Liverpool FC Forum

[Scottbot]

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.

[Benny The Noon]

Flanagan because I think Kelly should be at CB .

[Ben Patrick]

its hard to say at the moment Scott, simply because we havent seen Kelly at centre back.
Maybe Kenny will give it a go pre season.
At this moment in time i would go with Kelly, he looks the better all round player but i would like to see him play in the middle.

[jacdaniel]

I think Kelly has been a bit better to be honest.  You have to keep in mind that Kelly was chucked into the first team when we couldn't buy a win and had zero confidence.  He did a great job defensively and never gave anything away.  He also did a good job going forward and contributed to a lot to attacks.  I think we missed him when he got injured.   Kelly was also very disciplined.

Flanno also looks like he'll be a very good player but I think he is a bit more immature/unpredicatable than Kelly for now.   Against Newcastle i think, Flanno had a very tough first half and was lucky to still be on the field at half time.  Kenny had to switch him to LB that day.  Think he also gave away a pen in one game, although if i remember correctly it was very harsh.

Kelly for now IMO with Flanno not far behind at all.

[Waldo]

I think Kelly will ultimately end up at CB and be a bloody good one at that but he will continue to play RB for the next season or so.

But...will he be 1st choice RB or will Johnson? Will Johnson be pushed forward to RM (which I like the idea of) thus allowing Kelly to move into CB earlier alongside Carra and/or Agger/Skrtel or will Kelly form part of a 3 man defense which many believe is KK's preferred formation for the back line?

The emergence of Flanno and Robinson means we have great cover in the FB areas.

[Johnny Boy]

It's just nice we have the choice.

At the moment out of the two I would go for Kelly, I think he is physically stronger, slightly better going forward and his height is also an advantage from set pieces.

That said, I would pick Johnson as first , I think since Kenny took over he has been outstanding.

If the coaching team feel Kelly could adapt and be a centre back that is probably a good option, would save the club money too and mean we could have Johnson/Flanagan as right back options.

[metalhead]

If we don't end up buying a center back this transfer, then shifting Kelly to CB might be a good idea. Good in the air, good positional sense, loves to tackle and carry the ball forward, makings of a really good CB.

I would like to see Flanagan play more games next season, but I think its going to be difficult for the young lad because he is only 18 and you have Johnson and Kelly in the top of the pecking order. Let's see though, both look like they will be excellent players in the future.

[metalhead]

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.

I think he will in the end, once he gets more games under his belt and mature as a player he will have the confidence to bomb forward and go on the overlap. I really think he should work on his final ball and crossing, other than that he looks good

[stmichael]

Kelly is the more gifted and established of the two at the moment so I'd say him, even though I really like Flanagan's attitude. Long term I see Kelly more as a replacement for Carra at centre back when he finally hangs up his boots.

[Scottbot]

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.

[maguskwt]

Kelly IMO... he's ready to be in the starting line up... Flanno needs to improve abit more...

[Greavesie]

Kelly easily for me, Flanno still looks a bit rusty in areas of his game for me and I fear his age/inexperience makes him a little liable, he has a LOT to learn still as well. Though I'd trust Flanno to come into the side and do a job should he be required, I don't want Flanno to go down the Insua route, he needs nurtured. Kelly's good at getting forward and has arguably the best cross in the side and has matured a lot recently

Though as a lot of people say, its nice that there's options flying about. Have to say I prefer Robbo out of the two and he's great cover at left back as well.

3 right backs does offer a selection headache. I do think Kelly will be pushed inside at time goes on, though my concern is that he seems good at getting forward and it might take that away, on the other hand a centre back who's good with the ball at his feet is something we're killing for

[The Good Yank]

I agree with most that as of right now Kelly is the more polished article of the two for RB.  But I also agree that I'd like to see Kelly moved inside at some point in the not too distant future.  I think Flannagan will end up being a very good RB and offers decent cover for both fullback spots.  I prefer Robinson on the left over Flannagan, but not by a whole lot.

[SouthCoastShankly]

Based on the fact that Kelly will not get regular action at CB this season, he is my pick for RB.

[Kukilon]

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.

I agree. Flanagan has been a lot better going forward and defensively it's about a tie for me.