One of the very positive aspects that came out of Liverpool’s draw against Napoli last night was the performance of Jay Spearing. Many Reds fans questioned Roy Hodgson’s decisions to send out a second string with quite a few youngsters in the side, but the 0-0 result proves not only that these players had something to prove, but also that these youngsters can keep their heads in a hostile environment.
Italy, these days, is especially dangerous place to go; especially with the presence of “Ultras,” highly organised hooligans who stabbed some Liverpool fans the night before the game. Although the match passed smoothly enough, there is no doubt that you still need to have a great deal of confidence and self-belief to perform and not go back into your shell. Despite the experience on show yesterday from the likes of Christian Poulsen, Jamie Carragher, Paul Konchesky and Milan Jovanovic, the big performances actually came from the youngsters as Poulsen said after the match:
“Our young players battled well and you couldn’t tell there was a lot of inexperience out there. I think they had a really good game and it shows we have a strong squad at Liverpool. Napoli have a lot of good players but I thought we played cleverly, tried to stick to the game plan and in the second half we had one or two good chances to score.”
Unusually for Poulsen, he didn’t have that bad of a game, but it was his midfield partner Spearing who stole the limelight. He looked at ease in the hostile atmosphere and took the match in his stride. He intercepted many opposition passes and alongside Poulsen ensured the backline was secure. He also made his presence felt on a number of occasions with some important tackles and ensured that despite his diminutive stature, he wasn’t bullied by his more experienced opponents.
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Agree that spearing should start above Lucas or poulson, though would start with stevie and raul in central midfield together. Jay was superb against Napoli and the way he picked his passes was excellent. I’m not saying he is as good as alonso was, but he plays with passion and drive which makes up for his size and inexperience. Babel coud learn slot from jay regarding determination and grit, something the Dutchman is clearly lacking. It’s almost as if Ryan already has his suitcase packed ready for January.
I can’t agree more with this article. Both Spearing and Shelvey were positive notes and i look forward eagerly to more first team performances from these two. What Spearing lacks in height he makes up for in hard work and intelligent use of the ball. He has the pace that Poulsen so desperately lacks and the forward thinking pass that Lucas so often fails to deliver. Moreover Shelvey’s debut in the incredibly hostile San Paulo was highly impressive. Like his cameo against Northampton some of his passing demonstrated true vision and he once again posed a threat from set pieces. He is very much a work in progress but I believe few could argue that he has real potential that I hope develops into performances for Liverpool.
No! am sick of these shouts for him everytime he has a half decent game (which is about twice a season) against a poor team, when the fact remains, he would never of even ever pulled the shirt of the likes of Utd,Arse,Chelsea,Spurs and so on.
He is only still at the club because he is a local lad, he is poor and not premiership quality.
In response to Charlie. I think in a team that is struggling for form where both Lucas and Poulsen have so far failed to deliver. Why not try the young lad who is desperate to make a point, who has performed brightly and consistently in Liverpool second teams that are thrown together for the Europa league and who is absolutely playing for the badge on his chest. Have you decided to simply ignore the fact that in Europe we are doing reasonably well and that yesterday we outplayed the team who hold fourth spot in the Italian league in the most hostile of environments? The point is more simple than that. Bugger Utd, Arse, Chelsea and Spurs – Spearing is the only centre midfield at Liverpool (with the exceptions of Stevie and Raul) who has produced consistently good performances and therefore he should be considered above Poulsen and Lucas.
How right you are charlie. Funny the echo gave Poulsen man of the match (just ahead of Jovanovic. Spearing is a poorer Jason Mcateer or Davey Thompson.
Spearing should definitley be ahead of Lucas & Poulsen, but with a Meireless/Gerrard midfield then im not sure he will be playing many games soon.
Hopefully though Kelly can come in at RB and move Johnson to RM, that way the CB’s can gel together instead of playing them in different positions every week to cover for RB & LB.
I agree with Charlie. He was average last night, which meant he was slightly better than the rest of the team. I’ve not seen enough of Poulsen yet, but I am led to believe he is pretty poor, which is scary considering he cost £5 million but Spearing isn’t fit to clean Lucas’s shoes, I don’t care that he’s local, he is not Premier League quality, and never will be. It’s embarrassing that people keep on fighting his corner, quite frankly. It’s that old syndrome of being a local lad adding around 10-15% to your perceived ability. Kind of along the same lines as Wayne Rooney looking like a troll but because he’s a famous athlete he’s perceived as being more attractive than he actually is!
Sorry, but I will never be able to agree that Spearing is a first team player, or better than what we have.
Totally agree about Spearing and Lucas. I also think Kelly could make it as a first team player with the right handling. Like that about Rooney btw
Spearing has been a better player than Lucas this season, but the simple plain fact is that he is just too small to make it! Makalele and Mascherano were short but made up for it with their strength, while the likes of Zola & Juninho made up for tit with their immense skill – Spearing is a good player, and I’d rank his talent at least as better than Gibson or Lucas (who is also too weak btw), but that talent isn’t enough to offset his lack of physical stature.
The Premiership just continues to get bigger and stronger, and while we continue to buck that trend we will continue to fail!
(btw, he was good on the ball last night, but I think that his defensive performance is being wildly exaggerated…)
Loved it when he went absolutely mental at Jovanavic near the end when the Serbian never put his foot in for a tackle just outside our box, after he had just lost the ball!!
He is like a little Carragher in the midfield and has more passion and drive than most of that team together!!
Oh for God’s sake. passion does not equal talent. Over the top just like with Carragher.
Shelvey impressed me. Spearing did a professional job without any mistakes I could see. He is no mascherano or essien of course but he is only young and I would keep him as a squad player with our squad what it is. Who knows, in a couple of years he maybe more than that, but i really don’t see the point slagging him off at this age when he is just coming into the team. Give him a year or two and then get the knives out if you must
David Hurry & Harry: SPOT ON!!!!!!
Irwin is better.
Whay cant we give a go to our young guns. Dani,jay and kelly are perfect. They can lift team spirit.
Use agger on carra and soto on skertel, glen on wing and try babel and dani on other wing. In midd get pairing of gerrard and raul and cole behind torres.
And please leave roy we respect ur age but u r not good enough.
Please use this combination young players are very dynamic and can infact surely lift our team spirit.
The real up and comer is Shelvey who has star written all over him Spearing wont be at Anfield in two years.
it was 27 minutes before spearings name was mentioned at napoli, what game were you watching.
I was watching the same game as you Stan
so i’m still sane jim, the lad is wholehearted and wont let us down but we need class, selling class and not replacing it has got us in this mess.
WHAT AN OVERREACTION TO AN AVERAGE PERFORMANCE, AS MUCH AS EVERYONE WANTS MORE LOCAL LADS IN THE TEAM SPEARING JUST IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH AND NEVER WILL BE UNLESS LIVERPOOL GET RELEGATED
What teams actually came in for Spearing last summer when we offered him out on loan? Newcastle? A big club in the championship that attracted over 40,000 fans a game and wanted to push for promotion? NO!
West Brom? Another club that was pushing and is always flirting with the prem? NO!
No one came in untill Leceister City (a struggling team) showed up!
If the boy is good enough for our team now, he should of at least been good enough to get sniffed at by top championship or lower premiership teams.
He is poor, and his best Attribute is being local, if he was a foreigner, he would of well been hounded out by now, even for the reserves, he is piss poor.