Whilst Liverpool have had a pretty shoddy start to their season, one player has stood out. Yes, as a team, they have flattered to deceive, yet young Jonjo Shelvey continues to impress. He’s the silver lining in Liverpool’s storm cloud of dissent. Good on him.
He joined the Reds from Charlton back in 2010, for a fee of around £2m. Naturally, he’s struggled to get game time given his young age. He made just 13 appearances last season and 10 appearances the season before. The signs are there, however, that he’ll play a more prominent role in Liverpool’s season this time round.
And that’s not just down to Liverpool lacking options. The 20-year-old Brit has buzzed with energy, caused problems and won over fans. Even against Arsenal, when Liverpool were struggling to control play and created chances, Shelvey’s quick feet and endeavor allowed him to fashion a chance that came agonizingly close to pulling them back into the game. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be.
But his best game of this fledgling season was with the England U21’s against Azerbaijan. He pulled all the strings and came away with a goal and an assist. His determination to drive forward and get on the ball was clear for everyone to see. Best of all, he had some end product.
Liverpool fans will doubtless be keen to see him replicate this kind of form in the Premier League. Given Brendan Rodger’s willingness to rely on young players (if they can do a job) you get the feeling that he’ll be given opportunities. It’s just up to him to take them. Indeed, Jonjo recently spoke to the Daily Mail about his aims this season:
“I’ve had a good summer and the new manager at Liverpool has shown that he is going to give young players a lot of opportunities. It’s going to benefit me, Kells, Raheem and Hendo (Jordan Henderson). The past year has been very good but it is not something that you can rest on.”
He does strike you as a player completely unwilling and unable to rest on his laurels. He’s got a great attitude. He has fantastic ability and even more potential. He could well be the heir to Steven Gerrard’s midfield throne.
It’s time for Liverpool fans to get firmly behind him. He may not blow your socks off every game, but it’s clear he has a big future. Let’s hope he can keep the fans cheerful and continue to improve.
What’s your take? Is Jonjo Shelvey in for a big future?
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The mention of B Rodgers in the article is the key, because it does,nt realy matter how good you are, it’s more about whether or not he see’s you as fitting into his style of football.