Can we assume that with Bellamy out for 6 weeks any pretensions for the title are effectively over, OR is this maybe the kind of thing which will bring the team even closer together? (i NEVER thought i'd ever post a thread like this!)

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Answers

ABSENT PLAYER

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

I don't think we were ever going to win the title, I might have changed my opinion if we'd won the next 2 games...i'd have liked to have seen what we could get out of these games with Bellamy in them...

I feel as if we're destined to lose them now.....I know that one player doesn't make a team but he definitely gave us different options and pushed the play closer to their defensive line rather than midfield or our defensive line....I don't think we have anyone else who can do that....

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

I've been disappointed that so many have been at a loss to believe we can carry on without Bellamy. Clearly, without question, he has made the difference to us this season, but without him we were a decent mid table side, crippled by a lack of width on the left hand side.

A year ago there was similar distress at the loss of Shearer from the side. For me the loss of Shearer let Shola get a game and show he was good enough to be in the side.

I think Shola will be picked as the Bellamy replacement and again he'll offer us something that the player he replaces doesn't have.

If we really are so dependent on Bellamy then we need to get some cover for him pretty damn quick

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Cometh the hour cometh the man. I posted preSeason that this would be the make or break year for LuaLua. Well he's done diddly for 7 months except bugger off to Africa for spot of Winter sunshine. Now comes his big chance to show everyone what he can do, I think he's the sort of player who thrives on confidence (don't they all?) so a goal tomorrow could kick start a great sequence of games for the lad. Alternatively........

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

My natural instinct is to think along the same lines as swift and Gav because I suspect it is Bellamy that has really made the difference this season. However, I'd really like to postpone judgment until after the next two games to see exactly how we manage without CB.

I think we'll know then whether we can simply focus on staying in the top 4 or 5, or whether the impossible dream is still alive.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

We've got as much chance of winning the title as we had of beating Bottomnal at Highbury. None whatsoever.

As you'll remember :-)

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Yes I'd forgotten the hoodoos another needs breaking .... we never win the league, or the cup, and never the double :0)

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

We have won without Bellamy against Blackburn and actually won the Highbury game once he'd been sent off. Of course, we had Dyer in those games (albeit an unfit Dyer) and made full use of Bernard, who, has a fair bit of pace. In fact, against Blackburn, we didn't have Robert either.

To tell the truth, I think we may struggle to have an answer for Henry and Pires but we have got points out of this fixture with much worse teams than we currently have so we can't despair.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Hang on - six weeks? Where did that come from?

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Sporting Life

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

BTW, the Gooner journalist on Jonathan Pearce's Soccer Night last night was sh*tting bricks about playing us and was gutted that Man Utd were a way to Derby while they had to play us.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Ceefax this morning were reporting that it was the same injury that Shearer had and that it could be career threatening never mind need a rest....who knows where they got that from...

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

YBR did, but not quite as dramatic as Ceef**ks

"It will be looked at by a top surgeon, an expert in dealing with the patella tendon. It's the same tendon as Alan Shearer had a problem with, only not as bad..

"...What we don't want to do is continue to play him if he has got a problem - if we do that, he might finish up like Alan and we don't want that."

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Redknapp is predicting that we'll get beaten 3-1 by Arsenal tomorrow. Has Lawrenson spoken yet?

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Moustache-arse fella: draw.

Bollox.

That means someone will win.

(Half empty.)

Alternatively:

Moustache-arse fella: draw.

Yippee!

That means someone will win.

(Half full.)

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Losing Dyer and Bellamy is like ManU losing Van Nist and Giggs or Arse being without Henry and Vera. A hitman hired by our rivals could not have done a better job. If you look at our entire squad and say which two players we just can't do without, that's them. Bugg

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Nah, 2 players who are more crucial are Given and Shearer. One stops 'em the other scores 'em.

Let's just relax and see what happens - I don't think we're beaten before kickoff :-)

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Rodney Marsh thinks the arse will win it by a goal.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Spot on Bobby.

As long as they just go out and do the business, without worrying in advance about the effect not having Bellamy will have.

This will be a very significant game to win, if we can do it, points being the least significant factor, IMO.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

We said the same thing when Dyer got injured. Everyone thought we'd underachieve and we have done amazingly well without him. Cort was looking great for us until his injury. You never know Bellamy could be fighting for his place in the squad in 6 weeks time. And as for the game tomorrow, We could play terribly and win. Whereas Bellamy could have played, had a great game and we could still have lost. Results have a lot to do with the way games turn out.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Think positive. You never know. I mean, half the Arse team could come down with food poisoning by lunchtime. Or maybe Seaman and Vera will get sent off for blatant whinging. Maybe Henry does a repeat of his great kneecap goal last week only this time when he's defending a corner. You never know!!!!

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

On telly Bobby said he didn't know how long Bellamy would be out. He actually said 'could be 2, 3, 4, 5, weeks.' As usual the press just plucks a fiqure out of the air. If his knee is OK in 2 weeks time and the swelling has gone down, I think he'll play. Doesn't sound like he needs an op, just time to heal a 'small tear' as Bobby said. Lots of scare mongering around I think.

As for the match. I might have gone for a win if Bellars had have been fit but now...............not optimistic but I'm often wrong.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

"A small tear in a tendon in his knee" actually.

Despite all the b/s I've read this week - including "Bellamy gets the all clear" only on Wednesday - this is a serious injury and he will be out for more than any two weeks.

We may be lucky if he plays again this season.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Clarky stop it! It's serious in as much as any tear to any ligament is serious but it can heal, it's only a small tear and it probably won't need an op. ( I asked someone who knows about these things) It's a bit extreme to say he might not play again this season.

Are you in a glass half empty mood?!

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

In a way, the pressure is ALL on Arsenal.

We aren't expected to win the game, and even less so without Bellamy. If the players go out and give it their best shot and lose, nobody will really be surprised if we lose.

If we win, on the other hand, cue mass angriness from Thierry Henry, probably directed at the referee. Remember Arsenal may have a good away record, but they haven't played us or Manure (the two best home records in the legaue) at their grounds yet.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Does a 'small tear' ever get better without mechanical assistance ? A tear, I'd have said, would be similar to, say, a split lip rather than a cut on the surface of the skin.

If the tendon is partly severed, that could take a while to heal, I'd have thought. If it's just a slight cut on one surface, it might not take long.

Depends on how precise they've been in describing the injury. 'Tear' sounds a lot more ominous to me, which begs my original question.

I'd be concerned if the split merely scarred over rather than the edges coming back together and healing without any signs of scarring.

Scar = weakness = more problems later.

So for Craig's sake, make sure you get it right Mr Robson, even if it does mean Bellamy's out the rest of the season.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Look, I'm not an expert but I'm trying to be realistic. CB has a "tear" in a tendon inside his knee, plus tendonitis and inflammation.

He may well play again this season, but this is not a trivial injury, and it is one that may not have been caused by a tackle, but more related to 'wear and tear' and indeed over-use.

The time to heal is probably indeterminate, however, it is an injury that must be handled very, very carefully.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

With you all the way Clarky.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

a tear in the tendon plus some inflamation (he said sagely scratching his beard) i recommend a period of rest accompanied by intensive treatment with a cold compress of juniper and clove oil plus strict abstainence from truffles.

sorry, had to say that

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Remember Bellamy is also a bit younger than Shearer so that alone should mean he'll heal a bit faster. Still, I agree that it's best not to push him and risk further injury. Hopefully NUFC have learned a lesson after Shearer and won't risk Bellamy too early. We aren't in nearly as desperate a situation as we were when Shearer was injured, and I don't think Bellamy is anywhere near as pigheaded to try to pretend he's fit when he clearly isn't. I hope even Shearer has learned his lesson on that front by now. ;-)

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

I agree with Clarky it is very possible that CB may not play again this season...Worst senario...but if he does come back then it will be a bonus.

Cup half full

We can do well without Bellars!

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

No I don't think we can do as well without Bellamy. He has made the difference. However I stand to be corrected (hopefully).

BTW - eery time this injury is reported on sky or in papers, the length of time out goes up by a week. Tonight Sky said 7 weeks, earlier they said 6, todays press said 4 or 5. The point is - they don't know and are just making it up as they go along. Very unprofessional.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Hey Lynda

I didn't say we can do as well without Bellars just said we can still do well I agree he will be a big miss but thors still some canny other lads there that can do us a good job

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

I know what you mean Bob (I think!) It's quite funny how we're all getting carried away by this. We all turn into medical experts - although some of us are (Dr Bill?) I might have made my mind up on this subject on full time whistle tomorrow. I just feel that it's so unfair losing him at a time like this! Bloody typical.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Bellamy can stay in the physio room till the FA cup final them come out to score 3, including the winner.

Tendons don't heal in 2 or 3 weeks, no matter how young the patient is.

Sorry.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002