NUFC.com report that Shearer played 45 min and scored twice in the against a Hartlepool team this morning in a 2-2 draw.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

Answers

Another plus for the match.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

now if I can just find a bar in Montpellier with the match on I'll be set!

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

Montpellier? Isn't in south of France? Sounds nice :)

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

So far our worst fears havent been true. They slowly are getting him back into the team. Maybe a sub vs Makems, the last 15 min or something.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

get a train from Montpellier to Barca and watch the game with SteveT and me!

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

Robson says that he won't risk him being out for another 6 months if he isn't fully fit. I think he was hinting that he probably wont play on Sunday.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

Shearer cannot possibly be ready to play at the weekend!
15-20 minutes off the bench perhaps - but if BR starts him, and he breaks down, I will personally insert Basil Fawlty's garden gnome into our esteemed Manager.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

I must say, last night, had we had a finisher, I think we might have nicked it...hurry back, Al, but don't do your knee in in the process.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

personally insert Basil Fawlty's garden gnome into our esteemed Manager.

ROTFLMAO Clarky!

Sounds like Sunday could be even more event-packed than last night's remarkable game - not sure my constitution can take much more of this!

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

I agree with Jonno and a couple of others, if any blame at is to be attached following last nights debacle it must lie at the door of YBR for heavan`s sake. To select a team and formation , set out the game plan, score 4 and concede 4 beggars belief. I will not down the players, he picked them, if because it worked once he carries on with this juvenile 3 sub theory I will have my doubts on his intergity. As for the result , I looked at it as a good 6 game pre-season that brought much needed revenue into the club but at the same time look at as a chance missed to play the likes of Bernard, Caldwell and Harper amongst others , IMHO that due to bad buying in respect to what he had , he has put us in the position where every cross/corner set-piece is treated with trepidation by the fans. O`Neil buys - he buys physical, guys who will stick the heed in , boot in , get Hughes or Griff over to rwb , pick your two biggest center backs, keep at LWB Elliot, if your not happy with m/f committment, try Hughes in their as man marker/ball winner , gotta play Robert, others? , said when he went up for his first ball last year that Shols was u/s in the air , mind you Cort`s for his height is not much better , criminal.

Forget about benching sShearer , Bobby you think what is your best team availible, then pick it, always pick your best team, if Al is fit cleared by the doc, play him, if you feel Harper is more confident than Shay, play him , lets be cruel to be kind , forget about players feelings, way down my list of priorities,as Dougal says lets do the talking where it matters on the bliddy pitch , but stop picking players who are by their sell by date , disgruntled traffic jam behind them I bet, I do not advocate booing a player , it is sometimes the tool a fan has to voice their displeasure and alert a manager to their feelings, if Griffin is picked this week, it will be the fans who will have steered YBR in this direction, could you see him dropping Barton, or for that matter Lee and Speed, senior pros? nah ,closed shop folks

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

20 minutes at the most as a sub.

At least it sounds like they've been easing him back sensibly - the reserve games, behind closed doors games etc. Last time he would have been straight back in without any other games.

I'm caught between two minds though. We really could do with someone like Shearer, on Sunday, but the derby match is possibly the most physical that we'll play all season and could wreck his knee.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

While I'd love to have a fully fit AS back in the side, I really don't think is the critical issue for Sunday. The tackles will be flying in midfield and the team that wants it most in that area will come out on top. In this game more than any, you must earn the right to play some footy.

These are the real issues for Sunday, so who is best equipped for that scenario? For my money Griffin and Elliott will put the foot in at FB, and would undoubtedly be my first choice.

Dabz and O'Brien are our best CB pairing. At the risk of upsetting Robbie Elliott's settling in process, I might consider playing Hughes at LB and moving Robbie into the m/f holding role. He has played there before, reads the game, can pass and tackle. Hughes was effectively playing there last night, although he didn't realise it, and isn't really equipped for the role. I'd probably play Speed in the other m/f position, with Solano and Robert wide.

Given has temporarily lost it, and as we have another excellent keeper in Steve Harper, he should come in - it's just too bad if Shay doesn't like it. That's why we have two top-class keepers.

As it is, I expect BR to play last nights team, with Robert and Shearer replacing Quinn and Ameobi, although it's possible that he will start with Shola, with AS coming off the bench.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

I think Shearer will start on Sunday. He'll last no more than an hour, being subbed when we are 2 goals clear. I won't tell you what happens in the last 30 mins as it will spoil the excitement.

Reasons for me saying he will start? He's scored 3 in 1 1/2 games. He has a point to prove against the Makems for missing the pen last year. Look what happenned last time he was on the becnh against them. Oh yes - he'll probably spit his dummy oot if he doesn't ;-)) Bottom line - if Steadman says he's strong enough to play, he will. The thing that will be lacking is match fitness. 45-60 mins will do him. Rather it be early than last-ditched desperate effort.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

The problem with that scenario Screach is that if Shearer starts it is highly unlikely he will come off. This is not necessarily due to his own obstinacy - but down the the fact that he holds the ball up so well that he is precisely the sort of player you want on the field to kill the game when your winning 2-0(!). However, this is precisely the danger point for his knee when he is really fatigued.

The first half of a derby is for winning the m/f battles, and establishing a measure of control even if we don't score - we can then bring on a fresh AS in the 2nd half to do battle with a tiring mackem defence.

I kinda like it!

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

I'd prefer to see him come off the bench, because I can't see him coming off. I also have this feeling that YBR may stick with WB as a 'confidence' type of thing, but think Grffin should be there. I think the positioning of Robbie Elliott is going to have a big say in the game, and I agree with Clarky in playing him in a more midfield position. It would be only right and proper for Harper to be playing. Given needs a break, as Screacher pointed out, he will get dogs abuse and I don't think that its going to do him much good - however much YBR might think that it is the best way forward for him.Not only that, but Harper is a very good keeper in his own right. If this produces a pet lip from Shay again, tough.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

it'll be the same team with the exception of quinn - they will get a final chance to 'redeem' themselves. By half time i'm fully expecting Shearer, Griffin and Bernard to be on.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

I hate to say it, but Bobby is going to play "not to lose". I would love to see youngsters like Griff, Lua Lua and Bernard given a run out...from the kick off. Not going to happen, settle down Pete.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2001

Oh Lordy! Reading this thread and for the first time in donkey`s ages I have real pre match butterflies! (:o)

-- Anonymous, August 23, 2001