Topic: Jay Spearing- Better Late than Never

[its cold in the stands]

your getting ahead of yourself because you suggested he would give lucas a run for his money.in terms of ability lucas IS miles ahead of him,maybe not today but you dont judge a player on one game.you said he would be in the starting 11 if he keeps this up.i highly doubt it,lucas and raul will be there for sure and gerrard when he comes back.

reputations mean f##k all mate, if spearing keeps on playing like that and lucas doesnt match those performances lucas will be out the team.
it`s about time our squad players started putting pressure on the starting 11, i hope spearing does get lucas`s shirt, then i want to see lucas win it back and so on and so forth
it shouldnt be just happening to lucas though, it should be happening right across the team.
over the past 2 seasons too many of our players (including big name players) have coasted at times knowing that there`s no one going to take their place, thats got to change if we are going to be the top side in the country again.

[Houlliers goal face]

He had a good game but it wasn't that good mate.

A think you need to watch the game again! He was outstanding today!

The only thing he hasn't got going for him is appearance. People need to start watching the fire and not the mantle piece.

[Flinstone]

reputations mean f##k all mate, if spearing keeps on playing like that and lucas doesnt match those performances lucas will be out the team.
it`s about time our squad players started putting pressure on the starting 11, i hope spearing does get lucas`s shirt, then i want to see lucas win it back and so on and so forth
it shouldnt be just happening to lucas though, it should be happening right across the team.
over the past 2 seasons too many of our players (including big name players) have coasted at times knowing that there`s no one going to take their place, thats got to change if we are going to be the top side in the country again.

spearing had one good game.lucas has been IMMENSE entire season.

i agree with the rest of your post though,just dont think spearing will be that man unless he improves drastically.

[absoluttchamp]

Jay had a good game today, but if we put romance aside, Im not shure it`s good enough to compete for the title the coming seasons... Out of the youngsters Kelly is the only one who this far has convinced me of a bright future at the club.

[its cold in the stands]

spearing had one good game.lucas has been IMMENSE entire season.

i agree with the rest of your post though,just dont think spearing will be that man unless he improves drastically.

do us a favour mate dont say lucas has been immense all season because he hasnt, as i said yesterday in the lucas thread i started watching us when ian callaghan was in center mid and i`ve watched some truly immense midfielders over the years, lucas isnt one of them.
i`d say he`s been consistent, which is more than you can say about most of the team to be fair to him.

[Sangria]

reputations mean f##k all mate, if spearing keeps on playing like that and lucas doesnt match those performances lucas will be out the team.
it`s about time our squad players started putting pressure on the starting 11, i hope spearing does get lucas`s shirt, then i want to see lucas win it back and so on and so forth
it shouldnt be just happening to lucas though, it should be happening right across the team.
over the past 2 seasons too many of our players (including big name players) have coasted at times knowing that there`s no one going to take their place, thats got to change if we are going to be the top side in the country again.

How good is Spearing at covering?

[JWAlonso]

Thought he had a good game today. He popped up everywhere and was strong in challenges. He doesn't panic on the ball, and plays the ball along the ground and he was unlucky to get a goal. Plus he got us the penalty.

[morgsa]

spearing had one good game.lucas has been IMMENSE entire season.

i agree with the rest of your post though,just dont think spearing will be that man unless he improves drastically.

No way has Lucas been immense all season.  He was our most consistent performer for the first part of the season, in a rather poor team, but he has been nowhere near that level the last month or 2.

Thought spearing was immense today and his best performance for us.

[Sangria]

No way has Lucas been immense all season.  He was our most consistent performer for the first part of the season, in a rather poor team, but he has been nowhere near that level the last month or 2.

Thought spearing was immense today and his best performance for us.

Depends on what you mean by immense. How good is Spearing at covering?

[Red Moose]

Needs a run in the side to show what he can really do. Promising game today, looks good for the future but very early days. I do agree that he is far better option than Poulsen.

[Flinstone]

do us a favour mate dont say lucas has been immense all season because he hasnt, as i said yesterday in the lucas thread i started watching us when ian callaghan was in center mid and i`ve watched some truly immense midfielders over the years, lucas isnt one of them.
i`d say he`s been consistent, which is more than you can say about most of the team to be fair to him.

in relative terms compared to the rest of the team he has definately been immense for us.

[lawrie]

Jay had a good game today and is definately ahead of Poulsen in the pecking order. Does anyone seriously believe though that he should be ahead of Gerrard, Lucas or Meireles?

[GrkStav]

It's a good thing if Spearing emerges as a viable option in CM for us, whether it'd be as rotation for or alongside Lucas. With performances like today on a consistent basis I don't see why not.

No need to think of this as a zero-sum game.

[its cold in the stands]

How good is Spearing at covering?

that is the thing for me, i think lucas is a bit of a lightweight but he does get around the pitch, he covers a lot of ground.
thats why i`d have him in the side before spearing but spearing impressed me today with his mobility, he was winning penalty`s one end and blocking crosses into our area at the other in the fullback position, he showed a good turn of speed to close one of their widemen down at one point as well.
i didnt think spearing had that type of mobility in his game, it may be a one off, who knows? but as i said if he keeps on playing like that i`d have him in the side.

[TepidT2O]

Spearing has drive to his game I will give him that.  Something that poulson lacks for sure.

I still think he is too limited to be anything other than a bit part player.

[JWAlonso]

Why did Roy have to spend £4 Million on Poulsen, when we had Spearing?

[its cold in the stands]

in relative terms compared to the rest of the team he has definately been immense for us.

alright then lets compromise, he`s been immensely consistent!

[TepidT2O]

Why did Roy have to spend £4 Million on Poulsen, when we had Spearing?

Because Roy knows fuck all about football?

[Eeyore]

Why did Roy have to spend £4 Million on Poulsen, when we had Spearing?

Probably because he wanted one of his men in the dressing room, the only Fulham players he could buy were ones Fulham wanted rid of hence PFK and Hodgson had managed Poulson at FC Copenhagen.

[Fitzy.]

Why did Roy have to spend £4 Million on Poulsen, when we had Spearing?

While Poulsen was a poor buy I think it was unclear in the summer how well Spearing would perform. In hindsight it's evident that Spearing can do a better job than Poulsen. However, I don't blame Roy for buying a defensive midfielder, it was just the particular player he bought that was disappointing.

[The G in Gerrard]

Probably because he wanted one of his men in the dressing room, the only Fulham players he could buy were ones Fulham wanted rid of hence PFK and Hodgson had managed Poulson at FC Copenhagen.

God damn that man, he wasted £10 mill on Poulsen, Jones and PFK.

[Fitzy.]

Because Roy knows fuck all about football?

Obviously not true. A poor job at our place, lost respect of the fans but he's a football man. The (many) mistakes he made at Liverpool suggests to me that he didn't understand the animal that was our club, rather than not knowing about football altogether.

We should really move on from lambasting the guy. We're now in a happier place!

[alex.]

Our midfield was poor for the first 30 minutes in my opinion, Spearing had a good game in the end (nothing spectacular), definitely the best performance we've seen from him but it's only one game and he needs to putting them kind of performances in, and better, each time he plays.

He still makes some mistakes and is low down on the list ability wise but I can't fault his effort and desire. I still don't think he's good enough long term but it looks like he will have more opportunities which will hopefully prove me wrong.

[Neil D]

Thought Jay was OK, but personally for the future, I don't think he has that touch of class/quality we need.

OK?! Hmmm... he was great today and outshone Lucas.

[Hightown Phil]

People need to chill out and stop getting carried away with 1 performance. Cos that's all it is. He's generally looked nothing more than a Championship player and then he has one good game and all of a sudden he'll possibly be a first team fixture?

Christ. He'll stay because of the 17+8 thing. He'll never really amount to anything more than a four or fifth choice though. If he throws in performances like he did today, then great. Wonderful. Fantastic.

A tremendous kneejerk to one good performance. Well in lads.

[John C]

Why did Roy have to spend £4 Million on Poulsen, when we had Spearing?

because we didn't think he was really capable of being

great today and outshone Lucas.

[Fitzy.]

OK?! Hmmm... he was great today and outshone Lucas.

He outshone Lucas but wasn't great. A "great" midfield performance would have seen him dominate the game in the way great midfielders do. He used the ball, was bright all game and made some key interventions. But I think "great" is over-stating his contribution.

[Neil D]

sweet jesus!! he's just started his first team career and someone has used that line to describe him.

'Sweet Jesus'?! Don't be bloody daft. If you know the lad you'll know he's from Wallasey, he's a massive Red who joined us as a teenager, and he has captained us at youth and reserve team level for years. He was part of the team that won the FA Youth Cup in 2006, and captained the side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2007. He was also a key part of the reserve side that won the league in 07-08, and captained the reserve side the following season. He has come up through the ranks, and is Liverpool through and through. FACT.

[Sangria]

that is the thing for me, i think lucas is a bit of a lightweight but he does get around the pitch, he covers a lot of ground.
thats why i`d have him in the side before spearing but spearing impressed me today with his mobility, he was winning penalty`s one end and blocking crosses into our area at the other in the fullback position, he showed a good turn of speed to close one of their widemen down at one point as well.
i didnt think spearing had that type of mobility in his game, it may be a one off, who knows? but as i said if he keeps on playing like that i`d have him in the side.

When I talk about covering, I'm not talking about zipping all around the pitch. I'm talking about how reliable he is at breaking down opposition moves, giving the other players the freedom to attack. How good is he at this? Would you trust him to be the primary midfield base, covering the area in front of the defence by himself? Because that's what Lucas does in this team. If Spearing is the all-action, doing his thing up and down the pitch midfielder, his direct competitors are Gerrard and Meireles, not Lucas. Shelvey too, in this current squad.

[AlphaDelta]

He's had one good game, but I still stand by my original opinions on him. He isnt good enough to command a regular spot on the team. He is too lightweight for a centre mid and his passing ability is mediocre.
I think its better for all concerned in the summer if he goes to a club where he'll be able to perform to his ability. He is ideal for a decent championship team or a West Brom, Wolves, Blackpool type.

One persons name that hasnt been mentioned is Jonjo Shelvey....once he's fit again I think he'll be above Spearing in the pecking order.

[Neil D]

People need to chill out and stop getting carried away with 1 performance. Cos that's all it is. He's generally looked nothing more than a Championship player and then he has one good game and all of a sudden he'll possibly be a first team fixture?

Christ. He'll stay because of the 17+8 thing. He'll never really amount to anything more than a four or fifth choice though. If he throws in performances like he did today, then great. Wonderful. Fantastic.

A tremendous kneejerk to one good performance. Well in lads.

Nah, it's just a backlash against posters such as yourself who have never given him a chance and made him out to be shite. He is more than capable of becoming a handy squad player for us. And if we have local lads being utility players and plugging gaps in our squad rather than expensive foreign free transfers on high wages that's great.

[alex.]

Hightown Phil sums it up best.

[Vidocq]

i noticed he's not afraid asking for the ball...little fucker was asking for it all the time...comunication is really important,so i'm really impressed with that...

he's hardworker too...he have a future with us

[its cold in the stands]

When I talk about covering, I'm not talking about zipping all around the pitch. I'm talking about how reliable he is at breaking down opposition moves, giving the other players the freedom to attack. How good is he at this? Would you trust him to be the primary midfield base, covering the area in front of the defence by himself? Because that's what Lucas does in this team. If Spearing is the all-action, doing his thing up and down the pitch midfielder, his direct competitors are Gerrard and Meireles, not Lucas. Shelvey too, in this current squad.

i`m sure spearing could sit in front of our defence with gerrard and meireles infront of him and cope fine.
if lee carsley was good at it i`m sure spearing could do a job there.

[Hightown Phil]

Nah, it's just a backlash against posters such as yourself who have never given him a chance and made him out to be shite. He is more than capable of becoming a handy squad player for us. And if we have local lads being utility players and plugging gaps in our squad rather than expensive foreign free transfers on high wages that's great.

Is that not what I said?

He'll be alright as a squad player. He's done absolutely nothing bar one performance today to suggest otherwise. He was good today, and if it had been the norm then great, we'd have a player on our hands. But it's not been the norm.

[Fruity]

People need to chill out and stop getting carried away with 1 performance. Cos that's all it is. He's generally looked nothing more than a Championship player and then he has one good game and all of a sudden he'll possibly be a first team fixture?

Christ. He'll stay because of the 17+8 thing. He'll never really amount to anything more than a four or fifth choice though. If he throws in performances like he did today, then great. Wonderful. Fantastic.

A tremendous kneejerk to one good performance. Well in lads.

I agree.

Not seen anything in him to suggest he is any more than what is suggested above.

He played well today in game where early on our midfield looked over run. Hopefully though he can build from this.

[Degs]

People who think that today shows he can sit in front of a back 4 and protect must have been watching a different game.
What today showed is that Spearing's ideal role is the one he has been playing for all of his Liverpool career, partnering a defensive midfielder and pushing the play forward.

Defensively

Won 3 out of 7 attempted tackles
0 Interceptions
0 Blocks
2 Clearances out of 3 attempted

Attacking

Won 1 penalty
1 shot on target out of 1 total shots
34 passes successful out of 45 (4 of which were aimed directly into the box)

And let's not forget he's 5ft 6 so having him on his own in defensive midfield is asking to be peppered with high balls.

He can step in and do a role similar to Meireles, a positive forward looking central midfielder.
He has never and will never be a defensive midfielder, it's not his nature.

[rusty-la]

I thought he played very well today

But somewhere out there is a middle earth missing an Orc

[gazzathered]

Very good game today, went up ten fold in my opinion and will be a good squad player and allow us to get rid of dead wood.

[G Richards]

Gerrard, Meireles, Lucas, Shelvey, Spearing, Poulsen.
This is the current central midfield pecking order (assuming Gerrard is a midfielder and Carroll/Suarez will be up top).

IF we buy another midfielder in the summer then you would have to think he will also be ahead of Spearing. So, good as today's performance was, Spearing will never be more than a bit part player for us. He will either be happy with that, as he will be a home grown player in the 25, or he will want to play more and will go to try and carve out a career with the likes of West Brom.