Jonjo Shelvey

[Kenneth]

I didn't think he was that bad. Made a couple of decent runs and improved ou ability to get the ball back into attack quickly at first as he was better competing in the air than Allen. Not a great performance but I don't think he did anything really wrong.

Its a strange game because I though he did the opposite. I recall three occasions when he dropped back, ended up with the ball and played a safe pass siideways without even looking at the space in front of him or the players looking the ball. It was as though he came into the game and didn't appreciate the urgency of the situation and was off the pace of the rest of the team. Understandable for a sub to some degree but he was particularly unimpressive. We didn't need to compete in the air much yesterday so we lost more than we gained when Allen came off.

[dww]

Its a strange game because I though he did the opposite. I recall three occasions when he dropped back, ended up with the ball and played a safe pass siideways without even looking at the space in front of him or the players looking the ball. It was as though he came into the game and didn't appreciate the urgency of the situation and was off the pace of the rest of the team. Understandable for a sub to some degree but he was particularly unimpressive. We didn't need to compete in the air much yesterday so we lost more than we gained when Allen came off.

That is why I said at first - he blocked what had been Zenits out ball which was clearing high to the right side and was mostly heading forward which helped then they stopped trying that. I tend to agree that he didn't impose himself in the way we needed but I'm not sure I think he deserves the level of criticism he has received for it.

[TheElephantMan]

I was very hopeful that Shelvey would become an important player for us, he went to Blackpool and came back a much better player. Tonight he should have been a key player, but maybe even under 21's is a step too far? He isn't currently a premiership player and doesn't deserve to play alongside the youngsters. There is nothing about his game that leads me to believe that he will make it as a senior player. I'm really disappointed.

[RedReet]

Absolute nonsense. If anything last night he proved he is too good for the reserves and should be out on loan. He showed enough promise earlier in the season to suggest he will be good enough, played very well against Mansfield quite recently, linking well with Sturridge and looked good in various positions last night. He's struggled in other games, but he's still a young lad and still learning the game and will get better.

The abuse he's getting from some fans is sickening (not that your post is abuse, but's it's extremely harsh IMO) and if I was him I'd be sorely tempted to **** off to another club with more patient fans.

[dizzycat]

Inconsistent results and stupid mistakes are conversely upping the expectations of what young players should be capable of. It's a lot easier to develop young talent in a winning team and to be honest I think that the mentality we need from the younger players isn't going to develop if they feel constantly under pressure. I think that is why Shelvey had ended up on the fringes of the first team.

[TheElephantMan]

The abuse he's getting from some fans is sickening (not that your post is abuse, but's it's extremely harsh IMO) and if I was him I'd be sorely tempted to **** off to another club with more patient fans.

Fingers crossed he does. I was a fan, but he's regressing. I found myself defending him to others, but they were right - he is a Championship level player, maybe not even that.

[Lee]

I think that's very harsh mate.

Even though he's been around for quite some time and played a lot of regular football (wasn't he a regular in Charlton's first team when he was 15/16?) I think people tend to forget that he's only 20.

He's been poor since the red card at United and he's rash in the challenge, but it's probably hard to get into form when you're a bit-part player and often played out of position.

I think he has plenty in his locker to become a good player. But he needs to go out on loan again because his time at Blackpool did him a world of good and he's not going to get regular minutes here at the moment.

[RedReet]

Fingers crossed he does. I was a fan, but he's regressing. I found myself defending him to others, but they were right - he is a Championship level player, maybe not even that.

So in the space of 3 months you have went from calling him our most promising player behind Gerrard and Suarez to a L1 player? This is a player who is 20 years old FFS.

Do you honestly think that's rational?

Ahh well, each to their own I suppose.

[TheElephantMan]

So in the space of 3 months you have went from calling him our most promising player behind Gerrard and Suarez to a L1 player? This is a player who is 20 years old FFS?

Do you honestly think that's rational?

Ahh well, each to their own I suppose.

He improved massively during his loan spell at Blackpool and he looked very promising. Whatever the underlying reasons he now looks very poor. Either he needs to go back out on loan or he needs to permanently find another club. Changing opinion isn't irrational, sticking to an opinion when the evidence is to the contrary would be irrational.

[RichC]

A loan would suit him IMO, he needs a regular run of games wnich he's going to struggle to get here at the momemt

[RedReet]

He improved massively during his loan spell at Blackpool and he looked very promising. Whatever the underlying reasons he now looks very poor. Either he needs to go back out on loan or he needs to permanently find another club. Changing opinion isn't irrational, sticking to an opinion when the evidence is to the contrary would be irrational.

But to change it so drastically in such a short period of time and come to such a definitive conclusion is IMO.

Very few young players regardless of how talented are consistent on a regular basis. Bale, Walcott, Sturridge now seem to be adding that to their game and I doubt it’s any coincidence that they’ve all hit the 23 mark. Maybe we should be a bit more patient with Shelvey and see how he turns out…

[ronanm]

He's like that rhyme about the girl with the curl in the middle of her forhead, sometimes he's very very good, sometimes he's rotten. It's his attitude I don't like. Too cocky. I know some will say that's what makes him the player he is but he needs to realise it's a team game.

[barnes10]

he needs game time at a decent level. Promotion from championship or bottom half of prem.

[RedReet]

Happy birthday Jonjo.

Don't listen to all the idiots, you can still be a great player for us.

[Mostar]

Fingers crossed he does. I was a fan, but he's regressing. I found myself defending him to others, but they were right - he is a Championship level player, maybe not even that.

Little too harsh..

He has been inconsistant but that is expected from a young player just like we have seen from Sterling, Suso, Hendo etc..

What he needs is a regular football and playing in Championship League or for PL teams like Wigan, Southampton, Reading etc woud do him a lot of good.