Jay Spearing

[Mostar]

Jay is not Lucas nor he'll ever be but he is the best we got atm and he is the super cover for Leiva.

Just couple years ago I wouldn't mind much to see him go as I didn't think he could cut it at this level and I'm glad that he proved me and many others wrong as he rightfully deserve to be in our squad.

Personally I feel relieved that he is healthy as we missed him big time.

We are better team with Jay in it than without Jay in Lucas absence.

[Darkon]

Not sure that's true. Players develop at different rates, he's come on massively in the last year and a half.

Agree with most of the rest. Just don't see there is any need to write off players when they are still obviously improving. The positioning he is learning is also a specialist one. Even if he never quite becomes in the class of Lucas he will be an almost invaluable squad player.

They do, but you hardly ever see a world class player or top-side first team player develop at the age of 24 that have hardly ever featured in a first team before. Or at least I can't think of one?

And I don't give much for the specialist position argument - all positions basically are. Perhaps the backs and wings are interchangeable.

[RedReet]

I think before people start using the amount of appearances Jay has had for us as a reason to write him off we should look at the players he’s had ahead of him in the pecking order.

With Alonso here, he had absolutely no chance of getting a game with the quality of our midfield. He maybe should have made more appearances in Rafa’s last year, but with the pressure Rafa was under it was understandable that he didn’t get too many chances being unproven. Hodgson doesn’t count, then Kenny showed great faith in him last year. We spent big money this year and he dropped down the pecking order, but so too did two of our best players from last year. He’s getting his chance again now and has certainly been as good as any of his team mates in that position.

It could be argued that due to circumstances, Jay has been very unlucky to have only made the number of appearances he’s had.

[PTP]

Surely his age shouldn’t make that much difference. Players get better with experience, not their age as a number. It’s different if they are still developing physically, but I think that ship sailed for Jay when he was about 12.

I have no worries at all seeing Jay in our starting line-up and ATM think we are a better team with him playing, but also think there is still more to come.

yeah, i know what you are saying however i was just pointing out that SPearing is 24 this year, has been at the club for a long time, and only just reached 40 odd appearences, the majority of which are more due to the fact that we are lacking in strength/quality in the middle as opposed to Spearing forcing his name onto the team sheet.

I'm not criticising the lad at all - he's a decent enough player and if managed well could go on to do an important job for us, ala the players that united have had over the years that many of us have thought....how the **** is he at man united.....

[PTP]

I think before people start using the amount of appearances Jay has had for us as a reason to write him off we should look at the players he’s had ahead of him in the pecking order.

With Alonso here, he had absolutely no chance of getting a game with the quality of our midfield. He maybe should have made more appearances in Rafa’s last year, but with the pressure Rafa was under it was understandable that he didn’t get too many chances being unproven. Hodgson doesn’t count, then Kenny showed great faith in him last year. We spent big money this year and he dropped down the pecking order, but so too did two of our best players from last year. He’s getting his chance again now and has certainly been as good as any of his team mates in that position.

It could be argued that due to circumstances, Jay has been very unlucky to have only made the number of appearances he’s had.

don't think anyone is writing him off? - i'm certainly not - i just used his no. appearences to point out that compared to carragher, he's way off - carragher had made 200 odd appearences by time he was 24 - (again from wiki?)

Spearing imo, will do very well to achieve 200 appearences for LFC in his career...

that's not a critiscism or writing him off.....Just merely pointing out that to play 200 times for liverpool, considering he's 23/24 and only played 40 times so far, he will do well to achieve it

I hope he does. It'll mean he goes onto become a decent player for us.

as I say - for me, he's a good enough squad player.

[PTP]

slightly off topic, but talking about young midfielders that have come through the ranks here....Did anyone see Danny Guthrie last week for newcastle.....top, top performance...ran the show.

[RedReet]

yeah, i know what you are saying however i was just pointing out that SPearing is 24 this year, has been at the club for a long time, and only just reached 40 odd appearences, the majority of which are more due to the fact that we are lacking in strength/quality in the middle as opposed to Spearing forcing his name onto the team sheet.

I'm not criticising the lad at all - he's a decent enough player and if managed well could go on to do an important job for us, ala the players that united have had over the years that many of us have thought....how the **** is he at man united.....

Aye, I realised that I misinterpreted you point after I hit send, which was why I suggested after it might be worth looking at why he didn’t get games, rather than just assuming he wasn’t good enough.

And I know the old sayings ‘if you’re good enough, you’re old enough’, ‘cream rises to the top’ etc, but it’s surely not always as black and white as that. There is a fair chance his lack of games is as a result of our managers not rating him highly enough, but I don’t think the sum 40 games ÷ age 23 = not good enough, always adds up. (awaits the certain pedant response on the sum. ).

[RedReet]

don't think anyone is writing him off? - i'm certainly not - i just used his no. appearences to point out that compared to carragher, he's way off - carragher had made 200 odd appearences by time he was 24 - (again from wiki?)

Spearing imo, will do very well to achieve 200 appearences for LFC in his career...
that's not a critiscism or writing him off.....Just merely pointing out that to play 200 times for liverpool, considering he's 23/24 and only played 40 times so far, he will do well to achieve it

I hope he does. It'll mean he goes onto become a decent player for us.

as I say - for me, he's a good enough squad player.

He he, I was actually thinking that if he's only starting to get competitive games for us now, when he hits 39 he'll still be fresh as a daisy.

[PTP]

handshake - well to be awkward - i totally agree, that spearing was going to struggle to get games when alonso/mascher/lucas and gerrard would all be played ahead of him...

however....lets say Lucas didn't get injured at all.....how many games would he have got this season? - probably less than half of what he will end up with

[PTP]

He he, I was actually thinking that if he's only starting to get competitive games for us now, when he hits 39 he'll still be fresh as a daisy.

when he is 39 he might have grown an inch or two as well

[Exiled_red]

I think his lack of games has alot to do with Rafa.

Whatever people's views on Rafa and his time here are, there were clearly issues between him and the academy/youth/reserve staff and his tendency to sign young players who weren't up to it and give them opportunities ahead of the likes of the local players IMO harmed players like Spearing. Were it not for that Spearing might have more games under his belt.

[Mattshark]

I think his lack of games has alot to do with Rafa.

Whatever people's views on Rafa and his time here are, there were clearly issues between him and the academy/youth/reserve staff and his tendency to sign young players who weren't up to it and give them opportunities ahead of the likes of the local players IMO harmed players like Spearing. Were it not for that Spearing might have more games under his belt.

Erm, he had Mascherano, Alonso and Lucas ahead of him, all significantly superior players.

[dww]

I think his lack of games has alot to do with Rafa.

Whatever people's views on Rafa and his time here are, there were clearly issues between him and the academy/youth/reserve staff and his tendency to sign young players who weren't up to it and give them opportunities ahead of the likes of the local players IMO harmed players like Spearing and were it not for that Spearing might have more games under his belt.

It might well be true that Rafa not rating him as highly as others may have held Spearing back. On the other hand his position in the team was held by some half decent footballers.

I'm not really sure that your point holds up to scrutiny overall. Rafa was clearly working Kelly and Robinson into the first team in much the way he did Insua and Lucas. The idea that Spearing was at the level he is now or Lucas was then when Rafa was in charge doesn't ring true to me.

Rafa bought in a lot of young players but a decent number of them have careers at top league levels now - Barragan, Ayala, San Jose for example - so I'm not convinced that they were in some way substandard. Obviously most youth players bought in or home grown are mostly not going to make the first team.

[RedReet]

handshake - well to be awkward - i totally agree, that spearing was going to struggle to get games when alonso/mascher/lucas and gerrard would all be played ahead of him...

however....lets say Lucas didn't get injured at all.....how many games would he have got this season? - probably less than half of what he will end up with

Ha ha, it's a bit like the chicken and the egg, but how many games would Lucas have got if Alonso had of stayed or if we signed Barry? Would he even still be here today and would he have developed into as good a player elsewhere.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see with Jay and see how many opportunites come his way.

[Mattshark]

Ha ha, it's a bit like the chicken and the egg, but how many games would Lucas have got if Alonso had of stayed or if we signed Barry? Would he even still be here today and would he have developed into as good a player elsewhere.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see with Jay and see how many opportunites come his way.

Lucas was already getting games for us though.