Just heard on 5 Live news that Dyer's shin is acting up again, so he's been pulled out of the England squad. Hopefully this is precautionary and he'll be ok for next saturday. When will all these injuries/illnesses end??

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2001

Answers

let's hope this is not used as an excuse for what went on out there today....he had ten other players contributing to that crap!!!!

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2001

To be honest, I didn't realise he had played today!

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2001

"I don't want to play like that for England" - Oh, thanks Kieron, we feel really honoured that you save it just for us you gutless shitehawk.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2001

I don't think we should point the finger at Dyer & Solano, it's not the claasy players we need to get rid of.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2001

Dyer wants to play in central midfield. Opta were raving about him as our best midfielder last month producing the surprising statistic that he has an 85% success rate in the tackle. Looking at the underlying data, however, we discover that he has made 21 tackles in over 2,100 minutes of play....somewhat less than 1 tackle a game.

In addition to this catastrophic failure in the defensive department, he exhibits an extreme reluctance to get forward or take a shot if he can possibly avoid it. Bobby tried to cure this by playing him up front where he can't hide, but since he is still reluctant to shoot he has to play real forwards when they are available. If you think that is harsh because of his 5 goals this season then ask yourself how many other premier teams would sign him as a striker to solve a goal drought. The last quality player to score so few up front was Asprilla and I seem to recall that his contribution outside Europe was a cause for general concern.

This basically leaves you with wide right as his one and only berth in the team. If Nobby is having an off-spell than play him there but otherwise put him on the bench and look to offload. Quite happy ploughing my lone furrow, but I know a luxury item when I see one and we can't afford him.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2001

I'll only add that there is fine dividing line between so-called "classy" and "luxury" players. IMHO what we need more than anything are a few old-fashioned "winners".

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2001

Sell him if someone offers 15-20mil

Then for gods bloody sake, think and spend the money wisely.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2001

As mentioned on some thread a few weeks ago we had to drop Dyer back 20 yards to allow Shearer to play. (Shola has become our only decent forward so we he had to play.) Instantly Dyer looks less of a player. His pace petrifies defenders, if he's near them they're really worried, if he's running twenty yards from midfield they can ease him out, get ready for him, have more players around him.

If we're to get the best from Keiron he needs to be where it hurts. Either Shola or Shearer need to be not in the team. There is only answer in my eyes but it won't be the one that is taken.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2001

Could it just be Macbeth that Dyer dropped back 20 yds NOT simply to accomodate Shearer, but because that is where he insists his future lies?
Could Softie perhaps have a point when he suggests Dyer wants to play there because he doesn't relish playing upfront, "where it hurts"?
Your conspiracy theories regarding Shearer's influence on team selection can only be stetched so far you know.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2001

Dyer's inclusion in the team has been a problem since the day he joined us.

He should be playing on the right wing, nowhere else. Solano has proved, away from home, that he can't do an effective job when it gets tough. Some may say the same about Dyer but at least he has raw pace to counter attack with.

Whilst we have Solano and Dyer in the same team we have no shape.

If we had a Solano/Dyer on the left wing we could afford to fill central midfield with two ankle biters to win the bliddy ball.

Attacking teams through the middle is not going to work. Defenders find it easy to defend when they can see everything in front of them. Get it onto the flanks and suddenly the defenders can't see everything in front of them because attackers run in behind them so much easier.

How many times have you heard commentators saying that a crossed ball is the hardest to defend? Look at our stats this year and I think only Bradford have put in less crosses.

Solution, find a left winger and drop Dyer or Solano. Otherwise play Solano or Dyer on the left and tell him to bliddy stay there.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

And if Solano decides he wants to play for his country then I'm afraid he has to play the bit part in this, presuming we can sign a decent left winger.

We can't expect Solano not to play for his country but we have to react to it.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

So Dyer's injured again, eh? Surprise surprise. I have to ask, with his recent record, WTF is YBR doing picking him? Aren't the medics able to identify the problem? They f@rted around with Shearer and eventually had to bite the bullet. Methinks they should do the same with LKD. Perhaps understandable to wait while Shearer was out, playing LKD up front. But not now. OK, OK, AS isn't match fit, but he's gonna play anyway, so we may as well get used to playinf without LKD and pack him off to the butchers.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

i'm dizzy reading that lot. Dyer isn't fit. Simple. He relies on spark and energy to make his game work - he didn't have it. When he has it he's a match winner in any team. As for Solano he sometimes does it sometimes doesn't. My observation is when Dyer ticks Nobby ticks. It's a fitness/confidence thing.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001