Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge has praised Jay Spearing’s recent performances. He wrote in his column fo the Liverpool Echo:
“Jay Spearing had his best game in a Liverpool shirt against Sunderland. It was great to see and the more experience he gets the better he will become. Spearing is a terrier. He did really well to win the penalty and was only denied his first goal by a brilliant save. He was excellent and only Luis Suarez stopped him from getting the man of the match award. Spearing is a better player now than Lucas was three years ago. Give him three years experience of being in the squad and he will mature into a fine player. Kenny Dalglish clearly has a lot of faith in him and everyone wants to see him do well. He’s a local lad and you can see how much it means to him to pull on the shirt. We’re all behind him and now he’s got to take the bull by the horns and have belief in himself.”
Aldridge also believes that Liverpool can still finish fifth:
“Finishing fifth is still going to be very tough but Liverpool have given themselves a chance of catching Spurs. We’re on the front foot and have to keep this winning run going. All we can do is focus on getting three points at West Brom a week on Saturday and hope Spurs slip up. There’s no doubt Harry Redknapp’s side have got a tough run in as well as the distraction of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid. They’ve got Chelsea away as well as Arsenal at home. Crucially, Spurs also have to come to Anfield. That last home game of the season for Liverpool could be huge.”
INTRODUCING PORTAL 2!
This week it is former LFC WAG Abigail Clancy!
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CLICK ON THE IMAGE OR HERE TO GET TO THE GALLERY
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At times I really give up on Aldo, Jay Spearing certainly had his finest game in a Liverpool shirt on Sunday, and was better than most when he came on against Braga but this xenophobic attitude ‘he’s a better player than Lucas was 3 years ago’ doesn’t wash with me. Lucas 3 years ago had already made his debut for Brazil and was regarded as a box to box midfielder, a role he’s hardly played for us, he had to learn the language and settle in. Seriously if I suggested Jay should get an England cap right now I’d be put in the funny farm! Personally I hope Jay matures into a top player for us but I can’t see it and before someone comes saying I’m xenophobic against English players I’m not I want the best players for Liverpool and I couldn’t give sixpence what their nationality is.
Bravo Andy, could not agree more about the Lucas comment. Lucas is becoming better and better every year, which is more than you can say for many other players. But I do still hope Spearing can make it – at least this seems more likely now than it ever did before.
couldn’t agree more…every word is so spot on..and lucas will become even better.
stirling, kelly, spearing what do they all have in common, yes they are all english great if these boys have the potenial then sure bring them in, and i am sure they will prove great players in the future…but what i struggle to get my mind arround is why aren’t players like pacheco, suso getting in look in they are absolutletly dominating the youth set up please someone explain that….surely they are better on the wings then maxi, joe (at the moment) or kuyt (should be up front with suarez, bleed carrol in slowly needs time to mature a little more on his game play).
So it’s ok to develop a little guy like Spearing in the first team because he’s a local lad, but little guys that are actually better players than him already and have far greater potential, like Suso or Pacheco, would only be liabilities to the club? And to say that he is better than a player that was absolutely useless three years ago is supposed to justify bringing him through?!
Some of the decision making at LFC is ludicrous, to say the least!
If we want to develop a young british central midfielder stick Coady into the first team – at least he has been consistently performing well for the reserves for months and has a chance to become a top player. Spearing is just a smaller version of Darron Gibson – he may be a slightly better player, but his size makes him even more of a liability.
Call me simple minded or whatever, but the simple fact is that you have to be A LOT better technically than the average player to make up for a major physical disadvantage at the top level. Spearing isn’t. Therefore he isn’t cut out to remain at the top level.
Get rid
Agree with Andy. Jay Spearing definitely had his best Liverpool game against Sunderland but let’s face it, the guy is average at best and can only be a Premier League squad player in the future. Saying he’s better than Lucas was 3 years ago has got to be a joke. Lucas 3 years ago was already one of the best midfielders in Brazil and even made his debut for the national team. In contrast, Spearing has not even represented England at youth level and nobody would even take you seriously if you were to suggest that he’s even close to a England call-up at the moment. If the guy is really that good then he would have established himself as a first team regular by 22. Breaking into the first team at the age of 22 suggests that the guy is not good enough and never will be. Look at players like Wilshere, Henderson and Walcott, breaking through by 19 or even younger. Spearing was 21 last year and went on loan to the Championship. If he was good enough at 21 he would have one on loan to another Premier League club like Burnley or Hull City to gain experience.
Great story, although the picture of Abby Clancy was more interesting.
Would like Spearing to well, of course but he has had more time and games then most reserve players and he has had ONE good game agaist a poor Sunderland team. Better than Lucas 3 yrs ago? Maybe whats the age difference, Lucas is a full international for Brazil and was captain of their sucessful under 19 and under 21 teams. Lucas also had to adjust to new club and country and playing style – he was a more attack minded player before Rafa put him into defencive midfield.
Great to big up the English and especially homeground, but IMO Spearing is not good enough and after a summer spending the papers predict, doubt he’ll get a sniff.
there’s only just over a year age difference between them as well.
Wouldn’t agree with this, Lucas was a far superior player representing and captaining his country at Jay’s age. Spearing had a good game, but to say he will be better than Lucas is mad. Also you’ve got to love all the people in the past moaning about Lucas, he is now Liverpool’s key performer on a consistent basis, dominated Man U’s midfield and Chelsea’s etc. Shame on them, should have had more faith like some of us that stuck up for him through thick and thin.
Agree – I am one of the one’s who’s defended Lucas from the start. Spearing is just another Davey Thompson who was also mediocre and just not good enough. Now Kelly – that’s another story!!!
You mention Pachecco in every post I read from you, what is good about him? Why don’t you realise, if he was good enough at 1st team premiership level, than HE WOULD BE PLAYING
Pacheco has been the best player in the reserves for the past two seasons and was the top goalscorer during last year’s European U19 Championship. He is still only 20 and deserves a chance in the first team unlike Spearing who is already 22 and average at his very best. If you look back at Kenny’s substitutes since coming in, you would see that Pacheco has been included quite regularly. If you’re willing to name someone on your bench then you should be prepared to play him. Also, Pacheco has just been named in Spain’s U21 squad unlike Spearing who has never even represented England at youth level. The reason why he isn’t getting a chance is simply because both Roy and Kenny prefer British players over foreign imports.
When has Pacheco had a chance in the first team? he hasn’t been given a run of games, when did he last start? Players like Jovanovich, Cole, Poulsen have been given more chances then Pacheco he really deserves his chance he has been great in the reserves since he came.
If Gerrard, Carragher, Kelly, Fowler, Owen etc wern’t good in when they were in the reserves would they have been given a chance? Now im not saying Pacheco is as good as any of them im just saying he deserves to be given a chance……YNWA
Nothing like trying to give a player a lift……
Jay spearing played really well the other day and all everyone says is “he is not good enough” well he was good enough on Sunday!!
I will judge him after a run of games….. If kenny thinks he deserves a chance then thats fine by me…
He is good on the ball which is what I like most about him…. For too long now we have had to put up with players who cant pass a ball for toffee!!! In the summer get rid of EGGNOG,COLE,MAXI,JOVANOVIC,THE GREEK, AURELIO AND POULSEN…. BRING IN a 2 left backs… use kelly and wilson as centre halves…. promote flanaghan,suso,ngoo and bring in 4 wingers and we are looking really good…. sorry for the essay!!
agreed!
Lucas is only less crap than he was 3 years ago.he is still not good enough to be at the club.he only in the team because he is better than poosen. Spearing now will put pressure on him for his first team place and I for one hope he gets that chance.would like to see Pacheco get his chance.makes you wonder why 3 managers don’t fancy him.
Makes you wonder why 3 managers chose Lucas as well!
What rubbish – I could put more pressure on him than Spearing. Also, he kept his place week after week well before Poulsen came to us.
Spearing deserves his chance. Lucas has been crap for years. Without a doubt the worst player to play well over hundred games in history of the club with maybe the exception being babb.what does he give us?!
Aldo does go a bit overboard sometimes but he is right that Jay Spearing had an excellent game at Sunderland. Not sure the comparisons with Lucas do either player any good but it is certainly not xenophobic to want a local English lad to do well. Afterall with the new quota we need local and British talent in the squad so if decisions are being made to bring that talent through then it’s obviously very necessary. I personally would prefer as many local lads in the first team as possible, our 2 most consistent players and excellent servants to our club have been Carragher & Gerrard, so why not try our utmost to find their successors.
There is nothing wrong in want British players to do well but is that a reason to knock another player who happens to be foreign simply because you want to uplift a local?
Statements like these coming from a club legend certainly do the club no favours. If foreigners are to be frowned on why does the club bother going on tours in the off-season if their message is we dont want you. Does this mean liverpool’s message is give us your money by buying our merchandise though none of you are considered good enough to don the jersey on matchday?
Spearing had a good game against Sunderland just like Plessis had a terrific match against Arsenal a few years back but you certainly never hear Aldo acknowledge that.
His constant attack on players not from these shores certainly exposes him to have more than just the love of liverpool at heart but something not short of cleansing the club of non-Brit players.
Allways the crap “local lad” comes up with people like Aldrige. So what if he’s local lad. He will never be as good as Gerrard and just because he’s local lad it does not mean that he should be playing for Liverpool. I personally dont beleive that he’s good enough to play for Lfc. More often than not he runs like headless chicken. Most of the time i dont even bother reading what people like Aldrige, Mc Manaman, Redknap are saying because they talk some F crap.
I think spearing has done well, and I can see him getting better. He can pass, defend, read the game and tackle, I hope he gets a chance to mature because he’s going to need 2/3 years then we can judge him being ready or not.
Lucas at his best is only mediocre by any yardstick. Learn to live with that. No amount of sugar-coating is going to make a woefully, pathetic, mediocre footballer like Lucas into a decent player, be it as a defensive or attacking midfielder.
jay is as poor as you can imagine.you cannot compare him to lucas 3 yrs back and he doesnot even deserve a first team football in liverpool shirt…YNWA
according to evrybody lucas is getting better.
so when exactly will be in the class that is required to break into the top 4 , still not as yet.
jay is showing promise , lets hope he can establish himself much faster than lucas ,
coz quite frankly , Lucas is a definetly a sqaud player , he aint no keane , or ince yet , still looks a far cry from it
Rather than criticising the media, im looking at nicking 4th spot from spurs/city. Definitely doable with our run in (spurs and city to come to anfield and Arsenal away 3 days before they play spurs). If we win 7 out of 8 games and city / spurs slip up a couple of times then 4th spot is ours.
All hail King Kenny regardless of where we finish.
“Geliog116 Says:
March 22nd, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Spearing deserves his chance. Lucas has been crap for years. Without a doubt the worst player to play well over hundred games in history of the club with maybe the exception being babb.what does he give us?!”
You obviously know very little about football!! City supporter by any chance?
Phil Says:
March 23rd, 2011 at 2:47 am
And another, i am presuming these people slagging of Lucas have never seen him play.
Come on what does he give us because i would love to know!The fact he splits the supporters opinions so much after playing that many games surely says something to you,and why would i pass judgement on a player who i have never seen play.