Lloyd Kelly

[RED4LIFE]

1 hour ago, JonDolman said:

Is he already our best player? Absolute perfection in almost everything he does. Decision making absolutely spot on every time it seems. Incredible talent. I think he is equally brilliant at left back or centre back. I much prefer Pisano in the middle to full back, so Johnson made the right choice swapping them imo. Kelly is a joy to watch wherever he plays. Wouldn't surprise me if he did a brilliant job as a holding midfielder too. He has the technique, reading of the game, pace, strength, nothing the kid can't do. 

Until he scorpion kicks one into the top corner from the edge of our own box I'm calling lies on that comment 

Seriously though, he was excellent tonight. Composed, balanced and knew exactly what to do and when to do it.

Early days, but looks like the best player to come through our academy for a very long time.

[Harry]

1 hour ago, NW2 Red said:

Wasn't it obvious that he was the player to replace JB? And as a result JB will not be missed. Why is anyone at all surprised?

 

Yep. I’ve been saying it since this time last year. 

[Davefevs]

1 minute ago, Harry said:

Yep. I’ve been saying it since this time last year. 

Thought he was a bit casual first half, but strong second half....composed late on with chest pass to NM.

I really thought 35+ games was hopeful this season, but gonna be difficult to not see him be ever-present for the rest of the season.

I think he raises the performance of others with the way he plays.

[wendyredredrobin]

His best position is LB imo and he is a big strong lad for a 19 year old.  Ive been impressed with him from his first game and felt that he had potential.  I think he will be even better than Joe with a bit more experience. I am completely comfortable with him as first choice LB.

[Kodjias Wrist]

Interesting when reading ratings and listening to the phone in. As he is a promising clun grown talent some fans just want to see him do well and I feel tend to overrate him.

Sure I think he has been assured out of the several games I have seen him play as a left back, and rarely put a foot wrong in that position. But going forward for me he is lacking and maybe this is due to the fact that Bryan was such an attacking full back.

Just my opinnion of course and hope he lives up to his potential in the England set up one day!

[cidered abroad]

2 hours ago, Sturny said:

Such a joy to watch tonight. Is it me or is he getting faster ? 

He is probably reading the game better. 

[pillred]

3 hours ago, marcofisher said:

Crazy how he has gone from a non starter to the most important defender within 5 games, albeit with the departure of Joey. This kid has a big future. 

now we can see why letting joe go was not the disaster some on here were predicting, give the club some credit. looks like they knew something after all.

[sglosbcfc]

3 hours ago, Brann-red said:

He was that good that  I’m going to get my vasectomy reversed tomorrow , impregnate the wife ( lucky her ) and then name the resultant child Lloyd- burden myself with 18 years of debt just as a result of this one game ... over reaction ... ? Nope I’m comfortable this isn’t ... 

I want to as well....impregnate your wife

[REDOXO]

3 hours ago, daored said:

This lad was class tonight , an absolute prospect of a player. Keep him at centre half 

Pay more attention!!!!

[David Brent]

By the way, it’s possible that Kelly AND Bryan are both good players. Future looks safe at left back.

[simon uk]

Kelly is superb, best defender ive seen play for us since caulker, who had a similar impact at a similar age. 

[RedorDead BCFC]

6 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

He is probably reading the game better. 

He also had an injury hit pre-season so getting up to full match fitness as well. 

 

Listening to the commentator on Sky red button, he was raving about Lloyd throughout the game, saying that he looks like he’s going to go far in his career.

I think I read that these commentators are home based and work for the home clubs, for the of games on the red button? If true it was good to hear from a rival prospective. 

[redsince1994]

34 minutes ago, RedorDead BCFC said:

He also had an injury hit pre-season so getting up to full match fitness as well. 

 

Listening to the commentator on Sky red button, he was raving about Lloyd throughout the game, saying that he looks like he’s going to go far in his career.

I think I read that these commentators are home based and work for the home clubs, for the of games on the red button? If true it was good to hear from a rival prospective. 

Yeah definitely QPR commentators. Referred to all their players by their first names from what I heard!

[JoeAman08]

6 hours ago, Kodjias Wrist said:

Interesting when reading ratings and listening to the phone in. As he is a promising clun grown talent some fans just want to see him do well and I feel tend to overrate him.

Sure I think he has been assured out of the several games I have seen him play as a left back, and rarely put a foot wrong in that position. But going forward for me he is lacking and maybe this is due to the fact that Bryan was such an attacking full back.

Just my opinnion of course and hope he lives up to his potential in the England set up one day!

If there is any kind of overrating of LK it is because he is such a better defender than Joe. He is a defender and actually does it well. No, he isn’t as good as Joe going forward but always feels safer than JB. He probably has a better cross on him and won’t get caught too far forward. We are already such an attacking team that I don’t believe we need LK to perform like JB. 

9 hours ago, JonDolman said:

Didn't Brentford reject 15 million for Mepham? Well I wouldn't accept that for Lloyd either. Mepham is a superb defender, and are both potentially high end prem players in the future. 

Beleive they did reject a large amount for him. Only thing he has got going for him more than LK is that he is Welsh and will be(already is?) an international player at a young age. We need to look at LK the way Brentford do Mepham. He is the gem of our squad and we need to play him and I’d look at his contract again and try and get him an extra year though having 3 after this season puts us in a strong position

[Snufflelufagus]

7 hours ago, Kodjias Wrist said:

Interesting when reading ratings and listening to the phone in. As he is a promising clun grown talent some fans just want to see him do well and I feel tend to overrate him.

Sure I think he has been assured out of the several games I have seen him play as a left back, and rarely put a foot wrong in that position. But going forward for me he is lacking and maybe this is due to the fact that Bryan was such an attacking full back.

Just my opinnion of course and hope he lives up to his potential in the England set up one day!

I would agree not as good going forward as Bryan. But i really would like our defenders to just focus on defending. We wingers for the attacking. The teams up the top and certainly those that get promoted don't let many goals in.

[Mad Cyril]

Looks like we are going to be paying out a chunky penalty clause to Chelsea, because Dasilva isn't going to get game time at left back anytime soon....

[Redtucks]

28 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

If there is any kind of overrating of LK it is because he is such a better defender than Joe. He is a defender and actually does it well. No, he isn’t as good as Joe going forward but always feels safer than JB. He probably has a better cross on him and won’t get caught too far forward. We are already such an attacking team that I don’t believe we need LK to perform like JB. 

Totally agree.

 

[cidered abroad]

9 hours ago, JonDolman said:

Didn't Brentford reject 15 million for Mepham? Well I wouldn't accept that for Lloyd either. Mepham is a superb defender, and are both potentially high end prem players in the future. 

I have not seen such an assured City Academy boy as Lloyd Kelly. For me,he is up there with Merrick, Ritchie, Gow and Collier, who all did it in the first team at younger ages than Bryan and Reid.

I appreciate that football had changed in forty years but we must enjoy him while we have him. The clubs at the top if the Prem and possibly abroad will already be watching him very closely. I first saw him three seasons ago in Wade Elliott under 23 side and knew then that we have a gem to polish.

He will break our outgoing transfer record by many millions.

[hoxton casual]

10 hours ago, RedDave said:

Hesitant first half but excellent second

Wonderful defender,. Sorry to go against the grain however, but  his failure to get forward sometimes put us  under pressure. He looked like he had a nose bleed when he passed the half way line.  This is a real shame, and he has pace to burn and a wonderful left foot. If he plays regularly in a team playing well, hopefully that confidence comes. From what I say of Da Silva he was a massive threat going forward. Only saw Da Silva him for 15 minutes and Mboro were sitting back, so I dont know whether he can also defend. Also DaSilva is very small and Kelly's height really helps at times.

[DirtySanchez]

For a 19 year old in the Championship, strong, calm and excellent on the ball. A great replacement for Joe Bryan.

[BobBobSuperBob]

1 minute ago, hoxton casual said:

Wonderful defender,. Sorry to go against the grain however, but  his failure to get forward sometimes put us  under pressure. He looked like he had a nose bleed when he passed the half way line.  This is a real shame, and he has pace to burn and a wonderful left foot. If he plays regularly in a team playing well, hopefully that confidence comes. From what I say of Da Silva he was a massive threat going forward. Only saw Da Silva him for 15 minutes and Mboro were sitting back, so I dont know whether he can also defend. Also DaSilva is very small and Kelly's height really helps at times.

I’d much rather he concentrates on his defending and positioning (Which has noticeably improved over the three games I’ve seen him at CB)  atm HC

Tbf last night was not the night to have him bombing forward too much , especially first half, the first goal last night to whichever side  was massive 

Personally I think he probably never be the threat JB was in the middle and final thirds but he has all the attributes to be a top centre half in the modern game (Bit more upper body strength and experience to top up)

A potential very good Rio Ferdinand style centre half

 

[italian dave]

11 hours ago, JonDolman said:

Is he already our best player? Absolute perfection in almost everything he does. Decision making absolutely spot on every time it seems. Incredible talent. I think he is equally brilliant at left back or centre back. I much prefer Pisano in the middle to full back, so Johnson made the right choice swapping them imo. Kelly is a joy to watch wherever he plays. Wouldn't surprise me if he did a brilliant job as a holding midfielder too. He has the technique, reading of the game, pace, strength, nothing the kid can't do. 

Agree. Simply the best prospect to come through our youth set up in the 50'years I've watched City.

And yes, good switch by LJ last night. I head some grumbles about him tinkering again, but QPR had a bit of pace on both wings, and Pisano may hav e many attributes but pace isn't one of them. Sensible switch and they both had good games. 

[italian dave]

54 minutes ago, hoxton casual said:

Wonderful defender,. Sorry to go against the grain however, but  his failure to get forward sometimes put us  under pressure. He looked like he had a nose bleed when he passed the half way line.  This is a real shame, and he has pace to burn and a wonderful left foot. If he plays regularly in a team playing well, hopefully that confidence comes. From what I say of Da Silva he was a massive threat going forward. Only saw Da Silva him for 15 minutes and Mboro were sitting back, so I dont know whether he can also defend. Also DaSilva is very small and Kelly's height really helps at times.

True, I suspect he'll end up a central defender. Funnily enough, he looked more threatening coming forward from central defence a couple of times against Boro than last night!

[Lrrr]

Hold onto Lloyd for a couple of seasons and we're looking at him making a big money move to the premier league

[Cowshed]

1 hour ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

I’d much rather he concentrates on his defending and positioning (Which has noticeably improved over the three games I’ve seen him at CB)  atm HC

Tbf last night was not the night to have him bombing forward too much , especially first half, the first goal last night to whichever side  was massive 

Personally I think he probably never be the threat JB was in the middle and final thirds but he has all the attributes to be a top centre half in the modern game (Bit more upper body strength and experience to top up)

A potential very good Rio Ferdinand style centre half

 

Have you seen him outside the XI? 

I watched a little of him before and make a similar guarded observation. His interplay is different, more conservative and at this point does not get beyond the ball. If City want attacking full backs who add a bit of complexity in the final third he appears not to be a replacement for Joe Bryan.

[Olé]

12 hours ago, handsofclay said:

Maenpa was solid and commanded his area except for one rush of blood.

Including the other games this season I'n not sure I'd say he was commanding yet. He certainly looked comfortable yesterday dealing with shots, but then that was always pretty safe ground for Fielding too. Thus far no evidence his reflexes are as good as Frankie (certainly not at Bolton), and the weaknesses we were trying to address - both distribution and rushing out - both seem issues here as well.

First half he made one good save and immediately tried to throw it out to the left wing, but totally over-threw the ball straight out for a throw in, from which QPR crafted their best chance of the game. Can you imagine the meltdown a) if they'd scored and b) it was Frankie. Just a reminder, as it's largely what Fielding has been written off for (though a timely reminder LJ asks them to get the ball out there)

On the subject of Lloyd Kelly, everything has been said already, but just to add - the thing that is remarkable is the focus and the strength for one so young. The customary blooding in period for City academy players where you have to put up with weeks of mistakes or getting hustled off the ball. We had the odd mistake last season but he goes whole games with a focus on getting all the basics perfect.

And there was a moment yesterday (as there was on Saturday) where he tracked and out-muscled an opponent for the ball and completed the job by tidying up with a pass forward. It shouldn't be this easy for a player of his age to be doing that to established professional footballers, but by god am I glad we have him, as with time he is going to be absolutely renowned for his quality as a defensive player. 

[Cowshed]

2 minutes ago, Olé said:

Including the other games this season I'n not sure I'd say he was commanding yet. He certainly looked comfortable yesterday dealing with shots, but then that was always pretty safe ground for Fielding too. Thus far no evidence his reflexes are as good as Frankie (certainly not at Bolton), and the weaknesses we were trying to address - both distribution and rushing out - both seem issues here as well.

First half he made one good save and immediately tried to throw it out to the left wing, but totally over-threw the ball straight out for a throw in, from which QPR crafted their best chance of the game. Can you imagine the meltdown a) if they'd scored and b) it was Frankie. Just a reminder, as it's largely what Fielding has been written off for (though a timely reminder LJ asks them to get the ball out there)

 

Being a stats nerd v Fielding its hard to see difference in metrics as the sample size is too small, except one. Distribution. Maenpaa is approx 12% more accurate. Over a season that can be hundreds more possessions of the football to not defend and attack with.

[EnderMB]

I've been saying for a while now that we need to take a chance on our academy graduates, and I hope that Kelly's performance makes LJ think about not only keeping him in the squad, but putting a message out to our current and future academy hopefuls that we promote from within, and that anyone that does well in our academy has the opportunity to light the Championship up.

[BobBobSuperBob]

46 minutes ago, Cowshed said:

Have you seen him outside the XI? 

I watched a little of him before and make a similar guarded observation. His interplay is different, more conservative and at this point does not get beyond the ball. If City want attacking full backs who add a bit of complexity in the final third he appears not to be a replacement for Joe Bryan.

Sorry mate - I’m being dumb here

ouside the X1 ?

[JoeAman08]

39 minutes ago, Cowshed said:

Have you seen him outside the XI? 

I watched a little of him before and make a similar guarded observation. His interplay is different, more conservative and at this point does not get beyond the ball. If City want attacking full backs who add a bit of complexity in the final third he appears not to be a replacement for Joe Bryan.

Idk what LJ wants but our central midfield do not cover well enough for us to have two attacking FBs. Hunt and Kelly may be our best bet to a more balanced side who’s problem has been conceding too many goals. Clean sheet last night and I know QPR were poor but we needed that last night at LK was a good contributor to that. 

 

30 minutes ago, Olé said:

Including the other games this season I'n not sure I'd say he was commanding yet. He certainly looked comfortable yesterday dealing with shots, but then that was always pretty safe ground for Fielding too. Thus far no evidence his reflexes are as good as Frankie (certainly not at Bolton), and the weaknesses we were trying to address - both distribution and rushing out - both seem issues here as well.

First half he made one good save and immediately tried to throw it out to the left wing, but totally over-threw the ball straight out for a throw in, from which QPR crafted their best chance of the game. Can you imagine the meltdown a) if they'd scored and b) it was Frankie. Just a reminder, as it's largely what Fielding has been written off for (though a timely reminder LJ asks them to get the ball out there)

On the subject of Lloyd Kelly, everything has been said already, but just to add - the thing that is remarkable is the focus and the strength for one so young. The customary blooding in period for City academy players where you have to put up with weeks of mistakes or getting hustled off the ball. We had the odd mistake last season but he goes whole games with a focus on getting all the basics perfect.

And there was a moment yesterday (as there was on Saturday) where he tracked and out-muscled an opponent for the ball and completed the job by tidying up with a pass forward. It shouldn't be this easy for a player of his age to be doing that to established professional footballers, but by god am I glad we have him, as with time he is going to be absolutely renowned for his quality as a defensive player. 

Like LK it just feels safer with Maenpaa back there. I doubt his reflexes are the same to FF as it the one attribute FF has that I rate above championship level. 

Maenpaa just seems to have a calmness about him in most other aspects. He made a mistake last night but is the nature of keepers. Mind you I like FF and think the stick he gets is OTT. That said Maenpaa, to me, just gives me a sense of calm. The distribution seems better but he also seems to know when to play it out quick and when not to. I thought FF worst attribute was his ability to slow our game down and NM is much quicker getting the ball out of his hands. It is a small sample size but seems an upgrade on FF. Then again so did Richard O’Donnell. On a free for a season it seems fantastic business though.

LK I could watch defend all day. As you say he is so calm and makes things look so easy at times. Saturday impressed because he did not back down from the physical challenge of Assombolonga but can also turn his hips quick enough to stay with wingers. Classy defender and I hope we see a lot of him before the inevitable sale in a couple seasons.