Reading the discussions on our midfield it came to me like a flash on the Road to Damart or however the phrase goes : Everton away is the perfect opportunity to play Shola up front on his own and give Big Al his debut in a midfield/supporting role. Comments ??

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2001

Answers

Loony, Afraid my view of Alan Shearer taking on a midfield role, supporting or otherwise is not at all encouraging, I feel this school of thought is derived from his strength and our midfields lack of same , his passing ability or our midfields lack of it. Alan Shearer from his formative years at Southampton, played with his back to goal, laying the ball off to supporting players ,has not at any of his clubs seen the wider picture in front of him , and I doubt if he has the fitness to do a shift in midfield. He is your old fashioned center forward, who in the past a few of the greats could do a job at center half, (aka John Charles). Not just his matches but Shearers training regime is focussed on being up front. A few guys can do the business in any position , few and far between though , anyone come up with better example than Paul Madeley (Ex Leeds) will be sore pushed and that`s a few years ago. If we have to think Shearer is midfield material we have one helluva problem, works in amateur football, not in the premiership, let him see his days out in the trade and position he served his time

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Interesting points Buff. I definitely agree he's an unknown quantity in the midfield but IMO has exhibited some of the required vision eg. when he's chosen to pull wide and been able to whip in better crosses than any other bugga in b&w. I hear your Paul Madeley call, and raise you a Mark Hughes ?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

My thoughts mirror Buff's precisely on this point, which has actually been raised by Screacher on another thread - it wouldn't work, and it won't be tried.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

There's only one Stevie Watson

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

It probably is a naive idea but I still kind of like it. Not necessarily for this weekend but when (if?) we ever have two (other) fit strikers. As Loony says, he'll no longer have to worry about getting on the end of his own crosses. Also, his lack of pace would be less significant, he could arguably skipper the side better, he paradoxically might have more freedom to attack and as for the back- to-goal thing, I think a lot of that's down to lack of support, the need to hold up the ball and so on - when BR arrived, he shook Shearer out of the habit for a while and he looked more potent. Now he's reverted to the old style.
Anyway, as you say, it won't happen.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Whence this myth that Shearer can pass? He can't.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Got to disagree Dougal.
Shearer has a very decent first touch, is one of the best passers of the ball in the Club. I'll bet his pass completion rate is very high.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Clarky, I used to think that but his stats are fairly awful. In fact, it was incredulity at his stats that got me watching his passing -

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001