I liked this - really, really liked this. As in USMNT fullback liked this. He is fast, big enough, and can deliver a mean cross. Shea will need more experience at the position, but he should consider a permanent move.
I was thinking the same exact thing during the game. He can even beat a player off the dribble with his skills. hes an 86 so its the perfect time for a full usmnt cap.
Shea has quickly become my favorite Union player. Great pace, good skill on the ball, and a motor that never stops. I'm on board - cap him!
I was too busy screaming to carefully analyze the game, but I was impressed. His speed is a much needed addition to the back line also. What did people think of Arrieta as a center back?
I thought the back 4 was pretty damn solid overall in terms of coverage......which is a good thing to say given how bad they've been at times. If I had a complaint about the current set, it's that the linking to the midfield still leaves a good bit to be desired at times. Hard to say today how much of that was due to the weather-particularly in the middle of the match when their dauber was definitely down......but Salinas provided a boost and Arrieta was solid overall. It provided a nice cover for the captain's lack of great speed. Quietly it seems......Harvey just gets better and better for me, so if the move of Shea provides the wrench to hold it all together I'm good-though I miss what #11 brings to the attack vis a vis Houston.
Agreed, Shea did very well yesterday on both ends. He has great speed, which allowed him to beat or stay with Zakuani on a lot of runs (if memory serves, he really only got beat once in a 1v1 on the wing) and good patience to go along with that. I didn't see him diving in to a lot of challenges or forcing the issue going forward; he seemed to pick his spots well, offensively and defensively. With that being said, though, I don't want to get too caught up in just one performance. Hopefully there's more good stuff in the coming weeks
He really widened the field creating space...several times he got the ball and there wasn't a SEA player within 15 yards. I think this is what Nowak was thinking when he put him back there.
Yea I really didn't miss Orozco in there at all, this may be the back four we should see from here on out. A shame we paid so much for him though, but it is just a loan so no reason we have to pick up his contract.
This is a very funny thread for me. Pre-game, as we were cleaning up the tailgate and had carried stuff to the van in the parking lot, this guy walks up to me and Tommy Ro and Hapka and Lorenzo. He asks to take our picture for his album of his trip here. Then he explains that he is Mr. Salinas, Shea's dad. Very nice guy. I hadn't seen the line-up yet, asked if Shea was starting. He said yes, at right back. Then he added the best line, he hates it back there. If that is true, that is a shame because he has the talent to be extremely good back there. His speed completely took away Zakuani, and provided one more runner on the offensive end. It reminded me of the meet the coach event at TNN, where Nowak said that if he was playing as a defender against Messi, he would be attacking, forcing Messi to backtrack and play D against him as well. Seems Nowak is trying to do that with Salinas, trying to force normally offense only players to track Salinas on the offensive end, and in effect taking their legs away from them.
I like this move also, but didn't Salinas get caught way way upfield as Zakuani started the sequence that led to Seattle's goal? On TV, ESPN was showing a replay, then cut to Zakuani sprinting up the wing with Le Toux chasing. Salinas was nowhere in sight. On TV, I couldn't see what happened to get Zakuani so wide open. Other than that, I thought Salinas was great - on both ends.
I was getting food at the time, so can't comment on this play. No doubt Salinas would need experience at the position and knowing when to go forward is the most challenging decision one must make.
Yes, yes he did. He made a run for a return ball that never got there. Le Toux tracked back in his place though but Zakuani made a great run himself. I thought Salinas played a good game, but for whoever said USMNT is obviously drunk with Union love already.
Four years is a long time and he wouldn't necessarily need to really shine at the position until the 2013 MLS season. An in-form striker can get a call-up for a world cup even if they haven't been hot for long (Buddle; Gomez). But, I think a right back would need to impress for longer and have a chance to play in qualifiers with others on the back line. Can Salinas get there? Definitely. Is he likely to? Maybe not. Cherundolo will likely be too old come 2014 (but maybe not), but could still be used for Gold Cup and qualifying the way Hejduk was for this cycle. Players way ahead of Salinas include Sean Franklin, Jonathan Spector, Frank Simek and even Marvell Wynne and Drew Moor. Check out this thread for interesting ideas about 2014 defenders. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1474104 I'll admit there are a handful that I don't know well enough to say what position they play on the back line.
I saw him in the parking lot as well. I didn't get ot meet him but heard him talking and he seemed like a very nice guy. Funny you mention though that Nowak might have used him to wear down Zakuani because no doubt Zakuani was completely dead when he was substituted out of the game. He was walking several times during the game so if in fact that was Nowak's goal, he suceeded big time.
Although Salinas did factor in on the Sounders Goal as he got back but then got turned around. He essentially eradicated Zakuani from the game. It was not that long ago that we were all watching Zakuani's speed kill our spirits during the first ever Official MLS Game the Union played. His speed and abilities are a refreshing change over O-F!
Wasn't Orozco playing CB and Arrieta playing RB in those situations tho? I don't think O-F is to blame there.
Myrie was the man to blame for Zakuani the first match. He could not match his speed or talent for that matter. If I remember correctly our back line consisted of Harvey, Stahl, Califf, and Myrie. O-F and Arrieta were not even a factor.
I know that. I think the poster was referring to our backline issues in general. Not just the first game. Orozco was CDM in that game and Arrieta wasn't here yet.