I don't manage to get on here much these days and when I do it's usually just for a quick read. I have however noticed a fair few people writing Bassedas off as a waste of money. Now I appreciate some of it is the frustration of another average season talking, but bear in mind that it takes a full season or thereabouts for pretty much any overseas player to settle into the NE (assuming they ever do). That seems to go hand in hand with buying non-UK. So how's about keeping off the Steering Wheel's back for the remainder of this season and let's see how he goes next year teeing up Carl Cort - another player who's taken a fair bit of stick in absentia ? What do you think ?

-- Anonymous, March 28, 2001

Answers

You're probably right LT - but for the record he hasn't taken any stick where it matters, on the pitch.
He seems a very genuine sort, who is learning the language and trying to integrate, and to be fair the fans have been patient with him. However, it has to be said that he really shown anything at all to suggest he was worth £4.5 million.
Let's hope it works out for him.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

Until Bassedas gets the run of ten games in the central position with a decent midfield partner I'm not writing him off.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

I thought we only paid £3.5 million for him?

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

but reallistically couldn't we have bought British for the same amount, and haven't had to wait a season to get acclaimated....

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

£3.5 million at the start of this season would probably have got you Jim Magilton! For a decent young British midfielder you would probably have to pay £5 million.

For an experienced performer in this league we would hve had to pay something like £7-8 million I reckon and they are still a fair gamble as a signing.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

Nobody has written him off, but serious questions have to be asked about a £4.5m investment who is not currently a first choice. It's constantly said that the directors haven't made money available - well if so that £4.5m should have been spent on someone who would be effective immediately.

You say LT that it takes a foreign player a year to settle. A YEAR! Goodness me, if that's right we should NEVER buy another one.

I'm sure there is a player in Bassedas. YBR bought him and YBR has to get the lad to show us why he was valued at that figure.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

Cristian Bassedas Midfielder from Velez Sarsfield £4,130,000 according to NUFC.com.

See you're all expecting too much of him!!

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

who then was the better purchase... Acuna for a 1m or Bassedas for 4m?

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

lol DB :-)

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

You can't really compare the two until we've seen Bassedas given a run of games in the middle. Acuna has looked impressive but then again he has been given the chances in the middle and not asked to play on the left of midfield.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

I have to say DB that Acuna has never looked 'impressive' to me. He has looked a reasonable buy for £1 million, and I feel is being judged in that light, and against the general dross playing around him.

He certainly hasn't let anyone down, and possibly could look even better in a decent side. However, I'm not yet convinced that he is worthy of being a first-choice pick in the midfield of a truly ambitious PL team. My instinct is that he's a good squad player, but that's about it - that's what you get for £1 million.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001