Gary Speed has bust his toe and will be out for a while - Peterboro, Spurs, Bolton & Southamton if the Ronnie is to be believed.
Since Dyer has returned to the team Speedy's been brill. We'll miss him and we've no one to replace him. Acuna is so so imo. Lee is too old and is injured most of the time: he has only played in the ManU game of late.
Dyer has been a class above but is similar in size and temperament to Solano and Robert. As you've seen when you include Bellamy's pace in the equation we're a beutiful team to watch. However, Shearer's contribution to this form has been crucial and Speedy efforts have been fundamental.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Answers

Is this the beginning of the injury crisis we've all been waiting for? Speedy was injured for about a month at the beginning of the season and we did ok, but, then, Lee was fit..

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Dougal, your glass seems to be half empty. May I top it up for you?

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Maybe an extended run out will bring the best out of Acuna. It can't be easy blending in if you play only about one game in five or six, if you're lucky.

And it looks like necessity might be the only way to force Bobby to bring one or two of the kids into the first team picture.

I don't think any of that will happen though, because if Lee looks even remotely like being fit, he'll get the nod.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

.....god I hope so! Even though he has been written by all & sundry, Rob Lee is still in a different class to Acuna, imho of course.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Lee's age has nothing to do with his selection. You don't say "sorry mate, but at 36 (or whatever) you just can't play". Either you've got it or you haven't. Lee had it, and can usually just about reproduce it too when fit.

Or to quote Pauline Calf - "I said 'Look Jonathan, style is like the clap; either you've got it or you haven't'. I've got it, and now he has as well"

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Lee is fine on his day, but I think Acuna is better able to attack and scores more goals than Lee but he lacks Lee's experience. I'd start a fully fit Lee ahead of Acuna, but don't think we're any better/worse off if Acuna has to start. In the long run it's probably better to give Acuna a run. In other words....neither one of them overly excites or depresses me. I just hope Speed recovers...err, speedily. ;-)

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

I think Acuna is a bit under-rated actually: he works, hard, does a job and certainly doesn't let the side down. He scores the odd goal, too.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Acuna is so so I said earlier, what I mean by that is, Leeds have better squad players than Acuna as have Manu, Liverpool, Arsenal & Chelsea. Indeed all of the others have healthy compition for the first team. I don't think Acuna can be classed as 'pushing for the first 11'. However, he works his nuts off and wont let anyone down.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

What I'm not sure Acuna is capable of, is directing the play, spotting the runs, slowing things down etc.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Acuna came on against Palace and picked out a couple of class looped balls for Bellamy and Dyer. OK, he was only on against 1st division opposition but he picked them out well.

At least we know he is half decent, it could be a LOT worse.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Bobby should be having a chat with Freddie about how vulnerable we are now in the central midfield area, dependent on either a player who isn't viewed as worth offering a contract for next year, or a Chilean who we view as an adequete replacement but not someone actually challenging Gary Speed for a starting place. Not good enough.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Got to agree macbeth.

We realise the Club's finances are not in good shape; however, BR has got us into a position where at the end of January we have a genuine chance at winning the PL, and a highly realistic shot at a CL place - with the cash riches either/both of those would generate.

We have managed so far to avoid too many injuries, which also suggests our luck could change at any time.

Nevertheless, with minimal injuries, and only a couple of suspensions, our squad is stretched paper-thin for Sunday's FAC tie. In fact if RL isn't available for selection, we will either need to do without a m/f sub or draft in an unproven kid.

This is a situation demanding brave management leadership - spending money on players in the close season may well be slamming the stable-door after the horse has bolted, not to say an unforgivable waste of a heaven-sent opportunity.

However, I doubt we'll get that enlightened leadership.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

To be fair, where are Arsenal without Vieira though? He is vital to their team, as Keane is to Manure. Whilst Manure have decent replacements for Keane, Arsenal have Grimandi - is he really any better than Acuna?

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

I despair at this and dreaded it happening.

The Lee replacement issue has been chewed over so many times on this forum it is unreal and perhaps our season may just fall on the very same.

Freddie will be very happy in Oz safe in the knowledge that we will not get relegated.

Any chance of him actively persuing a midfielder who could just tip the balance and secure us a Champions league spot is not going to happen.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

The fact is, we all dreaded the thought of a midfield of Gary Speed and Kieron Dyer - it worked pretty well.

Acuna, at the start of the season, was seen as pretty much an equal to Speed, perhaps without the heading ability. Obviously we've seen Speed in a new light recently, but hopefully we will be pleasantly surprised.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Well Pete, he could have a word with Brett Emerton's Ma & Pa to see if they could persuade their lad. Or failing that, have a word with Tre.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Remember discussing Wayne Quinn and concluding that is what you get for £800k?

Well Acuna cost us £1m - and while he is certainly a gamer - quite frankly he's about £200k better than Quinn! ;o{]

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

I disagree Clarky (I'm in an argumentative mood tonight). Acuna is far better than Quinn, tho perhaps not good enough as an EPL regular. Quinn is slow and has poor positional sense. His distribution isn't a lot better than Robbie Elliott's. Acuna won't control a game, but he get's into some interesting positions (just ask Leeds last season away). I suspect Rob Lee will slot in instead of Speed, but I don't necessarily expect him to last a full 90 mins. His vision and experience will be needed more against Sours than it will against Posh.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Acuna's got 3 goals this season hasn't he?

Not exactly classics if I remember rightly but 3 goals isn't bad for the number of games he's played.

Disagree RE Quinn, Acuna has been worth a lot more than Quinn to us, for the reasons outlined by Screacher

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

....the comparison was rather tongue-in-cheek, and intended to be metaphorical rather than literal, Screach.

I don't dislike Acuna as a squad player - he is a 100% tryer and brave as a lion - however, if we have to rely an him and Dyer in central m/f for several games, then imho we can kiss our PL & CL chances goodbye.

If Rob Lee is fit to replace GS for a couple of games, with Acuna as back-up, then I'm fairly relaxed. However, to be honest I'm increasingly concerned about this persistent groin injury that Lee has had now for several weeks.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

As I said, I was in an argumentative mood ;-)

Anyway, I think Rob Lee "contracted" his injury when it became convenient.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

... I only hope you're right Screach.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

Agree Clarky, Acuna isn't what we need long term. However, we don't have the hardest of games - touch wood - coming up in the short term and should be able to pick up a quite a few points even with a weakened team.

I think it's a case of wait and see. The midfield that will play against Spurs will have never played together before, so we can't possibly predict what will happen.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002