Brek Shea tends to be one of the more polarizing figures in MLS – observers are generally either besotted with his athleticism and potential, or driven to distraction by his chronic inconsistency.
The lanky left-footer was certainly on his game on Sunday as Orlando City hammered Portland 4-1 at the Citrus Bowl, scoring a pearl of a strike via a pretty one-two combination with Kaká and wreaking havoc up and down the Lions' left flank.
Shea spent most of the early part of his career as an out-and-out left winger, so many tend to see him as a makeshift selection at fullback, a role he's adopted for long periods in Orlando. Yet the statistics tell a different story.
It's clear that OCSC are a better team when he's on the field. What's more surprising is that they're a better defensive team, even though he spends plenty of time venturing forward into the attack from that left back spot.
MLSsoccer.com Associate Editor Ben Baer drilled down a bit, and found a range of telling metrics from Orlando's MLS matches that reflect how the tall Texan transforms the Lions:
With Shea |
Stat |
Without Shea |
|---|---|---|
21 |
Games |
17 |
9 |
Wins |
5 |
7 |
Losses |
7 |
5 |
Draws |
5 |
30 |
Goals For |
24 |
1.4 |
Avg. Goals For |
1.4 |
23 |
Goals Against |
37 |
1.1 |
Avg. Goals Against |
2.2 |
42.9% |
Win Percentage |
29.4% |
1.5 |
PPG |
1.2 |
9.7 |
Shots/Game |
7.7 |
11.3 |
Shots Conceded/Game |
14.4 |
51.2% |
Possession |
49.9% |
14.9 |
Crosses/Game |
12.4 |
12.7 |
Crosses Conceded/Game |
14.8 |
1134 |
Passes into Final Third |
916 |
69% |
Passing Accuracy in Final Third |
62.3% |
75% |
<span style="line-height: 20.8px;">Passing Accuracy in Opposition's Half</span> |
72% |
12.3 |
Fouls Won/Game |
13.5 |
13.7 |
Fouls Conceded/Game |
13.7 |
