Topic: Martin Ronald Kelly

[downtown]

Good news that he has signed a new contract, should get a few more games though and be introduced slowly....

Look at Insua, great potential but overplayed last season due to the missing Aurelio (becoming Degen 2.0...) and got slated by our own 'supporters'....

Our backline for the next few years..... assuming Insua comes back and Agger stays...

Kelly/Darby   Wilson/Ayala   Agger/Skrtel   Insua/Mavinga

lmao, it's all good in theory, but there is NO WAY that all the youngsters will make it.

hell even in Barca, it's not like that.

and Darby

[Rafalutionary]

Reminds me a bit of John O'Shea  in the sense that he could cover a few posistions along the back capably.

I'd say more like Finnan from what I've seen so far in that he doesn't really do anything flash but is consistently good at the roles he is given.

[itsgunnabebarnes!]

I'd say more like Finnan from what I've seen so far in that he doesn't really do anything flash but is consistently good at the roles he is given.

Finnan never played centreback. Thats Kellys main position.

[Rafalutionary]

Finnan never played centreback. Thats Kellys main position.

I know mate but the fact he's not playing in his favoured position and is still doing a good job just goes to show how versatile and talented he is.

[bigbear]

Good news that he has signed a new contract, should get a few more games though and be introduced slowly....

Look at Insua, great potential but overplayed last season due to the missing Aurelio (becoming Degen 2.0...) and got slated by our own 'supporters'....

Our backline for the next few years..... assuming Insua comes back and Agger stays...

Kelly/Darby   Wilson/Ayala   Agger/Skrtel   Insua/Mavinga

More like

Johnson     Skrtel      Agger ??/new centre half        Konchesky/new left back
Kelly           Kelly       Wilson                                     Robinson
Flanagan   Wisdom  Ayala

[BabuYagu]

What do you reckon ?

3 years at 25k a week plus appearance money.

To be honest, think it would be closer to £10k but with a BIG bonus for appearances, maybe an extra £5k per league game.

Riise's biggest paycheck here was only £30k a week. I believe Skrtel and Kyrgiakos are both on £25k a week now.

[opsteo]

Too early for a CB starting role for either of them, imho. But 30 min here and there...

Agree.. we need blood our players progressively and steadily as I am referring to the context of next few years.  I also agree with the post that some of those named may not make it as it is very unlikely that we can produce a generation of new defensive stars in our academy when Barca could not.    I would be crazily happy to we have a system in place to groom 1-2 youth players being good enough for the first team team every year  and a Gerrard equivalent every 5 years. 

[sfeirinho!!]

I wonder how are we going to keep in the same team Carragher, agger, skrtl, Sotiros, wilson, ayala and kelly? maybe in 2-3 years time Carra and sotiros will have to stay on the bench but the other 5 are all worthy of being starters. And the problem with selling agger or skrtel is that if the one that remains get injurred, we are left with inexperienced CB and two very old ones... Headache 

[BabuYagu]

I wonder how are we going to keep in the same team Carragher, agger, skrtl, Sotiros, wilson, ayala and kelly? maybe in 2-3 years time Carra and sotiros will have to stay on the bench but the other 5 are all worthy of being starters. And the problem with selling agger or skrtel is that if the one that remains get injurred, we are left with inexperienced CB and two very old ones... Headache

Kelly is currently understudy to Johnson at RB (although after the weekend and given Johnsons form this season, he may be pushing for another start soon!)

However at CB, he has 4 players ahead of him should the first choices get injured. Therefore at the moment I think his immediate future here lies at RB before moving into the center later in his career, like Carragher.

Regardless of Agger's ability he certainly seems to have serious injury worries. He hasn't had a 6month period of fitness for us yet, has he? Plus I'd like to see Carra take a step back. Against Chelsea where we can't play a high line and will be under pressure and without the ball most of the game, it is perfect for him. However games like Blackpool at home he seriously hinders our game.

Before the end of this season, I'd like to see either Wilson and Ayala (not together!) start getting games for the first team this season with the hope one of them shows enough to push for a starting place next season. Kyrgiakos & Carragher would play the Hyypia role of acting as mentor for them whilst playing in high pressure games against stronger opposition. That way should an injury crisis strike central defence, your kids aren't so inexperienced and your old pros now that they are being well rested, will be ready to step in.

[ziggyy]

I'm still in the H&G mode... where we are still broke and need to stick to current resources...

Hope we'll get new players to challenge, if not take on first team roles... but in the meantime, till we actually see the real cash being spent, should start blooding some of these potentials...

Oh and Darby... couldn't think of someone to take the spare right back position;)

At the rate Roy is going, Johnson might be sold soon.

[Robbo1980]

Love Kelly, top young player, great attitude & confident, local lad, consistent & capable of playing anywhere in the back 4.

But the lad needs protecting in the way Insua needed but couldn't be last year

[jimmyjr86]

Just wanted to say I thought he had a good game tonight one of our better players

Sometimes give the ball away cheaply but was outstanding defensively.

He got beaten twice at the end but for the first 80 mins the wingers got no change out of him, the commentators were picking up on this too.

The lad has talent and will grow into a top class right back never mind centre half when he's mid 20's.

Well Done

[Robbo1980]

him and maxi the only 2 who deserve any credit tonight

[LFC Jim]

Fantastic game, does need more cover from his right midfielder though. Meireles being a center mid was getting pulled into the middle because of his instinct and natural game, leaving Kelly in a bit of danger but he generally dealt with it well. Shelvey didnt help him too much either.

MOTM for me. Well in lad

[newterp]

looked worn the hell out at the end as he got roasted a few times.

[Spanish Al]

Did well defensively tonight against tricky and pacey wingers. Had more confidence in the Wigan attack being dealt with when they attacked his side rather than the other.

[DangerScouse]

him and maxi the only 2 who deserve any credit tonight

Have to agree, Pepe didn't do too badly either but Kelly was definitely our best player tonight, not a bad cross on him either when he gets down the flank.

[Ultimate Bromance]

I'd take him ahead of GJ every day of the week. Much more complete package, and will hopefully get better as the season goes on. Probably will tire towards the end, but that's when we shift Johnson back.  Time to try Johnson on the wing methinks.

[Alonso_The_Assassin]

Was our best player tonight. Dare I say it, if we'd had Johnson there tonight we'd have got done. Kelly's positional play was first class.

The right back spot is his to lose, imo.

[KopiteN1ck]

a young steve finnan. can be the mr reliable we need at RB!

[Samee]

He got skinned a number of times today. Had it been Johnson people would be calling for his head. Kelly is definitely impressive and looks like he's going to be a very good player for us but he should not be ahead of Johnson and no one should be rating him as if he is.

[bigbear]

Was our best player tonight. Dare I say it, if we'd had Johnson there tonight we'd have got done. Kelly's positional play was first class.

The right back spot is his to lose, imo.

I thought he was terrific. He used his body really well defensively and put quality into the box when the chance arose.

Very very good. Should keep his place.

[Gus 1855]

Our best player tonight by a distance.

[JamesG L4]

Johnson and Kelly would be an ideal right hand side, with Kelly anchoring whilst Johnson bombs forward - Kelly would also have the pace to overlap - both could also sit deep (very likely at the moment!) and offer some resolve on our right hand side when we are under pressure.

Would like to see it happen.

[bigbear]

He got skinned a number of times today. Had it been Johnson people would be calling for his head. Kelly is definitely impressive and looks like he's going to be a very good player for us but he should not be ahead of Johnson and no one should be rating him as if he is.

He got left on his own against some quick wide players time and time again. There's no full back in the world who wouldn't have got beaten a few times.

I thought he was a big plus.

As for Shelvey. it's a massive step up for him. 18 years old playing in midfield in this league is a massive ask and it takes time to adjust to the pace. He did ok, not great but ok.

[Aristotle]

Wanna see him start as centre half against Stoke. We need to take a chance on him sometimes and now is as good a time as any with Skrtel being dodgy as fuck, being bad one week and great the next and Carra burning out fast.

[Samee]

He got left on his own against some quick wide players time and time again. There's no full back in the world who wouldn't have got beaten a few times.

Yes and Johnson has been in the same position but is criticised heavily. 

[bigbear]

Wanna see him start as centre half against Stoke. We need to take a chance on him sometimes and now is as good a time as any with Skrtel being dodgy as fuck, being bad one week and great the next and Carra burning out fast.

If Soto doesn't play against Stoke we'll get murdered.

[Aristotle]

If Soto doesn't play against Stoke we'll get murdered.

That's my point. If Soto doesn't play, we should at least play Kelly instead of either Skrtel or Carragher. He's tall, physically strong and playing on par with Carra at the least. He is the future, at least I'm hoping so, but won't realise his potential unless he gets playing time as a centre half

[Rococo]

That's my point. If Soto doesn't play, we should at least play Kelly instead of either Skrtel or Carragher. He's tall, physically strong and playing on par with Carra at the least. He is the future, at least I'm hoping so, but won't realise his potential unless he gets playing time as a centre half

Agree with the theory of that but there's something saying to me that he should spend a bit more time at right back to develop before moving into the middle. 

Thought he was good again tonight, he's certainly doing himself no harm with each chance that he gets

[Red eh]

Agree with the theory of that but there's something saying to me that he should spend a bit more time at right back to develop before moving into the middle. 

Thought he was good again tonight, he's certainly doing himself no harm with each chance that he gets

he was awful tonight

[Rococo]

he was awful tonight

No he wasn't - but go on, please elaborate

[Serenity]

and Darby

don't laugh at him....you meanie

he was awful tonight

What do you mean? Acts like hes been playing there every day since he was 5.

[GrkStav]

He got left on his own against some quick wide players time and time again. There's no full back in the world who wouldn't have got beaten a few times.

I thought he was a big plus.

As for Shelvey. it's a massive step up for him. 18 years old playing in midfield in this league is a massive ask and it takes time to adjust to the pace. He did ok, not great but ok.

I happen to think that Shelvey did not do OK. And it was Roy's decision to have an 18-year, very talented, CENTRAL MIDFIELDER playing on the right side of midfield ahead of young CENTER BACK Kelly.

So, if it's not the two lads' fault (which it isn't) whose fault is/was it that in the 2nd half we were woeful, both defensively and on offense on our right-hand side? Starts with R and ends with Y, for me.

[smurfinaus]

Boy did really well despite being undone once or twice.

[Roger Federer]

He got left on his own against some quick wide players time and time again. There's no full back in the world who wouldn't have got beaten a few times.

I thought he was a big plus.

I think he did good, considering the circumstances, but he looks more and more like a CB out of position to me. In his first games (and during one or two good runs down the right yesterday), he was more attacking, and played more like a natural RB when he was in that position. Maybe the better opposition in the league, and Roy's tactics, force him to be more defensive, but he seems slightly uncomfortable out there too.

I'd like to see him start in the centre, preferably in a home game against an 'easier' opponent.

[horne]

lmao, it's all good in theory, but there is NO WAY that all the youngsters will make it.

hell even in Barca, it's not like that.

and Darby

man utd had 7 during the beckham era who all broke thru pretty much at the same time,why not?

[Mad Men]

he was awful tonight

How was he awful? I thought he had a decent game.

[Mad Men]

I happen to think that Shelvey did not do OK. And it was Roy's decision to have an 18-year, very talented, CENTRAL MIDFIELDER playing on the right side of midfield ahead of young CENTER BACK Kelly.

So, if it's not the two lads' fault (which it isn't) whose fault is/was it that in the 2nd half we were woeful, both defensively and on offense on our right-hand side? Starts with R and ends with Y, for me.

Shelvy is comfortable playing across the board in midfield, left, central or right. He can also play behind the striker as an advanced midfielder.

[cox3100]

how anyone can say he was good last night is beyond me,especially when slating konchesky.

both players got skinned by quick wingers and yet people only slate 1.

kelly is a great player but he can make mistakes and have poor games and be slated for it,but lets not wear red tinted glasses,last night wasnt one of his best games it was a learning curve