Flanno or Kelly?

I know it's early days for both players but we've seen both play a good few games now and it seems amazing to think the club spent £20 million on the England right-back and here we are two years later with two Academy graduates challenging Jonno not only for his Liverpool place but (I'll bet) in time for England spot as well. So just for the minute let's pretend that Glen Johnson doesn't play for the club.

- It's a straight toss up between Kelly and Flano for the RB job come the start of the season. who gets it and why?  Who's got the most potential long-term? I keep hearing that Kelly must play full-back for a couple of years before he can play CB, Why?

For me it's Flanno (at least at the moment). I've been VERY impressed with this kid. He's quick, he's tenacious, he's a clean tackler, he's a crisp passer, he's a lot stronger (both in the tackle, jockeying and on the ball) than he looks. Also you expect a youngster to come in and be a bit suspect positionally (ie. Insua) but I haven't seen that from him yet + he seems to anticipate things well. Has also demonstrated composure on the ball, remember that little shape to clear and drag back against City on his debut? I think Balotelli is still wondering where the ball is but it turned out not to be in Flanno's pocket which is where the City striker spent most of the night. Going forward he hasn't quite found his confidence yet but a few times he's come on to meet an interception by banging the ball out of his feet (and past the onrushing attacker) into space to run onto and it's little flashes of class like that that make me think we've got a real player here.

Kelly was terrific at the start of Dalglish's reign. He's a big strong boy who is more nimble than he looks, he's decent in the air and looks very good when he's been isolated one on on in space. Once again you'd expect him to be making positional errors but I can't recall too many. He's not as agile as Flanno but he's got plenty of confidence going forward, is willing to run with it and is is (by the looks of it so far) a decent crosser of the ball. Like Flanno he has come in and shown no nerves whatsoever for a young local lad. Personally I think he's a centre-back, I know everyone says that and there are obvious similarities between him and Carra so it's natural to say ' let him learn his trade at RB and then step up to CB in a year or two'. In normal circumstances I'd agree with that but when you've got the england RB and (in my opinion) his heir apparent to compete against then perhaps it's time to have a look at this kid at CB now?

Whichever way you look at it it's a great problem to have! Two young Scouse lads fighting an England international for his place having only having just left the youth set-up! I think my money is on Flanno even with Johnson in the mix. Added to this we've got young Robinson also impressing on the left and suddenly we're looking set at Full-back for years.

I'd get rid of Sotis give Kelly his place as a CB and have Flanno & Johnson battle it out for RB.

kelly for me

I think Kelly is more advanced in his development and would get the nod for me. Whilst a few seem eager to move him to CB, I am not so sure or so keen. While he is a tall player I think he would be under pressure at CB from high balls as he never seems to jump when challenging. As a full back he seems to have everything at the moment. Decent pace, reads the game well and confident going forward at the right time and has a decent cross. I think Kelly has already said that he feels fullback is now his position anyway.

While Flanno has good positioning and is excellent in the tackle he isn't as confident going forward as Kelly (no doubt that will come)but looks to have the edge in pace.

Both have a great opportunity to "make it" but at the moment I would choose Kelly even though it may be a more "natural" position for Flanno in time.  It may eventually come down to which of them is the more determined and has the greater luck with injuries as they progress.

I know he's not included, but I really like Robinson.

Martin Kelly is a CB after all. Would like to see him play there.

Anyways, if I had to choose for RB, I think I'd give Kelly first because Flanno still has time on his side.

I know he's not included, but I really like Robinson.

Same, though he is more of a left back. We have great potential coming through in defence, and Flanno, Kelly and Robinson are our future defenders IMO.

They are certainly going to save us a lot of money in future transfer windows on defenders if they continue to progress.

If it were a straight shoot out between Kelly and Flanno for RB, I would just tip Kelly, as he seems a more rounded player at this moment in time, and probably more composed in posession.

Great problem to have though.

Johnson did not play as well at left back as he can at right back, and he is going have to improve much more now that Flanagan and Kelly are both providing such a strong challenge to him for right back.

Maybe they can play at right and left back and over time Kelly can move back to the middle, a bit like how Carra's own career evolved.

I do think in the Premier League you need to be a little bit older to play as centre back - to get a bit wiser to the tricks other players pull.  You don't see many youngster make a success of it in that position irrespective of how much talent they have.

For the time being I'd probably be happy to see Kelly, Flanagan and Johnson battling it out for right back, and as and when injuries come in to play then Kelly can gain further experience at centre-back.

Either way it's a nice problem for us to have, to have these Academy lads fighting an established England international for his place.

They are certainly going to save us a lot of money in future transfer windows on defenders if they continue to progress.

Not to mention Wisdom and Ayala too who are both promising players.

The changes at the Academy might have bit hard, but looking at it now - it looks like the changes are starting to produce real savings for the club.

It looks like i'm the only one who fancies Flanno for the spot at the moment then! I just think he's played a little bit better than Kelly when he's had his opportunities. I also think he may eventually offer more going forward as well. Kelly is confident running with the ball but he is a little one dimensional in that he gets the ball out of his feet charges down the line and looks to get a cross in. Of course, with big Andy that is perhaps all we will need him to do but I reckon Flanno has got a bit about him too, he shown a bit of vision with some of his intermediate passing and defensively he looks like your archetypal full-ball iue. quick, mobile, agile where as Kelly (to look at) is a very nimble looking centre-half. Time will tell but i'll stick my neck and say that Flanno will get more playing time over the season than Kelly.

Same, though he is more of a left back. We have great potential coming through in defence, and Flanno, Kelly and Robinson are our future defenders IMO.

Dont forget Coady & Wisdom. 2-3 years time we could have a completely home grown defence.

Kelly for me. Flanagan is good, but he's not quite at Kelly's level yet for me. Defensively and going forward, Kelly is currently stronger than Flanagan. But, I think in the future, Kelly will be moved further in field to CB with Flanagan covering RB. Neither are at the level of Johnson yet, Kelly isn't far away, but I see him primarily as a CB. Although it's positive he can play all across the back four.

I'd get rid of Sotis give Kelly his place as a CB and have Flanno & Johnson battle it out for RB.

Nail on the head 'Blood', nail on the head, not only do i agree i think we should give young Wilson a fair crack to,Agger cannot be relied on for his fitness, Carra's best years are behind him and the Skirt can blow hot and cold,so we need to blood the new CB's to ensure consistency,Kelly is a shoe in for a CB slot but it's when Kenny decides when that happens, Flanno is perfect back up to GJ, and GJ knows Flanno is breathing down his neck, i hope to see more of Wison this season, but only if Agger(fingers crossed) stays injury free.

The changes at the Academy might have bit hard, but looking at it now - it looks like the changes are starting to produce real savings for the club.

Very true, this is something Rafa maybe will only be given more credit for in the future.

As for the comparison between Kelly and Flanno, I think Kelly is a more mature player at the moment, who has shown more so far so he would get the nod for me. Remember he kept the England right back on the left, and then just put the England left back on his pocket at the Stamford Bridge. He is a quality defender, I've never seen him play as CB cause unfortunately I don't get the chance to see many youth/reserves games, but he does look like becoming a top CB in the future.

I think Kelly is the natural successor to Carra and like Carra will probably go onto wear the captains armband for the club, I can't see one iota of difference in chucking Kelly in alongside Carra as a Center Back to throwing him alongside Carra as a full back, for the simple reason's he's a F***ing good player, he reads the game well, is strong in the challenge and quite quick for a big lad too, who better to learn from than playing alongside the man you are eventually going to replace ?

I'm of the opinion that some players you can tell just have that little extra something and they will go on to make it, Kelly for me is one of those players and to be honest I think he'd offer more at Center Back than the big Greek.

Kelly seems to be the natural successor to Carra as the utility player who will eventually move to CB. Whoever posted it was right, you have to be a bit older to be a quality CB in England.

As for RB, if we were to have Johnson on the left, I'd have Kelly. He's a bit pacier and seems to be a better crosser from what I've seen in league games. The guy is an absolute horse when he gets going.

Defensively I think we have some brilliant prospects, you could quite easily conceive a back line of Academy graduates in the next 3/4/5 years.

I agree with those who think Kelly's future is at centre back. It's something I've always thought, despite his buccaneering performances at full back, for me, he has the natural qualities to play CB. He's good positionally,  strong in the tackle and he's obviously not slow either. I agree with RLB when he says he's the natural successor to Carra, albeit one that, because of his physical attributes, may actually turn out even better.

Flanno has done nothing but impress me whenever he's played. Considering how young he is, he's remarkably cool on the ball and off it. Surprisingly strong, not too quick but no tortoise either. Plus I think he's got fantastic timing when challenging for the ball. For me, I think he's going to become our first choice RB for many many years.

Next year I could perhaps see Kelly still getting the nod over Flanno at RB, especially if we do play Johnson at LB.

But in the future, who knows, maybe we'll see this line up?

Flanno    Kelly     Wisdom      Robinson

I see both as Backup players-I would like to see Kelly for the CB role and Flanno for the RB role. Good to have so many options and versatile players.

 Re: Flanno or Kelly?
« Reply #13 on: Yesterday at 03:38:11 PM »   

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I think Kelly is the natural successor to Carra and like Carra will probably go onto wear the captains armband for the club, I can't see one iota of difference in chucking Kelly in alongside Carra as a Center Back to throwing him alongside Carra as a full back, for the simple reason's he's a f**king good player, he reads the game well, is strong in the challenge and quite quick for a big lad too, who better to learn from than playing alongside the man you are eventually going to replace ?

I'm of the opinion that some players you can tell just have that little extra something and they will go on to make it, Kelly for me is one of those players and to be honest I think he'd offer more at Center Back than the big Greek. 
 

 
this.Since I first started to really appreciate Kelly(vs Olym Lyon at Anfield,where he was outstanding)I've said that there is our next captain.Prob captain England as well.Reads the game as well as he plays it.When KK put him in as fullback,game after game,smiled to myself cause I knew GJ would have to fight hard to get the spot back...actually thought GJ would be used as a winger on the right where I think he belongs!(commentator "Kelly overlaps,Johnson drops back to cover for him")Make sure Carra is with him at Melwood,with him on the field at home and away matches,with him when they aren't even playing football,damnit!Carra can mold this lad into the best thing we have had since Hansen.An incredible HOME GROWN talent.

Can't decide. Both have been outstanding and have really impressed me. Same goes for Robinson. 3 great, scouse defenders. It really is a pleasure to see, it's been too long since a local lad came into the team and cemented down a place.  I reckon these 3 all have the potential to be a staple of Liverpool's back line for the next 10 years. Fingers crossed!

I've been a massive fan of Flanagan ever since he knocked out Jamie Carragher :p

Just wondered where people stood on this one right now? If the season started tomorrow I would start Flanno at Right-Back. Kelly (for me) has looked a little slow on the turn and not as agile as I remember him from last season and I wonder if he needs more time (from a fitness perspective) to get back to the level he showed last year + I can't understand why he hasn't been tried at CB. Jonno has only been back for one game and looked like he needed a few more to get into any sort of match shape.

Kelly did really well last season so for me Kelly 

Just wondered where people stood on this one right now? If the season started tomorrow I would start Flanno at Right-Back. Kelly (for me) has looked a little slow on the turn and not as agile as I remember him from last season and I wonder if he needs more time (from a fitness perspective) to get back to the level he showed last year + I can't understand why he hasn't been tried at CB. Jonno has only been back for one game and looked like he needed a few more to get into any sort of match shape.

Probably Kelly for me but Flanaghan would definitely be my number 2 there ahead of Johnson now.

Johnno is just not good enough in the defensive sense there and I can't see that changing.  Yes he is a threat going forward but for me, when playing in a back four, defensive skills are key and anything else comes after that.