Bobby speaking, "We need a left footer not as a left-back but as a left-sided player and Sheffield have been kind enough to agree to a transfer for the next month with a view to buying him."

What a kick in the teeth for Stephen Glass. No point in keeping if Bobby rates him so lowly that he doesn't remember him at the club. Glass hasn't been given the opportunities that other players have had so why bother keeping him at the club and wasting his time? We could do with the money so why not openly put him on the market?

It has also been glaringly obvious that we've needed someone "left sided" since Ginola left so why are we still in the situation where we have no left sided player?

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

Answers

Agree totally. I love Stephen Glass, I don't think there are too many left sided players better than him yet Bobby doesn't seem to rate him. Injuries aside, he always looks good when he comes on - he can run with the ball, cross, he'll put a foot in, and he scores goals. What more do you need? We need a left footed left back too play at left back - and maybe Quinn will be the answer to this - but we've got a very good left sided midfielder in Glass. He deserves a run when Dyer & Solano are out.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

If he doesn't play against Villa then I wouldn't blame him for wanting 'Clarification about future' talks with Bobby. That would be the final straw for the lad especially after the above comments.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

I agree Glass is class we were a much better team with him on the pitch

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

It's not as much a problem about Glass's ability, what concerns me more is our inability to really open up defences when they sit tight and look after Dyer.

Simply having the option of Glass on the left wing to make sure their right back is not doubling up on one of our front men will mean we have more chance of creating space for Ameobi and Dyer, if they choose to shoot!!!

We are coming to a situation (FA Cup v Villa) where it looks like we will be relying on Glass to provide us with our only width. I would suggest that it is worth playing him regularly now so he can gel into the team. Speed is knackered, Dyer's up front. Play Glass, Bassedas, Acuna and Solano as a four in midfield.

Trouble is that Lee's is available now and I can see Bobby picking him instead of Glass which I think wouldn't help us.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

With Nobby and Dyer being out try Glass Acuna Lee/Speed Bassedas and Luax2 with Shola up front.

Glass has the pace Bassedas seems to be skillfull enough to hold hid own on the right wing, and Id like to see Luax2 read sholas headers and run onto em Micky owen style.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

I feel so sorry for Stephen Glass,He has done some great things wgen given the chance. The manager just dosen't like him does he?. I know not why, but we don't know the full story, do we?

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

I don't think he's been truly forgiven for slapping in that transfer request soon after he returned from injury last time. YBR needs/demands commitment and that signalled Glass's intentions early on. He's kept his head down and got on with it since then but i think YBRs firmly of the opinion that 'a leopard can't change its spots'...

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

Seems to me we've got an entire lair of bloody leopards at SJP!
Strikes me it's about time the zoo-keeper got tough with them

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

too true. not content with buying second rate players [with notable exceptions], the previous managers [TPM] brought in players with the spine and balls of a neutered rabbit.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

>>the previous managers [TPM] brought in players with the spine and balls of a neutered rabbit.

TPM ?? The Polish Manager ?

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2001

I seem to recall some defensive blunders earlier this season which may not have helped. As it is, though, we look much better with Glassy.

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2001

This has possibly been noted elsewhere but apparently he's on a free in the summer.

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2001

When the list of Bosman's was issued he wasn't on it. Is this news that Bobby is releasing him Dougal, sources?

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2001

It was on 365 - apparently Bradford are after him and we are likely to sell so we get some cash now rather than losing him for nowt in the summer.

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2001

This is the list on Sky Sports and if our board have done something well recently it has been to make sure players are not leaving on Bosmans.

Arsenal - Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Lee Dixon, David Seaman

Aston Villa - None

Bradford - None

Charlton - Steve Brown, Clive Mendonca, Eddie Youds

Chelsea - Gianfranco Zola

Coventry - None

Derby - Lars Bohinen, Dean Sturridge

Everton - Richard Gough

Ipswich - John Scales

Leicester City - Stuart Campbell

Leeds - None

Liverpool - Gary McAllister

Manchester City - Ian Bishop, Richard Jobson, Tommy Wright

Manchester United - Denis Irwin, Teddy Sheringham

Middlesbrough - Craig Fleming, Robbie Mustoe

Newcastle United - None

Southampton - Richard Dryden, Hassan Kachloul, Matt Le Tissier

Tottenham Hotspur - Darren Anderton, Sol Campbell, Les Ferdinand

West Ham - Stuart Pearce

* Players outside the Premiership whose contracts end this season include: Robbie Elliott (Bolton), Dean Holdsworth (Bolton), Richard Sneekes (West Brom), Darryl Burgess (West Brom) and Eoin Jess (Aberdeen)

** Players available on a free from Serie A include: Fernando Couto (Lazio), Laurent Blanc (Inter), Alessandro Costacurta (AC Milan), Daniel Fonseca (Juventus) and Luis Oliveira (Bologna).

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2001