I mean it's not as if we've recalled Disco Des Hamilton from Tranmere is it?

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

Answers

Is it?

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

Icidentally Des wasn't even in the squad for Tranmere's game v Huddersfield last night, which Tranmere won 2-0.

Injured, back to crapness or has he been recalled???????

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

injured - so could quite easily be recalled to join our stiffs

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

Yep Des was injured but listening to the report it struck we that we should coerce Tranny to buy him. Whilst on loan, they may not even be paying the full wages so there is no incentive to actually buy him, why don't we threaten to pull him before their FA cup game & they'll pay up.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

In today's Ronie, Pedro thinks it's in crisis.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

Check out nufc.com's midfield status. Glass and Bassedas are the only ones healthy and available for Saturday. Lee "should" be available. Acuna still has some injury doubt. We've yet to hear if Nobby is Peru bound.

If it isn't a crisis, it's danged close.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

In the present situation, I swear to God that if Solano doesn't play on Saturday because he leaves to play for Peru, I'd slap him straight on the transfer list and tell him not to bother coming back.

I really do mean that.

As it is, I expect the m/f to be - Solano, Lee, Acuna, Glass. If Acuna doesn't make it I'd play Barton in m/f.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

....forgot about Bassedas. I guess I might play him if Acuna wasn't fully fit instaed of Barton, just.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

If there were other fit players at the club would you play Warren Barton in defence ? Of course you bloody wouldn't the man's a liability. How then, (HOW ???????) can you contemplate playing him in midfield where he isn't quite as good as he is in defence. If there is not a kid in the reserves, or juniors, or local comprehensive school who would be as committed, but would benefit more from playing then we're in a very very bad way.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

Yes, I think the situation is pretty bad macbeth.
The obvious younger choices - Stuart Green and Brian Kerr are both injured. So, while Barton certainly wouldn't be my first choice in midfield - if we are without Speed, Dyer, and Acuna the answer, as I belatedly suggested, is that I would play Bassedas, slightly in preference to Barton in midfield, but only slightly.

This is because I feel we need some solidity and experience in a tough away game from which we badly need something: i) we neeed to arrest the recent decline as soon as possible, ii) we need to begin to pick up some points to avoid a true calamity iii) WB played extensively for Wimbledon in midfield, so it is not uncharted waters for him iv) Bassedas has done nothing as yet to fill me with any confidence that he can be really competitive in a PL midfield iv) I clearly don't believe WB is quite as bad as you do.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

It is a worrying situation. On paper, we have a lot of (relatively) expensive midfielders. Sadly, few if any are top class, and most are unfit. My worry about a m/f comprising Solano, Lee, Bassedas, Acuna and Glass (or any 4 thereof) is that it is very, very fragile. Nobby can't/won't tackle. Neither can Glass. Bassedas gets brushed off the ball as easily as I do and Acuna is hardly the most aggressive or imposing player. That leaves Rob Lee who IMHO, it a yard or so short of pace now and has to be used very selectively (Saturday will do, mind). Even the injured were available, that would only add Dyer (creative not a ball winner), Green, McClen and Kerr (ditto).

FFS, we need an imposing midfielder. Off the top of me heed, ManUre have Keane and Butt, Liverpool have Hamman and Gerrard, Arse have Vera Lynn and somebody else, Chewsee have Denis The Menace, Melchiot and Desailly (both of the latter 2 can/do play m/f), Leeds have that nice Mr Bowyer (for a while) and Nora Batty. What do we have? Exactly. A goof f@rt from the Gallowgate would blow our lot away.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

My thoughts exactly Screacher. That's why I would be of a mind to play WB in midfield. We badly need someone, other than Rob Lee, who can put their foot in if necessary.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

aye... but we'd like them to put their foot in and make contact ;-(

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

Sorry I'm just not with you on this.

As a defender where does he put his foot in ?

As a defender with the whole pitch in front of him how often do his passes hit a Newcastle player, if half the team is now going to be behind him what chance of him reaching a Newcastle player if he gets the ball, unless he passes it backwards of course.

As a defender what is his positional sense like ? He has limited opportunity to mess it up with only a left winger to cope with, in central midfield he's gonna have all directions to cope with.

I really would love to be proved wrong but I'll be happily stunned if it works.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

Hey Macbeth, I'm not saying it's ideal, but we're not in an ideal position. IMO, we have real problems in m/f both long-term and short- term.
I seem to be more concerned than most over the short term, but I really won't be happy until we have at least another six points in the bag. So, until then I'm not too keen to throw really untried kids in - and most of the likely candidates are injured anyway.

If we're going to play AS & Shola up front, it makes good sense to me to play Solano and Glass to provide some ammunition for the big guys. This means we then must have two strong players in the middle who can win the ball and give it.
Rob Lee will hopefully be fit enough to play this weekend, as while I realise you have written him off too, he simply has to play - actually I still feel he has bit to offer, this season anyway.

That leaves the other central position. Acuna is doubtful, but if fit will play. If Acuna can't play, we'll probably play Bassedas - who so far has just not looked strong enough for the PL. However, he cost us £4.5 million so he's likely to play - probably instead of Glass actually.

In a tough away match I'd have a real concern about a m/f containing Solano, Bassedas and Glass. So, in the absence of other options I'd consider Barton. He has looked an awful defender recently. However, he is mobile, he can tackle, and will give us 90 minutes. Playing in the sweeper-type role in front of the back 4, we wouldn't exactly be asking to be Johan Cruyff. His task would be to protect the back 4, win the ball, and then play it simple. I just happen to feel he is capable of doing that job, in an emergency.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

Robert Lee is great once a month, I'd be more than happy for him to play on Saturday if he's fit, he hasn't played recently so should be up for it.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2001

Thanks for the discussion lads and lasses. Interesting to read.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2001

I don't think it has been mentioned further up this thread but Barton is suspended for the game against Everton.

Solano-Lee-Bassedas-Glass

What other option do we realistically have? Green and Kerr out, Speed and Acuna out. I'm not even 100% Solano isn't going to play for Peru at the weekend!! Gavilan and Bonvin on the bench?

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2001

It will be very interesting to see what happens with Solano this weekend. It is inconceivable that he won't play on Saturday, so my guess is that he will fly out to Miami after the game.
We then await what action BR will take - but without a game next week, I don't see that Bobby has any real grounds to do anything.

Now if Nobby didn't make himself available for Saturday's game, then I really would expect there to be blood on the carpet.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2001