Young Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is ready to continue his rapid development against FC Utrecht this evening.
The 18-year-old has already made eight appearances for Roy Hodgson’s side this season, and is set to be handed another start against the Dutch outfit at Anfield tonight.
“It’s a big game for us young lads,” he says. “It’s another chance to leave an impression on the boss’s mind. Hopefully I’ll get a start and I can show him what I can do again.
“It’s on television and so you want to go out there and show people what you’re capable of and why a club has bought you.”
Shelvey’s ascent since his arrival at Anfield from Charlton Athletic this summer has been steady, and though he has shrugged off premature comparisons with Steven Gerrard, he admits the Liverpool captain remains the perfect role model for any young midfield player.
“He’s the best central midfielder of all time, I think,” said Shelvey, “That game against Napoli (in which Gerrard scored a hat-trick) just summed him up, his drive and his determination.
“I think he’s the benchmark for young midfielders – he is for me. Everyone has someone they look up to but he’s the one for me. Hopefully I can achieve just half of what he’s achieved.”
The Europa League has proven kind to many of Hodgson’s young charges. As well as Shelvey, the likes of Martin Kelly, Danny Wilson and Dani Pacheco could all feature this evening, and the England Under-19 international says there is an eagerness amongst the club’s youngsters to secure regular places in the first team squad.
“I should be pushing more and more,” he said. “I can feel myself getting better in training each day. Hopefully I can get a starting place in the team and keep hold of it.
“You know you’re not going to start sometimes but you’ve got to leave yourself in the boss’s mind.”
No comments:
Post a Comment