THEY say the best players have an edge about them; a snarl, a professional meanness which seeps from them as they take the field.
Anyone who has played high level sport or has been privy to a competitive environment will in general possess that character trait which is no sleight on the individual as a person, but a valuable quality in a dog eat dog world.
Jonjo Shelvey is emerging as someone who matches this criteria, and his last two performances went some way to proving the notion. His match saving display against Young Boys, as he donned his freshly primed cape and flew in to bag a brace, to help us notch the 3 points in a calamitous game which would leave those of the defensive ilk scratching their heads in bemusement.
The former Charlton Athletic fledgling’s red card 3 days later was an exercise of youthful exuberance – nothing else – as his rangy right foot gained full contact of the ball while his counterpart Jonny Evans jumped in with both feet. A “meaty challenge” a few years back but an inexplicable red card in 2012 given by match official Mark Halsey.
While attempting to maintain a stranglehold on the midfield in which he was performing manfully he found himself the victim of a poor decision. His reaction was also interesting. I don’t mind young players showing passion which is sometimes misdirected; having a go at Alex Ferguson for encouraging the wrong coloured card and calling the septuagenarian “a grass” was naive; the smirk on the United manager’s face said it all after Shelvey disappeared down the tunnel, from which he is now yet to remerge for 3 games depleting our already thin squad.
Many thought a certain Steven Gerrard had a spiky side to him when he burst on the scene all those years ago. Pressure builds as hype creeps in to the dressing rooms and into young player’s psyches. The current captain lunged at Everton’s Kevin Campbell in a typically thunderous Merseyside derby as a novice back in 1999. Emotional immaturity and inexperience got the better of him that day but tribulations such as this only made him more wise to the game and lessons were learnt and the same can happen with the young Essex boy.
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Diamonds have rough edges. This young man is not in the elite category just yet but Brendan Rodgers has expressed admiration in the ability and potential in the novice middle man, in the eye-opening series “Being: Liverpool”, the Reds boss looks admiringly at his employee and gives him little justifications in his confidence in him “you’re going to be a big player for me”. This is the pick me up which every young player craves, when you are in the position where you are thriving to cement your place in the plans of the decision makers, verbal pushes enhance that inspiration.
There is no room for wallflowers who shirk responsibility at the club and it is in the middle of the park where the game is generally won and lost. Shelvey has the physical qualities to create a presence around the centre-circle much like Gerrard. What he needs to do now is thrive on the confidence the club have showed in him and cement his place in there. At 20 years old he won’t play every game but will gradually find his feet and hopefully reach his potential which is all we can ask for. He has already seen off Charlie Adam and Jay Spearing and the club’s current lack of might in the transfer market may work in his advantage as it should allow his footballing education to expand in the best way possible: first team football.
So let’s not criticise our starlet too much after last week’s “indiscretion”, he has fire in his belly so let’s get behind him.
As always your feedback is welcome.
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what was wrong with shelvey having ago at bully ferguson he has been intimidating people for years well done jonjo for standing up for yourself and not joining fergies flock bruce pullis allerdyce lawrenson and hes other cronies
Nothing at all,bout time sumone had a go at d bluenose.got d ball first an had it bn against any other side Der wud hav bn no problem but halsey d ****** is another member of d manc army
Great article! He appears to have been hanging around for so long I actually thought for some reason that Jonjo was 22. I was a big admirer of Rafa, but now I wonder would these young player ever get the opportunities under his managment. Then again, was the talent there for Rafa to pick from back then. He did have the vision to develop the acadamy though into what we have today.
Rafa was the one that brought Shelvey to the club along with Sterling and Suso. The reason we have so many good youngsters is due to Rafa.
We are for sure NOT criticicing our newborn hero! Jonjo made an hero act in pointing out that disgrace, Alex Ferguson, who has made a system of initimidating refs, and breeded a team with the same filosofy – why we hate manure and many of their fans!
Only a cross-eyed nincompoop would criticise him.
He’s been excellent this season. All of his performances have been to a very high standard.
Alex Ferguson should have been cautioned for presenting himself to Shelvey and Evans sent off too, it’s all very clear.
Just a tip, Derek, there’s far too much negative media surrounding LFC. This article suggests Shelvey is being criticised and perhaps shouldn’t. By repeating you get the same results over and over. From tomorrow I suggest when you open the curtains in the morning you look up and marvel at whatever weather we have, rather than looking down and gawping at the mud.
He’s praising Jonjo for goodness sake, read the piece again to the end will you!
And it is right at the end, for goodness sake, “let’s not criticise our starlet too much”!!! The article suggests there is critisism… so now you look like a doubly cross-eyed nincompoop, Voland. Maybe you just feel articles with your heart and are not too bothered about detail, rather than **read** them, doh
Derek is referring to criticism by others, of which there was plenty. This article, on the other hand, is praising him for having “an edge about (him); a snarl, a professional meanness which seeps from (him) as (he) take(s) the field”.
In fact, the complete, closing sentence reads: “So let’s not criticise our starlet too much after last week’s ‘indiscretion’, he has fire in his belly so let’s get behind him.” How you can construe this as a negative comment or article about Shelvey is simply beyond me.
Fergie knew what he was doing so did shelvey . All said and done there was nothing wrong with the tackle . There was no malice . An honest young professional. Shelveys reaction was the bitter taste left by a stupid decision in the biggest match of his season so far . Refs managers players have a responsibility to the integrity of the game . Players can only deliver this when decisions made are fair . In no way was his red card fair . Great to see Fergie complaining again this weekend about …. Referees decisions . Last week he praised the refs . Full of integrity sir ?
think shelvey doing ok but needs alot of work so he can pass and receive the ball like suso and stearling.i have watched the young lads for a long time and shelvey has always gone in two footed he needs to sort that out but hes still very young
ferguson is a devil very big one at that he as power the english FA were ferguson is the so called english FA can not speak. What a sheam in england they are all disgrace to their generations that is the FA
All the refs are against us, for goodness’ sake i have no idea why. but we are Liverpool and we will never walk alone. Jonjo did nothing wrong and he was right to give it to fergie. I foresee he becoming our captain in the future.
Shelvey will learn, they all will. The desire of many of the young players equal Shelvey and will, hopefully, drive the Senior players to raise their game. As for Fergie, he will be gone soon enough. Manures influence will begin to wane under the Glazers debt without his influence. How the Ref must have shook with fear when he blew the whistle wuthout giving Manure enough Fergie time to equalize. Had a great laugh reading about Fergie saying the Ref’s shouldn’t be in charge of determining the stoppage time (only he should)!!!