brek shea

He has always played left sided, but FCD's two wingers do ocasionally switch during the game.

 

I've seen Shea play before and have never been more than mildly impressed. He was awesome last night. Dangerous on almost every time he got the ball. Got 1 goal, could have been 2-3 more, easily.

Again, I don't know if he can play LM at the next level, but it isn't as if we have tons of talented left sided players. I think supporting striker (skill and height, good shot, decent speed), center back, and anywhere on the left could all work for him.

Regardless, anyone who watches that Crew/FCD game and thinks that Robbie Rogers is a more useful player then Brek Shea should lose their job.

 

People snickered when FC Dallas made a big deal signing Shea to a long term contract. The club and the league knew exactly what they were doing. Shea is a short timer in MLS and many European teams will be lining up for his services. In all honesty, Shea's progress in MLS should be cannon fodder for all of those who think young prospects need to go to Europe for development.

 

Maybe a 3-5-2, with Chandler on the right and Shea on the left?

 

Now you're talkin'

 

Who will be in the back when others attack?

But seriously, I find it amazing that a guy is projected by quite a few people at 4 very different positions (although there are some attacking similarities I suppose between left back and left wing). Given his age and the current left back situation, we should put him there if he can defend well enough. We definitely know he can attack from anywhere on the field.

 

In many ways, like a young Clint Dempsey, Brek Shea's "position" is best described as "baller". He's just a good, left-footed baller. It's going to take time and maturity to figure out where he works best on the field and that may be a different answer from season to season, depending on the players around him.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out. If he can learn to defend well, though, what an interesting LB he'd make.

 

I just can't imagine a 6'4" LB marking quality wingers.

I haven't watched any full Dallas games this year, so my opinion on Shea is especially worthless, but I would assume that he'd be better used in a more advanced role.

 

When Dempsey was 21 he was in his first season in MLS. He played 24 games and scored 7 goals (according to wiki).

Brek is 21 and in his 4th MLS season and has 8 goals in 17 games so far. (According to mlssoccer.com). He's also played some games at CB and LB.

 

thats why many who hold this Brek Shea to left back dream (myself included) think he will be a very special player. He has the speed to accomplish it. He is an extraordinarily quick player for his size. It wont happen in MLS but i pray it comes to pass when he moves overseas. Its crazy how much upside Brek still has.

 

That alone is proof he is as good as Clint Dempsey. Simple adding up of goals.

 

whether snide or not, he has alot in common with Clint Dempsey IMO prior to the move. Biggest parallel being "wtf is this guys actual position".

 

I love his Wikipedia page. "Winger, Defender, Midfielder, Striker."

I've not watched many Dallas games this year but I plan on catching more to see Brek play. There is nothing normal or traditional about the guys speed and height. Trying to shoehorn him into limited roles might not get the best out of him. I'm guessing long forward diagonal switches and lofted far post crossing would be a good start. Is this what Dallas has been doing?

 

Brek is usually directly involved in build-up at the rear of the front third. Dallas plays him as a winger who drifts inside to combine with the holding mids and forwards. Brek is beginning to get some proficiency at making off-the-ball runs too. He's big and can use his head, but Dallas plays a South American style and most of his goals are scored with his feet from the run of play.

People see him as a big player and assume that he can't play with his feet, which is patently untrue. He's surprisingly good as a passer in close space, and will occasionally pull a rabbit out of a hat with a deft backheel or another type of creative pass that illustrates that he has a sharp soccer mind. He also gets himself out of jams sometimes when he's pinned in with the ball at his feet on the sideline. His passing is very good. His speed and acceleration are arguably the best in MLS. I have never seen him outrun.

The difference in his play this season as compared to his previous seasons is that he is starting to realize how good he is compared to his competition. He is a rare athlete...the type who could have developed and played just about any professional sport. Brek is finally starting to assume a dominant role on the field instead of hiding behind more mature players on FCD. Fereira's injury kind of forced it to happen. Pro sports are a mental competition as much as they are a physical one and Brek is starting to feel comfortable in that competition. Obviously, its difficult to know his motivations, but if they are sufficient for him to grow to new levels, they could carry him to Holland or Germany for sure. Maybe even ultimately the Prem.

At this point, FCD has the second-best record in MLS and Brek is tied for 1st in the league in goals. At 21, in his fourth season, Brek is a legitimate MLS MVP candidate.

 

Dempsey is made of psychological steel while Brek has typically been timid and deferential.

There's a big difference between the two guys in that regard. Dempsey defines mental toughness, and that's what has made him extremely successful.

Brek has a much higher ceiling than Dempsey ever had because Brek is not lacking in anything in terms of physical abilities or skill. But Clint's will is so much stronger than Brek's that its difficult to see Brek ever playing at Clint's level...though Brek certainly could.

 

HEre's a crazy thought ... why don't we play him at left mid?

 

Was there not a thread bemoaning the lack of Dempsey's will, or something to that effect?

 

An interesting thought about Chandler and Shea, but you must be a real masochist to want the US to play a formation that requires not two, but three centerbacks!

 

Dempsey has personified patient endurance at Fulham. The guy just puts in the work. He has a great team-first attitude, but expresses it in his play and not in the rah-rah fashion that most people associate with that kind of attitude.

 

That may appear to be an issue now, but it won't be for the next Cup if Bob continues to try out new players. John, Whitbred, Gonzalez, and Opara are all promising options. Franklin is also a RB/CB, and from his rookie season until late last year he warranted call-ups. Ream may not be such a defensively liability out wider.

Think about it like this also - a 3-5-2 means one less defender is necessary. If defensive depth is indeed a concern, requiring one less of them is a good thing.

I think the bigger issue than thinness at CB is what to do with Lichaj if you switch to a 3-5-2. Others may not be as high on him myself, but I think he clearly projects to be one of the squads best XI, if not best V.

 

that and the general decline of the three-man back line. I'm sure most here are aware of the Zonal Marking criticism--- that three in the back doesn't work as well when most international teams are going with a solitary forward. Equally or more concerning (in this scenario) is the fact that the USA would be trying to use a three-man backline with guys more accustomed to playing four at the back.

As for Shea, I can scarcely remember a more interesting Nats prospect. He's 21, a top three MVP candidate in MLS, and in his 4th year as pro no one really is certain about his long-term position. He looks some damn odd out there (a giant for someone who doesn't play CF or CD, gangly, the long blonde hair) that people just sort of dismiss the possibility that he has good ball skills.

I think he'd benefit from a move to a different league if only because there he might have a set position. MLS teams are relatively thin so they tend to do what Hyndman tried to do with experimenting him at CB/LB. He's settled back at LM in a 4-4-2 for now (after being closer to LW as the LAM last year in the 4-2-3-1), but that hardly seems permanent. Getting a fully established position helps (in that regard, he's not dissimilar to Sacha Kljestan who played pretty much everything at various points in time for Chivas before settling at CM for Anderlecht).

 

Brek seems too productive up front to leave him "languishing" in defensive roles, at least for FCD. When I see him play defense, I get nervous seeing him trying to beat the defender with dribbles in his third of the field.

If he's going to play a role on the US National team as a defender, I really, really would want to see him in Europe learning from some decent coaches how to play defense and actually playing defense regularly. IMHO, his best position is Left mid, for now...