toptoon

Real shame Faye isn't expected to be fit for this one as Howard totally dominated Roze and to a lesser degree Cacapa at their place. Think we should have a real go at them: V Derby at the moment: Given Beye Taylor Cacapa Enrique Milner Barton Emre Zoggy Smith Martins Subs; Harper, Edgar/Roze, Duff, Butt/Geremi, Viduka Duff to get a run out in the second half and if we are creating alot bring Viduka on for his finishing.

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i've seen little to suggest that n'zogbia will be much of an improvement on milner. we'd be going back to 2005/6 to see any form in that position. compare that with what brummie would say about milner's time at villa ? Duff's hasn't done anything to warrant a place over Milner or Zog yet either.

so you don't believe that we will miss martins? Especially if Owen is crocked as usual?

Losing Faye is another blow imo as if our defence comes up against any 'Big man' type strikers i have Faye down as our main man to mark them, as the rest aren't strong enough. Geremi may well be our second best RB leaving Taylor probably RB in BS eyes. Yes Kev did have a point imo, but 'collapse' is maybe a bit strong, 'could struggle for a while' would be better. Alladyce may well go for Taylor Cacapa Roze Zoggy which doesn't bode well in the CB's positions as they are both weak in the air so we could be in real trouble if we come up against 'Big Man' type strikers. I'd be tempted to try Edgar Taylor Cacapa/Roze Enrique and put Zoggy LW and let him off the leash to attack the opposition more moving Milner RW to offer some sort of offensive threat from that side which we haven't had for too long now. Duff on the bench if he regains some decent form.

He's never been a goalscorer even when used up-front at Leeds so don't see why that will change. With Owen up-front I think he can get away with it, a la Heskey, but with Martins, neither are natural goalscorers. I know Martins has 7 but he's not a like Owen in that when you get one chance fall to you in the box, you're confident he'll score it. I think he chipped in with a decent number of goals when he was a young player at Leeds and given decent service. He can do that again. It's about creativity in the team and his own confidence in front of goal. It doesn't happen overnight. blueyes.gif Smith can be a very useful player to us because of the attributes that he possesses(a bit of pace, aggression, passion, some holding up ability, a 'defending from the front' attitude amongst a few other useful things). Though he's never going to be a star, he can certainly help other players like Zoggy, Emre and Owen shine. He just needs to be more consistent and needs some help from Allardyce as well. Yup, that's it, really. Smith needs longer. He is definately much better up top than in midfield and he has very good battling qualities that i have been impressed with. Long term i'm not too sure yet, it depends on if he can chip in with a few goals or i suppose if we keep winning maybe he doesn't need to if others score. Too early to tell yet really imo.

He has been s*** all season man. Wake up. Vast majority of matches? That is the single most stupid thing I have seen since June and remember Kev has joined since then. Edit: still utterly dumfounded by that. Can't honestly beleive you wrote it. Staggering. Keefaz wrote it because he is actually right and your wrong! I don't expect that you considered that possibilty but it looks blatantly obvious to me.

Decent squad players Butt and Geremi. But we should be looking for better. Geremi can fill in at RB, RW, CM so i'd preffer it if he stuck around. Butt we should be looking to replace. I'd like to see Barton and Emre given a run in the CM slots for the time being. Maybe Roze too. I'd certainly be on the lookout for a Top Class striker and a CM ASAP if i were Sam.

Beye - 8 looks class and the best RB i can remember us having for quite some time. Faye - 8 Still early with him but so far looks a rock of a player. Great in the air and the tackle, needed to mark 'big man' strikers. Roz - 4 good on the deck, and quick. But weak in the air and hesitant. Needs to improve his game. Cacapa - 6 Very intellegent player had 2 poor games though (Derby and Pompey). Barton - 6 slow start due to injury, but getting better and better each game, like his passing and forward thinking. He'll be a 7 or 8 imo Smith - 6 (as a striker) decent however will need to start chipping in with goals if he wants to stay. Geremi - 6 Pre season looked very good but just ok at the moment Enrique - 6 From the little i've seen looks good to me, but needs more games to be able to judge properly. Viduka - 4 Most disappointing signing for me. Almost always injured and even when on the pitch very slow and easilly overpowered by defenders. Odd fantastic moment i.e. boro but does no where near enough, needs chances put on a plate for him (like Owen) and shows none of the work rate of Smith or Martins. If we are creating alot from midfield then i'd have Viduka and/or Owen on the pitch but otherwise (usually) Smith and Martins.

Faye should walk straight back into one of the CB slots. The other two have alot to prove still and should be on the bench.

Come on Sam Enrique on Milner RW and Zog LW. Butt and Geremi off Emre on too. Never going to happen though

Seems to do well whereever he goes. Very high praise from johny wilkinson.

a Agreed. I don't think he was as bad as some made out. Always gave 110%. If he doesn't stick around here i bet he'll do Ok somewhere else.

V Fulham at the moment i'd go: Given Beye Taylor Faye Enrique Milner Barton Geremi Zoggy Smith Martins Subs; Harper, Edgar/Roze/Cacapa, Duff/Butt, Emre, Viduka Tempted to play Emre but Barton keeps improving game after game and maybe a little too adventurous to start with both, bring Emre on as and when we need him. Butt deserves to be dropped and i've gone for Geremi to replace him. Duff probably won't feature unless he has a blinder in the reserves in the week. Sam i expect though will play geremi RW, Zoggy LB, Milner LW. Although not too sure who he'll play CM with Barton yet.

I recognise pace is important though Pie, I just don't regard it as very important so long as a player has other tools at his disposal which Milner obviously does, and despite his lack of pace he's not doing too bad. My argument isn't with you or the debate about Milner being good enough or not anyway, but with the mentality within the game that pace is a must have and the effects that's having on youth football, or rather the detrimental effect it's having. He doesn't though. That is the point. Solano clearly did. Milner clearly doesn't. If he did have then there wouldn't be a debate. Pace has always been useful by the way. Its not a new thing. JET Milburn springs to mind. If pace wasnt necessary then ask Bobby Robson why he always bought it/used it. From Alan Brazil to Gary Lineker (yes he was lightning in his prime) to Ronaldo to Craig Bellamy. Same applies to Alex Ferguson and Wenger. Would you say they were successful managers? Of course other things are useful. However, it is daft to suggest it is a new phenomenon. The game is more physical and way faster. Without pace, people struggle nowadays. Particularly in the Prem. However, its nothing new. Ask Kevin Keegan why he retired. Didn't Sir Bob buy Milner ?? Look i know you don't like Milner whilst i really rate the lad. I can't see your point of view at all really. Milner is a credit to our club and is a good talent as is Zoggy and Taylor imo. I don't think i'll be able to change your mind so i'm not going to bother. You are quite right. Apart from people who are a credit to the club are those who do well for it by making a significant difference. Therein lies the rub. Freddie Shepherd bought him by the way. SBR signed Fumaca, he wasnt infallible! SBR also signed Ronaldo etc Pie you don't half talk alot of shit Freddy bought him because SBR wanted him. SBR didn't buy him cause he's shit. I've also seen Waddle play plenty of times and Milner is probably at least as fast as him possibly faster. Milner isn't as quick as lennon SWP Dyer etc that doesn't make him slow, they are all just very quick. Viduka would be my idea of slow.

I recognise pace is important though Pie, I just don't regard it as very important so long as a player has other tools at his disposal which Milner obviously does, and despite his lack of pace he's not doing too bad. My argument isn't with you or the debate about Milner being good enough or not anyway, but with the mentality within the game that pace is a must have and the effects that's having on youth football, or rather the detrimental effect it's having. He doesn't though. That is the point. Solano clearly did. Milner clearly doesn't. If he did have then there wouldn't be a debate. Pace has always been useful by the way. Its not a new thing. JET Milburn springs to mind. If pace wasnt necessary then ask Bobby Robson why he always bought it/used it. From Alan Brazil to Gary Lineker (yes he was lightning in his prime) to Ronaldo to Craig Bellamy. Same applies to Alex Ferguson and Wenger. Would you say they were successful managers? Of course other things are useful. However, it is daft to suggest it is a new phenomenon. The game is more physical and way faster. Without pace, people struggle nowadays. Particularly in the Prem. However, its nothing new. Ask Kevin Keegan why he retired. Didn't Sir Bob buy Milner ?? Look i know you don't like Milner whilst i really rate the lad. I can't see your point of view at all really. Milner is a credit to our club and is a good talent as is Zoggy and Taylor imo. I don't think i'll be able to change your mind so i'm not going to bother.

i watched the newcastle game yesterday. which game were you watching ? Neither played particularly well yesterday tbh. Milners crossing was appalling. He did work hard. Zog ran at people with some success at times. Again, crossing was patchy Just finished watching the game again on TV and both Milner and Zog played very well yesterday. They were creative and got alot of good crosses in.

Was about to post my ratings but these are pretty much spot on imo. Although for me... Roze - 5 nearly cost us again after the goal he was at fault for. Although he's good on the ground, quick and tall. He seems to be scared to head/attack the ball at times and this is a major flaw for a CB, he needs to correct this ASAP.

Our best player last season. Another fantastic game yesterday. I've always rated him and yesterday just goes to show why. The lad is a credit to our club and i love having him here. He's honest as the day is long, very hardworking, arguably our most creative player, two footed, skillfull, clever and whilst not as quick as Dyer or Lennon not as slow as people make out. His crossing is good in the main, not 100% perfect everytime.

Martins is our best striker imo and i'd look for a better partner for him in Jan. His best partner thus far is Smith but we need someone else too. Owen and Viduka are both Luxuary players. They are good finishers yes but they do very little else and you need more than that nowadays (look at Man u with Tevez and Rooney etc who all drop deep at times looking for the ball). Smith and Martins both worked their arses off defending fron the front and dropped back into midfield to help out well. In general we defended very high up the pitch V Arsenal starting with Smith and Martins and Arsenal found it tough to play their passing game through our midfield. This would simply not have worked with Viduka and Owen. At the moment we need grafters, i hope we employ the same tactics today V Brum. Make it difficult for them defend high up the pitch put them under pressure, i think they will crack under it far more than Arsenal did.

At this moment in time Faye and Taylor are the best and the future for me. Roze seems quick, good on the floor, good passer of the ball, calm, intelegent player. In the air though he is weak and fails to pick up his man when defending crosses. Cacapa is a veteran he has vast experience, most the plus points Roze has minus the speed, he may come back from his Pompey mare stronger hopefully, he is also injury prone as pointed out. We need to form a consistant defence so it's Beye Taylor Faye Enrique imo

We should play the same way as yesterday defending from the front, if we do i expect birmingham will then resort to long balls to their big forwards so its we need our biggest/strongest defenders. Given Beye Taylor Faye Enrique Milner Barton Geremi N'Zogbia Smith Martins Harper, Cacapa/Roze, Butt, Emre, Viduka I think Geremi will do well in the holding role although Butt is pretty good too. I expect sam to go with the same attack and midfield as before though. If faye and Enrique are fit and available they should play as Zoggy and Roze will get out muscled imo. If we need more creativity we have Emre to bring on and if we manage to start pening them in Viduka should come on after 60 mins+ as he'd be very handy in that situation.

Its certainly worth a go by the looks of things, i'd hate to go back to sitting back and trying to soak up pressure from Derby, Reading etc etc try not to concede first and nick something from the game. Faye looks like could be instrumental against those types and Taylor too imo.

Agreed. Maybe Sam knows something we don't but Zoggy LW Milner RW Enrique LB for me.

Correct as when we we drop back we get penned in and isolate our strikers and we have to then resort to hoofing it up the pitch and hoping which is far easier for the opposition to deal with. Hope fully we continue to play this way as we can then help to nullify the oppositions play which BSA seems to love, as well as not isolating our strikers so we can offer much more offensively. Maybe we are about to turn a corner.......now where have i heard that before? lol ....I live in hope still! If we go back to dropping off teams again the way we were i'm not sure i'm going to be able to take it.