Martin Kelly

[DannyMan2006]

Majority of the attacks that came down the right Kelly stopped them. They focused on the left because they got more joy over there. Every time Kelly plays he plays good. He rarely screws up. Compare him to Johnson who has had more experience yet also has far more mistakes during games. If you were to tally up all the games johnson has had you would find almost all of them people on here are frustrated or upset. Compare to Kelly where its always praise. He's good enough now and hopefully Dalglish has noticed this and keeps him there where he belongs.

The majority of Uniteds attacks were focused down Kellys side. But it wasn't a great deal of difference % wise, they varied it up quite well. There was a bit of a tactical battle going on off the pitch with both sides wide players switching around at different times.

Of the full backs I'd say Kelly had the better game, Aurelio was a bit dodgy in possession a few times and he also played Berbatov on when he won the penalty in the first 30 seconds or so. Nani also got past him quite easily when he burst past him and Lucas and got a shot off that went through Aggers legs.

That said, I think both full backs were let down when we went down to ten men as they were left in 1v2 situations with the wide players of Man Utd.

Overall though, considering we were at OT with ten men for the majority of the game, the team played very well at the back.

[-V-]

He's too good and too useful to drop now. Sell Konchesky and move Johnson to left back or move Johnson to the right wing.

There is no good reason to keep Johnson at RB now as he's so far failed in that position

[Assassin]

He's too good and too useful to drop now. Sell Konchesky and move Johnson to left back or move Johnson to the right wing.

There is no good reason to keep Johnson at RB now as he's so far failed in that position

I fear we will have to give him away or loan him out until his contract is finished

[Mattshark]

He's too good and too useful to drop now.

There is no good reason to keep Johnson at RB now as he's so far failed in that position

That is hyperbolic at best.

[Craig_H]

I fear we will have to give him away or loan him out until his contract is finished

And i suppose it would've been a four year contract, too

[Exiled_red]

I fear we will have to give him away or loan him out until his contract is finished

We could possibly get £1-2m for him by selling him to one of the crap London clubs.

Or hope Hodgson gets another job soon

[-V-]

That is hyperbolic at best.

Do you really honestly think that Glen Johnson has been a success???

[Craig_H]

He may have been referring to the idea that Kelly is 'too good to drop' which is extremely hyperbolic.

[Molby]

How Berbatov got man of the match i dont know, Kelly was MOM today, top performance.

he was exceptional today, and every other day that he plays.

From the moment he made his debut at Anfield, he's looked a cut above.

It was a real pity he got injured in that game...

TBH, i didn't realise he is a natural CB, i'd love to see him play there with Agger..

[Paul12]

Kelly should be a CB, long term. I'd like to see him tried there at some point this season. He has all the tools.

I don't know much about which CD partnerships work and which don't, but can you imagine the football that would be played were Agger and Kelly paired in the middle!

[Exiled_red]

I know this is perhaps controversial but should we rush him into the team and play him week in week out? In the past we've tended to give young players perhaps too much football early in their careers and they seem to have suffered alot of injuries (Gerrard and Owen most notably) Is there perhaps some benefit in rotating Kelly and Johnson so they only play 1 game a week each? Although the down side is this doesn't allow consistency in the back 4

[Drago]

I can't see any sense in dropping the inform player for the bigger name. Kelly was man of the match today and deserves to keep the shirt. Johnson should have to win it back not just stroll back into the first team.

[Mattshark]

Do you really honestly think that Glen Johnson has been a success???

I think he has been decent, certainly not a failure

He may have been referring to the idea that Kelly is 'too good to drop' which is extremely hyperbolic.

and yes I was.

[Mattshark]

I can't see any sense in dropping the inform player for the bigger name. Kelly was man of the match today and deserves to keep the shirt. Johnson should have to win it back not just stroll back into the first team.

One game is not form. Kelly shouldn't be rush into being first choice, he should be allowed to develop with out forcing him, that could be detrimental to his long term development.

[Drago]

One game is not form. Kelly shouldn't be rush into being first choice, he should be allowed to develop with out forcing him, that could be detrimental to his long term development.

And how is he supposed to show more then one game if he's dropped every time Glen is fit, regardless of his own performances?

Kelly has never or rarely had a bad game. Yet every time he finds himself back on the bench again. This alone can easily make a player disillusioned

Letting him hang onto the shirt when he's playing well is hardly forcing his development. Glen will be there waiting again if needs be. Healthy competition and it can only be good for both of them.