Jonjo Shelvey made his England debut against San Marino in October 2012 but has been ignored by Roy Hodgson ever since, largely due to the job of midfield creator-in-chief being left down to Jack Wilshere.
However, injury has struck one too many times for the Arsenal man and it was finally time for Hodgson to try out a different tactic. It is no secret that England play better when they have a player with the passing range of Wilshere, or indeed the sometimes forgotten Michael Carrick, and this is due to the style Hodgson makes his teams play, as well as the width he has taught England to keep. A man that can ping a ball 50-odd yards, directly to feet, is a man that England need.
Shelvey, who has had a remarkable few years for Swansea City, proved his value to the England side with constant scheming balls that wreaked havoc on the awful turf provided by San Marino. It is not through luck that England created so many chances: this man was happy to sit in a similar position that Xabi Alonso once did for Spain, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and now Bayern Munich on occasion. This meant that James Milner and Ross Barkley, both players that prefer to be involved further up the pitch, could sit up and not worry about gaping holes at the back.
Without forgetting that Shelvey’s latest cap was against a side ranked 193rd in the world, and there will certainly be much tougher tests in the future, this unselfish game is the one that England have always craved. Owen Hargeaves was brilliant at it, but not quite the creative force the evolved game now needs. Shelvey has the makings of a true general in the modern game. He observes, waits in his area of the pitch, helps with the hustle in retrieving possession, and then unleashes a premeditated pass that only true vision can provide. And what if it goes wrong? He’s the first man to be screaming at teammates to take up their positions again; his tactical awareness is a rarity and not easily taught.
So why does he deserve to be in this England side for years to come? At the moment, he doesn’t. Just like in any team, Shelvey needs to prove his worth across several games. However, his ability to hold up the opposition attacks and split open their defences is a promising start. Not all of his ideas work out, but the chemistry is still building and, at 23, he could be a key cog in this new-look England side.
The problem found with many recent deep midfielders is their inability to hold that position. ‘Holding that position’ doesn’t mean Shelvey cannot venture out of his own half, it simply means he must stay between the two other midfielders and the defence for the majority of the game. Steven Gerrard found this too difficult and was exposed because he wanted to do it all for England, but that criticism is a little harsh because he was never a deep-lying midfielder. Fabian Delph finds the temptation to venture forward almost too much, and he certainly doesn’t have the passing range of Shelvey. Even Jordan Henderson isn’t suited to it: it’d be a waste of his fantastic engine that allows him to roam up and down for 90 minutes. Some argue Barkley should take the role, but it would stunt his growth as an attacking midfielder. All these players mentioned need a foil, in the shape of Wilshere or Shelvey, to allow them to showcase their true talents.
Don’t read into this the wrong way: Shelvey ventures forward too, but he has a calculated mind. If the play has been building up around the opposition box for a while, he will move forward, but this is necessary sometimes and fits with the fluidity used in modern tactics.
The pace of Raheem Sterling, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and others can be used to its full potential with Shelvey playing deep. Many teams playing with a deep defensive line are quite effective against pacey sides, so the best option is to hit early balls for the forwards to chase – a specialty of Shelvey’s. As well as this, he has the calm head and clarity to pick out inch perfect through balls if play does get congested further up the field. The only player arguably more valuable in this position is the aforementioned Wilshere, but he needs to be fit to play before any arguments can be had.
The deep midfield position is clearly important, with it being the most influential position in for England in most games across the past year or two: if that player plays well, England usually do, if not, England won’t.
So with Shelvey providing the ‘pivot’ for turning attack into defence, England suddenly have a dearth of options. Provided Hodgson sticks to his 4-3-3 formation, it allows him to make the most of his remaining midfielders. In games where industry is needed over flair, the manager can deploy Henderson and/or Milner further up to increase the pressure, with any loose balls being mopped up and turned into attacks or, in certain circumstances, possession-retention by Shelvey.
In games where creativity is needed in the higher up positions, Barkley, Wilshere and Adam Lallana can be called upon. However, the real bonus comes with Wayne Rooney. The Manchester United star will eventually move to a deeper role and, for this to work, the team needs a dedicated sweeper. This sweeper needn’t be a world-class defender, but simply someone with the discipline to know where the team needs them to play. Whether England stick with 4-3-3 when this time comes or change to a 4-4-2 diamond formation remains to be seen, but the role will not differ too much. Rooney, whilst hard-working and an asset when off-the-ball, is never going to be too bothered about defending, and why should he be? He is the gem of the attacking talent available.
So, with Hodgson’s future on the line in the next ten months, why not build the foundations for Swansea’s maestro to become England’s puppeteer and allow the nation to make the most of its other midfielders? Shelvey may not be the star name everyone wanted, but he gets on with the job that few want, doing it very well in the process.
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