Who on here last week posted a thread something along the lines of ' are we lucky with injuries'?

Whoever it was - hang your head in shame! I said at the time - don't tempt fate! Now look what you've done!

I have to admit that I was beginning to believe that we could do it, until CB's injury though. I just can't see how we can lose his pace, along with Dyer's pace and still do well. It means changing the whole way we play. There is only Robert left with pace, although JJ might blossom I suppose.

I know it's not the end of the world but Bellamy is so important to the team. It will be very interesting to see how Bobby shapes the team without him.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Answers

Luax2 up front with Al ???

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

The sublime and the ridiculous...

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Given
Hughes Obrien Distin
Dabs
Speed Bernard
Jenas
Nobby Robert
Al
a good formation against Arsewipenil????

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

don't underestimate the lads. we are not a one man team. i suspect arsenal would have already worked a plan out for bellamy which would probably have worked (they are awesome defensively) maybe a new tactic attacking wise is a blessing in disguise. i seem to remember Robert ri`pping them apart twice at Highbury with his movement and pace (and beating the keeper one on one) it's the liverpool game which bothers me more. does anyone know who arsenal have lost against this season? that could tell us a lot...

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Arsenal away defeats limited to CL .... Mallorca, Panathinaikos, Deportivo so pattern seems to be that they don't like warm climates

Arsenal home defeats Charlton, Newcastle and Leeds, mmmm not sure what that shows.

As for team pick I'd pick Shola with Shearer, why mess with the midfield and weaken it when we have someone who can play as a forward. If things don't go well then we have options to change around but play your players in their best positions

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

i think shola is far too lax. against arsenal we'll have to pull something pretty darn special out to beat them and Shola...

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

As Mac stated, Arsenals away record is pretty awesome! and liverpools home record of late is a bit dodgy so i'd definitely worry more about the arsenal game....i'd pick cort with shearer but i'm worried about missing bellamy's pace...it might not always produce something but it definitely causes problems....

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Basically, I would like to see LuaLua straight in for Bellamy, as I can't see how we can play well without attacking with pace. Playing Luax2 upfront can limit the change of the team shape.

What about giving Michael Chopra a chance? Jenas had a highly satisfactory debut in such an important game. Maybe Chopra can do even better.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Shola just looks lazy, uninterested. If he buzzed around like Bellamy it woud be very funny.

Cort shouldn't be rushed.

Chopra needs at least a seat on the bench first.

Lua2 can't control the ball and should stay as a sub who can change things

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Shola. A far far better player than he gets credit for. Cort has looked knackered both times I've seen him of late and isn't moving freely yet. Can't see Seaman coping with a dummy from Shola if he gets a chance. Gary Speed is well overdue a goal by the way.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Dont forget Arsenal has worse injury problems then we do.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

I agree with Softie. Shola is a deceptive player and his IMO biggest asset is the space he seems to create. He is also fast over the ground and has reasonable first touch. His biggest problem is link up play and his heading. I would on balance just prefer Lua-Lua as he might fit into the present team pattern of play better than Ameobi.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

I find Shola a diffucult player to judge , he's had a couple af great games for the under 21's and when he runs he legs dont seem to move yet he covers great yardage (long blimmin legs). Hes had a couple of poor games for us also , id probably start with Shola and put Lua x2 2nd half when their defence is knackered

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

We can't start with Lua x2. He loses the ball too easily which will put us under considerable pressure against a team like @rse. I agree that we might want him on the bench, tho I perhaps feel that Robert might be a better option up front than Shola. Quite what we'd do with the left midfield slot is a different matter.

We could of course go with 5 at the back (Hughes, O'Brien, Dabs, Distin and Elliott) and stick with 3 in m/f (Solano, JJ and Speed) with Shearer and Robert up front. Unless Bernard has impresed YBR recently - which I doubt.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Sorry to appear thicker than usual, but is Bellamy definitely out of Saturday's game, or is it all presumption? Read he had tonsilitis as well. Shame he isn't on 6 yellow's really, than we could get injury/illness/suspension out of the way all in one go.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

From the Ronnie:

>> Scan-tastic- No Op As Bellamy Gets The All Clear Feb 27 2002

The scan on striker Craig Bellamy's knee injury has showed that there is no ligament damage and the key Newcastle United player will not need surgery. That's the good news the Chronicle can reveal today ahead of United's two crucial Premiership games. However, Bellamy is still extremely doubtful for the mega Premiership clashes with Arsenal at St James's Park on Saturday and Liverpool at Anfield a week tonight.

Everyone at St James's Park has been holding their breath as they wait for the result of the scan Bellamy had on Monday after picking up a knee injury in Sunday's victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. But I understand that after seeing the results of the scan, United are confident that there is no ligament damage and their £6 million man will not need an operation. However, after a hiccup with Kieron Dyer's scan last month, United are taking no chances and they have sent the plates down to David Dandy in Cambridge so that the country's top knee specialist can have a look at them.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Thanks Steph. So now the conspiracy theorists will kick in with 'it's all a ploy by YBR to confuse Winger'. See, I've already started it.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

F**k Dandy, get Steadman on the case!

I would be interested to see Robert up front, although his reliance on his left foot may let us down at the front. Bernard has looked capable on the left, if not blessed with Robert's pace. Luax2 just can't start for us. He will be a super-sub for his entire career unless he can play more directly. Seen some signs of that of late, but not sure Arse is the kind of proving ground I fancy for him.

Shola can be fabulous, deceptively pacey and some nice tricks. Against Keown I wouldn't be too sure, but without him (and Adams?) anything's possible. I suspect Sholas will start if Bellamy can't (bet on the Welsh get being on the bench though).

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Shola's pace has been a subject of discussion before. It seems to me that a burst of acceleration over 5-10 yards is more effective than outright pace over a longer distance. Bellamy has the former. In training I wouldn't be surprised if Shola started overtaking him after 20 yds. But does Shola have the acceleration needed to make him outstanding?

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Great news, but give the poor guy a rest, he's all but spent. The reason he's been found wanting on offsides is that he's running on empty. We owe him everything for the season so far, but I wouldn't want to sacrifice another 10 years of this for a chance at the title this season and see his carreer finished.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Hopefully, the initial assessment of CB's knee proves to be correct. If so it will serve to demonstrate what can happen when a player is over-played - as Bellamy has been - and provide ample evidence of why we need a bigger 1st team squad. We have too many players in the squad that Bobby would actually prefer not to play.

CB has looked absolutely knackered towards the end of the last two games, and presumably this is his body's way of saying "f**k you lot!"

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

What's wrong with a cortisone injection?

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Nothing at all

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Yes, Cort is one injection that might benefit the team. :-{E}

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

For me there are only a couple of options:

Robert up front with Shearer and Bernard on left wing.

Lua Lua with Shearer with Robert staying on left wing.

If neither of those then it could be a formation change - give Robert a free role (he does say he never gets the ball enough, so let him get it) with Shearer as a lone striker.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Robert is too lazy & soft to replace Bellamy up front, leave him on the wing. Give LuaLua a game, we only ever see the lad get a few minutes as a sub and we all seem surprised when he doesn't produce a miracle.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

Soft? A smack in the gob from Danny Mills and try to play 85 minutes of PL football afterwards doesn't sound to me like softness.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

I don't think he's soft as such.

Lazy yes, but then most wingers are.

With the ball, only Shearer can hold it up better in our team. He is an expert at holding off players and waiting for others to arrive.

In that respect, Robert and Bellamy as a front line sounds pretty appetising! (shame that Bellamy's injured like)

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002