Right, we weren't great on Sunday. However, today either here or on the LondonMags list, we have had moans about Speed playing, how poor Hughes was, how Barton is a shame to the team and his passes are 100 accurate (always to the opposition), bad tactics, Glass not being selected, Dyer not being on his game, Ameobi not being able to shoot..blah, blah, blah, you get the drift. Now, we have a right and a duty to complain about lack of effort and to comment on other matters, such as form, but IMHO, after playing out of our skins for three games in a row (and I'm talking out of our skins, particularly against Spurs, but also against Leeds and Man United (O'Leary and Taggart both commmented on our energy and workrate). Is it really that surprising that the lads had a slight off day against a side that played TWO festive fixtures? They were knackered, plain and simple. Before Christmas , we'd have taken the results we have got bearing in mind the terrifying injuries we've had. Can we please look at the lovely lads who have been showing the commitment that others haven't and give it up to: Steve Harper, Gary Speed, Clarence Acuna, Alain Goma, Aaron Hughes, Christian Bassedas, Kieron Dyer, Nobb Solano, Warren Barton, Shola Ameobi, Andy Griffin and the subs who've done a decent job? Not one can be criticsed for attitude and let's face it, there aren't too many NUFC players you can say that about at present. Thank you.

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2001

Answers

I think most of the discontentment on here has been about players who want away from the club i.e Domi and Given.

With respect to Speed's brief appearance, Dyer's silly sending off and Ameobi not shooting.........this board thrives on different opinions and it is so good that we get these differences.

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2001

I agree and revel in the various views on here but almost no one has commented on the good things coming out of the past two weeks. And there are some - notably that once Wozza and Speed went off, we had an incredibly young side out there, doing the job against professionals of the calibre and experience of Merson, Dublin and Ginola. Actually it's less on here than the LondonMags list - Wozza should be sacked immediately to hear most of them.

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2001

I am a Barton critic normally but I have recognised that at this point in time he deserves the credit for giving his all to the club and not moaning about being out of position etc.

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2001

After giving it careful consideration - in particular the incredible situation with Gary Speed - I firmly believe you're spot on Dougal.

I genuinely believe the big problem on Sunday was that the players were physically drained after their exertions in the previous fixtures, culminating in what must have been an exhausting game at Spurs for several of them.

While we didn't play particularly well, Villa are notoriously difficult to break down (aka boring farts), and yet even when we went a goal down the heads never dropped, and we kept going right up until the fat lass chirped. In actual fact , we were the stronger side in the last quarter, although admittedly the equaliser will have given them a big lift.

Despite the continuing knocks, with the DD situation, and now Shay Given regrettably rocking the boat, the team have displayed remarkable spirit since AS & RL were injured, and deserve every credit for showing the team has both spirit and bottle - and in doing so have proven a lot of doubters wrong.

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2001

Well, I had not reckoned on this but I guess YBR is going through a stage, perhaps stimulated simply by circumstances, of shaking out non- team players. I supose he couldn't do it before because younger players had not come through. Now at least some have, particularly in defense and some in mid-field, so if a "situation" develops with someone attempting the prima donna style he can dispose of them. I think YBR is actually a lot tougher than he seems. I would n't be at all surprised if Domi was NOT sold back to PSG and was frozen out of football if he does not come back to NUFC. And if he does its going to be horizontal sleet in yer face at Kingston for quite a while. I'm all for it.

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2001

>>>>>the team have displayed remarkable spirit since AS & RL were injured, and deserve every credit for showing the team has both spirit and bottle - and in doing so have proven a lot of doubters wrong.

Sorry Clarky - this is not a point-scoring exercise at all, but would you have numbered yourself among those doubters as to whether we could do well without Shearer? My own feeling was that we could do quite well if we played to existing player strengths with a mobile front line and midfield, and my main fear was that we would play the same game which would be useless without Al there.

Of course, it's early days yet but there's room to hope that the Shearerless performances we've seen so far are not a flash in the pan. And if the spirit in the team remains high then my hope is that a better Al will be returning to a better team - which will be good news all round really.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Can I just add that I'm having a crisis of faith re Shearer at the moment?

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

>>>>>Can I just add that I'm having a crisis of faith re Shearer at the moment?

Judging by the other thread it's starting to look like "a crisis of faith" - period. :-)

Keep the faith.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

It's because everything is such a bleeding soap opera.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Yes Jonno, I did have doubts about how we would fare without Shearer, just like thousands of others if they were truthful - and quite frankly those doubts have not disappeared.

Let's just remember that since his last game (Derby) we've won one, lost one and drawn two games.

In addition, let's give some consideration as to why several players have shown a marked increase in energy and commitment levels since he went out, and why they weren't doing this when he was playing?

My feeling is they rely far too much on Alan, and have responded to the problem created by his absence with an increase in physical commitment, which produced very creditable results against Leeds and manure. However, I very much doubt this is sustainable in the long haul without a genuine goalscorer in the side - be that Alan Shearer or ANO.

Alan Shearer just happens to be on the books, is a Geordie, who unlike several others wants passionately to play for the Club and help make them successful, and is a talented footballer who deserves a little better than the constant, largely undeserved, sniping that he gets.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Good point Clarky, there have been improved energy levels and workmanship from all at large since AS was sidelined. Why is this? I don't think it's as simple as being too reliant, perhaps Shearer's captaincy should be questioned. The passing seems sharper (Aston Villa aside) abd Nobby looks more committed i.e willing to tackle. Personally I think there is a cloud over the Shearer & Nobby relationship, for me they don't hit it off. It could be that the team have raised their game, similarly to playing for a new manager - more or less the same team but they put in that little bit extra effort.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Clarky - I agree with you to an extent but I think there is an unhealthy fixation with Shearer and that can't be good for the club.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Barton fosters a similar relationship to Dyer that Bez enjoyed with Daveeeeeeed. They frequently exchange pleasantries and Wogsy just happens to have a blindspot of the exact same dimensions as Dyer.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001