Nobby Solano has been omitted from Peru's Copa America squad. It is reported that this is not related to his latest boozing incident, but to a knee injury that is so bad it is believed he will not be fit to play before the end of August.

So, before even contemplating the InterTwoBob situation BR has to carefully evaluate when the mounting list of "those recuperating" might be available for selection - that list presently comprises Shearer, Dyer, Cort, Lee, Griffen, and now Solano.

If you were to compile a list of our best six outfield players you might just come up with that very same list.

-- Anonymous, June 22, 2001

Answers

Ever worse - it seems Bellamy is going to sign. On The Times web site. £6M!!!!!!!!!!!!! Far too much.

Michael Bridges will be gutted. If he hadn't have been injured, it could have been him.

Just think - Bellamy, Elliot and Murray. I bet man U and Arsenal are really scared of us now!

(I will rethink my opinion if we sign Zenden and some other good players though)

-- Anonymous, June 22, 2001

If we actually pay SIX MILLION POUNDS for Craig Bloody Bellamy this is definitely God's way of telling us that Shepherd, Hall and Robson don't have a brain cell between them.

We are already the laughing stock of the PL - this signing would firmly cement our position, in fact make us totally untouchable!

-- Anonymous, June 22, 2001

not over-reacting a bit are we? I mean really, Bellamy may have been well crap at Coventry, but that's not saying he's going to be crap in B&W stripes. He's a young gun with more upside potential than down, and Bobby must believe he's the real deal.

Hell Rivaldo would have been crap in Coventry's side last season.

-- Anonymous, June 22, 2001

Rivaldo might well have been crap at Cov but we're not that much better than them are we? I see the papers say BR will play Bellamy as striker but that was the problem at Cov, at Norwich he was played as an attacking midfielder or wide, not as a CF.

Still if he signs - which it looks like- we will just have to give him a chance. Anyone deserves that.

-- Anonymous, June 23, 2001

At least BEllamy didn't have any injury problems last season.

-- Anonymous, June 23, 2001

BBC teletext says he's in Newcastle having a medical today. 6 M is mentioned. I should suppose both Bobby and Bellamy have asked Gary Speed for his opinion

-- Anonymous, June 23, 2001

Carl Cort didn't have injury problems til he came to us.

I wonder if Bellamy was having a medical or being measured for a personalized treatment table. ;-))

-- Anonymous, June 23, 2001

Last season we only had YKD as attacking midfield. Acunas had to do the covering job and get up as well once Kieron was knackered. Him and Speed can do it occasionally but not all the time.

Bellamy fits that.

You need 2 players minimum for each position.

YBR is buying young and achieving that. Elliot is cover @ left back. Murray was U21 class before his injury - worth a dabble for nowt but wages.

I reckon there's still a class forward to arrive on top of Zenden.

Come on lets give YBR a chance.

-- Anonymous, June 24, 2001

Well according to Zenden's Agent - who also happens to be his Father - he is talking to several big European Clubs who can offer him CL football, and there is only a very remote chance of him coming here.
So gang, I'm afraid Bellamy is it - our left-sided m/f player for 01/02. Great eh?

-- Anonymous, June 24, 2001

Agents.....the bane of NUFC. ;-)

-- Anonymous, June 24, 2001

pass the cyanide

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I'd read that Solano's injury was no big thing and would be sorted in a week or so.....i'm worried if that's not the case....

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

We have to remember that this is not Zenden himself talking. Other clubs may offer him a deal and those teams may be in the CL but will they offer him the guaranteed first team football?

Zenden is anxious to get his Dutch place back and he knows full well what playing for a big team in the CL does for him after his time at Barcelona.

There may be a twist to this yet.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001