I would like to see brek shea go to europe, or at least have a coach that he can get along with... after hearing months of just bad things about shea, it's refreshing to see him come up big in that kind of situation... hopefully that will give him some positive momentum for a change
There are a few posters on this very thread who posted that they had no problem with the Shea call-up. The majority on the other hand ......
I think this pretty much sums it up. I'm not saying Klinsmann should be backed every time he includes Shea in the roster/starting lineup/off the bench, but it's pretty well known that Brek Shea has a ridiculous amount of potential. Should Juergen be able to prompt him back into anything close to the form he showed in 2011, the U.S. will have an incredible asset heading into Qualifying.
If Klismann cant see LEFT BACK, then we are missing out! I think he was playing there today as well but im not sure. He is fast, he can combine well, and he can cross with his left foot. And he is solid on defense. But can't ever break with his right. screams LB to me especially in Klismann's system where LB's are going to over-lap and send in crosses. Sorry but i just don't want this to be false hope that he can be a big-time winger because of His assist today. If Klinsmann can switch FJ to (LM) and Shea to (LB), it would be worth the look.
I can agree with this to some extent. But if you look at him as an individual, I still don't think he's been great this year. I do think he has sucked. Sorry, I'm going to be brutally honest. I also didn't think he looked great with the U23s, where he doesn't have the FCD problem. Add to that his tantrum, wasn't pleased. I saw someone that was just having a giant meltdown over a bad year. BUT - I didn't think he didn't have talent, just that he was going through a crummy period. And guess what? He put his big boy pants on. In the last two weeks he's grown a pair, talked to his team, been subbed on, spoke with his performance at FCD (an assist), and now this. If he comes through this adversity - partically caused by himself - and betters himself? That's the sign of someone who is more ready for the big time. May have been the best thing to happen to Shea actually. He recovers from this, he can recover from anything - right?
Sometimes players play better for their National team no matter what their form is at the club level. I am hoping this is the case for Shea since I am not a Dallas fan.
What "tantrum"? I was at the Quakes game, and Shea had every right to be pissed off when he was removed, I couldn't believe it was happening, Hyndman just seemed to be making coaching decisions without any rhyme or reason, and pretty much cost them the game. But he wasn't visibly pissed off. I watched him as he walked off and briefly talked to Hyndman before sitting down with a towel draped over his head, and I couldn't believe it later turned into such a big deal, it was barely noticeable. The number of players I have seen get more visibly upset at being substituted may be in the triple digits... but apparently it was a big deal because Hyndman is a "strict disciplinarian" or some such nonsense...
Including Daniel Hernandez a few games before that who even tweeted about it afterwards. It bothered me more since he was the captain and is also part of the coaching staff but for SH it's worse for a 22 year old.
Shea's play didn't merit a callup but he certainly took advantage of the opportunity. I wish Adu could get a chance like that.
Wouldn't we all. He has to become a dominant force in MLS before this happens though. The good thing is that he's only 22. Cameron is 27, so it took some time for him to get to that level where Premier League clubs get interested. I predict Shea will follow the same route.
I've maintained that since our recent 5 game camp, where we didn't have a true LW, that we need Brek, who right now is the only winger played as a winger on the left who can add width to the attack, send in crosses and create chances by taking defenders on. Our attack needs width and needs a threat on the wing, which simply wasn't there and hasn't been there since Brek's form suffered. Many have called for Beasely on the LW. Well, he's not the player he was and constantly struggles with the NT. He does not take players on and rarely sends in a decent cross. Many have called for Torres, which I think is a joke. Just look at all the pre-Mex lineups where people wanted Torres at LW. Do people just not see how this guy doesn't succeed in advanced positions? He sure doesn't add width or send in crosses. Clint can play LW for us, but is not a real winger, likes to stay in closer to goal and our attack suffers from not having width when he's on the wing. The weakest part of Clints game might be crossing, yet I'm consistently amazed at how few fans here understand the importance of a winger who spreads the field, prefers playing wide and can send in crosses/create opportunities. Now, I also think Pontius needs a chance, but don't feel the need to ignore what Brek can do in order to campaign for him. This game lends more credence to what FCD fans see, others don't, and show how few actually watch FCD yet have one opinion after another on Brek coming out of their asses. Brek didn't all the sudden lose the ability to take defenders on and send in crosses. How many posters the last few months have said Brek can't take guys on? He did. Can't dribble? He did. Can't cross? He did. The bigger issue which you actually have to watch FCD weekly to realize, is that he's used so poorly in FCD, and the talent around him is so subpar, he doesn't get those opportunities. He got a ball in space twice yesterday, with options, and capitalized both times. Yet how many times have myself and others who support FCD, the very few of us, have said the FCD midfield isn't good enough to get Brek the ball on time when he has space? Can't combine well enough with him to get the ball as the gaps open? That when he does get the ball, He has 2-4 defenders shading him and zero options? That even when played out of position at striker and holds the ball up and lays it off, the return pass never comes? The MLS article posted earlier shows that. Just goes to show how many people here simply don't watch FCD, but constantly lie and act like they're completely filled in, or are more than comfortable just following popular opinion. Brek seems to be getting his confidence back, and wasn't playing that well previously, but people act like he just lost the ability to do what he does. He still beats guys 1v1 at FCD. There's just rarely any options and he has to take on 2-4 defenders, as the guys he plays with don't fill gaps, don't make smart runs, don't combine well and don't hit the box. Brek still puts in good crosses for FCD, the rare times he actually gets the ball in an attacking position on the wing, but rarely if ever is anyone hitting the box to get on the end. This is more evidence of what I;ve said all along, which is that FCD, the system and surroundings are hampering Brek, and a change of scenery would be great for his game. A guy like Brek needs smart players around him who understand movement, can link up, dart into space and provide options. Yes he's immature at times and is hopefully growing up, but just as important is that he's in a shitty club situation, and sometimes you just need to notice the situation, as well as drop in form, and understand when a guys talents/skills aren't being used correctly. It was never as simple as Brek isn't putting up the numbers he was last year so he's a lost cause, or that his coach being an idiot all the sudden means Brek is a complete problem child. I thought and said a few times in the last month I could easily see JK calling in Brek, giving him a break from a toxic situation, quick change of scenery, and that it might do wonders for him and we could see an immediate bump in form, or percieved bump as he'd finally be around competent players who understand space/movement/linking up, just as I thought he didn't all the sudden lose his ability, and that if he was on Sea/RSL/NY/DCU/Philly or a few other teams, in systems which would fit him we'd see an immediate bump in form. He really, really needs to get out of FCD. This just shows imo how poorly he used/coached at FCD. To see such a stark contract in form/confidence after being away for only about 3 days really lends to the opinion of anyone, mostly FCD fans, who think SH is as much or more of a problem than Brek himself. Why can JK get so much more out of Brek than SH?
Nope. I said in the FCD forum a few weeks ago it's likely Shea gets called in to boost his confidence and give a quick change of scenery and we might then see a considerable bump in form. The people who were wrong are the ones who just follow popular opinion, don't watch FCD weekly, and understand how far/deep the problems run at FCD.
^^^ I think your characterization of the situation is unfair. Shea has been lousy this year, and just because he had a couple good moments in a ten minute stretch doesn't really change anything. He's an exciting young player with a lot of potential. He's gone through a tough period (both with the olympic squad and with his club). I'm optimistic that he's coming out of that, but you could say just as easily that the way SH handled the last month with Shea is more instrumental in that as spending 72 hours with Klinsman. Young guys always, initially, blame their coach when they get told hard truths. Let's give it a little time to see how it plays out. If SH is really the problem, it will become apparent... but I have a feeling Brek is just going through some growing pains, and he'll come on strong towards the end of this season, and be even better next year.
Fair enough, and you make good points, but I'll agree to disagree at the moment as I do think SH is a huge problem, as well as the FCD roster and system.
Come on now. The man had no business being called up. National team callups shouldnt be used to boost a player's confidence. That being said if he wasn't called then the goal likely wouldn't have happened. Shea needs to keep focused on playing well, SH at Dallas or not.
Brek delivers the pass that set the goal up. . . as others have noted though the end result was a historic goal, certainly this was not exactly the most unfortunate ball played last night . . .
Saying Shea has played lousy this year is hyperbole. He's been more in the Robbie Rogers on a good day class then the Landon when he's angry form he showed most of last year. One of the more interesting things from the OPTA breakdown was shot location. Shea is getting slightly more shots per 90 but they're coming from wider angles, I think that shows a lack of fluidity in attack. Pontius is not the answer when it comes to attacking crosses from the left, he's an inverted winger. I am all for moving Johnson to the midfield, he and Danny Williams should have been switched mid-game. Doing that against a bunkering CONCACAF side and slotting Shea behind him at LB would add to the attack.
Yes I like this role. Even when he was starting, you know, during the whole Donovan hiatus thing I didn't think he was ready yet. He's played his way back on the roster. Unfortunately signing that young DP contract might come back to bite him. Someone correct me if I am wrong but I think he would have been able to leave for free in January if he hadn't signed it.
I have a feeling that figuring out how to fit Shea into the USA squad by 2014 is going to become just like Arena's task of figuring out how to fit Dempsey into the 2006 squad (I think SuperDave started a great thread on that back in 2005). It's no accident of fate that we play three DMs against Italy and Mexico and win both games 1-0 on a Dempsey goal and a Shea attack. Shea and Dempsey are willing to try anything and skillful enough to pull it off sometimes- exactly what we must have when playing with so few players in the attack.
people keep saying Johnson and Shea should switch. Why can't they just fluidly switch back and forth during the game? Johnson overlaps, Shea drops back to LB. Shea makes a run, Johnson drops back to LB. I may be crazy, but it seems like it would be a nightmare for an opposing team having to constantly deal with the change. Players figure out attackers tendencies over the course of a game, if they were constantly switching it might take the opposing team longer to get comfortable. As I said, this may be a stupid idea, just throwing it out there.