Just made a line up of quality:
Given (25 yo)
Griffin (22 yo)..O'Brien (22 yo)..Distin (23yo)..Elliot(27 yo)
Acuna (26 yo)
Solano(26 yo)......................................Robert (27yo)
Dyer (22yo)....................Bellamy (23 yo)
Cort (23 yo)
That leaves out: Shola, LuaLua, Hughes, Bernard, Caldwell's, Bassedas plus alot younger ones....... Nice line up !! What do you think ??

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

Answers

Age not a Problem !

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

Not too shabby. However, in the short-term it would look better with Rob Lee and Alan Shearer in the side.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

I know. I would put both of them in the side this season then maybe use the General abit less the next and give Shearer against Derby et al.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

I meant give Shearer a rest against bad sides

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

I'm not so sure. The loss of Lee after Keane's thuggery made us look very weak in mid-field. And I'm not sure he does have a full season left in him.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

Thing is, our recent history shows that our real point of weakness is beating "bad" teams (we weren't beaten at home by a single top six side last season but were beaten by Man City, Everton and the SMB) so I am not sure that we can be so arrogant as to rest players against so-called bad teams. In any event, our biggest problem is central midfield and this needs to be sorted pronto.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

Very true, Dougal. Just makes me even more nervous about next Sunday and the following Weds. If we can manage a point or 3 against from each game, we can start to feel more confident that a corner has been turned.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

The only solution to the problems presented by the age of both AS and RL is to have adequate replacements.

If CC could ever get himself fit and playing again, we are probably fairly well covered with him, Bellamy and Shola. However, the real problem is Rob Lee and the problem here is immediate - we have no adequate replacement. Acuna is a good squad player and right now there isn't much too choose between him and GS. However, Bassedas just isn't good enough for the PL and we now need to accept that.

As with last season we are faced with a very significant investment decision. Last season we got it wrong, and paid the consequences. We are at another critical decision point - we have made a good start to the season, but as was graphically illustrated yesterday, we are still far too dependant on RL.

We need to invest now on the one additional first-class central m/f player who might just make the difference in enabling us to capitalise on a good start: or, the Board can sit on their hands - as they did last season - and risk throwing away another good opportunity to really push on for success.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

Clarky, who is the first class midfielder that you have in mind?

I can't think of anyone who is available and would be in our price range (although if we paid £10m for LR, who knows?)

BTW, LR=Laurent Robert, just to avoid some confusion :)

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

Paul,

I don't have any particular player in mind. I would have perhaps taken a chance on Sep Guardiola, who despite his high wage demands was available on a FT. However, I believe he has now signed for some 2nd rate Italian side.

Clearly, we don't know who is available in Europe, but of the British players Carrick would probably be the best long-term investment - however it would take a massive bid to prise him away from WHU.

Seth Johnson is perhaps the best of those who could be 'made available' - although he isn't exactly Patrick Viera. There is the lad David Prutton who seems to be a prospect, but I haven't seen him and don't really know. The other m/f player who always plays well when I've seen him on telly is Matt Oakley of S'ton.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

Well we're supposed to be after this Lembi bloke aren't we? CB but BR sees him as CM apparently!

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

Hey, Dan the man is back. You've been missed Mr Maier.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

Clarky. Completely agree with your posting. I think that we have a problem in the RL area that needs fixing sooner rather than soonish. Having been proved totally wrong with my initial assessment of Bellamy, I bow to YBRs far superior knowledge and put my faith in him. I would still like to see Seth Johnson here. By the way, anybody think that our latest French signing looks a big old unit? Even from the 'cheap seats' he looked huuuuuuuge. be interesting watching players trying to run round him. Finally, I have withdrawn from the ' Give Bassedas a break Group'. I feel we may have made an error with him.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

We were weak in M/F after Lee went off because we did not have a midfielder on the bench.

WB had to pretend he was a midfielder, still not too hard for him. He has been pretending he is a full back for years!

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

So Distin really is that big? I thought it was just the angle of the cameras. Or that the 4th official was a tiny guy. If he's got talent to match his size, we may have signed another gem.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2001

So if you were working on the camera angle ciara you could probably have seen up his shorts?

-- Anonymous, September 17, 2001

Distin is clearly huge, and reportedly fast, if he has the tackle to match then he could be a big hit with the girls

-- Anonymous, September 17, 2001

What about Matt Holland from Ipswich ?

-- Anonymous, September 17, 2001

Canny player Holland - wouldn't say no to him.

-- Anonymous, September 17, 2001

"Canny player Holland - wouldn't say no to him"

Depends what the question was really doesn't it?

It really is a tough one

To be honest, if our game plan is simply score more than the other team, I'm a "happy bunny". I don't care for clean sheets much as long as we get more than the other team.

I certainly prefer 4-3 to 1-0.

-- Anonymous, September 17, 2001

I've never understood that mentality Paul. Why do scoring goals and defending professionally have to be considered to be mutually exclusive?

The choice doesn't have to be between winning 4-3 or 1- 0: what's wrong with winning 4-0 or 4-1?

-- Anonymous, September 17, 2001

I would prefer 4-0 over 4-3 or 1-0, but given the choice between 4-3 and 1-0, I'd take 4-3 anyday, if only for entertainment value.

-- Anonymous, September 17, 2001