Newcastle United: The resurgence of Jonjo Shelvey

The defensive midfielder is finally playing at a high level and this great form could not have come at a better moment.

Most Newcastle United supporters have been astonished with the revival of Mohamed Diame in recent weeks, and Jonjo Shelvey now joins Diame under the spotlight as well. The resurgence of the 25-year-old midfielder comes at the right time as Newcastle find themselves in a difficult battle for Premier League survival with 11 matches remaining.

Shelvey’s reputation is unique, to say the least. He is known as an aggressive midfielder who plays with passion and can thread the ball into crowded areas with high precision from the opposite end of the pitch. While those are two great attributes to have, Shelvey is also known for his poor disciplinary record.

Just how bad is it? At the age of 25, Shelvey has accumulated a total of 32 bookings, four of which are red cards, over the course of his Premier League career. Thus far in the 2017/18 campaign, Shelvey has seen the referee raise the yellow card twice and the red card twice for a total of four bookings.

Shelvey has a lot of work to do in order to gain the long-term trust and praise of the Toon Army, but he has made positive strides in achieving this objective.

Offensive Involvement

Shelvey has seen plenty of action over the last two months as Rafa Benitez has selected the defensive midfielder as a starter in six of the last eight matches. With Shelvey on the pitch, Newcastle United can play more balls through the middle and be less dependent on making plays on the wings.

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 13: Jonjo Shelvey of Newcastle United runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Everton at St. James Park on December 13, 2017 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images) /

In addition, playing alongside Diame has tremendously aided Shelvey’s progress in midfield. Ever since the Diame-Shelvey duo went into full effect, Shelvey began to turn more of his attention to attacking the goal rather than protecting it.

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With an aggressive team-mate alongside him, Shelvey has been given the green light to play closer to the penalty area to take the role of a passing coordinator in a more threatening area, since Diame has sufficient skills to win a ball back when faced with an opposing counter-attack.

Complementary Captain

Jamaal Lascelles undoubtedly deserves the captain’s arm band despite his young age, but when Jonjo Shelvey is in top form he shows that he can lead a team as well. Where Lascelles excels in organizing the back-line and serving as the voice of the squad, Shelvey is a great facilitator.

It does not take long after the opening whistle to notice that the strikers, wingers and defenders all have their eyes on Shelvey when the opposition applies pressure. Other Magpies know that Shelvey can alleviate threats and switch the field in a matter of seconds to re-organize the Newcastle attack. It is this trait as a facilitator that makes Shelvey resemble a young Francesco Totti controlling the center of the pitch.

Final Third of the Season

With 11 matches remaining in the season, Shelvey’s composure and football intelligence in midfield will play an integral role in Newcastle United’s quest for top flight survival. Shelvey has been in great form with Diame by his side and the duo must continue to motivate others around them through their dedication for winning the ball and making big plays happen.

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If Shelvey can maintain this solid run of form, Newcastle United should be in good hands in terms of the league table on May 13.