News: Welcome Brek: Potter (Brek Shea at Stoke/ On loan to Birmingham)

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by tomásbernal, Jan 18, 2013.

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  1. icebreaker

    icebreaker Member+

    Mar 22, 2011
    Club:
    FC Nürnberg
    Not to mention that Spain/Barcelona have been the standard setters in international football over the last few years with their fluid passing styles (Chelsea's lucky CL win last season nonwithstanding).

    Watched some of the Stoke matches last season to see how Huth was getting on. Didn't like their style at all. Overly physical, plus continuesly hitting long balls into nowhere. I get that enough at Nürnberg as it is. And I don't buy the excuse that because Stoke don't have much money they have to play like this. There are many less rich clubs who play a more sophisticated game.
     
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  2. jreadusaf

    jreadusaf Member

    Jun 18, 2009
    Tübingen, Germany
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Let's get rid of some rumors here--Chelsea advancing against Barcelona last year in the Champion's League was gritty, ugly, and workmanlike...What it was not was "lucky". There's nothing lucky about a well thought out game plan with great execution. Likewise, Stoke City is the epitome of everything I've just described, and I wouldn't call their ability to comfortably play in the premiership year in and year out as "lucky" either. No one will ever describe tony Pulis' style as beautiful, but you won't hear anyone say his success is based upon luck.

    I am not a fan of Brek Shea, and I think the problems in his game stem more from a psychological aspect as opposed to skill and physicality, but Tony Pulis and Stoke City are a great place for him to develop. Break Shea struggles with confidence and I fear the worst for him playing in England when things aren't going right--but I do wish him the best.
     
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  3. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Shrug. People like the way Swansea play, and don't like the way Stoke play, and they have virtually the same number of points in the premier league.

    If people don't like Stoke's style............that's fine. What is it? It's a style that keeps Stoke in the premier league punching well above their weight. And I think over the last few years in the premier league their style has evolved into something more pleasing on the eyes. It's not all long ball, and it's more "sophisticated" than people give them credit for.

    I like Barcelona's style as much as anybody, but as far as I know there hasn't been an 11th commandment discovered on a tablet stating "Thou shalt all play like Barcelona."

    Personally, I think Shea will fit right in at Stoke. They're going to love him there. And I do think they're going to convert him to a left back at that level, which will hopefully be a boon for the USMNT. He's been around a long time, so perhaps people don't realize he's still only 22 years old. He's still developing and figuring things out.

    Would I have preferred if Shea went to a different club? sure.................
    Let's remember that big clubs have at least scouted Shea over the last couple of years.

    http://www.bigdsoccer.com/2011/10/10/2481067/brek-shea-transfer-rumors-schalke-fc-dallas

    Unfortunately, Shea's dip in form over the last year has meant those clubs didn't come calling in 2013. But Stoke will be a good place to start his Euro career.
     
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  4. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    By the way...........................

    Ridge Mahoney@ridgemax
    Talking to bkshea earlier this week, he's been running and cutting and hitting balls but hasn't worn studs in a while. Bad time for a trial
     
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  5. Clenbuterol

    Clenbuterol Red Card

    Aug 25, 2011
    Club:
    --other--
    I feel stoked about this potential move.
     
  6. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    yeah as others have discussed i dont think it will be a traditional trial though, more fitness test. Stoke wouldnt be so naive of the recent injury situation. theyve surely done their homework
     
  7. y-lee-coyote

    y-lee-coyote Member+

    Dec 4, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    I agree and would add that I think it is not so much "fitness" as in match shape, but "fitness" as in is his foot healed properly and is there a reasonable expectation for a return to form. Perhaps some workouts designed to stress that foot and look for post stress swelling and things like that. Does EPL have any plastic pitches or they all turf? If they are all turf that cannot hurt the foot situation at all. It is not like any club wakes up one day and goes hmm who can I take a flier on for a few million.
     
  8. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    EPL (and the lower divisions) are all grass, "by law" as it were
     
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  9. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    BTW, this reminds me of the old joke ab out Joe Namath being interviewed when astroturf was being introduced:

    Journalist: Mr Namath, which surface do you prefer, grass or astroturf?
    Namath: I don't know. I've never smoked astroturf.
     
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  10. LouisZ

    LouisZ Member+

    Oct 14, 2010
    Southern California-USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not sure about that, if their gritty, ugly and workmanlike plan was not luck, how come they couldn't even get out of the group stage for next knockout stage? and if it wasn't luck, why did Dimateo lost his job?

    I don't think Pulis' style changed, EVER so his way is not luck at all, now for the Blues the way they play in last CL is not the way they usually play, that is why I lean more in to the believe of game plan execution with a bit of luck.

    Shea has raw talent but I don't think Stoke City is the best place for him, one, their game plan is not something the USMNT uses, two, he may get a chance to develop but if he doesn't produce right away, I don't think he is going to be given many chances, which I think he needs that because he doesn't get it right away.
     
  11. nobody

    nobody Member+

    Jun 20, 2000
    I'd say considering his dip in form, Shea will be lucky to be picked up by a club at Stoke's level regardless of their style of play. I'll cross my fingers.
     
  12. y-lee-coyote

    y-lee-coyote Member+

    Dec 4, 2012
    Club:
    --other--

    Sounds like a good theory if you haven't been following the story. It has been established that Stoke does not often pay 3-3.5 million pounds and then not run the guy out. Have you watched Lennon, and he is one of the BETTER attackers.

    As for the tactics not fitting the USMNT game plan, what team in soocer does not have their wingers get forward and either take a guy 1v1 or cross into a dangerous area? What team does not want their players to play sound defense? Yes we play a different style and there are positional responsibility differences, by your logic we would say cameron playing fullback for stoke hurts the nats and no right minded person would attempt to argue that.
     
  13. LouisZ

    LouisZ Member+

    Oct 14, 2010
    Southern California-USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think you are confusing an attacking player going to a defensive team with one of our best defenders going to a defensive team. no comparison.
     
  14. FloridaFC2MLS

    FloridaFC2MLS Member

    Oct 17, 2009
    Florida
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The "Seltzer - trial" info is pretty surprising. I wouldnt peg Shea for being ready enough for an all out trial or any sort. I cant imagine FCD wanting him to go on trial. If he gets re-injured on Stoke's watch, they dont buy him & he goes back to FCD injured for another couple of months.
    Not sure I trust that piece of info from Seltzer. A physical assessing when Shea will be entirely fit made a lot more sense.
     
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  15. y-lee-coyote

    y-lee-coyote Member+

    Dec 4, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    Not really but I see why you might think that. The comparisons to Cameron not withstanding the rest remains valid.

    It still remains that if Shea shows any hope of at all of being able to score goals or set up others for goals it will really show on a team that has a serious shortage of goals. If the transfer fees mentioned in this thread are accurate then by their standards they paid a bunch of money for him. I just can't see a scenario that Pulis would not have patience with the guy.
     
  16. LouisZ

    LouisZ Member+

    Oct 14, 2010
    Southern California-USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Don't get me wrong I'm all for Shea to succeed it is just that Pulis doesn't have a good record with players that don't fit his way of playing. If Pulis is looking for a winger that can push and cross, then Shea has a very good chance of succeeding, not sure if that is all JK will be expecting out of our wingers.
     
  17. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    No, he is just right for Stoke. I dont know how much he is worth money wise but he is the right player for the current Stoke team.
     
  18. NotreDameFlamengo

    Jul 25, 2011
    Raleigh, NC
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    So many people on this forum LOVE to take observances as concrete facts and incapable of ever changing. I guess it never occurred to them that stoke might be playing the way they they are not by ultimate choice, but to better play off the current players they have.

    This isn't just about stoke and Shea, but people love to pidgeonhole everything when it comes to yanks abroad and The USMNT.
     
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  19. ebbro

    ebbro Member+

    Jun 10, 2005
    Pulis has had plenty of time in the EPL to get in the players he needs to play the style he wants, yet Stoke's style of play has not changed. Stoke even played this way in the Championship. Pulis' teams played this way before he came to Stoke. It appears to be the style Pulis wants to play.
     
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  20. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    On the other hand, Michael Laudrup has become a fan favorite to replace Jose Mounrinho at Real while an ex-boss Brendan Rogers ended up at Liverpool.

    Other overachievers on style did well also - Paul Lambert went to Villa, Roy Hodgson got the England job.

    No one is clamoring for Tony Pulis.

    It was Dick Allen's line (about the old Astrodome) -

    [​IMG]
     
  21. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Only if you use the most narrow definition of "recent" imaginable.
     
  22. MarioKempes

    MarioKempes Member+

    Real Madrid, DC United, anywhere Pulisic plays
    Aug 3, 2000
    Proxima Centauri
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Leg 1: Chelsea 1 - 0 Barcelona. Barcelona hit the woodwork twice.

    Leg 2: Barcelona 2 - 2 Chelsea. Barcelona hit the woodwork twice, including a missed Messi penalty. Torres scores a breakaway out of Barca's desperation.

    Chelsea played great, tenacious defense. Full credit to them. But hitting the woodwork 4 times over 2 legs is a bit of bad luck, and a sign of real fatigue, especially in the 2nd leg after having to play Real the weekend before with the La Liga title on the line. Them's the breaks. Chelsea earns the 2-leg victory, but luck was certainly a factor, and fatigue even more so.
     
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  23. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    FWIW, 1st game (London) - Chelsea 6 shots (1 on goal) - Barcelona 24 shots (6 on goal).

    http://espnfc.com/us/en/gamecast/340832/gamecast.html?soccernet=true&cc=5901

    2nd game (Barcelona) Chelsea 7 shots (3 on goal), Barcelona 23 shots (6 on goal).

    http://espnfc.com/us/en/gamecast/340835/gamecast.html?soccernet=true&cc=5901

    So, Chelsea scored 3 goals off 4 shots on goal, Barcelona 2 off 12.

    But really - where's Brek? Isn't it supposed to be a 2-day medical?

    (seeking the Oatcakes forum members)
     
  24. jond

    jond Member+

    Sep 28, 2010
    Club:
    Levski Sofia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This has what to do with Shea?
     
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  25. FirstStar

    FirstStar Hustlin' for the USA

    Fulham Football Club
    Feb 1, 2005
    Time's Arrow
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nothing, but Foxsoccer.com is now headlining their US section with the same Sky Sports story.
     

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