Former Liverpool midfielder Shelvey has played for two of Britain’s biggest teams in the shape of the Reds and current club Newcastle but has stated he wouldn’t want to play for another big club in the shape of Leeds United.
This came as Shelvey made comment on Leeds’ style of play as many have done so this season. Leeds have torn up the rule book this campaign with their approach. Manager Marcelo Bielsa has them almost constantly running whilst playing an attacking brand of football that saw Leeds beat Shelvey’s Newcastle 5-2 earlier this season.
In fact it was Leeds’ two victories over Newcastle that truly revealed to Shelvey how much the Leeds team run as he tried to follow opposite number Rodrigo in midfield. He told the Studs Up podcast, “He [Rodrigo] was meant to be playing centre-midfield, and he was just all over the place.
“I said to him, ‘Geez, can you just stand still for one minute? Because you’re just running round like a nutcase.’
Rodrigo’s response was telling as it revealed the demands Marcelo Bielsa puts on his players. Shelvey recounted, “But he goes, ‘I must do, I must do. My manager tells me I must do.’”
It was that which led to Shelvey jokingly saying, “I couldn’t play for Leeds.”
We will see more of the two club’s contrasting styles this weekend as Newcastle meet West Brom and Leeds battle high flying West Ham.
