Jacob Shaffelburg

[narduch]

Made the bench for MLS Team of the Week 

[Jack1997]

28 minutes ago, narduch said:

Made the bench for MLS Team of the Week 

Everywhere says he played well but no goals or assists while coming off the bench and gets totw is surprising 

[Bison44]

Heibert yanked him down on a sure tap in...gave up the red but Shaff didnt get to take it.  

[narduch]

36 minutes ago, Jack1997 said:

Everywhere says he played well but no goals or assists while coming off the bench and gets totw is surprising 

He earned a PK.

Also to be fair there was not a full slate of games

[canadasoccer20]

Absolute stud. Going to be tough to make starting 11s for Canada based on his position but this kid has super sub written all over him. Top tier speed and love his willingness to challenge defenders and attack. Ton of grit too. Lots to love about Shaff!

[VinceA]

I really just want him to have a strong second half of the season with Nashville. And that means consistent starts, which he doesn't get currently.

[Corazon]

1 minute ago, VinceA said:

I really just want him to have a strong second half of the season with Nashville. And that means consistent starts, which he doesn't get currently.

Agreed, he seems to become a backup in Nashville and productivity has dropped.  However, his work rate is next to none and his speed down that wing is a great addition to have coming off the bench.

[toontownman]

Needs to find consistency in his game at club level and bring that, like he did tonight to the national team. He was near unplayable today. He will have to be like that much more than not to be considered normally for Canada. 

Absolute quality tonight though.

[BearcatSA]

Well, he had a lot of open space to attack because I think the Americans were trying to push for a winner before and then during extra time, so that situation was perfect for his style of play tonight.  His strike for the second was top notch!  Not unlike the American Mullet, he is also a guy who is still much more speed athlete than crafty footballer who can use trickery and clever touches with interplay to unlock a bunkering defence.  If he is a back up at club level, that might be why, because his work rate/effort aren't an issue. 

[cronaldo7]

So happy for him after a performance like that. Always been an easy guy to root for during his TFC days. 
 

An absolute animal.

[Obinna]

13 hours ago, BearcatSA said:

Well, he had a lot of open space to attack because I think the Americans were trying to push for a winner before and then during extra time, so that situation was perfect for his style of play tonight.  His strike for the second was top notch!  Not unlike the American Mullet, he is also a guy who is still much more speed athlete than crafty footballer who can use trickery and clever touches with interplay to unlock a bunkering defence.  If he is a back up at club level, that might be why, because his work rate/effort aren't an issue. 

I don't mind him being a rotational player for Nashville right now, because he's well versed in knowing how to make an impact from the bench. Of course I prefer him to start more than he's been lately, but it's a silver lining I suppose.

[FC_Hali]

Nashville is playing with 2 strikers and without conventional wingers this season which I think has hurt his stock a bit. When he starts, he’s used basically to stretch the field for Mukhtar. He’s still contributing for one of the better teams in MLS but was really hoping he would find consistent minutes as a winger. 

[TGAA_Star]

Shaffelburg was good last night probably one of the only good things about Canada last night 

[dyslexic nam]

6 minutes ago, TGAA_Star said:

Shaffelburg was good last night probably one of the only good things about Canada last night 

You’re a fucking clown.  

[Stoppage Time]

Shaffelburg or MIllar, or both on the field? Likely a rare chance of this happening soon, but could Shaff play the left and Millar the right leaving Davies to play LB or LWB? I know that Buchanan contends for the right side. I do like the idea of Shaff as a super sub though.

[PegCityCam]

Momma Shaff and her boy making us all feel a little better...

 

[Kadenge]

Huge  part of that play was  he gave up possession but hustled back & won the ball before making the run and scoring. What a moment for him. Got to be the biggest goal he has scored. Reminds me of the goal Tajon scored also from the left side vs Mexico in GC 2021 

[gator]

I don't have it to post but in the after match interview he credits Phil Neville for working with him and perfecting the move he used to score that goal, what a shame it wasn't the winner!

Edit: Found it:

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by gator

[Dominic94]

And Bob thought he was a LB….

 

He can and will find his well to MLS impact player level, he will get back his starting role just needs time. 

[Shway]

8 hours ago, gator said:

I don't have it to post but in the after match interview he credits Phil Neville for working with him and perfecting the move he used to score that goal, what a shame it wasn't the winner!

Edit: Found it:

 

The move... He said they've been working on driving at the backline and getting defenders off balanced.

 Seemed like he was the only one trying what they were working on in training. It was so refreshing to see him just go for it. I felt he was going to do something, and he sure did.

 Proud of the evolution of this kid and his journey. He's seems to make the best out of his situations. I used to think he was just a speed merchant (at the time he was) but he's added soo much to his game in little time.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Shway

[spitfire]

It’s much easier to run at defender  and cross the ball when u are playing on your strong side…( not an inverted wingback…) lwb and being left footed.
…put him on the right and see how it goes… 

great run and a great goal just saying..

Edited July 11, 2023 by spitfire

[Shway]

There's different playing styles to wingers. However typically the modern day winger, if you are on the opposite side of your dominant foot it means you are versatile in your ability to go inside or outside. It's what makes those players dangerous, as you don't know what they are going to do. 

With Shaffelburg he's played always on the left side, mentioning him to play on his weak side for the heck of it doesn't really make sense when he's always been a LW,LB,or LM. That's his position.

We rarely see guys anymore like Robben who always played on the right (and would relentlessly effectively cut in on his left) because it removes the width from the team, and it becomes predictable when the fullback knows the winger is going to receive the ball on his dominant foot or cut back onto their dominant foot.

[spitfire]

8 minutes ago, Shway said:

There's different playing styles to wingers. However typically the modern day winger, if you are on the opposite side of your dominant foot it means you are versatile in your ability to go inside or outside. It's what makes those players dangerous, as you don't know what they are going to do. 

With Shaffelburg he's played always on the left side, mentioning him to play on his weak side for the heck of it doesn't really make sense when he's always been a LW,LB,or LM. That's his position.

We rarely see guys anymore like Robben who always played on the right (and would relentlessly effectively cut in on his left) because it removes the width from the team, and it becomes predictable when the fullback knows the winger is going to receive the ball on his dominant foot or cut back onto their dominant foot.

Thanks so much for explaining it to me...😝

 In the modern game most wingers are inverted in a 433 or 343 rarely I mean very rarely are wingbacks inverted...most wingback are conventional.. but alas..

[Obinna]

I am not so worried about Millar being used as an inverted wingback this tournament. Is it his ideal position? No. Did he do well? Yes. Could we have switched Laryea and Millar? I think so. I have thought very highly of Laryea playing inverted as a fullback or wingback, so he could have done the job I am convinced. Would it have gotten more out of Liam to play conventionally? Possibly. 

Why I am not worried though is because Millar needs to be played further forward more often. I am going to keep beating this drum until it happens. If it doesn't I will just be a broken record and so be it. The guy needs to play closer to goal. It's a waste of his attacking talent to play him further back (where have we heard that before). Now, not saying Millar is Davies, but the basic tennant of that argument should apply here. Put attackers in the attack. Yes Davies is more natural as a wingback now, but I don't believe this is true of Liam, nor do I think it ever will be. Reminder that he started his career as a number 9 (as far as I know) with Liverpool's youth teams. That's where he was when he came on our radar. He has pace so he could slot into wide spots as a forward, but he was always a forward.

I am not suggesting he lead the line for us, but I bet he could be a solid option in a two-man forward line. Even without playing there in a long time (Cuba aside), he'll give us more than guys like Brym and Hoilett (and yes Shaffelburg). At the very least I hope his showing puts him into that conversation more often. He's still young enough where those forward instincts are not completely beat out of him (I believe), so I hope Herdman keeps him in mind for that 3rd/4th forward option:

1. David 2. Larin 3. Ugbo (in theory) 4. Cavallini/Millar/Brym/Russel-Rowe 5. Everyone else....

(Again, I think Hoilett should be a midfielder moving forward. Wouldn't be criminal to put him in that no. 4 group, but an attacking 8, wide forward, winger or wingback are probably his best spots. In a duo he'll just drop back and basically play as a CAM)

Edited July 11, 2023 by Obinna

[GasPed]

I will say too that it's fairly common in the modern game to have coaches switch up their wingers in-game, just to give a different look and keep the D on their toes.  It doesn't work all that often but it's enough for coaches to keep trying it (for example Davies has had some of his best moments playing inverted).