Mikel Merino (now playing for Arsenal)

[Minhosa]

He keeps Colback down the pecking order that's at least something.

 

Few good passes today but aye some bad mishaps, too.

 

I have to say though, if Colback made some of the errors this kid did today, we'd have people wanting to burn effigies outside his gran's house.

[SimplyAnth]

Few high profile mistakes but I really like the look of him. Clearly talented.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Looks good on the ball but Shelvey like without it.

 

Yeah that's not true at all, one of the reasons i think Rafa will play them together is because he didn't look like the typical DM we have signed over the years as in i don't remember being pushed off the ball too easily.

 

We need to get as much technique in the team as possible, the lack ability to control a ball under pressure was present throughout the team.

[sempuki]

[The College Dropout]

Same issue as Shelvey.  Was absolutely awful for the goal.  Too deep.  Slow to press.  Didn't really fancy the challenge.  Let's Mooy run of the back of him with zero interference. 

 

All the nice passing in the world doesn't make up for that unless it leads to more goals than poor defending costs. 

[Aiston]

 

Not all that inspiring.

 

We badly need a creative player.

[louistoon]

He was shite today like. Clearly needs more time to settle in.

[Figures 1-0 Football]

 

Created no chances, if you ignore his lush ball to Manquillo (which he fucked up).

[louistoon]

Same issue as Shelvey.  Was absolutely awful for the goal.  Too deep.  Slow to press.  Didn't really fancy the challenge.  Let's Mooy run of the back of him with zero interference. 

 

All the nice passing in the world doesn't make up for that unless it leads to more goals than poor defending costs.

 

What nice passing he gave the ball away more than any other player today.

[The College Dropout]

He keeps Colback down the pecking order that's at least something.

 

Few good passes today but aye some bad mishaps, too.

 

I have to say though, if Colback made some of the errors this kid did today, we'd have people wanting to burn effigies outside his gran's house.

 

Aye.  At the end of the day his mistakes lead to a goal an should've lead to an earlier goal.  He's talented but he's a boy. 

[Mistle17]

Amazing how some people on here view the game. Calling this guy shit? Didn't put in enough big tackles? Incredible.

[Aiston]

Same issue as Shelvey.  Was absolutely awful for the goal.  Too deep.  Slow to press.  Didn't really fancy the challenge.  Let's Mooy run of the back of him with zero interference. 

 

All the nice passing in the world doesn't make up for that unless it leads to more goals than poor defending costs. 

 

He didn't have the nice passing.

[The College Dropout]

Same issue as Shelvey.  Was absolutely awful for the goal.  Too deep.  Slow to press.  Didn't really fancy the challenge.  Let's Mooy run of the back of him with zero interference. 

 

All the nice passing in the world doesn't make up for that unless it leads to more goals than poor defending costs.

 

What nice passing he gave the ball away more than any other player today.

Sprayed a nice one wide.  Had some other good moments.  Broke up play a few times. 

 

But overall a poor performance no doubt. 

[Mole_Toonfan]

Same issue as Shelvey.  Was absolutely awful for the goal.  Too deep.  Slow to press.  Didn't really fancy the challenge.  Let's Mooy run of the back of him with zero interference. 

 

All the nice passing in the world doesn't make up for that unless it leads to more goals than poor defending costs.

 

We were watching different games, quite clearly. I don't recall him being pushed off the ball very often at all. Hate this place when we lose tbh, people lose our rationality.

[Guest firetotheworks]

He looks like he could become a very good player. Definitely a few moments that he needs to improve upon, but as a debut it was a decent one.

[TRon]

Looks good on the ball but Shelvey like without it.

 

Yeah that's not true at all, one of the reasons i think Rafa will play them together is because he didn't look like the typical DM we have signed over the years as in i don't remember being pushed off the ball too easily.

 

We need to get as much technique in the team as possible, the lack ability to control a ball under pressure was present throughout the team.

 

I think what he meant was neither of them look particularly good when tackling and that's what leads to goals like today. Hopefully that was just an error and he'll learn from it because he's going to be good on the ball if he can adjust to the pace of English football.

[The College Dropout]

Same issue as Shelvey.  Was absolutely awful for the goal.  Too deep.  Slow to press.  Didn't really fancy the challenge.  Let's Mooy run of the back of him with zero interference. 

 

All the nice passing in the world doesn't make up for that unless it leads to more goals than poor defending costs.

 

We were watching different games, quite clearly. I don't recall him being pushed off the ball very often at all. Hate this place when we lose tbh, people lose our rationality.

 

Where did I say he was pushed off the ball?

 

In the first half he got the ball stuck between his feet, lost it and Huddersfield should've scored.

 

He was also primarily at fault for the goal.  Awful CM play defensively. 

[Si]

I think he will be a very good player personally

Agreed

[Bimpy474]

I would say if one thinks he's not good enough, or not showing signs of being a very good player, one should go and stick their head in a cannon.

 

His first ever game in English football, playing in a team that played shite, well. There is a very very good player there, no doubt in my mind.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Improved as the game went on. As expected, caught out by the pace on occasions. Will need time to adapt, would've been a great idea to ease him into the league. Oh, wait...

[Yorkie]

Don't think he was shite, don't think he was great, but he was the only player trying to do something. I'd quite like to see him alongside Shelvey. Neither of them are defensive, obviously, but if we've got the ball, the opposition can't score. Shame they'd have nowt effective in front of them though.

 

Ffs the first team needs so much work. Probably more than I thought six weeks ago. Everyone's team has improved apart from our's.

[The College Dropout]

Its not even tackling.  Positionally he was too deep and too slow to come out.  But worse, as soon as the ball is played and Mooy moves - he doesn't.  He ends up 10 feet away from Mooy. He should be following Mooy making it hard for the shot to get off. 

[Minhosa]

Its not even tackling.  Positionally he was too deep and too slow to come out.  But worse, as soon as the ball is played and Mooy moves - he doesn't.  He ends up 10 feet away from Mooy. He should be following Mooy making it hard for the shot to get off. 

 

Yeah - you simply can't let him ghost passed you. He needed to have made it much harder.

 

As I said, he should be able to learn about our game coming off the bench for the first month though. Blame that daft baldy cunt for that.

[lovejoy]

got better as the game went on. Thought he was pretty poor first half.

[gallowgate_pete]

One of the few players who tried to get us moving forwards a few times - so that's a positive. But also gave the ball away on numerous occasions, and sometimes in really poor positions - so that's a negative.

 

It was a young lad's first start in the Premier League so everyone needs to keep a sense of perspective/balance about him - but it says everything that needs to be said about Shelvey and our squad in general that we are relying on such an inexperienced player at CM.