Liverpool legend Jan Molby has stated he is not surprised by the breakthrough of Martin Kelly into the first team:
“It’s been a badly kept secret over the last couple of years that of all the boys coming through from the Academy, it was felt by many that Martin would be the one to play regularly in the first team. As a centre-back, he perhaps has to wait at the moment simply because we have more experienced players in that position, but as a right-back he’s done well. He’s a good athlete and I like him – he’s someone who could still be playing in our first team in 10 years time. In the past, we’ve let a lot of young players go before we quite knew whether they were good enough because they weren’t given enough chances, but it appears now with the likes of Jonjo Shelvey, Jay Spearing, Nathan Eccleston and Kelly the youngsters will be given a chance to show what they can do. That can only be good and they all appear to be improving because of it.”
Molby also commented on the upturn in form of Fernando Torres:
“We never quite knew how fit he was when he wasn’t scoring goals, but the biggest difference I can see is in himself – he’s lifted his shoulders, his head is up and he looks a lot happier, and that could be down to anything. Maybe it’s a case of Fernando feeling more confidence within himself, comfortable in his body again and not being afraid of picking up an injury.”
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hes way better than johnson in terms of defending.good confident lad…
It’s pretty clear, Kelly should be our starting right back and Johnson should be pushed up to right wing. Kelly and Shelvey will probably be first team regulars in the next 10 years or so although Shelvey isn’t quite ready at the moment but I really doubt Nathan Eccleston, Jay Spearing and Stephen Darby will make it…
johnson sould be sold his not good get a good center back cahil with that money
Johnson shouldn’t be sold, he should just play further up the field on the right wing and why would we need another centre back when we’ve already got 4 quality players in Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Carra and Agger? And don’t forget Ayala and Wilson while Kelly can also play there
Shelvey and Ecclestone being given cameos in positions where they are destined to fail proves nothing. If Hodgson wants to develop our youngsters, he should play them in roles natural to them along-side the “Big Guns”.
In addition to those listed, we also currently have the Scottish young player of the year, the player of the tournament at the recent U19’s championship, the player who has kept Elia & Affelay (both of the same age) behind him in the international stakes even while remaining a reserve for us, and a few other players that have been leading the reserves to titles over the past few years all supposedly not capable of playing in the Premiership; meanwhile the likes of Albrighton, Boyata, Ciaran Clark, Rafael and of course our own Kelly, are all performing admirably when given a chance to shine in the first team. Are our more talented players really so far from that pedigree??
As far as I’m concerned, some of our fringe players can do no worse than their senior counter-parts at present and we’ve got nothing to lose so should just start bringing them along while we aren’t considered title contenders
I really miss wonderkid who come from the academy that will break through the starting XI and playing regularly every weekend. Like gerrard, carra, macca, owen, fowler, redknapp, etc back in their day when they were young. What’s wrong with our youngsters today or in fact what’s wrong with our manager right now and before him and before them 🙁
we’ve got the best player from the recent U19’s tournament, the England U17’s captain, the Scottish young player of the year, reserve champions etc all waiting in the wings, while average players with little potential of developing into anything better (e.g. Kuyt, Maxi, Carragher, Konchesky, Skrtel etc) all playing key roles in our teams.
While we’ve got so many average players, and such low expectations, it would be the perfect opportunity to start looking long term and bringing through some of our more talented youngsters, but we brought in a mediocre manager that is close to retirement and has no long term plan.
Benitez wasted a lot of talent in our reserves (e.g. Nemeth, Pacheco, Plessis, Hammill etc) and Hodgson is doing an even worse job at developing our youth. We need to bring in a new manager asap before agents recognise what a death trap LFC is for young players and start discouraging their players from joining us
I think Shelvey will be an excellent player for Liverpool but cannot wait to see Pacheco get a decent run he has earned it.
If you watch the reserves, you’ll notice that Pacheco has begun to stagnate after being held back for so long. He’d better push for a move asap or his career is going to be ruined.
Shelvey won’t be an excellent player for us under Hodgson – he is quite clearly NOT a wide midfielder or a support striker/attacking midfielder.
Jay, based on what you write, Gerrard and Carragher would never have made it at Liverpool. They both were played at right-back when they were first introduced into the first team. It is obviously more dangerous to introduce a youngster in central midfield as quite often games (or possession) are decided exactly there. You wouldn’t want a youngster without or with hardly any experience to fail there, would you? That’s why you play them wide for starters. Happens at other clubs too.
Could not agree more with Eric, pushinh Johnson forward solves many problems, he is naturally attaching and Kelly is more solid defensively and he needs game time, frees Kyte to support Torres until we sign a #10 live de vart.
We have enough center backs and if we were to get one next summer, should get Taylor from Newcastle on a free but then the greek would have to go and he is playing very well.
I would like to see babble, our serbian winger/striker , polson and our two left backs depart and sign some quality left winger and left back and a striker or 2.
Based on performances this and last season we should rather let Carragher go than Kyrgiakos. Skrtel seems to be more of the Carra mould while Kyrgiakos is more like Hyypia. Surely you agree that we should play one centre back who is good in the air.
Was Redknapp a wonderkid. I never rated him.
There must be a reason why pachecho isn’t getting on. Roy is giving much greater opportunity to young players than Rafa ever did. If he’s that good he’d have played. Don’t forget Le Tallac won a similar award at the world U19 championship. It means f’all. He certainly isnt a ‘Messi’. If he’s that good why are no big spanish teams in for him?
As for positions, didn’t Gerrard spend half a season at right back when he broke into the team, Also Carragher was a defensive midfielder, then a fullback before cementing his place at CB.
We need ”ALEXANDER KERZHAKOV”
And he wants to come.