Stephen Kelly

[rebelmusic]

Think we can see with confidence now that he's 2nd choice. Trap has played him a few times and knows his system. Can't see McShane getting his game over him now if he keeps his place at fulham. So a sledge injury or O'Shea injury is Kelly's ticket to a start imo

[TrapAPony]

Think we can see with confidence now that he's 2nd choice. Trap has played him a few times and knows his system. Can't see McShane getting his game over him now if he keeps his place at fulham. So a sledge injury or O'Shea injury is Kelly's ticket to a start imo

Ward gets his game every week for Wolves in the Premiership yet Kilbane who's now an unused sub for Hull in the Championship will get preference over him. Likewise Championship level Green will get preference over Premiership level McCarthy, Wilson, Gibson etc. Therefore I wouldn't be too confident that Trap will pick Kelly over McShane, even though a blind man can see that he should.

[drummerboy]

Glad to see Kelly doing so well for Fulham. He was behind Pansil when Roy Hodgson was manager but after doing so well at left full for Hughes, he was moved to right full and seems to be really pushing on.

[rebelmusic]

Hughes came out today and said there will be no changes for the next match and referred to the current line-up as the "core team". Congrats to Kelly who is looking to become the regular right back for them. And since he is versed in Trap's system should become minimum, the backup to O'Shea. Preferably though i'd like to see O'Shea go back partnering Dunney and Kelly getting a start. Sometimes i think Sledge is like Babb of old and just looks a lot better cos Dunner is next door

[Charlie Darwin]

This is interesting: http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=news&cd=6&ved=0CDwQqQIwBQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsports.peacefmonline.com%2Fsoccer %2F201009%2F83693.php&ei=pPGXTPesJMGB4AaG0djSBA&usg=AFQjCNGgGO8bJnC5RIu2fDpusDMUWFkCeg&sig2=jLYWNcs3iQHTPOaPeMB7Xw

Pantsil is the only player at the club whose contract is expiring who hasn't been offered a new one. I wonder if Hughes thinks he's crocked.

[elroy]

Hughes came out today and said there will be no changes for the next match and referred to the current line-up as the "core team". Congrats to Kelly who is looking to become the regular right back for them. And since he is versed in Trap's system should become minimum, the backup to O'Shea. Preferably though i'd like to see O'Shea go back partnering Dunney and Kelly getting a start. Sometimes i think Sledge is like Babb of old and just looks a lot better cos Dunner is next door

I think thats harsh on Sledge. I think it was the game against Algeria (a friendly admittedly) where Dunne was injured and early on in the game JOSH went off replaced by O'Dea and Sledge marshalled the defence very well last night. A very capable defender imo.

[Stuttgart88]

My preference would be for Dunne & JOS to be our CB pairing too, but Geysir is probably right when saying that Dunne / SSL is good enough while JOS plays full back. SSL maybe brings an attacking threat to set-pieces which is in argument in favour of him starting. I think SSL's a decent player and well up for the challenge at international level. I think criticism of his role in San Marino's goal ("gross dereliction of duty" - David Kelly) was a bit OTT. 9 times out of 10 that collective error would have gone unpunished.

[Charlie Darwin]

San Marino?

[Stuttgart88]

Sorry, Andorra! Senior moments becoming too frequent these days.

[geysir]

Unfortunatly Kelly blotted his record with a very shaky 30 minutes against - Georgia? (question mark just in case)
He recovered his composure well but those kind of memories I'd guess take a while to be fully expunged from Trap's memory bank.

[Charlie Darwin]

I think it was one mistake (against Serbia I think) that did for McShane's chances of playing centre half as well. Then again, St. Ledger's been a fault for at least two goals and Kilbane for one and it hasn't harmed their situations.

[geysir]

Thing is with McShane, you never know when it will happen but it will happen. Then afterwards he carries on as brave as ever.
St Ledger just made a regular mistake or two, part of growing up.
Kelly's confidence for 30 minutes or so was shot. In fairness, he hasn't given a glimpse of that level of ineptness since.

[Paddy Garcia]

I think it was one mistake (against Serbia I think) that did for McShane's chances of playing centre half as well. Then again, St. Ledger's been a fault for at least two goals and Kilbane for one and it hasn't harmed their situations.

Every game McShane provides one or two golden chances to the opposition, granted they don't always take the gift but the howlers keep coming.

[Charlie Darwin]

Every game McShane provides one or two golden chances to the opposition, granted they don't always take the gift but the howlers keep coming.
I can't remember too many recently. Dunne and St. Ledger have been the main culprits in the last few competitive games, but then again they have to deal with more.

[Stuttgart88]

Regardless of the errors, he can't use the ball. Full backs must be able to pass and cross.

[Stuttgart88]

While I'm here: I'm using my laptop and for some reason I now have horizontal and vertical scroll bars which is making viewing posts really annoying. Can someone tell me how to get it back to normal please? I've tried all the control & settings options, I think.

I'll delete this post once sorted.

[Charlie Darwin]

He can pass OK just not to the required standard. I think he'll make a decent centre half as he gets older.

[Razors left peg]

While I'm here: I'm using my laptop and for some reason I now have horizontal and vertical scroll bars which is making viewing posts really annoying. Can someone tell me how to get it back to normal please? I've tried all the control & settings options, I think.

I'll delete this post once sorted.

Sounds to me like u have zoomed in too much. go to tools on ur internet page and u should be able to adjust it from there

[Stuttgart88]

Bang on - thanks.

[geysir]

Regardless of the errors, he can't use the ball. Full backs must be able to pass and cross.

He isn't a full back.

[gastric]

There seems to be quite a good understanding betwen Duff and Kelly when Duff wandered over to the right flank in the game against Blackburn. Could they reciprocate this on the left flank for us?

[mark12345]

Spot on Geysir. He isn't a full back. I might add that he isn't a defender and can't use the ball properly. Sort of reminds me of the fella who applied for a handyman's job at our place and when asked if he could paint, do carpentry, plumbing or if he knew anything about electrical, he answered no to all of the above. When asked how he could describe himself as a handyman he said he just lived next door.

Seriously though, McShane shouldn't be in the Hull team never mind Ireland. Ditto Kilbane.

[geysir]

Apparently McShane has earned his place back on the Hull team on merit and I have read at least one good match report of him. Actually I only have read one match report so that makes a 100% favour rating.

I have little doubt that he is well able to cut it at championship level. He already has proven that.

[Charlie Darwin]

McShane seems to evoke fits of wild hyperbole in normally rational people. And Dunphy.

[Predator]

McShane seems to evoke fits of wild hyperbole in normally rational people. And Dunphy.Dunphy speaks only in hyperbole.

[AlaskaFox]

Apparently McShane has earned his place back on the Hull team on merit and I have read at least one good match report of him. Actually I only have read one match report so that makes a 100% favour rating.

I have little doubt that he is well able to cut it at championship level. He already has proven that.

He's very much a Championship player. Definitely shouldn't be an Ireland player though.

[seanfhear]

I think Stephen Kelly was Birminghams player of the year a few years ago (Although it was a relegation season for Birmingham that year)

But it goes to show that he can do a good job in the premier league. If he can play regularly in the premier league and Trap gains faith in him I hope/believe that he can do a good job for us at full back.

[Colbert Report]

Yeah, Kelly was one of only a handful of players league-wide to play every minute of every match that season.

[Charlie Darwin]

Just taken off after half an hour with what looks like a calf problem. Unlucky considering he'd been really solid so far and linked up well with Duff in the few opportunities he had to go forward.

[tommy_c12000]

Cud this mean a call up for Coleman if Kelly has to withdraw from squad?!

[Razors left peg]

Cud this mean a call up for Coleman if Kelly has to withdraw from squad?!

doubt if there will be any replacements called up. its a 26 man squad

[Stuttgart88]

Unlikely. O'Shea, McShane & Foley can all play RB.

[rebelmusic]

May not be too serious. Anyone know how well baird played once he went off?

[Charlie Darwin]

Baird was OK but he's a centre half. Kelly offers more up the pitch. I was surprised Pantsil didn't come on - was he even on the bench?

[fu1ham]

I'm sorry for Kelly as he seems to have impressed Mark Hughes and has overtaken Pantsil for the RB slot. Pantsil wasn't on the bench and seems to be suffering from a run of poor form . Coleman was impressive, but I think he needs to add some strength - he's much smaller than I thought. A good prospect indeed though.

Duffer had a poor game , let's hope he gets his form back soon.

[Sullivinho]

May not be too serious.

Hopefully not. Couldn't have happened at a worse time for him really as he looked to be embarking on a run in the (Fulham) team.

[mhuiscatron]

Fu1ham, I agree Duffer was poor on Saturday - he had a long look at the bench just before (I think) Kamara came on as if he was expecting to go off. He is probably still suffering from that calf injury.

[mhuiscatron]

Kelly hurt himself in a scramble to cut out a ball into the box (I think) - got some treatment, came back on for 10 mins or so before they decided to take him off. So hopefully it is not that serious.

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't think he was back on that long - maybe 3 or 4. John O'Shea injured himself in Paris in similar circumstances so it's anyone's guess what the problem is. No word so far from Fulham.

[Junior]

I see Fulham have released John Pantsil today. Could improve Stephens chances at FB. Not sure whether Jol will be looking to bring anyone else in or not.

[SwanVsDalton]

Did Kelly play under Jol at Spurs? Might be the new manager rates him and Stephen could get more of a game. Although I think Baird was the starting right back last year?

[Junior]

Not sure, I was racking my brains to work that one out. You are correct though, Pantsil was injured early on in the season, then featured (poorly) sporadically thereafter. Baird was first choice. Its just one less fullback at he club I suppose!

[SwanVsDalton]

Yeah according to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Kelly_(footballer)) he played under Jol. Although Jol did let him go in 2006...

[SwanVsDalton]

Grygera's been ruled out for six months. Great chance for Kelly to nail down right back at Fulham, particularly considering he know appears to be Trap's go-to emergency defender.

[drummerboy]

Kelly was offered a new contract by Jol recently. Not sure if he accepted it yet though. He is a steady right full, but definitely not a left full.

[Charlie Darwin]

Grygera's injury looked awful. You could hear him howling on MOTD. Will Jol be tempted to shunt Baird back to RB though?

[dr_peepee]

Nervous about Kelly tomorrow night.. Would have rathered Foley for this game had he been available, to be honest. Kelly is an out and out defender. Not comforatble agianst teams where he's expected to to more on the ball. Prone to loosing posession.

[SwanVsDalton]

Nervous about Kelly tomorrow night.. Would have rathered Foley for this game had he been available, to be honest. Kelly is an out and out defender. Not comforatble agianst teams where he's expected to to more on the ball. Prone to loosing posession.

I think he can use it when he wants to. He certainly offers more going forward than O'Shea if allowed. And, in fairness, Kelly has been very consistent for us for a while now (when played at right back at least - the guy's played right across the back four in the last six months). He was excellent in Russia. Plus as much as I like him, Foley didn't show anything more at home to Macedonia. Kelly's steady and I'm confident he'll do fine.

[TrapAPony]

Kelly's steady and I'm confident he'll just do fine.

I agree. Tbh I don't know why he gets the criticism he does. He's not that bad.

[Charlie Darwin]

Nusty made some very good observations in his piece after the Armenia game. Kelly is very much a Mr. Reliable sort of player - like KK, he'll do his job to the manager's specific instructions, but he's not going to take any risks to put the team on the front foot. Whatever criticisms people have of Ward, he is always looking to get on the ball and get forward and he has the athleticism to cover when he does make a mistake, like most modern full backs.

It's sort of been the story of Kelly's Fulham career. He's shown glimpses of his talent but his conservatism means he's constantly dropped in favour of less talented players like Pantsil who are more confident in their ability to get forward.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/1012/1224305644567.html