him back. But my guess is GB (the “understands the American player” coach) will continue Arena’s anti-Germamerican bias.

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    • I doubt it. You gotta take a look if he’s there. I kind of agree with Flagermunsen; Chandler never looked as good for the Nats as he did in Germany and despite Klinsmann himself being German I do wonder if Flag is correct that confusion and uncertainty in terms of role and assignment – which seemed to happen to a lot of guys under Klinsmann – had a big hand in that.

      No stone unturned. Definitely might be worth another look, especially since he might have as many as two WC’s left in him. Outside backs can last awhile. Ask Ashley Cole or Damarcus Beasley.

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      • I like Chandler and agree that Outside backs can last a while, but Chandler is a long shot to make it as a member this cycle, let alone beyond 2022.
        1) He’s going to have to quickly show that he’s healthy and there isn’t a lot of rust on him.
        2) He’ll have to prove that he will accept a call, and then show that he can play as well for the USMNT as he does for his club side. (Not everyone can/does)
        3) Prove he’s a top 2 or 3 Right Back option. If he accomplishes steps 1 & 2 he’ll have to contend with the rest of the player pool. This isn’t issue at the moment where only Yedlin & Possibly Lima are his competition, but he’ll also have to hold off the young guns over the next 4 years. Guys like Dest, Olosunde, & Cannon.

        4 years is a long time and the talent coming up are going to make it hard on all the established players. Don’t be surprised if in 2 or 3 yrs time the entire squad is made up of players from the McKennie age bracket and younger. Bradley’s age bracket is gone & Trapp’s group never established themselves and don’t have the same level of talent.

    • You obviously don’t know Berhalter’s background. During his best days with the USMNT as a player he was on German clubs. Why would he ignore a player who is good enough based on background.

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