For me, a big big season for Senior Kelly. He has been blighted by injuries and deployed ( done fairly well to be fair) at RB when he is more of CB in many of our eyes. Think this is a big season for him in terms of not only cementing his place in the team, but adding an injury free season, a consistent season, and adds that quality in depth in the back four. Whether it is CB or RB I am not sure what Rodgers plans to do, but I am not saying he needs to have a world beater season but if he can become our next Finnan/Riise, a guy who does a good job for the majority of the time I would be happy. I think a guy like Mcloughlin has a bit higher ceiling to his game but if Kelly can add some needed stability and consistency in the back, that would be massive for our team, this season and more. So your thoughts, will he continue to be plagued by injury? Become one of Englands top CB/RB? Just become a good, solid defender? or fall of as many promising youngsters do?
When Kelly came into the team he instantly became a favourite of mine. He just looked like wanted it, he was desperate to play. Even then he looked out of place at right back but his determination meant that he was able to stake claim and move Johnson to LB. He's a center back through and through all this up and down the wing is the main cause of injury I'm sure of that. I don't think it's make or break but more of a consistent injury free season in and out of the team in the correct position that is needed.
When Kelly came into the team he instantly became a favourite of mine. He just looked like wanted it, he was desperate to play. Even then he looked out of place at right back but his determination meant that he was able to stake claim and move Johnson to LB. He's a center back through and through all this up and down the wing is the main cause of injury I'm sure of that. I don't think it's make or break but more of a consistent injury free season in and out of the team in the correct position that is needed.
Kelly is a natural CB and hopefully his stint at RB will have helped him develop his game by improving his reading of the game, positional sense etc. It has come at a cost because his body is not suited to running up and down flanks and he has suffered serious injuries as a result. Is decent on the ball, commanding in the air and has the physical stature and speed to be a great defender. Ryan McLaughlin is a natural RB and is more suited to that position than Wisdom, Kelly and Flannagan. He's very good defensively but he can dribble at speed and also has the ability to pick out a man. I will hold back because I thought Robinson would be our next LB but he seems to have struggled recently.
Wolves couldn't praise him enough for a string of man of the match performances and a great attitude, I still think he has a future with us.
Really? I was under the impression that he struggled? My mistake. I guess I'm still hung up on his performance against Oldham!
I agree this season is big for him. Carragher hhas retired so center back options are changing. It looks like we may miss out on the main cb target and there is an opening for Kelly to take. But! Wisdom has also come in to the team. Wisdom has caught up with Kelly and could even over take him very quickly. Enrique's rise form has seem him and Johnson establish themselves as full backs. Kelly has been very good for us. No doubt about it. Strong, great tackler, great engine and work ethic, a fighter, good on the ball. But he is not a dominant player in the air, though he is good enough, and he is injry prone.
Yeah. Generally defenders do break through a bit letter than forward players. A few players have pushed through a little earlier in recent years, like Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Micah Richards, Kyle Walker and Andre Wisdom. But generally it is more common for them to start breaking through properly at around 21-22. Also note that a few of those players I have listed have had troubles wwith making costly mistakes and have injury problems, so maybe they were pushed through to soon.
This. I would say he is definitely a 1st team contender (therefore has made it you could say) and it is only injury that has hampered him.
guys... poor jack robinson... have you guys not noticed he's been injured MORE than kelly? can't you cut him a tiny bit of slack? Kelly is decent but getting a hell of a lot of slack here compared to widsom or robinson who IMO are both better players. I distinctly remember kelly's 9 min debut in the CL and how all at sea he looked. The kid did great to knuckle down and work and its that work ethic that makes him a good player. I will reserve any judgement of him in at CB unitl he actually plays a stint there and shows what he can do..... but then who'd have thought carragher would be a good CB when he was that age?
I rate Wisdom as well MITO. Robinson is fine as well, but I don't think he's of the same quality as the other two.
Jack is raw, his position sense is off due to lack of games. He will develop rapidly if he gets a chance.... however Wisdom is extra special. If you look at a sama type player in the u21s when playing with wisdom then Andre seriously stood out in terms of ability on the ball. Wisdom today is being compared to senior players and so peopel are saying he's not great at RB. he's an amazing young player. in fact we jizz ourselves over micah richards who's a bit of a lad about town and age for age wisdom is as good. Wisdom, robinson and I think mclaughlin are the best chances form the youth defensively... add ibe and stelring to that and really the gap at the club is right in the middle of the park. no youth and seniors have questions to answer
It's hard for defenders to break into the first team as a regular. If a young forward screws up, it's rarely a game losing mistake. If a young defender screws up, it could cost the game and get alot of negative pressure on them - especially so at CB. I think Kelly has a future, I like him (Wisdom and Robbo too) but their game time will be limited, regardless of how poorly Johnson plays and the fact we're still after another CB shows BR hasn't much faith in them either yet.
At the moment I rate him as a RB which is where he proved to me that he is talented and that he can play. I don't rate him as a CB until I see him play CB, where it goes without saying he hasn't played yet. Bit redundant but I feel this needs to be stressed. Everyone sees him as a CB, and while they're similar, they aren't necessarily the same thing. He could be awful at staying back in position (didn't he love to make forward runs? So does Agger, which would leave us without a backline). He might not be great at marking. I know he's decent at defending and excellent at being a wing-back, attributes suited for RB. His injury record at such an early age screams MEEELLLOOOOOR for me, but we will see. Here's hoping.
