Jonjo Shelvey was anonymous as Newcastle United were held by Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday.
Steve Bruce has admitted to the Shields Gazette that Jonjo Shelvey was ‘frustrated and disappointed’ by his own performance during Newcastle United’s goalless Premier League draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
And he wasn’t the only one.
Newcastle needed Shelvey to be at his string-pulling best against a new-look Brighton at St James’ Park but the former England international produced an anonymous display as Graham Potter’s side dominated over 70 per cent of the ball on Tyneside.
Shelvey managed just 38 touches of the ball before he was hooked in the second half and he understandably looked far from happy when Ki Sung-Yueng came on in his place.
“He’s as frustrated and disappointed as probably I was, especially in the first half,” the former Sunderland and Wigan boss said after the game, while playing down talk of a disagreement with the midfielder.
“When we changed it in the second half, I thought he was better, but there was no problem (with Shelvey).”
Newcastle have averaged the lowest possession per game in the Premier League this season and a failure to get the best out of the enigmatic Shelvey, who is by far and away the best distributor at Bruce’s disposal, is hardly helping matters.
If Bruce wants to get The Magpies on the front foot and start to put their own stamp on proceedings, the former Liverpool youngster is the answer.
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