Considered the best player on Newcastle United, Jonjo Shelvey must prove he can be a star in the Premier League.
When Paul Pogba returned to Manchester United’s lineup yesterday, the difference he made was noticeable from the first minute. While Jonjo Shelvey is not nearly on the level of one of the world’s best and most expensive players, the Newcastle United midfielder needs to start taking over matches for the Toon if he wants to be considered a star.
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Shelvey is regarded as the most talented player Newcastle has to offer, but too often, he just looks like another average player. He will make the occasional eye-catching pass, but then won’t make another one for the rest of the match. He’s always consistent in distribution and tactically sound, but star players do more than that.
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With his sublime passing ability and vision, Shelvey can be a difference maker. He needs to be fully invested for the whole match, not just in spurts. Mikel Merino, his younger, less proven partner in the midfield, has caught more of the attention of soccer fans and pundits this season. If Shelvey truly is the best player on the squad, he needs to showcase an ability to lead his club, week in and week out.
He’s also looking to get back into the English national team picture. With his previous issues with anger and discipline, if he’s just playing adequately for a very average Premier League club, he will not get a chance to represent his country. He needs to dominate matches and show that he has a special talent that can help England succeed on the international level.
As the season continues, Newcastle United will be relying on their talented midfielder to help lead them to positive results. If Shelvey’s the star we’ve been made to believe he is, we should see bigger impact play from him every match for the Magpies.