will Speed and Lee be the linch pins again, where's Bassedas fitting in. We have (when all fit) Gavilan, Solano, Glass, Lee, Speed, Dyer, Bassedas, McClen(?), and the outsiders, Domi, Gallacher maybe Cordone. So we have eight with a potential 11. This is for max 4 spots..........difficult if for a bunch of real experts like us on here [;-))], would you play solano in for a Gavilan if he's doing well? Could you play inside fwds (Dyer and Cordone?)with three in the middle (no solano or Gavilan)...

-- Anonymous, August 08, 2000

Answers

It obviously depends on what position Bassedas can make his own! Spedd and him in midfield would require Speed to perform more of a holding role, as someone has to do this. As usual the main problem is where to play Dyer.

I think his future lies on the right wing. Solano's long term future at NUFC looks bleak in this regard, especially with Gavilan.

I'd like to see Glass give us the balance on the left. I'm afraid with Bassedas out it looks like the main four could be Dyer, Solano, Speed and Lee. Don't get me wrong it worked fairly well last year, but I just think we need a change in there.

Unless of course we play 3-5-2, but that's another story!.......

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

3-5-2. Is that why Bobby has been playing Griffin on the right side of midfield in pre-season. Barton RHS of a three with Howey/Dabs and Goma?

You'd have to say that in Domi and Griff we could have a couple of excellent wing backs.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Itll be .. Hughes Goma Dabs at the back .. Dolly n Domi ... Bassedas Dyer and Lee , Shearer n Cort .. Speed interchanges tih Lee or Bassedas .. Gavilian and Solano change for Dyer ... Griffin for Domi , with Hughes as the Utility and Howey interchangeable for the back 4 .. does that make any sense ? ; - )

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

I believe these days you need height in the midfield - it's vital for winning the ball in the middle area of the pitch, especially in the Premiership when the ball still spends a lot of time off the deck. gary Speed is therefore still more integral than Lee, and his goal contribution on top of that means that he has to be one of the first names on the team sheet. What we lacked last season was the ability to accurately control and supply the ball from central positions. It's not Speed's strength - hence Bassedas being key. If Bassedas and Speed work well together, with Solano and Dyer adding to the link up play, this would be my first choice midfield.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Personally I'd prefer a midfield squad of:

Dyer, Gavilan, Lee, Speed, Bassedas + another midfielder who plays a holding role, and a left winger. Then we'd also have Cordone and Gallacher who could play at a pinch; and Bairns, McClen, Kerr and Green.

Names I'd like to see: Guardiola (DM) probably at four million pounds, Jesper Gronkjaer (LW) at around six million pounds.

Remember Bobby's still got cash from the sales of Maric - 2 million, Robinson 1.5 million, Ketsbaia - .9 million + Howey for 2 million up front and Ferguson for 3.75 million up front.

That's 10.15 million pounds Robson should have in the bank by monday or tuesday.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000

Comfortable with your suggestions Tre, but I'm sure Bobby's top priority now will be a CB.
It seems he also wants another LB - perhaps another indication that he's not totally comfortable relying on Domi's defensive capabilities. He may go for Powell from Oxford Utd., who he's reportedly been interested in for some time.
I think we're now a little thin again up front, and would seriously consider taking a chance on 19 yr-old Mark Burchell (Celtic), who Buff reckons could be bought for only #2mm

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2000