We need to find a replacement for Rob Lee, who has been a critical cog in our machine for several seasons. Some feel he should be dumped now; others like myself feel we still have no effective replacement.

I've been looking at the other PL teams, plus Celtic & Rangers, to identify who plays in those sides in the 'anchor role' in midfield, who would be a definite 'no-compromise' replacement, and who might be an effective replacement. The results are tabulated (hopefully!) below.

I doubt many, if indeed ANY of those I've identified could be prised away from their Clubs - one or two of the Possibles might, if the right amount of money were offered. In this latter category I would put Matthew Oakley and Seth Johnson - young players I greatly admire - and possibly Jodi Morris, Craig Burley and Jorge Albertz.

This exercise has shown to me how few really top class anchor men there really are, and how incredibly difficult it will be to adequately replace The General.

Have I missed any? Thoughts/suggestions?

TEAM	DEFINITE	POSSIBLE
Manure	Keane	Butt
Arsenal	Viera
Ipswich		Matt Holland
Leicester
Hackems
Liverpool	Gerrard	Hamman
		Redknapp
West Ham	Lampard	Carrick
A. Villa		Boateng
		Ian Taylor
Spurs
Chewsee		Di Matteo
		Jody Morris
Leeds		Dacourt
		Bakke
Charlton		Kinsella
Everton
S'ton		Matt Oakley
Man City
Coventry
Derby		Seth Johnson
		Craig Burley
Bradford
Boro
Celtic		Lambert
		Thompson
Rangers	Ferguson	Albertz

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Answers

According to a friend there's a young local lad who's thinking over joining either us or West Ham. He's been offered £200k signing on fee and has a £250k boot deal lined up. He's also considered to be better than Joe Cole at his age. What's the betting he goes to WHAM like Carrick then? BTW his name is something like Beaufont/Beaumont - anyone seen of him?

Ferguson (Rangers) is on Arsenal's list.

We'd probably sign Di Matteo - already injured so we could cut out the middle men.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

I can't see YBR delving into the EPL or SPL (OK, Glasgow) for a replacement for Rob Lee (I'd go for Butt). He'd either go for a lower division, or more likely, abroad. But hasn't he got hopes that Clarence will be a suitable replacement?

As it stands, RL isn't playing in his usual role. Nowadays, he's either just behind or just in front of the defence, sweeping rather than his more usual midfield role. SO, in a way, he's already been replaced. Sadly, none of those replacements have come anywhere near the level we were used to. Rob Lee used to be an advanced, goal-scoring midfielder. Apart from the FAC Semi, when did he last score (actually, pre-season, if NUFC.COM are to be believed)?

So, even if we persevere with RL as a sweeper (and I'm not saying he can't do it, given the right tactics in the right games) we need someone of his calibre now. How many goals are scored by those in the table above?

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Anyone seen much of this lad Matthew Oakley at S'ton?
I've only seen him on telly, but he always impresses me.

I guess that was my conclusion also Screacher - it seems highly unlikely we are going go get anyone on that list that we would want.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Very intersting.

Trouble is IMHO that YBR has bought Bassedas and Acuna to fill the central midfield. Whether they are up to the job is open to question, but surley one area we are not looking to strengthen is the centre.

Right now Clarky I would take any one from the above mentioned, but me suspects YBR has priorities elsewhere.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Overdosing on the HTML Clarky? :-)

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Yes - and made a bit of a b@lls of it actually, Bobby. That'll teach me to show off!

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Too true, I think YBR has his central midfielders, Acuna and Bassedas, his R sided midfielders Dyer and Solano and his strikers Shearer, Cort, Lua Lua, Ameobei. He has his keepers as well Given and Harper and his R sided defenders Griffin and Barton. He has no L sided M field or FB. He has 1 of his defenders Hughes and his back up, Caldwell. He needs to get the Left side sorted, 1 possibility is Bernard. He does not like Glass or Domi.

With these sorted he is looking for 2 central defenders, 2 Lsided midfielders and 2 L sided defenders.

With this balance anyone else he buys will be short term. Look at the players he has bought or brung on. They are all young and mobile. At the moment we have a very very big problem in the back room.

We need a complete overhaul of our fitness team. How many of the players missing are there through non impact injury? Most are strains sprains etc.

Without the injury problem there would be no complaints. Yes we need success now what has changed since 1957?

The rebuilding program has come off the tracks. If all the players YBR sees as his first choice were playing and the others, Caldwell, Lua Lua were having 30 min per game etc things would be fine.

The worst thing that happened was a few good results early in the season made us look world beaters. In fact we have trouble being Div 1 beaters. I expect to get kicked off the park on Saturday. Bradford are already in fight to avoid relegation mode. If we do not start to play with the same sort of passion soon we will be going into avoid relegation mode too late.

Maybe I am of the past generation, I expect anyone lucky enough to get a B & W shirt to die for the club. Ok some are playing the best they can, others though, and NO not just the lazy French gits, are resigned to the fact that they get huge amounts whether they turn up or not.

Shut up sit back and wait for what will happen next.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Why gus, what happened in 1957 like ??

PS. glad you liked the prezzie

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Good stuff Gus. I agree with almost all you say.
However, I believe even with all our players fit and ready we will still be a poor team. Better than them f*ck*rs but.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

I can't remember much before the 19th of Jan that year Lonly, but I've been told it was a caany year.

Heeds, no relation to monkey?

What I meant was, with the original plan up and running we would be a decent PL side this season. YBR could then fine tune between say March and the end of the season, then pick up and discard ending up with a crackin team for the start of next season.

We have to build like upgrading a car you start with one for a tenner and each time you replace it, you get something better. After a while you end up with a BMW and only have to replace something when it breaks.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Not too sure about 'the worst thing that happened was winning some games early on'. It was probably the best thing that happened otherwise we'd be Boro.

Winning those games also allowed Kerr, Ameobi, Coppinger to see first team action. The reason they haven't been back is the lack of points in the bag

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

surely you've missed Des Hamilton off that list clarky?

-- Anonymous, December 15, 2000