What is lacking - talent or committment?

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Opinion seems to be highly polarised on here as to the root of the team's present malaise - do they lack ambition/bottle/attitude/fight/ spirit/committment, or is the squad simply not good enough? So, let's debate it.

IMHO, we are barking up entirely the wrong tree, and to thoroughly mix my metaphors, clutching at straws if we feel the problems on the pitch are caused entirely by a lack of committment/attitude/............

BR has got rid of a lot of deadwood, plus talented but only occasional contributors like DF, Howey, Charvet and Domi. However, as yet not one his own signings has come off - and therefore the squad, while trimmer, is no stronger than it was 12 months ago when TDO walked, and arguably weaker.

While several contributors on here urge BR to simply abandon the senior pros like Lee, Barton, Speed and Shearer, the harsh reality of the situation is that we are even more dependent on them than we were 12 months ago, and they are all 12 months older.

The challenge facing BR is even greater now than it was 12 months, because the playing squad is still nowhere near good enough, and requires significant restructuring so that we reduce/eliminate the dependence on a hardcore of increasingly (and IMO unfairly) villified senior pros.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2001

Answers

What's missing?.....................try Yorkie, Teddy, Ole and Keano :-)

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2001

I remember you winning 6-2 at Highbury once, lost the league by 10 points !!!

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2001

People who beleive totally in the pride of pulling on the Black and White stripes, the likes of Lee Clarke, Stevie Watson, Elliot, Howie etc. who whilst not at the top of their tree, made up for it by being fans at heart. Foreigners who came to wor city and found temporary homes and a placw where their sometimes erratic skills were truly appreciated Ginola, Kets, Faustino good solid people who tried their best week after week Albert, Pav, Peacock, players past their peak but still with a lot to give Beardsley, Venison, Beresford....... need I go on ???? Keegan's team and signings. There is no doubting YBR's commitment to the club or the area, nor can anyone ever criticise his past glories, but where are we today this foul Monday morning ??? A long looonnnggg way from twatting the manure 5 - 0 I will say it again the future is PETER WITHE and some of his Thai players. But here is the prediction, he and his Thai International team are touring the UK in April, Derby or Villa will go for Withe and Worotot the Thai no 9 will go on loan to Liverpool. I have spoken !!

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2001

How many players would really feel the hurt of disappointment in a cup final, like those Birmingham players did yesterday?

Only a select few in my opinion, which is not enough.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001


Assorted ramblings:
1)We are a very small team. The four midfielders on saturday where all shortarses. LuaLua and Glass came on as subs and they are shortarses n aal.
2) The pitch is shit.
3) I thought YKD was lacking in bottle. Turns out he'd injured
4) Solano serious attitude problem.
5) No YKD and Solano = no creative attacking force.
6) Big Al, 90 mins, no way.
7) The defence is a shambles.
8) We have no leadership or even shouting.
9) We have the body laguage of defeat.
10) The players don't seem fit enough.
11) We don't have any songs.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001


If he's fit it is a must that Stevie Caldwell plays from now on. Goma is okay, Hughes is struggling, Caldwell has that spirit and loudness of voice we need. Doesn't matter if he makes mistakes he's hard he'll take it

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

We need a left sided player which will give us something we haven't had all season - Shape.

It will also incresase the threat of Dyer and Solano. As it stands, if a team marka Dyer and Solano it in effect removes any chance of us getting a goal.

We're doomed I tell you until we get a left footer in midfield.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001


I go back to Clarky's origional point. Bobby Robson's singings have not yet done anything to justify that they are worth what was spent on them. At other clubs he's spotted youngsters such as Ronaldo and Van Nistelroy, and brought them to his club. His other dearer signings wee also proven players (which cost a lot more than the £2 million price bracket. So far he hasn't come up with any future megastars and his bargain basement buys haven't as yet made the grade, and his one and only big buy has been injured . Perhaps this is why Shepherd hasn't allowed him to spend any more money than he has raised in sales?

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

Robson has to sort out the dross whatever he does. He must, bby now, have formed an opinion on certain playerds who are not pulling their weight. We have nothing to lose by playing players who are going to give their all for 90 minutes. More importantly players have to be picked by their position in order to get some shape to this un balanced team.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

Perhaps this is why Shepherd hasn't allowed him to spend any more money than he has raised in sales?

That is probably the scariest thing written on here. If the board don't trust YBR - what hope is there?

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001



DeB,

I think YBR has formed his opinions on players, who is pulling their weight/whi isn't etc. However, if he can't spend and those players you want to replace are the sames ones you have to rely on week in week out to perform - that leaves us in the burn without a netty, as it were....

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001


That being the case, there is only one solution to this whole situation-------TIME. We'll simply have to plod on keeping our heads above water until the board decide enough is enough and sanction the replacement of these players with players with the right combination of talent/attitude and fitness.

I'd give it two months. We should get the required three points to avoid relegation in that time. We should!

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001


I thought Wayne Quinn was the problem on Saturday - no pace and constantly getting skinned by Kanchelskis. Thought the central defenders did relatively well all things considered. No midfield, for me, is the start and end of our problems.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

the question is clear... do we continue with this seemingly endless rebuilding project that keeps us getting by season after season, or do we try and get over now. By the looks of things we are not going to spend 10-20m on players any more. As this is the case IMO we should be looking to continue with mid-table mediocrity, because if all we can expect to spend on any one player is £7m (Cort , Ferguson at that price) we can simply forget trying to get up there with the big 'uns.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

This is where 'the vision thing' comes in sparxx - as fans/customers what we all need to understand is just what is Mr Shepherd's vision?

Is his vision for NUFC for a Club that can compete on equal terms with Manure and Arsenal? Or does he believe that is now unattainable? In which case, what are we now striving for - PL security, an occasional run at a UEFA Cup place, and the odd good FA/Worthy Cup run?

If the former, then how are we going to go about doing that, and how should we measure our progress?

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001



We are ALL missing the point, today we are SHITE and no mistake ! There is no pride, no bite, no attitude, no fight ! Erratic in the extreme, no consistency except that we are SHITE most weeks. Nber mind "hope" piggin' HOPE we want SUCCESS not dreams. We nearly had it, and don't dare criticis KK, he gave me the team and the football I/WE wanted.

The worst day of my life was the journey back from Hereford, I am not far from that feeling at the minute.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001


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