Gareth Southgate has picked his England squad for the upcoming World Cup and not only has Fabian Delph been picked over Shelvey for the 23-man squad, both Jake Livermore and Lewis Cook have been chosen over the NUFC midfielder as reserve options.
Call-ups for Dier, Henderson and Loftus-Cheek all seem justifiable to me, but including Delph – a player who’s been in and out City’s side as a left-back – is totally bizarre (CLICK HERE to see squad in full)
It gets worse though. Southgate’s named five players who are on a five-man ‘standby’ list, and two include West Brom’s Jake Livermore and Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook. The latter is a talented player who’s done well this season (albeit it nowhere near as talented as Jonjo), but picking Livermore is a disgrace.
Shelvey is excluded for alleged issues over his ‘temperament and discipline’, yet this is a player who stole a taxi on a recent club trip to Barcelona in the midst of West Brom’s fight for survival!
NUFC fans are baffled and rightly so. Here’s some reactions on social media to news that Delph, Livermore and Cook are in Southgate’s plans ahead of Shelvey:
The fact Shelvey isn’t in the squad is a complete insult. The fact Jake Livermore and Lewis Cook are ahead of him as stand by is a complete and utter disgrace.
— Zak Stephenson (@ZakStephenson__) May 16, 2018
#Shelvey hasn’t made the #England squad or the stand-by list.
BUT – Delph has? He’s barely featured all season, and even that was as a LB.
Don’t even get me started on Lewis Cook, Lallana & Livermore on stand-by ?
Oh well. Here’s to not making it out the group ? #nufc
— Harry Phipps-Clark (@PhippsClark) May 16, 2018
LEWIS COOK AND JAKE LIVERMORE ON STANDBY AHEAD OF JONJO SHELVEY. LEWIS COOK AND JAKE. LIVERMORE. pic.twitter.com/AqB9RkHvIi
— NUFC 360 (@NUFC360) May 16, 2018
So Southgate has picked part time Man City left-back Delph & taxi-stealing, coke-sniffing Livermore over Shelvey, all because of Jonjo's 'temperament & discipline."
*cough* Hasn't been booked in 2018, best passer England have *cough*
**** off Gareth! #nufc #eng #wc2018 pic.twitter.com/m2GJtpSCVL
— Black&WhiteBarmy (@BlackWhiteBarmy) May 16, 2018
Nine defenders, Jamaal Lascelles not one of them, Danny Welbeck in the squad, Shelvey not even on the stand by list but Jake Livermore and Lewis Cook are. Gareth Southgate is a very clueless man.
— Adam. (@SimplyMitro) May 16, 2018
I understand Jonjo Shelvey not being in the England World Cup squad, but the fact Lewis Cook & Jake Livermore are on standby ahead of him is laughable. #nufc
— Daniel White (@danwhitepr) May 16, 2018
Why the shock?
How many times has Shelvey been in the squads or near the team, in fact has he even been training with the FA….NO!
BillytheFish(Quote)
Shelvey is a chav. Hes not fit to lace Delphs boots.
Mike Ashley(Quote)
Well said Mike, a Chav ( who just happens to be the only player in contention for a place who can pass the ball forwards and hitting a barn door with a banjo from 60 yards) but no, your right, he can’t lace Delphs boots (because the Chav is too busy spraying accurate passes all over the pitch to worry about a no mark who can’t even lace his own boots)
I’m pleased that Jonjo is not going, ditto Lascelles, as when the mighty England fail to win a game arid are on the first plane out of Russia, Jonjo and Lascelles will be rested and ready for our attack of the premier league….am I selfish…..**** right…..have England disappointed me every tournament since 96 absolutely……as long as it’s jobs for the boys rather than picking players on form and ability……England will win nothing, would we win with Jj and Lascelles? Probably not, but we would be a lot quicker getting up the pitch and we may even score a goal or two…..Livermore ffs…….give me strength
Giimps(Quote)
Couldn’t agree more with Giimps
sadSafcbdard(Quote)
Wholeheartedly agree
Devon NUFC(Quote)
Ok Mike Ashley..
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Livermore deserves to be in the23 not on standby shelvey not good enough to lace his boots
Roy Amphlett(Quote)
Personally I believe that Shelvey should be included but the arguments for him and against Livermore are just getting silly now.
In the heat of the moment, 1-0 down in a quarter final when things start to get a bit prickly, who wouldn’t put a fiver on the opposition targeting Shelvey, him losing the plot, the red mist coming down and he’s off for an early bath, knocking us down to 10 men, and not being available for the semi.
What’s going to happen with Livermore? A heated discussion with the opposition number 10, who tries to provoke him by waving the keys to an Ice Cream van at him?
If I was Southgate, I know which one I’d be more concerned about.
We really need to stop comparing a one – off drunken episode with a long term, dodgy, on-pitch disciplinary record.
It’s a bit like leaving the family pitbull to babysit your kid. It should be OK – he hasn’t savaged anyone for weeks.
Rob Brown(Quote)