Looks like a canny bit of business now, doesn't it?

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Answers

Who's to say that ,if he carried on with out training methods instead of trying to keep up with O'Leary's kids, he'd still be playing now. Mind you our training methods hardly prompt injury free seasons do they?!

I still think Batty's departure signalled the downturn in our fortunes. Coincidence?

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

LOL. Aaprt from the fact that the money was spent to buy Duncan Ferguson ((-;

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Didn't notice us lose the ability to pass the ball sideways once he left :-) Did notice us start to win the aerial battle in midfield once Speed moved inside. No point in having a ball-winner if he never does anything useful with it. That's why Viera and Keane(spit) are a tad more useful to have around. He was invaluable when he was there to balance the creativity of Ginola, Beardsley, Gillespie and Lee (in those days) but once we reverted to Kenny's Master Plan of all standing in our half, he ceased to be an asset. At least, that's one way of looking at it he said, making a conscious effort to be more accomadating than the press he has been villifying for being opinionated :-)

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

And that was bad??!

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Signing Ferguson I mean!

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Ah, the problem is that people feel we were fleeced because of large Duncan's 8mil fee. This shows a failure to grasp the fact that Ferguson would have cost upwards of 15mil if it weren't for his injury problems. The sense of security we get when he is playing and 90% fit is worth a damn site more than we paid for him. We get our 15mil striker worth 20mil when they play together. Sod the 11 goals and X no of assists last season, forget the fact that while he was playing alongside Al even the Murdoch-machine began to talk about NUFC as a force to be reckoned with again, but only so long as both were playing. It was significant that 3 of Al's finest performances last season were without Dunc alongside, and despite the outstanding attitude and committment from our skipper, we only managed a win and a draw in those games. Ferguson adds something exceptional to this team when he's fit; I'd have paid 12mil if I'd known what he was capable of despite the layoffs. Simply can't put a price on that goal against Heath and whilst I loved Batty when he was here, I'd swap him without a thought to see that big fella lashing the ball into the net and gurning at us like a madman or scaring the living sh*te out of Brazillian divers from Serie A.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Couldn't agree more Softie. The things that Ferguson has in common with Shearer are those not normally apparant to the normal man. The effect they have on the rest of the team and each other makes up a formidable combination. Hidden qualities.

If we can get Shearer and Ferguson to play somewhere aroud 75% of next seasons games together, then we'll be in the top 5 in the Prem. We can't expect either of them to play every game. When Ferguson is on fire he will get a few bookings and suspensions but that would do him no harm if he had a rest.

It has been said on here before. Two international strikers who only play for us, this must be every managers dream!

Any striker that signs this summer will be third choice at best. Guaranteed as much as Keegan will pick Shearer next Monday.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Ferguson didn't have a single good game after the Heath game either, probably cos he was injured or carrying a strain. I seem to remember a certain 8-0 where Ferguson wasn't involved.... Don't get me wrong, I adore him, but we'd have got better value out of Dion Dublin. Who, to be fair, didn't want to come to Toon (or, if you read Out of Toon, did, but as soon as the pres heard of our interest, Gullit decided to drop it).

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

"Ferguson didn't have a single good game after the Heath game either"

Nor did NUFC: which side of this debate are you on Dougs? ;-)

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

The more fancy foreign defenders that turn up in the Premiership next season, the more we will benefit. In turn our defenders will benefit from training against Dunc.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Well, how much better than Chelsea were we after Ferguson went off? Hopw about that Leeds game? ((-:

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

But Dougal, we drew against Leeds and lost against Chelsea...

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

But we scored in both.... ((-:

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

And you are seriously trying to tell me that you wouldn't have wanted a fit Ferguson in the box for some of this dozen or so corners we won in the second half at Wembley? :-)

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

We all know that playing alongside Dunc allows Shearer to piss off and do what he does best. Okay Dyer did well but he would have been equally as impressive if Dunc and Al were creating space for him to run into.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Softie, Agreed that it was a tragedy that we won corners through better play after Ferguson went off but had no luck in converting them cos he wasn't there (d'oh!). However, I do think that had de Gooey not been playing as he was, you'd have put money on Al, Speed or Duncs scoring from the corners... In general, I agree that we look and play much better with Big Dunc in the side, not least co she holds the ball up so well (we'd have held on to the West Ham win at SJP had be been kept on).

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

I don't think many would argue that DF is an asset when he plays. The simple problem is that he doesn't play enough games.
We need a very specific game plan to be able to play with two CF's - that game plan is then cast to the four winds every time DF is out, AND we have no similar replacement. We then need to adapt to a totally different style of play - and not even Real Madrid, Lazio, or N/Heath are capable of doing that.
So, the point I've made several times on here is that if we're to build the team pattern around both AS & DF, then we better buy Carl Cort or someone similar (physical presence; good in the air) to come in and play with AS when DF is injured, as he surely will be.
Otherwise, we better figure out a different way to play, and acquire the players needed to play it - perhaps with DF spelling AS, or occasionaly playing together against a particular defence (eg N/Heath or Roma!!)
Incidentally, I totally agree with Softie on THE highlights of last season - DF's goal v the Heath, and his absolutely priceless confrontation with self-styled Roma 'hard-man', Zago.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Not forgetting outstanding teamwork from the skipper getting stuck in to distract the wavering ref from waving a red card:-) I reckon our front men could 'have' any pair of centre halves in Europe (and be ready for the fullbacks and goalies if they tried to join in)!

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Don't doubt it, Softie - but they've still got to be on the field to scare anyone.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000