... what the team would be if everyone was fit and present, e.g., Solano is not in S. America, and how is it likely to vary between home and away games? Or is this a silly question? Does YBR really have a variable stragetgy according to the type of opposition and the differences we have seen in team selection are not entirely in response to injury? From my distant view (8 time zones away) it seems we have a core of:

Given Barton Goma Hughes Domi Solano Dyer Speed Cordone Shearer Cort

Away from home Lee may play in place of Dyer? Or has Charvet played himself into a place? And have the worries about the central defense definitely been eased by the form of Hughes and I suppose Goma?

Thanks.

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2000

Answers

Daizas and Bassedas have to be in contention when fit and I'm not convinced you can play a team including Shearer Cort Cordone and Dyer, Dyer and Cordone are hardly defensive minded and that would leave the two other midfielders with a lot of work to do.

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2000

I thought Dyer was excellent yesterday, chasing lost causes and harrying for the ball certainly my man of the match. Speed dropped some almighty bollocks which didn't help his case with the "not worth the money" crowd. It will be interesting who makes way for Bassedas when fit.

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2000

0-0 at home doesn't look convincing, but to honest I found it pretty satisfying. It was far from being a scintillating performance, but Chelsea are one of the four or five sides we need to measure ourselves against, and we more than held our own.

Lucca Vialli is correct in saying both sides gave everything they had and could have won the game, and that in itself is testimony to the continuing improvement we are seeing under Bobby the Magician. For the first time since we were promoted, and KK launched his bid for the PL title, we are moving forward again.

The squad is still a little too thin to be serious contenders. However, look all around the team and you see the evidence of the hard work being carried out on the training ground by BR and his coaching staff.

Shay Given's form and confidence has undergone a renaissance. He has always been a superb shot-stopper but his kicking is much-improved, and he's now working hard on improving his ability on crosses.

Aaron Hughes has received the necessary encouragement and guidance, and is rapidly developing into a top-class defender - he was quite superb yesterday against a physical and experienced striker in JFH, and deserved MOTM status IMO. Hughes partnership with Alain Goma is developing well, and importantly they are different kinds of CB who complement each other well. They are both calm players who don't readily panic. They are still making the odd mistake, but that is to be expected. However, they certainly look the best CB pairing we have, and on present form I can't see Dabizas getting back in when he's fit.

At FB, we have good depth with WB and DD probably first choice, backed up by a real potential talent in Andy Griffin. Even Laurent Charvet has come back from the dead to give BR yet another option with his pace and height, and ability to fill in at CB - he played very well yesterday. In midfield, I doubt even BR knows what his best line up would be, if everyone was fit. Undoubtedly, the side looks better balanced when Glass plays on the left and Solano on the right. Gary Speed has confounded the early critics - including moi - and proven himself to be an excellent buy: a fantastic professional who is strong in the tackle, runs & runs till the final whistle, gets into the box and scores goals, and rarely misses a game. He is a must - so the real question, if we play with the two wide men, is who fills the 4th spot - Rob Lee, Cristian Bassedas, or YKD? Until we see Bassedas play we don't really know how and where he fits. My instinct is that central m/f is not the best position for Dyer at the moment, although he may become better suited to this role as he matures and gets physically stronger. At this stage it looks to me as though RL or Bassedas would be first choice to play in the 2nd central position. However, Kieron Dyer simply has to be in the team. My conclusion is that Speed and either RL or Bassedas will be first choice in the centre, YKD will play in one of the wide positions and either Solano or Glass in the other, with Solano being favoured there.

Up front we have AS and CC as target men with Axel Cordone and Gallacher providing some variation and subtlety. I suspect that BR expected to play with AS & CC as his first choice strikers, but that Axel's performances will have caused him to rethink his strategy. Right now I suspect AS & Axel are first choice, but CC's availability is critical in providing a different option for certain situations and games, as well as back up for the inevitable injuries. Assuming CC is almost fit, it will be interesting to see if BR rests AS for one of the Worthless Cup games against Orient - I believe he hould.

Cordone had one of his less effective games yesterday against quality opposition, but he keeps going to the end, and is a great acquisition.

AS didn't much credit for his display yesterday. However, on reflection I think he did OK. He came closest to scoring with two good headers and kept Desailly & Le Poof fully occupied throughout the game - they were never able to settle and support their midfield. He also played the pass of the game, hitting a 50yd crossfield ball, first time, when coming out of defence to YKD who was almost in on goal. He certainly lacks pace these days, but he still has so much to offer the team - and the goals will come, IMO of course. A solid if unspectacular performance against a good, but not great, Chelsea side, and one that confirmed our continuing improvement and progress in gradually closing the gap with the Top Five. I'm well pleased with the way things are shaping up, and only wish Bobby was 15 years younger!

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2000

It's a nice problem. Given or Harper Barton or Charvet or Griffin, Domi Hughes, Goma, Dabizas and ?? Solano, Gavilan, Dyer, Speed, Lee, Glass, Bassedas, Gallacher and kids Shearer, Cort, Cordone and ?? + kids

so looks light in middle of defence and up front but nice competition everywhere else. Comapre this with say the Mackems who have Kevin Phillips.

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2000

Completely agree with Clarky. Hughes was very special yesterday and is getting visibly better match by match. I thought AS played well with what he got, and he certainly is our best defender at set pieces. Personally I prefer Barton on the right as he seems to link up quicker with AS on the break, having said that I was impressed with Charvet(never thought I'd write that) and Goma looked in control most of the time. I think that when Bassedas is fit we'll have a struggle predicting the midfield, which is nice, but I wouldn't be heartbroken to see Nobby out at the expense of LKD on the right. Speed is due a bit of recognition because he keeps going for 90 minutes and that can't be said of everybody. He has taken on a lot of the tidying up that Rob Lee does but still manages to get into their box (and was unlucky not to have scored the goal of the season yesterday) Cordone looks like everything that YBR said he might be. Put Cort into the equation along with Aeombi (?) and things are not that bad. Given is playing out of his skin and his alround game has improved. I think that we are continuing to improve as a team. I had expected us to win yesterday ( because I'm like that) but was happy enough that we kept one of the 'contenders' quiet and passed the ball with authority. As it says in the song....."the future's so bright, you've gotta wear shades"

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2000

Thanks for the detailed answers. That helps me particularly to hear general agreement that opinions have changed on Speed, Charvet and Barton is fully re-habilitated. There seems no "solution" to what Tony calls a nice problem. An important thing from my perspective is that no one has identified a problem position, like the centre of the defense seemed to be only 4 weeks ago, or that we have to play some players whose best home is in another club, e.g., poor old Kets. Its just amazing what Bobby Robson has done. Its not hust that he has made some really good buys (Cort, Cordone, etc) but that he can improve established players who seemed to be struggling.

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2000

Sounder,

I think Bobby's 'magic' is principally all about instilling confidence in his players, ensuring they all know precisely what their job is on the field, not filling their heads full of complicated cr@p, and making them play for the team not as a collection of individuals.

Regarding problem positions, I'm still not totally comfortable with the strength in the centre of defence. In my mind, Hughes is now a fixture, but other than Goma who is certainly winning me over, I don't feel we have another assured CB.
Dabs may be a good squad player but, whole-hearted as he is, I just don't feel he's an adequate partner for Hughes. IMO we still need a truly commanding Centre Half.

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2000

This transfer fees wrangle could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. We might find that having to hang fire on paying daft money for new players will force some of the young lads to be introduced a little bit sooner than might seem sensible.

It even seems to me that Bobby might already have this in the back of his mind, and who knows, we could be very pleasantly surprised by one or two of the kids coming good in the prem. Joe Cole didn't seem to have too many problems adapting to the premiership.

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2000