Why Lascelles and Shelvey’s England snub is actually great news for NUFC

Gareth Southgate announced the latest England squad and the lack of depth currently available to the national side become clear when skimming through the call ups. Newcastle stars Lascelles and Shelvey were hopeful of being included, both due to their good form and a lack of other options available. In years gone by, they would have been unlikely to have been considered but with our options limited it seems crazy to think the likes of Mawson and Livermore have been given the nod ahead of the NUFC pair.

Here’s how it could actually be a good thing for Newcastle though…

We need both fit for Huddersfield

After the win over Southampton, NUFC have a rare situation of 21 days before games, which may help Rafa prepare the game plan to overcome Huddersfield. It is a massive game for us and a win would put us on 35 points with 7 games to play and a great chance of staying up.

If Lascelles and Shelvey had been called dup, they would have no doubt been keen to impress and be busting a gut to impress Southgate in training ahead of the World Cup. It would have been our luck if they had picked up injuries.

Lascelles influence in the team is massive, with us tending to struggle when he’s missing,  and after two assists last time out, Shelvey tends to be the creative force in our home games too.

Performing for England could attract interest from rival clubs

Especially for Lascelles, who has been linked with Chelsea. Selfishly for Newcastle, the less exposure they receive the less likely clubs are likely to bid for them.

We, of course, want the best for the players but we also need to be building a team around our best performers. Lascelles is our captain and if we can stay up and be taken over, he will hopefully stay on Tyneside for many years to come. A lack of England recognition could help us keep him at the club.

A distraction to the task at hand?

Rafa has consistently delivered the message all season to players and fans of ‘staying calm’. This strong mental attitude and togetherness has helped us overcome a lack of quality to hopefully pull ourselves clear of trouble come May.

Call up’s now may have distracted two of our key players at the most crucial time of the season. We still need more points and both will have a massive say in getting us over the safety line this year.

Missing out forces them to up their game even further at NUFC

In particular for Shelvey, he has been in and out of the side this season and with him finally finding form, maybe it’s a good thing to keep him motivated and knowing he needs to be more consistent and do more to get in the England side. He has the attributes to be a top player but consistency and attitude hold him back, so further incentives for him to improve can only help his form for Newcastle.

Similarly Lascelles knows he is behind Mawson in the pecking order now, which most Newcastle fans won’t agree with, but a snub like this can only drive him on.

Do you think they should be in the England squad? Or is this good news for Newcastle?

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Simon Riddlesden

Lifelong Newcastle United fan and East Stand season ticket holder. Observations from a supporter who has followed NUFC during Champions League participation and through relegation, taking me from Milan to Scunthorpe.

89 thoughts on “Why Lascelles and Shelvey’s England snub is actually great news for NUFC

  1. KIM from last thread
    beat me to it mate, was gonna make that exact point. He is very over rated imo.
    I feel the same about quite a few who have been called up but it was always a bit like this with England. You have to be a bloody colossus of a player at NUFC to get a sniff at a England call up, it’s ridiculous . Having said that, it’s a meaningless friendly so, meh.

    thats because you know your footy mate

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  2. Holland and Italy. Good warms ups although they will not be going to the WC.

    England out at the Group Stage.

    Southgate, FFS?

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  3. Henderson and Wilshere. Sounds like an fckin Estate Agency rather than England’s central midfield.

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  4. That’s the thing Ice, man. England will play Henderson and Wilshere in central MF and Stones and Smalling. Maybe Jones if Oliver Hardy will let him out of his contract? John Terry?

    The middle is a mess, so – out in the group stage.

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  5. Phil Jones.

    Unless you didn’t get the reference that he looks like Stan Laurel on a bad day. And Stanley was doing it as a joke. Best joke ever. Boiled eggs and nuts.

    Bobby Moore. He’s been dead for 25 years but can’t be any worse than Phil Jones.

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  6. AND…

    The Beatles?

    They didn’t have that awful scouse back of the throat accent. Where did it come from?

    It is horrible, but Paul and John never had it.

    Jamie would have a high pitched noise without his throatal nightmare, but add the Scouse and all that ? !!!

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  7. Eric Sykes:
    That’s the thing Ice, man. England will play Henderson and Wilshere in central MF and Stones and Smalling. Maybe Jones if Oliver Hardy will let him out of his contract? John Terry?

    The middle is a mess, so – out in the group stage.

    I’ll go along with that 100%

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  8. England are absolutely ***** at football. I’m sorry to say it but its true. Getting knocked out early and going on holiday is more important. And our qualifying group was easy.
    As for Southgate getting the job I say no more.

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  9. OK. Would this team beat a Sunday League team? All are in the current England squad and all are playing in their proper positions except for Joe Hart, who really should be left in the cargo hold of the plane:

    Hart

    Trippier Stoned McGuire Gomes

    Dier Henderson Lewis Cook Livermore

    Wilshere

    Welbeck

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  10. I think NUFC would beat that team and according to Steven Gerrard and many others we are “Championship standard”.

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  11. And just to show how **** the current squad is lets have a look at the 1996 Euros team that went out to Germany on penalties. And Sir Les was on the bench!!!!

    Seaman (before he was *****)

    Ince Adams Southgate Pearce

    Anderton Platt Gazza McManamamamamanaman.

    Shearer Sheddy Terringham.

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  12. Eric Sykes:
    And just to show how **** the current squad is lets have a look at the 1996 Euros team that went out to Germany on penalties. And Sir Les was on the bench!!!!

    Seaman (before he was *****)

    InceAdams Southgate Pearce

    AndertonPlatt Gazza McManamamamamanaman.

    Shearer Sheddy Terringham.

    just shows how poor our current crop are when you look at that line up mate

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  13. Anyone watching Huddersfield v Palace match…? I guess a draw is best for us here but if not then palace is is next best I guess. … and Palace winning 1-0 so far.

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  14. Yeah, we stay 13th so a good day really. West Brom pretty much gone now. Stoke looking dire too.

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  15. Salah scores 4 and assists another to destroy Watford ??. He’s my fantasy footy captain… ???

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  16. Weekend round up:

    1. Mackems lose again but are only 5 points from safety with 8 games left. How is that possible?

    2. Pards records his 8th loss in a row. 7 wins in 55 games. Troy? Where are you?

    3. Cenk Tosun might save Big Fat Sam’s job.

    4. Mr. Roy might not be the worst PL manager but he is still a coward (remember his non-press conference all of you lame ex-player pundits).

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  17. Gosh it’s **** without Toon playing and the bloody snows back 👿
    Got another weekend without a game to come too. Eng v Neth and v Italy would of made up for it once upon a time but I’m slowly growing tired of the national team . Hopefully it doesn’t wreck our momentum, Hudders will be desperate to get the points more than ever and seem to be a bit of a bogey team for us.

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  18. I think we will destroy Huddersfield Kim. They have lost their mojo big time. Moody is a shadow of his former self, Inc’s confidence is shot and they can’t get near the opposition goal. I think they go down with Stoke and West Brom.

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  19. Shamrock:

    Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. My mother is named Pat and was born on March 17th. They have a parade in Chicago that has like 100s of 1,000s of people go and drink green beer. They put green food dye in the Chicago River as well.

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  20. Shamrock:
    I think we will destroy Huddersfield Kim. They have lost their mojo big time. Moody is a shadow of his former self, Inc’s confidence is shot and they can’t get near the opposition goal. I think they go down with Stoke and West Brom.

    Lost their mojo? Where is baby? Is it shagadelic?

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  21. Shamrock:
    I think we will destroy Huddersfield Kim. They have lost their mojo big time. Moody is a shadow of his former self, Inc’s confidence is shot and they can’t get near the opposition goal. I think they go down with Stoke and West Brom.

    Hope you’re right mate 2 wins and I reckon we are safe, well maybe a draw too .

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  22. Beat Huddersfield and 4 of Five teams will need to get to 36 pts. Southampton and Palace might. But Stoke, West Ham and Huddersfield wont

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  23. Watched the match against Royal Antwerp. Not a very exciting game. The only player to stand out for me was Mbemba who got the assist for the only goal scored by Ritchie. Mbemba looked class but this was not a game to judge anyone good or bad. As usual Yedlin’s crosses were absolute rubbish. Fernandez looked better than Atsu. Seems a good prospect.

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  24. Prem
    Southampton are one of the teams I expect to go down.
    Eight games left and five of them away , with only three at home.
    Their home games are against Chelsea , Man City and a South coast derby against Bournemouth.
    The away games include relegation rivals Swansea and West ham and I can’t see them getting much from their games against Arsenal , Leicester and Everton.

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  25. Games went (mostly) for us again yesterday I feel.
    Prefer palace winning to huddersfield as I don’t see palace dropping. Huddersfield could very well do so tho

    As an aside, Watching Leicester Chelsea today and you can see why Benitez wanted caballero (sp?).. very assured keeping

    PremAndUp:
    Beat Huddersfield and 4 of Five teams will need to get to 36 pts. Southampton and Palace might. But Stoke, West Ham and Huddersfield wont

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  26. Dubai Toon:
    Salah scores 4 and assists another to destroy Watford . He’s my fantasy footy captain…

    They had a “period of applause” before the game for an ex-player I had never heard of who died at age 87. I have some breaking news – old people die. I have said this before but there just seems to be so many of these tributes now. And who is George Molineaux? I had never heard of him.

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  27. This could be the most cynical thing I have ever said but they have gone from a “minute of silence” to a “minute of applause” to now a “period of applause” because fans have never heard of the people they are applauding for anymore because it happens at just about every match. I am not saying do not respect people, I am saying it has turned into some PC exercise now.

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  28. Commentator just said why there was a period of applause. This bloke apparently made 252 appearance for Liverpool between 1955 and 1962. Go to his funeral but why the “period of applause”? What next, will we have moments of applause when the chairman’s grandson’s hamster dies. This is a new thing. They cancelled matches when a player died in Serie A. Of course you can pay tribute to people but when does it end?

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  29. Well, Hughes Saints got a morale boosting win in the cup, so it’s possible we could see a new manager boost from them.

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  30. kimtoon:
    Well, Hughes Saints got a morale boosting win in the cup, so it’s possible we could see a new manager boost from them.

    aye and they play W/H next,that could be very interesting??

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  31. icedog: aye and they play W/H next,that could be very interesting??

    my thoughts too Ice, one of them may well go down this season .

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  32. So, it is the international break which means there is not much happening and it is now time for a Pardew rant. I know he is not our manager anymore but some people on here cristicised me for citicising him and Ugly John. The details …

    Appointed November 29th when West Brom were 4 bottom and had only played 14 games and therefore had 24 left.

    7 wins in last 55 games. 1 win in all of the time he has been at WBA.

    Acting like they were doomed from the start when in fact they have a decent squad and the main gripe before Pards was appointed was that Pulis-ball was boring. Now the Baggies know to be careful what they wish for and how soul destroying Pards and his ugly sidekick can be.

    He talks like he WANTS to be sacked. How must that appear to the players that your manager has given up and just wants a pay off? Where is the pride and why not make a go of it so he can get promoted?

    And the body language. He makes David Moyes look like Rupert-the-bear.

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  33. There seems to be a competition going on for which snarky, overpaid, son of a ***** can be the most miserable. Big Fat Sam, Mourinho, Pards, Moyes, Mark Hughes. My grandfather worked in a coal mine from when he was 13 years old. Try that you self righteous fcks.

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  34. Premandup: sorry I had lashed out at you. I had broken up with my girlfriend and it seemed easier to be angry at you. I think it is called displacement or something like that. Anyway, you took it in so good of a spirit that I am sure your venture will be a success.

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  35. Ice: sometimes I think I am just stating the obvious until I see people disagree – why is Pardew a PL Manager? Rooney is old beyond his years, has slowed down and yet his pundit Pals keep saying he is World Class? Even if Mr. Roy keeps Palace up that does not mean he did a good job in 5 years at England and the pundits should be offering redemption (and he has a better squad than us, Huddersfield, Watford, Burnley, Stoke, Southampton, West Ham). He didn’t make it out of the group in Brasil and lost to Iceland FFS.

    Remember when Harry Redknapp and Pards were being seriously considered for England manager? And then they appoint Southgate!!! And Scotland appoint McCleish. Ask Birmingham or Villa fans about that?

    It is like I am living in an alternative universe sometimes. Troy Stavers even suggested Lee Clark should be NUFC manager 🙂

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  36. Drags like hell when there’s no game to look forward to.

    Eric, plenty more fish in the sea mate, chin up. I been single for 18 years, I’m a born again virgin 😉
    Seriously, there is a lot to be said for singledom you know.

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  37. AND… I am still on this period of applause thing. I recorded the Southampton game and watched again and they have stopped doing this minute of applause on 17 minutes. Of course we want to pay tribute but it all seems so random now.

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  38. kimtoon:
    Drags like hell when there’s no game to look forward to.

    Eric, plenty more fish in the sea mate, chin up. I been single for 18 years, I’m a born again virgin
    Seriously, there is a lot to be said for singledom you know.

    Kimtoon: thanks for your concern. I am not that bothered but every breakup screws with your head a bit. Part of it is the uncertainty of what is to come. I’ll get on Prem’s website, although he has probably blocked me 🙂

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  39. Eric, I don’t miss the head getting screwed bit at all mate, I have enough drama with the lads problems and a partner would get little to nowt of my time in reality. I also have an ex husband who still manages to bring **** to my door one way or another 🙄

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  40. Eric, just remember this quote
    ” I like being single, I’m always there when I need me ” 😉

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  41. Southgate has been given a very bad hand just like Ugly John (after Pards) was, but they are still not qualified for the jobs they were appointed to. They are/were set up for failure.

    Southgate just doesn’t really have any good players apart from Kane. In the past managers failed with actual good players like Gazza, Shearer, Gerrard, Lampard and yes, even Rooney and Beckham. Southgate doesn’t have much choice except to pick very average players. If he was Brian Clough he might make chicken soup out of chicken **** but he is a below average manager so England will get knocked out in the group stage.

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  42. kimtoon:
    Eric, just remember this quote
    ” I like being single, I’m always there when I need me ”

    Have you ever seen the Daily Affirmation with Stuart Smalley? I will find it and post a link. It is a **** take.

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  43. How many of the England probable starters would get into a Man City team, or even the current Liverpool team? 2 and a half is my guess.

    Hart – no

    Walker – yes

    Stones – 4th choice at City now

    Dier – no, mistake prone

    Rose – no

    Henderson – what, are you joking?

    Wilshere – erm… he couldn’t get into the Bournemouth team.

    Lallana – good player, but he would have to bump David Silva

    Sterling – maybe, but competes with Jesus

    Alli – no

    Kane – yes, but then again there is Sergio Aguero

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  44. Eric Sykes:
    Premandup: sorry I had lashed out at you. I had broken up with my girlfriend and it seemed easier to be angry at you. I think it is called displacement or something like that. Anyway, you took it in so good of a spirit that I am sure your venture will be a success.

    No Probs mate. I like your rants, when they are not directed at me. 😀 Hopefully your personal relationships work well. As to my success, you’ll be pleased to know that the word Chimera does not appear on the website any more. It’s early days but looking promising.

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  45. You look at that team and think it is OK but not good enough. There are many weak links that are mistakes waiting to happen – Hart, Dier, Stones, Wilshere, Henderson, Rose.

    On the plus side there are some good players like Walker, Alli and Sterling. And probably one exceptional player – Kane. Is that enough?

    No.

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  46. PremAndUp: No Probs mate. I like your rants, when they are not directed at me.Hopefully your personal relationships work well. As to my success, you’ll be pleased to know that the word Chimera does not appear on the website any more.It’s early days but looking promising.

    Cheers Prem. I went over the top.

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  47. AND… We are 3 months from the World Cup. Do you play your strongest side in the formation that you want to use and get the players used to each other because you only have 10 days and 2 games to get things sorted?

    OR…

    Do you play Joe Hart?

    AND…

    switch half the team on 60 minutes because you really need to have another look at Alfie Mawson who will not play anyway and that’s if he even makes the squad?

    IF…

    you haven’t made up your mind by now you are either a **** manager or Gareth Southgate, or both

    BECAUSE…

    Even Mr. Roy knew who he would play and who would manage the team by now. Step up Wayne: Captain, Leader, de facto Manager. And who would take corners – that would be your number 9 Harry Kane.

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  48. Of course it is important to have Plan B but you have to first have Plan A in place which England do not.

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  49. PremAndUp: No Probs mate. I like your rants, when they are not directed at me.Hopefully your personal relationships work well. As to my success, you’ll be pleased to know that the word Chimera does not appear on the website any more.It’s early days but looking promising.

    Chimera? Wasn’t that a war in the 19th Century with a Light Brigade and stuff like that? And a poem about it? Into the Valley of Death and all that.

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