the shearer's back thread is awash with gushing praise of the man, and why not.

i know you lot are sick of me going on about this BUT..

solano & dyer (in particular) have played some good stuff in al's absence.

could this be because the team is forced to change its style and play it on the ground a bit more?

what will happen when shearer returns..

1)solano & dyer will continue to be dead good or 2)solano and dyer will be less involved, dyer will complain about playing as a striker again, and solano will be criticized for not getting enough crosses in (again)

just wanted to get your opinions

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

Answers

I'd not pick him. I'd make him sub, as suggested elsewhere. If Shay and Stevie have to accept they don't have an automatic right to their place back if the other is performing, then it should follow in every other position too.

For me Ameobi has done as much as we could have expected Shearer to have done. His couple of goals matches Shearer's open play perfomances. Now the debate centres around how fit Shearer has been all season (all three seasons ?) and whether he would have done better in similar circumstances.

There will be a major rearrangement to be done when Shearer does return. Gallacher runs his socks off and is a huge plus to the side. This will necessarily push Dyer deeper, and away from where he is most dangerous. Then we are overloaded with midfielders. Suddenly we are struggling from having too many fit players !!

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

If I understand you corretly George, you're asking about when Shearer is fit. And that is when YBR decides, nit just Alan Shearer.

I'd like to see Ameobi get a run alongside AS before Cort comes back. I'd also prefer Dyer running at defences than Kevin Gallacher runnig his socks off Mac. However, the question comes back to one which has been asked many times before: "What is LKD's best position?". Well, on recent form, he's played a lot better further forward than in a more traditional midfield role.

Actually, what I think should happen is for Ameobi and LKD to start Shearer's return match (Soton or more likely Charlton - there's a week off after that), with Al on the bench. That would do a number of things: (a) show Ameobi that YBR rates him (b) reward success (c) give a chance to bring Shearer on as sub with either of them (or even both) (d) sow the seed in the team's mind (not just Shearer's) that Al isn't indespensable. The latter has to be done one of these days, so why not now? Waiting would only complicate matters when Cort is back.

For me, Gallacher's days are numbered. He's a useful bench player, but I wouldn't pick him very often.

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

Sell him - he's sh*te anyway.

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

You been drinking Clarky? Or are the nerves just shattered after your close encounter with Adolf?

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

hmm interesting responses

my real point (or fear) is that shearer's preferred playing style doesn't fit in with the strengths of dyer and solano. shearer will not want to adapt to fit in with the team rather he'll expect to still be the focal point (long early ball). shearer is no longer good or consistent enough to be the focal point. the likely result of this is some dour and ineffective team performances.

the proposed shearer/cort partnership worries me to death

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

It's puzzles like these that make Bobby one of the managers.

I personally am undecided.

Shearer's off the ball prescence is massive and defenders always run towards him. This could work wonders with Ameobi playing alongside him.

The big question is where does Dyer fit into this? He can't be dropped on his current form, but neither can Solano, Acuna or Speed. Something has to give somewhere.

The tempo of our play is definitely a lot faster without Shearer. However, just a few weeks back everyone said it was because of Shearer AND Rob Lee that the team played a pacier game. After the Leeds match I would say Rob Lee fitted in well with our faster style.

At least the home games coming up shouldn't be too hard, so a little bit of experimentation can be done before the big away game on April 21.

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

From my memory of the Leeds game, the long ball tactics were still employed to some extent. I remember thinking that Ameobi would do well with Shearer collecting the long balls for him to run onto. Has the side changed its tactics that much in Shearers absence? Barton still hoofs it up field for one.

I feel that the team will only benefit from Shearer's return. But thats just my opinion based on the last game they played.

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

I'd rather not see Shearer for another two-three weeks. Put him on the bench if he inspires people that much but don't use him. When he does come back, I presume Cort will not be quite ready, therefore play Shearer up front with Ameobi. Dyer in the hole behind with a midfield three of Solano, Speed and Acuna. Until we properly sort out the left wing then 4-3-1-2 seems to be the only feasible option. For away games we could play Shearer up front with Dyer just off him. Ameobi on the bench to come on in the last quarter of an hour, we need to get into the habit of seeing Shearer subbed every now and then.

Harper

Griffin-Hughes-Goma-Quinn

Solano-Acuna- Speed

Dyer

Shearer-Ameobi

Barton can come in for Griffin when Robson thinks he needs the height but if there is a decent left winger then Griffin will play. Bassedas and Lee can provide the cover and Bassedas will eventually take over Speed's role in the next few years once he find out where the goal is! After Robson has sorted out the centre of defence, i.e. whether Goma/Marcellino are going or staying, we may get a settled squad of about 18 first teamers who are picked from every week to suit who we are playing. As long as the injuries don't come flooding back!

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

No question big Al is a good player and he can form top class partnerships: Al n Sutton, Al n big Les, Al n Sheringham, Al n big Dunc for example. I'm quite opimistic about Al/big Carl or Al/big Shola moreover big Carl/big Shola could be canny, furthermore I think YKD is coming good (a world class front player).
Hoy in the fact we have a brainy hardworking international player in Gallagher and potential in Lua Lua, our squad is quite strong.
I am beginning to thing in terms of a squad rather than one Superstar.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

The problem is with the partnership thing we are more likely to rest Ameobi or Cort than Shearer which can't be right, can it? Ameobi is young and will need rest, the same could be said of Cort. Shearer has proved he can go on for ages game after game but was he anywhere nea fit for a large percentage fo those games?

Dyer can make up the attacking in away matches, it's just a matter of whether or not he wants to do that. Sooner or later he may get pissed off with that idea.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

Ive been reading all the posts and there is a constant theme, a theme that no-one mentioned until Shearer was injured. That theme is that 'WE can succeed without Shearer' This in my opinion is a good thing as for the last couple of years it was always Shearer is Newcastle, now we are talking about Newcastle as a team!! Good times are just around the corner me thinks!!! AM

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

>>>>>>a theme that no-one mentioned until Shearer was injured. That theme is that 'WE can succeed without Shearer'

That theme has most certainly been mentioned before, by myself amongst others. Softie went to the trouble of putting up stats which demonstrated that our record without Shearer was better than with.

Such stats do not take away from the fact that Al is a great player. I think that he'll be coming back now into a better team than the one he left, which is exciting. We have proved conclusively in recent weeks that we can play without him, so YBR can now take the opportunity to rest him on occasion and hopefully a continually fit Shearer can get close to the form that made him so lethal before his Goodison injury. Welcome back Al.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

It has been wonderful to see the lads' response to Shearer's absence and to see that we aren't completely one-dimensional. However, we need a traditional centre forward for certain types of games and I'm delighted he's back. Sitting in the stands may have given him a feeling for improvements he can make to his game, too.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

We have played this wonderfull attacking flowing footy with Al , remember Sheff wed , Man U 5-0, Spurs et al.

Its just when we are playing badly Al gives the players an extra option.

I think with Ameobi both players can win knock downs for the other, so I can see a successfull partnership developing, with Ameobi and Cort also when Al is done.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

The big question is " Does he come back as captain "

I feel his influence has a negative effect on some players.

Great player.......Poor captain

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

I don't think there is one ounce of doubt about Shearer coming back as captain, rightly or wrongly. The captains armband has been shared between Speed, Barton and Lee while he's been away and has been passed around more than the ball!

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

Hiro, I thought that until I read the likes of Hughesie saying what a great captain he was. Unless that is just political expediency which I can't really imagine. Must say though, Shearer bawling at the lads if they make a mistake always strikes me as being unnecessary.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

Shearer is not our best captain - and before you ask, I'd put WB abd RL up ahead of him). Indeed, I defy anybody to name a really effective skipper who has led a line.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

Shearer is not our best captain - and before you ask, I'd put WB abd RL up ahead of him. Indeed, I defy anybody to name a really effective skipper who has led a line.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

>>>>>>The captains armband ...has been passed around more than the ball!

It's surprising then that we've not been captained by one of our opponents before now. :-)

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001

WHy do we NEED a captain????

A Captains job is to motorvaite and organise the team yes? The players can all do that themselves , every single player should be shouting MAN ON , MAKE SPACE etc etc.

Id give the armband to Given or Harper let them organise the Back.

Im Sure the rest of the lads can sort themselves out.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2001