I'd prefer to see Lua-Lua start on Saturday to see if he can influence a full match in the way he does for half an hour. But will Bobby stick with Cordone, who after a bright start has faded slightly?

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2000

Answers

I'm not sure YBR thinks that LL can last a whole game. It's flattering to come on and strut your stuff against tiring defenders. Having said that, I would like to see him start and see what he can do for 60mins rather that 15-20. Cordone could come on as the super-sub.

I have a feeling that LL won't start until I stop putting him in my team pick :-(((

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2000

Perfect game to let him loose with a full fit squad ( except Cort ) , id give hima runout , and i think YBR will too . Cordone has played well though , divvent write him off .

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2000

Lua-Lua deserves a start on Saturday. I hope Cordone isn't turning into another Kets, as he seemed to be doing a good impression of him on Monday, head down, not looking up.

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2000

I agree re Teampick Geordie!

Who have Everton got playing for them in the Centre of defence? If it is Stevie Watson I'm afraid it won't be a happy return for him. Dunne's just gone to Man City to play with Charvet and Howey! Is Gough fit, expect him to mark Shearer if he is.

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2000

But will Bobby stick with Cordone, who after a bright start has faded slightly?

One perfectly good goal ruled off side, four superb cross field passes, double figures of short passes up the line into dangerous positions and the most exquisite volley from the touch line to lay on the second goal.....all that in one match.....yeah he has faded slightly.........

I say stick with the policy of playing Cordone from the start, get some good stuff like the above out of him, and then sacrifice him for the young legs of Double L.....just to roast them for the last fifteen minutes.

I know he is a professional and he should be able to cope, but he is only a kid after all, can you imagine at his age, what a bad start to a game would do to his confidence, whereas bringing him on the way he has been doing is lifting and building both him and the team each time.

That's my threepennyworth anyway ;0)

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2000

Cordone imo has not done too badly so far. I don't understand what all this fuss about him turning into another Ketsbaia. Yes he score early on in the season but we have only played NINE matches in the league.

Come on give the guy a break. He has been doing his job so far other than scoring tons of goals. Plus he cost us just 500,000 pounds not 5 million which we would than expect him to score in every match.

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2000

Dan Cordeone is an enigma - and I ain't talking about Jeremy Paxman's Christmas Box. IMHO, his main fault is that he holds on to the ball too long. Lua x 2 has been accused of not being a team player - well the same could be said for DC. However, both have some sublime skills. The trick YBR needs to teach them both (and he will) is when to let the individualism take (aka greed?) second place to passing to a better placed team mate. But not a bad problem to have!

For waht it's worth, I think Lua x 2 will start soon - indeed I had hin in my starting 11 for Minday's game. Just goes to show how much I know about it!

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2000

>>>>I hope Cordone isn't turning into another Kets

Ketsbaia my lord??? That will be the player who came on a free transfer and was sold for 1.5m(??), the player who got us into the champions league to play Barcelona, the only player to have more than 1 shot on target during the entire TSM season, and who scored a good many very precious goals for us with a goals per minute played ratio higher than any player in the team.

Ketsbaia did a fantastic job for us. The time had come for him to move on but if any player emulates his Toon record then he will be doing all right.

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2000

My opinion, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Lua Lua is still a young'un, and Bobby knows about the young'uns. If Bobby sez the lad needs time, let him have it. Cordone is doing well, even though he has "Kets" moments, and the young'un is great for the last 15-20 minutes. Bobby is a little wary of spoiling the lad. Remember...Bobby knows best.

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2000

LUA_LUA should start.He's a class act and deserves a start at home,against relatively poor opposition and while the whole team's confidence to have him line up in the starting 11.(btw-I think that Ketsbia didn't do too badly except for hid last half season when he became the "headless chicken!" Fifties fan

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2000

Cordone would be much better if he managed to stay onside more. I've seen three ganes this season - Man U, Chelsea and Middlesbrough. Now I know he wasn't offside for the goal but he does seem to get caught offside a lot. About 4 or 5 times a game now this will surely affect our movement as other players no doubt delay as he's in an offside position.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2000

Agree with Pete iC - Bobby knows best.
The kid is still learning about the PL, and present arrangement makes him a key part of the squad, and enables him to learn while he watches on the bench. If things are going well he'll get another 15 minutes experience. If things go badly he'll be brought on earlier to try to change things.
Cordone's done OK, and also still learning about the game in the PL where, because of the pace of the game and speed players are closed down, he needs to learn to release the ball a bit quicker. He's a good player and he'll learn - but needs encouragement.
Agree with Jonno about Kets. Good acquisition; signed as international midfield player, and was played out of position throughout his career at SJP.
BTW, the reported fee from Wolves for Temuri was #1mm - the Ronnie last night suggested the fee was significantly less than that.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2000