Topic: Martin Kelly

[Cpt_Reina]

You serious? move Johnson on

Next summer, when he's 29 and will still have value, with Kelly waiting in the wings.

Yeah, its a possibility.

[lorenzo23]

Next summer, when he's 29 and will still have value, with Kelly waiting in the wings.

Yeah, its a possibility.

Not a chance, well my opinion anyway more chance Kelly going out on loan than selling Johnson and i highly doubt Kelly be going on loan with Europa league next year.

[farawayred]

Not a chance, well my opinion anyway more chance Kelly going out on loan than selling Johnson and i highly doubt Kelly be going on loan with Europa league next year.

Unless a Premiership side takes Kelly on loan, he is going nowhere. Which one would you suggest? I would think that all PL teams want permanent players, especially defenders, because what happens after they get recalled by the parent club?

[lorenzo23]

Unless a Premiership side takes Kelly on loan, he is going nowhere. Which one would you suggest? I would think that all PL teams want permanent players, especially defenders, because what happens after they get recalled by the parent club?

Which would suggest that in my opinion if its highly unlikely that Kelly go out on loan then very unlikely we sell Johnson.

[maqu006]

Why would we need to send Kelly on loan? He's always going to get games with a player who's injury prone ahead of him in his position.

[Renato]

No chance of Kelly ever going on loan

[Suspect Package.]

Next summer, when he's 29 and will still have value, with Kelly waiting in the wings.

Yeah, its a possibility.

Can't we just be happy having two good senior players for the same position?

We've bolloxed ourselves repeatedly at fullback in the past, with having to shuffle centrebacks out of position cause we have no cover there.

Let's not undo this and go back to that again.

[Cpt_Reina]

Can't we just be happy having two good senior players for the same position?

We've bolloxed ourselves repeatedly at fullback in the past, with having to shuffle centrebacks out of position cause we have no cover there.

Let's not undo this and go back to that again.

It depends how long Kelly is willing to be a back up. Because whilst Johnson's here that's all he'll be. There'll just as little cover if Kelly feels the need to move on for the sake of his career.

It was all hypothetical in regards to next summer. But if it came to it i'd sooner sell a 29 year old Johnson and promote Kelly then lose Kelly all together for the sake of getting a few more years out of Glen. Johnson's also quite injury prone, which is worth keeping an eye on.

[AM76]

Coates not better than Kelly? The same Coates who won the Copa America with his team and won the best young player award? Come on...

Have we seen enough of Coates though to make that judgement yet?  He's done well at international level, but lets see how he does week in, week out when he gets his opportunity - which will be limited when Agger returns from injury.

[lorenzo23]

It depends how long Kelly is willing to be a back up. Because whilst Johnson's here that's all he'll be. There'll just as little cover if Kelly feels the need to move on for the sake of his career.

It was all hypothetical in regards to next summer. But if it came to it i'd sooner sell a 29 year old Johnson and promote Kelly then lose Kelly all together for the sake of getting a few more years out of Glen. Johnson's also quite injury prone, which is worth keeping an eye on.

So is Kelly he been injured a lot when he got into First team specially under Rafa

[Aaronb121]

Next summer, when he's 29 and will still have value, with Kelly waiting in the wings.

Yeah, its a possibility.

I'd keep Johnson.

In a few years time the roles will be reversed, Kelly will be starting and Johnson will be backup.

[farawayred]

Have we seen enough of Coates though to make that judgement yet?  He's done well at international level, but lets see how he does week in, week out when he gets his opportunity - which will be limited when Agger returns from injury.

IMHO, Coates has done well when he played. There's been a shaky start, but that's natural for every new CB partnership; Kelly won't be immune to that either. Take the last game, for example. A shaky first 5-10 minutes, then as the game progressed Coates grew more and more accustom to playing with Skrtel and he hardly set a foot wrong. It's hard to say how Kelly would fare as a CB in the first team, but as a RB he does get caught out of position every so often, which can be far more detrimental as a CB. I'd be quite calm if Coates plays with Skrtel, but I'd be quite on the edge if Kelly was put there. But don't take my opinion, take Kenny's  - he definitely thinks that Coates is the better option as he has selected him ahead of Kelly every time there was an opening.

[Fordy]

Next summer, when he's 29 and will still have value, with Kelly waiting in the wings.

Yeah, its a possibility.

Not a chance.

Rate Kelly highly but Johnson is needed here for many a year.

[lorenzo23]

Not a chance.

Rate Kelly highly but Johnson is needed here for many a year.

You speak some sense for once

[Fordy]

You speak some sense for once

Well thanks 

[anfieldanfield]

Not a chance, well my opinion anyway more chance Kelly going out on loan than selling Johnson and i highly doubt Kelly be going on loan with Europa league next year.

Kelly has already played 16 games this season and should really be getting 20+ next season with Europa League football.

[Samee]

Next summer, when he's 29 and will still have value, with Kelly waiting in the wings.

Yeah, its a possibility.

Sod off. Glen's got another 3 or 4 quality years left in him yet.

[Cpt_Reina]

Sod off. Glen's got another 3 or 4 quality years left in him yet.

Fucks sake, I wish people would read the thread.

This was IF Kelly was becoming disheartened with being back up.

[didi shamone]

Its terrible having 2 class right backs. How does Kenny sleep at night. Seriously though we're gonna have loads of games next season with the europa and with Glens injuries I'd say Kelly will start all the less important games automatically. Plus people are forgetting that Glen is our 2nd choice left back so he might play a few there too.
For me Kellys a better player than Glen was at his age and its great that when we're missing our first choice right back I have every confidence in his replacement.I don't worry about Kellys development as he seems to be getting better all the time.

[Cid]

I think Kelly is the better defender while Glen is the better attacker.

Kelly is closer to Glens attacking skill than vice versa and has room to grow that side of his game given the chance.

[lesknow]

If Kelly's happy, we will be too.
We have more games to focus on in the coming season(s!) with Europe. And with Johnson doing a decent job on the left as well, Marty should get a good number of well deserved starts.

[trembles97]

The thing is, I'm not sure Johnson will want to leave. he's turning 28 this summer, and with his injury history, I'm not sure that another team that is vying for a Champions League place will want him. Especially with the current obsession with younger players by a lot of the top clubs. He could go abroad, but I doubt that he'd like to move his family outside of England. I guess he could pull a Joe Cole and commute from London to France, but I highly doubt it.

I can't see any of Arsenal/Chelsea/City/Utd/Spurs going in for him, maybe Newcastle, but I'd most likely guess one of Fulham/Villa/QPR to be the spot for him once he is done playing here. Unless he stays here and retires, there's a good chance of that too, but he'd have to be willing to be second choice.

[new-red]

I love this lad. So much quality and composure at such a young age. If he stays healthy and loyal to this club he is a nailed on future legend.

The first player the club have brought through of first XI standard in too long.

On another note, I was watching the everton highlights again and saw kelly's two chances and it dawn on me and, in the same measure, infuriated me that he gets into the box more than our midfielders or wingers. He knows how to get into goal scoring positions which is fantastic and it would just be wonderful if he could pass on that information, which is apparantely classified, to the attackers in the squad. The narrow miss and the unlucky diving lunge were great but if that had fallen to a downing or suarez, you would like to think they would have been finished. But in our current state I'm probably wrong and the likes of downing and suarez were impressed with how close he got to scoring.

[Dentron]

Our system under Dalglish relies on fullbacks attacking way, way too much for Kelly to ever be our first choice there. I know he's young, and I do like him a lot, but he has been pretty poor going forward. Gets into the right areas a lot, but just doesn't have the quality in his touch to be a dangerous attacking player imo. Plays fullback like you would expect a center half to That said, I'd be absolutely thrilled if Kelly/Coates could become the CB pair of the future.

I don't understand anyone putting him in Glen's class. No one here ever seems to give GJ the credit he deserves. Not only is he a world class attacking fullback, he is an ELITE defender. We are a much better side with him in our 11.

GJ is one of the best RBs in the world.

[Kochevnik]

The Johnson/Kelly debate is an interesting one.

We know very little about what Comolli is thinking long-term for the right back position, but I can easily see letting Johnson go in a year or two if Kelly will be kept there long term.  We could get a pretty good fee for him if Chelsea or Real Madrid came in for him, and we do have Flanagan as a 3rd option, so it's not like the position would be decimated with his departure.  If the links to Isla are accurate, if we could sell Johnson and buy Isla and leave a profit of 6-8 million or so, that might be a good option.  Isla could alternate with Kelly at RB and provide cover in a few other positions, which might improve the team.  Plus the 8 million could go towards a really top class right winger if we were short on funds for that purchase.

All of this is, as I noted, speculation.  It could easily be that Kenny and Comolli see Kelly as a long-term prospect at centre back, and so it would be foolish to think of selling Glen unless the offer was incredible.  I still would like to see him played there, as he was very good at centre back for the reserves and might just prove to form a partnership with Coates (or even Wisdom?) that, in 2 years or so, could replace Skrtel and Agger. 

In the scenario where Kelly moves over to the centre primarily, we'd probably eventually need another RB unless Flanagan really steps up as Kelly did a few years ago.  We might need another player there for a couple of years while McLaughlan develops, but he's another one to keep in mind at that position.  Right back truly is the deepest position at the club at the moment, by far.

[Discipline]

We're in Europe next season, both Johnson and Kelly will play. Johnson will be the first team player though, as he's still our best fullback.

[scatman]

The thing is, I'm not sure Johnson will want to leave. he's turning 28 this summer, and with his injury history, I'm not sure that another team that is vying for a Champions League place will want him. Especially with the current obsession with younger players by a lot of the top clubs. He could go abroad, but I doubt that he'd like to move his family outside of England. I guess he could pull a Joe Cole and commute from London to France, but I highly doubt it.

I can't see any of Arsenal/Chelsea/City/Utd/Spurs going in for him, maybe Newcastle, but I'd most likely guess one of Fulham/Villa/QPR to be the spot for him once he is done playing here. Unless he stays here and retires, there's a good chance of that too, but he'd have to be willing to be second choice.

Johnson is coveted by Madrid and has been for a while, Ramos is itching to move back to centre half, signing Johnson for them would accomplish that.

[isildurrr]

Kelly is not the type of right back we should be looking to play long term

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

Kelly is not the type of right back we should be looking to play long term

Yeah, if we're really going to achieve our ambition to be a mid-table team we need someone far less talented as second rightback 

[isildurrr]

Yeah, if we're really going to achieve our ambition to be a mid-table team we need someone far less talented as second rightback 

when i said type i meant in style of play 

[Cid]

Our system under Dalglish relies on fullbacks attacking way, way too much for Kelly to ever be our first choice there. I know he's young, and I do like him a lot, but he has been pretty poor going forward. Gets into the right areas a lot, but just doesn't have the quality in his touch to be a dangerous attacking player imo. Plays fullback like you would expect a center half to That said, I'd be absolutely thrilled if Kelly/Coates could become the CB pair of the future.

I don't understand anyone putting him in Glen's class. No one here ever seems to give GJ the credit he deserves. Not only is he a world class attacking fullback, he is an ELITE defender. We are a much better side with him in our 11.

GJ is one of the best RBs in the world.

He's younger than Carroll and has shown more signs of scoring than he has.  Why does the 35m lemon get so much faith but the player who has worked his balls off to be in contention does not?

Kelly can only improve given time, while Johnson has already peaked.  Johnson will never have the defending or the physical power that Kelly offers, but I could see Kelly delivering at least as much attacking prowess over the next couple of years. With a little more luck Kelly could have 5 goals this season, and he's not even a regular starter.

I wouldn't mind us selling Glen.  The ideal replacement would be a player like Isla who can play rw but slot into rb if needed.

[QC]

Next summer, when he's 29 and will still have value, with Kelly waiting in the wings.

Yeah, its a possibility.

Ridiculous. We'd get 10 mil max for Johnson, and then we'd be an international player down.

[isildurrr]

Kelly can only improve given time, while Johnson has already peaked.  Johnson will never have the defending or the physical power that Kelly offers, but I could see Kelly delivering at least as much attacking prowess over the next couple of years. With a little more luck Kelly could have 5 goals this season, and he's not even a regular starter.

In what way?kelly is never going to be the type of player who can play the 1-2 than glen played with bellamy or cut in and slot in with his left foot like chelsea or turn up on the left flank and hit the ball the way he did in the carling cup final.kelly will be able to storm the wing and cross it though.I like kelly but in the long term i would prefer him central

[Cid]

In what way?kelly is never going to be the type of player who can play the 1-2 than glen played with bellamy or cut in and slot in with his left foot like chelsea or turn up on the left flank and hit the ball the way he did in the carling cup final.kelly will be able to storm the wing and cross it though.I like kelly but in the long term i would prefer him central

He has superb positioning and surprising speed that he uses to make dangerous runs past our attacking line.  If he was just a little lucky he would have scored 3 against Everton alone.  He's also far more turned on to corners and crosses as he can read the flight of the ball better than Johnson, and that combined with his height and build make him an asset at both ends.  I honestly think if you gave them both a full season, Kelly would have more goals and assists.

[Samee]

Fucks sake, I wish people would read the thread.

This was IF Kelly was becoming disheartened with being back up.

Well it's unfortunate your post saying to sell Johnson at 29 fell on the opening post of page 7.

[zissou]

get rid of johnson? why does it have to be on or the other? im sure they'd both be happy competing with each other for the time being. we wouldn't get much for johnson, much rather keep him for a fair few years yet. think whatever we would get for him is worth paying to keep RB position solid and sorted for 4 years

[Samee]

I think Kelly is the better defender while Glen is the better attacker.

Kelly is closer to Glens attacking skill than vice versa and has room to grow that side of his game given the chance.

Bollocks. Johnson is the better attacker and defender.

[ritesh2190]

He is easily the best young right back in England,dont understand why people dont give him the credit he deserves,should go to the euros but i am pretty confident that Walker will be the one to board the plane to Ukraine.

[stevedo]

 They're both good players. At this moment in time imho Johnson is better. Whoever plays, we have a good RB. Given their injury problems there's no mad rush to sell. Arguing over which is better is irrelevant.

Taking the rounded or the pointy end off to open a boiled egg results in the same tasty breakfast.

[Rohit]

Bollocks. Johnson is the better attacker and defender.

Its not even close to be honest.