OPINION
Newcastle United fans had plenty to smile about on Saturday after picking up their second successive Premier League win with a 2-1 victory at St. James’ Park over Bournemouth, but that didn’t stop many supporters from piling in on one player in particular. Jonjo Shelvey received a lot of praise for his outing in the 3-2 win over West Ham last weekend, and it was ultimately his 30-yard free kick that won his side all three points in the capital. But this time around, he was altogether less impressive. Wasteful in possession and worryingly immobile in the centre of the park, this was a day to forget for the playmaker, who assumed the captain’s armband after 20 minutes or so when Jamaal Lascelles was taken off with injury. There were still flashes of brilliance – the odd trademark diagonal here and there – but overall this was not a great day at the office. The warning signs were there last week though. Shelvey’s goal arguably papered over a lot of cracks in his performance. His pass success rate, for example, was just 58.8% against the Hammers, as per Whoscored, and just one of those passes was considered to be a key ball. Unfortunately for Shelvey, this weekend felt a lot more like a manifestation of that kind of shaky form.
Nothing But Newcastle have gathered some of the best tweets below:
