TRon

If you can play good football and score goals then yes you are right. If you have forwards and midfielders attacking the box in a feeding frenzy it makes sense. I'm not sure what we've got at the moment except a bunch of big names past their best who run 5 yards, get rid of the ball, then leave it to someone else.

Against an in form team a draw wouldn't be a disaster, considering how few points we are picking up. A win would more or less mean safety, but we won't stop them scoring and we'll be lucky to get anywhere near their penalty area let alone score the way we have been playing.

Something that concerns me a bit. Keegan's brand of attacking football was exactly what was needed earlier in the season against Derby, Reading and the like. Easier to play free-flowing stuff when there is no pressure. In a relegation struggle, with confidence low it's less easy to produce, and it's usually the struggling sides who try to play football that suffer most. With forwards and midfielders struggling to get goals is it the right approach at this stage in the season? If Martins and Viduka figure more, then probably yes. If we stick to Smith up top then I'd say no.

He hasn't got the winner's mentality. Anyone could inherit Chelsea's squad, getting them to win the key matches is where Mourinho made the difference.

Love it, haway the lads! Umm... let's not forget that the Greeks lost that one in the end. I can't see Keegan making any changes from last week. Need to read your history again mate, they "Lost" at Thermopylae but drew a line in the sand to the Persians, they were not to be conquered. They also won a couple of crucial naval battles that day which barely gets a metion, lead by the Athenians. Thermopylae was a moral victory. I don't think our lot have been drawing any lines in the sand lately. Raising the white flag at every given opportunity more like it.

Or out from the first team altogether. Keegan likes attacking full backs and Beye is ok in that regard but not his strongest point.

No 'keeper? Not a bad side but I can't see them two starting up front. oops...obviously Harper in goal. I don't think Keegans' side will look anything like this tbh. Owen will be playing for a start. It's a tricky decision re Owen but Viduka offers goals and decent hold up play and Martins compliments with his pace and also a goal threat. Viduka and Owen would be too static for me. Yeah, I wasn't having a pop at your choice or anything, just saying I don't think KK will pick that side. Smith and Owen upfront with Martins on the bench is my guess. Smith and Owen isn't working, it's pointless to keep plugging away with it. I agree. I only think that it might be the case with Martins just returning and I get the feeling there might have been some fall out with Viduka. It does look like it, but then you hear reports he should be fit so unless we know for certain Keegan's not going to be picking him, might as well pick what we think would be the best front pair. Martins has been training for about a week, it's a crucial game at home - can we afford to start with Smith in this one? If Keegan was prepared to risk a half-fit Given you'd think he wouldn't be afraid to pitch in Martins. But you're probably right.

No 'keeper? Not a bad side but I can't see them two starting up front. oops...obviously Harper in goal. I don't think Keegans' side will look anything like this tbh. Owen will be playing for a start. It's a tricky decision re Owen but Viduka offers goals and decent hold up play and Martins compliments with his pace and also a goal threat. Viduka and Owen would be too static for me. Yeah, I wasn't having a pop at your choice or anything, just saying I don't think KK will pick that side. Smith and Owen upfront with Martins on the bench is my guess. Smith and Owen isn't working, it's pointless to keep plugging away with it.

I know, I'm just picking the forward line up which would IMO gel best. We don't know what's been going on behind the scenes WRT Viduka. KK might well opt for Martins/Owen which would be interesting but means no target man.

No 'keeper? Not a bad side but I can't see them two starting up front. oops...obviously Harper in goal. I don't think Keegans' side will look anything like this tbh. Owen will be playing for a start. It's a tricky decision re Owen but Viduka offers goals and decent hold up play and Martins compliments with his pace and also a goal threat. Viduka and Owen would be too static for me.

I'd go with this team if available Beye Faye Cacapa Enrique Milner Geremi N'Zogbia Duff Viduka Martins

According to the Journal, Viduka and Martins are expected to be fit for this one. If we are going to win that has to be the case. If they aren't I would rather go with a 5 man midfield than start Smith.

Milner needs to start getting goals to be worth his place in the side long term. Not loads, just enough to justify taking up a forward position. We don't get enough goals from midfield in general.

There's a case he could have made a decent holding midfielder in the Carrick role as well. But like you said, it was probably a case of being a jack of all trades and becoming a master of none.

Watson was an unfulfilled talent. He did have a bit of everything, but what he lacked is what IMO Milner lacks. The burning desire and ambition of a Gerrard to be the best. I don't think he lacked the tools, he was reasonably quick, a good athlete and pretty good on the ball. But what Gerrard does is exactly what Milner doesn't and Watson should have done more. Make or score crucial goals.

That doesn't explain why he played half the season in midfield. Allardyce..... that explains everything. Both things that Teasy wrote in the above quotes are bang on. Even Newcastle United wouldn't put such a clause in a player's contract. Not one as ordinairy as Smith in any case.

I daresay that KK will give it a go. Neither of them are much good at holding the ball up though, and I can't see it working. I don't think it would work like that, but maybe if the ball is played to feet they could fashion a Beardsley/Cole type of partnership. I don't think Smith's great at holding the ball up either. Viduka is much better if you are looking for that role.

If Martins is fit, surely he has to start with Owen?

Hopefully he'll be getting dropped this week. Let's see if KK's still got it.

Taylor doesn't know how to man mark, but do any of our defenders? It seems like there's never really much thought when it comes to that at all. Wheater gets far too much credit as he scores goals at the other end. IF he didn't do that no one but Boro fans would of noticed him. He's also dirtier than Huth, mistimed tackles, stray elbows, he'd be picking up yellows at a higher rate than Smith if he played for us, but somehow for some reason Ref's go easy on him. Pointing at other defenders isn't going to make Taylor any better btw. All our defenders are much better at marking. Faye is. Cacapa and Rozenhal both are/were, their problem is not being strong enough to handle physical sides. There's no harm in pointing out strengths and weaknesses it's not personal. I'd start Cacapa ahead of Taylor most days of the week no problem. I'd like to see Edgar as well, maybe if we get to safety he'll be given a go.

I don't want to go on about this, but Taylor for me lacks one of the basics. He doesn't know how to man-mark, he just defends a general area in front off goal. Kaka was spot on when he compared him to Wheater who has come on in leaps and bounds while Taylor still defends like a kid in a local park

What was he doing for Ronaldo's goal for two nil? Ronaldo was running at him, while Taylor was running backwards as usual. You know why he did the full circle turn? he was looking behind him to see where the posts was so he could make a fantastic goal line clearance - or failing that a flying save followed by the 'shot in the gut act' on conceding a pen. Priceless.

Come to think of it, he's more local than Cacapa as well. Way ahead of the Brazilian in that regard too..

All this crap about putting him alongside a better defender...if I just saw him doing the basics right I could go along with it. Defenders who don't mark won't look good next to anyone. Taylor's forte is waving his arms around and then standing in front of the goal trying to block incoming shots with his body or hands whichever it takes. He's bigger than Cacapa so at least that's something he does better.

I'd agree. He looked as though he could intimidate the defenders purely through his physical attributes, he just wasn't quite sure how best to use them yet. That's what I saw as well. At least he'd be a threat in the box, but I'd need to see him get a few headers at goal first. Shola is probably as much threat at the moment.