The papers are suggesting that while he is playing quite well, he seem subdued and can barely raise himself to berate a linesman. In the silence that has become SJP, you could hear him bawling at the lads defending a corner quite clearly, but he does seem a bit less fired up nowadays. I was discussing this with the lads in the Strawberry on Saturday and the view in at least one quarter was that Shearer may retire far earlier than expected - possibly only playing a few games even next season. Views? On a related point, the Times was great on SHP today, saying that it is aching for the next step now.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

Answers

Always happy to believe the worst aren't ya....

IF Shearer isn't up to his usual antics with Linesmen and Refs then I for one am happier, it only tends to piss them off anyway and that we can do without....it also cuts down the chances of him being booked for dissent...

What's SHP?

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

what bizarre leap of logic leads you to think he will only be playing a few games for us next season?

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

I'm relating a conversation I had after the match. Shearer played OK but not really with anything approaching passion: fire gone out of his guts was the conclusion of a couple of lads in the Strawberry.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

There is always the possibility he had an off day (Flu perhaps, it apparrently is going around). Lets not contribute to another "Shearer is finished" fiasco.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

You're ALL missing the point - I am repeating a debate I had with some others on Saturday after the game. We agreed that we'd have to get used to sometimes playing without him and/or Ferguson if we really want to be contenders. Personally, I think he's shagged and could do with a few games off.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

Dougal, I guess you must be referring to your conversations with Dr Bill, Softie, Jonno, Rik, Brad and Steph - 'cos you're not talking to me ;-)

Anyway - I hope we can get to the position where we voluntarily can play games without Shearer and Ferguson. That would mean we have quality cover to fill the gap. That is not the case right now. Did anyone have an idea of where these extra resources might come from?? It's not riht to expect a player to be on top of his form all season. Cover has to be provided. But until we get rid of the dross, we're stuck with what we've got. Maybe 'pool will have a clearout of strikers in the close season ;-)

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

I don't remember this conversation - pissed again! I vaguely remember a discussion about how Shearer doesn't score spectacular goals but tends to put away all the shots you expect to get finished off (except Saturday of course). I remember disagreeing cos I thought his goals against Blackburn were top drawer - the timing of the runs was absolutely spot-on. I realise it's not in the same league as some of the goals he was scoring when he first arrived (I'm thinking of that beauty at Stamford Bridge and his finishes from within defender sandwiches against the Wombles and Spurs) I just think he's tired. He wasn't overexerting himself on the training pitch during the closed season and has spent most of the time since YBR arrived wrapped in cotton wool, so it's amazing that he sustained as high a workrate as he did for the last 5 months.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

Aye, 'tis me. Back from the brink of near total BBS-lesness to fully submerge myself in an unjustified high regard of my own opinion :-)

Anyways, I only got to see the pathetic 20 sec coverage that MOTD managed to pour out on Saturday (last up as usual). Can't make any comment about the game, other than thank God for Kevin Gallacher, and wor Al was just unlucky not to put two away...I don't think two off the uprights can lead to any conclusions other than Shearer being a bit unlucky that game. Probably balances out the 5 vs Sheff Wed, eh :- )

Hope you're all glowing with happiness and prepared to give the Mackems what for when we rise like Godzilla from the depths of second bottom to overtake them in their "title bid" and "European qualification"...I'm tittering at the very thought :-)

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000