Mikel Merino (now playing for Arsenal)

[louistoon]

Depends on the opposition. I wouldnt be against playing all 3 in some games. Haydon and merino starting to look solid though.

[TheInfiniteOdyssey]

This lad was absolute magic today, a joy to watch.

[U2]

Obvious not to write him off after that one single mistake last weekend   Well done everyone that did.

[Tsunami]

Shelvey has become a lot more mobile, looks fitter and more focused than before. He's an idiot no doubt and he could force Merino to be less effective but it has to be worth a go. Hayden is reliable but predictable and isn't going to hurt the opposition. Setting up against Merino and Shelvey is potentially very hard to do.

[louistoon]

Obvious not to write him off after that one single mistake last weekend   Well done everyone that did.

 

I was quite critical of him last week because, especially in the first half, it wasn't just one mistake, it was mistake after mistake. It really annoys me when people praise performances of a new signing that would get absolutely slated if it was Hayden, shelvey or someone else.

 

Can't speak for anyone else but I wasn't writing him off, i was calling what I saw as a bad performance a bad performance, and I don't recall anyone actually saying they though he was a bad signing.

[Yorkie]

Shelvey has become a lot more mobile, looks fitter and more focused than before. He's an idiot no doubt and he could force Merino to be less effective but it has to be worth a go. Hayden is reliable but predictable and isn't going to hurt the opposition. Setting up against Merino and Shelvey is potentially very hard to do.

 

Pretty much.

[TRon]

Shelvey has become a lot more mobile, looks fitter and more focused than before. He's an idiot no doubt and he could force Merino to be less effective but it has to be worth a go. Hayden is reliable but predictable and isn't going to hurt the opposition. Setting up against Merino and Shelvey is potentially very hard to do.

 

Hayden's more important for his pressing and breaking up of play than hurting the opposition. That's a massively important part of a midfielder's game, you need at least one player with a bit of bite in there.

[George Bailey]

Hopefully can spur Shelvey on to be the player we know he can be, rather than the arse he is at times..

 

Sounds like we have a decent player on our hands.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I don't want to go overboard because West Ham were truly, truly awful, but his domination of the midfield in every aspect was really obvious. Very good signs.

[Tsunami]

Shelvey has become a lot more mobile, looks fitter and more focused than before. He's an idiot no doubt and he could force Merino to be less effective but it has to be worth a go. Hayden is reliable but predictable and isn't going to hurt the opposition. Setting up against Merino and Shelvey is potentially very hard to do.

 

Hayden's more important for his pressing and breaking up of play than hurting the opposition. That's a massively important part of a midfielder's game, you need at least one player with a bit of bite in there.

 

I agree; from what I've seen Merino looks like he can do this. He was very good defensively today; he won most heading duels, broke play up and was very disciplined. I think part of the problem here is that we're too used to seeing one dimensional players in our team. We've been crying out for someone like him for years.

[tmonkey]

Comfortably the best player on the pitch for me. Oozes class on the ball. Really does remind me of Redondo in style (again, no direct comparison intended).

 

Shelvey absolutely must play alongside Merino. At the very least we have to try it to see if it works, since in theory if it works alright defensively it means having two CM's who can genuinely "play", which in turn will make creating chances a hell of a lot easier. Don't think we've had a pair of CM's who were both good technical passers since Speed slotted in alongside an aging Rob Lee (prior to the latters legs going).

[54]

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

'Keith Bishop'

[Sima]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4807204/Newcastle-new-boy-Mikel-Merino-blasted-Graeme-Souness.html

 

Daft cunt.

[Klaus]

Obligated to sign him permanently based on appearances

[Sean]

From twitter:

 

No player played more total passes, forward passes, produced more successful dribbles or won back possession more than Mikel Merino.

[Big Geordie]

Dunno if it's me, but this lad looks to be similar and style to Ray Kennedy (ex Arsenal and Liverpool) Touch of class for a big lad.

[Bimpy474]

His anticipation is amazing, the amount of times he steams in to intercept the ball is brilliant. I love him, what a player we have on our hands.

[Incognito]

Dunno if it's me, but this lad looks to be similar and style to Ray Kennedy (ex Arsenal and Liverpool) Touch of class for a big lad.

 

Even looks like him a tad

[Dan]

Hopefully can spur Shelvey on to be the player we know he can be, rather than the arse he is at times..

 

Sounds like we have a decent player on our hands.

 

This.

 

Shelvey was the only player in the squad who didn't have competition for his place before Merino's arrival.

[Altamullan]

Dunno if it's me, but this lad looks to be similar and style to Ray Kennedy (ex Arsenal and Liverpool) Touch of class for a big lad.

 

Even looks like him a tad

Wor Mik... The Basque Geordie

http://assets1.lfcimages.com/uploads/25_rkennedy_500.jpg

[Guest firetotheworks]

I agree with Oden that he reminds me slightly of Ballack in his style, especially his stride and the way he gets it out of his feet and picks a pass.

[Elliottman]

Just sell him to Barcelona Now for 80million and cut out all the middle shit.

[NEEJ]

f***ing shove that up your spotty f***ing scottish arse souness you c***

[STM]

He's fucking ace. Could be a defining signing for us this year.

 

Shelvey can fuck off.