TRon

Geremi would help in that regard too.

Come on man, what do you expect him to say? This lot are all shite and I'm buying a new team in the summer? He needs the current shambles of a squad to avoid relegation so he's trying to keep them onside. Next season you can bet there'll be at least 5 or 6 new players.

i think he just looks like that cos he looks heavy. he's certainly no speedster but not as slow as a lot would make out. He's quick enough from what I've seen. Doesn't look it, but seems able to shift up a gear when necesary. I think he's not playing for other reasons, maybe Keegan doesn't like his distribution or he's not happy here.

It does look as if Keegan is picking players on reputation, but I assume he knows what he's doing. If things don't turn round in the next couple of matches though some changes are going to be inevitable.

There might be some truth in what you say, but tbf even when everyone was moaning how crap he was I didn't see it that way so this isn't in hidsight. I specifically mentioned that unlike many of our players he holds the ball well under pressure and passes well IMO. He's not the quickest but I think he's far better technically than Butt and would make us a bit more fluent in midfield. He did ok at RB in the limited time he had on the pitch.

Well I din't simply want to tell him to fuck off. I also pointed out that he'd been answered many times before on those specific points.

Absolute bollocks of the highest degree. Barton was given the ball with acres of space but still managed to give it away. Watch it again, or more likely, don't reply. Zog was one of our best playesrs 2nd half when he pushed further forward.

A debate requires people willing to discuss both sides of the view, not avoid questions you can't answer then keep advertising your own. That's fair enough, but there's no need for the insults. It's just petty and doesn't paint you in a good light. Anyway, each to their own. If you want to get into a slagging match though, please do it via PM rather than on the forum. I don't want to get inot a slanging match which is why I said fuck off. If saying that is wrong in the context it was said, then you should maybe re-consider your signature.

A debate requires people willing to discuss both sides of the view, not avoid questions you can't answer then keep advertising your own.

Yes he lost that game all by himself I recall!

You've been answered many times on these same specific points. The only relevant answer that remains is fuck off. So fuck off.

Beye could go to centre defence though in place of Taylor as an alternative plan. Both options are viable and provide better passing as a much needed by product.

www.fatbastard.com

I said a while back, I liked his ability to retain possession under pressure when he was coming in for criticism. When we played a 5 man midfield he was especially good because his 40-yr old legs (SBR) weren't needed as such. Well, Nicky Butt and Barton aren't exactly prime athletes so I don't see why they should play ahead of him in midfield. I also thought he did well at right back when he came on for 10 mins yesterday. Should he be starting and where?

I agree with you mate. I was actually about to start a topic about Geremi - in fact I still will -because when he was getting slagged I stuck up for him with one or two others. Not sure about where he'd best be utilised though.

WE finished second and went into the champions league? with Keegan's players. As soon as the world class manager was able to bring his own in, we plummeted like a stone. Lest ye forget.

why anyone would 'double up' on duff is beyond me. if it was possible to put half a man on a player, if i was a manager, i would take up that option when playing against a team that had duff in it. It's generally the case though. Most wide players find two players in front of them, Zog usually cuts inside to get round this, Duff usually loses the ball while trying to stay wide. Milner loses it while going wide and cutting inside. On the few occasions he gets behind the defender he checks back to let them catch up which isn't too hard.

While Duff hasn't been great, I don't think he's been helped by the lack of options when he gets the ball. He's generally got two players doubling up on him which in theory means there's space somewhere else but we aren't getting the ball out. This is where the central midfielders are not giving any options.

Christ. He's only broken a bone, not become permanently disabled. He'll get the best medical care going, and probably earn more you ever will in you life - just while he's on the sick. So what? Still a pretty sick chant. I wouldn't wish an injury like that on anyone and money isn't everything. Bollocks. I bet if someone offered you £500k to break your left ankle, you'd throw in the right one in for nowt. Kids are too soft these days. I'd lop off both legs and an arm for £50 tbh.

I've been keeping an eye on the Ramos creaming. Good post. Yet in your other thread you were criticising Ashley and Mort for bringing in a manager who had been out of the game for some time. How do you manage to hold two diametrically opposed views at the same time?

I'm actually frightened to death with what Keegan might buy, having in mind the way his team has been playing playing. What a player with talent. Yes Keegan's well known for buying carthorses like Ginola, Cole and Asprilla. If only he could spot a player like Allardyce...the silky touch of Barton...the goal instinct of Smith...

Keegan was never a master tactician which you can count as either a weakness or a plus. Given funds next season I'm confident he'll put together a side capable of winning matches in a decent style. Nowt's changed since he was appointed. In case anyone forgot, these players were getting thrashed under Allardyce as well, he just had a lot better fixtures to get some results.

Fixing your post that way I completely agree with you. I can't see why Keegan would come in the first place if he was told he wasn't going to be backed. I for one won't be blaming Keegan if we go down. The seeds were sown last summer, Allardyce is the first manager to complain about lack of backing from his board since, eeeerrrr......before the Halls and Shepherd, in fact. Or Keegan, from Sir John Hall, when he walked out after the swindon game. I agree with your comment above ie that he wouldn't have taken the job if he hadn't been shown ambition, but we will see in time how much will be shown when it comes to the crunch. Lets hope this is right, but if we go down it won't be much good. He'll have to get us straight back, and thats a year wasted at least. They have to at least equal those champions league finishes, in my eyes. They have to meet the challenge of their time, there is no way out of this comparsion. I'm not bothered in the slightest if they are "good blokes" at all, I couldn't give a toss I just want a winning football team. There's a Freddie Shepherd appreciation website, you should post there. www.fatbastard.com

Don't spoil it, there was a queue a mile long of world class managers waving application forms don't you know?

He wasn't my choice at the time, but there's no way I won't give him the time needed to turn things round. He deserves that much.