What Does Sutton Know?

So Chris Sutton watched Newcastle United for 90 minutes yesterday and on the back of that one game alone declared that Swansea were mad to sell them the troublemaker that is Jonjo Shelvey to a side after a decent enough debut even if he managed to embroil himself in trouble during it.

Shelvey was the media darling for 45 minutes yesterday after completing a whopping 2 passes in moves that led to goals despite having assists for neither of the two goals that the home side scored.

Sutton will also do well to remember his words in months and years to come when Shelvey finds that things are not going his way and his head drops and he starts the traditional sulks that have blighted his time at both Liverpool and Swansea.

There is little doubt that the player has talent but sadly all too often that talent is shadowed by a poor temperament and a petulance that makes him a player that you just love to hate.

Even yesterday having had a decent start to his new career he spoiled it with a lazy elbow/push off the ball that could yet see him punished by the FA and then you will wonder if Sutton still thinks that we were mad to get rid of him.

The former Premier League winner said on BBC Final score yesterday "Why Swansea sold him I still don't know. I think they are absolutely mad selling him to relegation rivals.

"He pulled the strings. He's a player. I look at Swansea, they have [Jack] Cork and [Leon] Britton and for me he's a better footballer than them."

I think it is fair to say that Shelvey never pulled the strings for us and whilst he may be capable of being a better player than either of the two mentioned all too often he failed to show it and ultimately that is why we made the decision to sell him.

And there will come a time in the not too distant future where Newcastle - and the media pundits like Sutton - realise that.

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