Anyone who watched the Arsenal vs Newcastle clash on MNF last night will have been well aware of the travelling side’s lack of creativity, and considering that Jonjo Shelvey was on the bench it seems ridiculous he wasn’t used. Almost every Newcastle fan going was calling for the midfielder to be used, yet he failed to get off the bench during the clash.
Rafa Benitez set his side up with a midfield double-pivot of Mo Diame and Isaac Hayden, and neither of that pair provided much, if anything at all, going forward with the ball. That’s exactly what Shelvey would have done, though. The ex-Liverpool man may not be the best defensively and he’s certainly got a horror tackle in him, but on his day he can pick any defensive lock with his intricate passing from deep.
Now that Rafa Benitez has Miguel Almiron making runs in behind it would be a perfect pairing between the two. Shelvey picking the ball up deep and spraying balls in behind for the electric Almiron is all that the fans want, and last night it could have been the difference at The Emirates. Whether Benitez is saving Shelvey for Palace on Saturday is a different question, but if the 27-year-old doesn’t feature this weekend the fans will be fuming.
You can read the Geordies’ calls for Shelvey from last night here:
Get Diame off and bring shelvey on, we need some creativity to get anything out of this game. Otherwise the pressure Arsenal are putting on this game, it could end in a disaster
— vinny (@vinnymalhotraa) April 1, 2019
Shelvey needs to play! Poor, we couldnt keep the ball, only player i can praise from that game was dubravka.
— Sam Smith (@SamSmit04952115) 1 April 2019
Benitez being a fraud again. Losing, shelvey on the bench and he makes like for like changes and still sits 10 men behind the ball.
— Charlie (@CS94DD) April 1, 2019
https://twitter.com/eishariaz13/status/1112804676041408512
https://twitter.com/paul_wor/status/1112819993996156929
This is really frustrating to watch…
I mean Newcastle is really struggling in the midfield. I think Shelvey should have come on instead of Kennedy.— Cnut (@DeusMach84) April 1, 2019
Play shelvey
— Shay (@Almirxn24) 1 April 2019
Get shelvey on, diame’s been useless
— vinny (@vinnymalhotraa) April 1, 2019
Really wanted to see shelvey back in there
— The Toon Magpie (@Toon_Magpie) 1 April 2019
Sooner or later Benitez will have to succumb to the fans’ calls for Shelvey, and the Englishman could prove to be the difference on Saturday should he feature against Palace.
