After watching Saturdays bore game i can conclude we need Lee Clark. We were woeful in midfield, we NEED some guile, creativity and heart. I thought Speed was ineffective, Bassedas was evidently injured.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

Answers

I like Clark and think he would be very useful in our squad. At the current asking price however, I think there must be better buys - sadly.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

our midfield is scarily empty

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

That very thought kept me awake last night! I thought b**ger the cost/price, the lad WANTS to play for us, and you can't buy that (as we've found this summer).

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

I think someone has already said on here that Clarky was lost in a title winning side but should fit in....ain't seen any cost cost yet but whilst I'm not a fan of his I'd welcome him back due to his loyalties.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

rog, it was also pointed out that when he was replaced our form disappeared...

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

I wasn't too impressed with any of the midfield. Hopefully they are just a bit rusty. Mind you I'm not convinced that either Quinn or Elliot can cure our left wing problem, Don't think Lee Clarke would either. We need a left winger but shouldn't panic buy.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

our midfield is scary, Speed, Bassedas and who? an ageing Lee, injured Acuna then what?

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

our midfield is scary, Speed, Bassedas and who? an ageing Lee, injured Acuna then what?

not very convincing, a lefty and DEFINITELY a ball playing tough nut.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

You missed Dyer and Solano who I think along with Bellamy and Acuna would be our best midfield.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

A midfield with Bellamy in it would be paper weight, "the silver fly" is better employed up front, face to goal other wise the old Coventry problems are ours

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

If we can't attract another left winger, I'd use Bellamy once Cort and Shearer are fit, with Solano on the right, Acuna as the defensive midfielder and Dyer as the creative midfielder.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

realistically Dyer is off, Bellamy is never a winger and Cort and Shearer will be at the centre of a miracle if they play together all season.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

How much do they want for Clark? Wasn't he stalling on signing a new contract, meaning we might get him cheaper?

If he can play a bit and is the kind of tough presence we desperately need in mf then I don't see why we shouldn't buy him. Rather spend a lot of money on a guy who wants to play for us and can do a job (even if not world class) than on yet another foreign mercenary who'll play a few matches then decide he can't be @rsed and engineer himself a move to a 'better' club.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

Hey Rik, you just selected the weakest midfield ever. Bellamy, Solano, Dyer and Acuna !!!! Who's going to tackle and track back? It would be like a hot knife through hotter butter.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

Clark's a good lad with plenty of heart and enthusiasm but that's all you get. He's not got a lot of pace and is not a very incisive passer of the ball. He don't score a lot either. A poor man's Gary Speed.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

Clarkie strength is his passing, and he knocked in a few last year

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

He's a solid passer of the ball but not what you would call creative. He'll usually play the easy ball accurately which is more than most of our lot can manage mind. He's a great 1st Division player but he'll struggle at Premiership pace.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

more so than say, Bassedas?

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

I see O'Neil is ready to make an offer to take him to Celtic.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

my taxi driver told me that and i put it on here a few weeks ago...

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

I hope you gave him a receipt

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

i'm not living in your world of expense accounts stu...

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

"A poor man's Gary Speed." cough splutter, Clarkie is twice the player. I don't buy the line that he struggled in our '95-'96 side. As the "man in the hole" we won more & let less in with him playing than the hugely over hyped Batty. Get him back & with a cultured player alonside Bassedas, the latter will play better as well. He should be bought straight away.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

Lee Clark is no Zidane, but he is a good player with a sharp football brain, bags of energy, would walk all the way from friggin Lahndan to sign for us, and would DIE for the cause.

Our midfield is frankly p*ss poor, and we would undoubtedly be better with this guy in the team. The reason we won't sign him is that someone would have to decide which big signing to jettison to make way for him.

One last question - does anyone seriously doubt that Lee Clark is not worth £1.5mm less than Craig Bellamy to NUFC? No contest, imho.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

exactly. why is he less of a player than the silver fly?

-- Anonymous, July 25, 2001