Sven Botman back late December/early January 'at the earliest' (Howe)

[TheBrownBottle]

He reminds me of Vidic more than anyone else I’ve seen.  Just oozes competence and class. 

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

12 hours ago, Kid Icarus said:

These things can't help but bring out the habitual lister in me

 

1. Schar

2. Woodgate

3. Albert

4. Botman

5. Coloccini

 

Something like that

Think I'd have been too young to understand the art of defending around the Albert era. 

[LionOfGosforth]

Albert was great, so classy and different to what we'd had before. I also have a bit of a soft spot for Howey. He came into the side early in the 92/93 season and I recall being amazed at how easily he transitioned from a modest Forward the season before to a dominant CB.

 

Think it was Luton at home around the third or fourth game of that season and he just bossed Mick Harford around like he'd been a CB all his career. Not gonna try to compare him to Botman or Woodgate like but I found him infinitely preferable as a basic defender to someone like Colo.

[Pancrate1892]

8 minutes ago, LionOfGosforth said:

Albert was great, so classy and different to what we'd had before. I also have a bit of a soft spot for Howey. He came into the side early in the 92/93 season and I recall being amazed at how easily he transitioned from a modest Forward the season before to a dominant CB.

 

Think it was Luton at home around the third or fourth game of that season and he just bossed Mick Harford around like he'd been a CB all his career. Not gonna try to compare him to Botman or Woodgate like but I found him infinitely preferable as a basic defender to someone like Colo.

Aye, if howey had stayed fit I think he would have excelled. Great era that was of local lads with clark, watson, and Elliott. Even alan Thompson was a canny player 

[LionOfGosforth]

8 minutes ago, Pancrate1892 said:

Aye, if howey had stayed fit I think he would have excelled. Great era that was of local lads with clark, watson, and Elliott. Even alan Thompson was a canny player 

 

All top notch local talent. Alan Thompson was a cracking player, hated that he had to leave to excel at places like Bolton and Villa. 

[samptime29]

Be class if Botman can get a few goals now after scoring. 

[chapdelaine]

Botman is class and hopefully bomb proof but if woodgate wasn’t made of glass he could’ve been the best ever,Thierry Henry never got the better of him a he was world class at that time

 

[TheBrownBottle]

Woodgate is my generation’s Tony Green (ask your granddad, young’uns).  Anyone who didn’t see him looks at the number of games he played and raises an eyebrow.  Those who did see him, know.  

[r0cafella]

As others have said, Woodgate had it all bar the body and the rumoured professionalism.
 

It speaks volumes that even being a crock Real Madrid still coughed up 15+m for him.  

[Myleftboot]

20 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

As others have said, Woodgate had it all bar the body and the rumoured professionalism.
 

It speaks volumes that even being a crock Real Madrid still coughed up 15+m for him.  

He had a debut to forget anarl. ??

[Nucasol]

38 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

As others have said, Woodgate had it all bar the body and the rumoured professionalism.
 

It speaks volumes that even being a crock Real Madrid still coughed up 15+m for him.  

Great player but between the body, booze and bugle he was never destined to have the career of a Terry, Ferdinand or Campbell despite being more talented than any of them.

[The College Dropout]

I don't think he was more talented than them all like.

 

Over time, I've had less respect for Woodgate as a player due to the lack of professionalism. I can be more forgiving of a forward with a lack of professionalism than a defender. You need that little something as an attacker. As a defender. Being orderly is part of your job. If it's to the point it's impacting your fitness, it's down to you.

[Nucasol]

Just now, The College Dropout said:

I don't think he was more talented than them all like.

 

Over time, I've had less respect for Woodgate as a player due to the lack of professionalism. I can be more forgiving of a forward with a lack of professionalism than a defender. You need that little something as an attacker. As a defender. Being orderly is part of your job. If it's to the point it's impacting your fitness, it's down to you.

All great defenders but personally think Woodgate had uncanny ability. His marshalling of Drogba in the 0-0 at SJP in the UEFA Cup semi final was unreal. Compare that to the shitshow at the Velodrome once we had to rely on Hughsie, AO’B and Bumble.

 

Agree that his off field antics mean he was potentially the architect of his own downfall but was it chicken or egg around injuries causing indiscretions or indiscretions causing injuries?

[Coffee_Johnny]

3 hours ago, Nucasol said:

All great defenders but personally think Woodgate had uncanny ability. His marshalling of Drogba in the 0-0 at SJP in the UEFA Cup semi final was unreal. Compare that to the shitshow at the Velodrome once we had to rely on Hughsie, AO’B and Bumble.

 

Agree that his off field antics mean he was potentially the architect of his own downfall but was it chicken or egg around injuries causing indiscretions or indiscretions causing injuries?

Well him and his mate Lee Bowyer had a  huge ‘indiscretion’ pre-injuries when at Leeds. 

[Nucasol]

11 minutes ago, Coffee_Johnny said:

Well him and his mate Lee Bowyer had a  huge ‘indiscretion’ pre-injuries when at Leeds. 

Hardly a Majestik night out 

[Elma]

In my late teens/early twenties Venison was my favourite centre-half. Some people class him as a full-back but he switched over and was immense. Got an England call-up at that position too. His performance at Villa when we won 2-0 in October 1993, and Woodgate's when we won 2-0 at Charlton in March of 2003 are the best two NUFC centre-half performances I've seen live.

[The College Dropout]

He really injured or Eddie lying again?

[80]

Looked uncomfortable on his feet the other night so I'm not too optimistic...

[madras]

On 26/09/2023 at 14:54, Elma said:

In my late teens/early twenties Venison was my favourite centre-half. Some people class him as a full-back but he switched over and was immense. Got an England call-up at that position too. His performance at Villa when we won 2-0 in October 1993, and Woodgate's when we won 2-0 at Charlton in March of 2003 are the best two NUFC centre-half performances I've seen live.

If the England call up was the game against USA he'd moved into centre mid by then and was bloody good there as well. Remembered as a right back bit played long spells and was better at Centre half and centre mid for us.

[Erikse]

It's okay, Paul Dummet is nearly as good.

[Shadow Puppets]

2 hours ago, 80 said:

Looked uncomfortable on his feet the other night so I'm not too optimistic...

I sat near him at the match on Wednesday and he seemed to be moving fine ?‍♂️

 

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Shadow Puppets

[80]

50 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

I sat near him at the match on Wednesday and he seemed to be moving fine ?‍♂️

 

 

 

Just saw a clip of him where he seemed to be ginger on a leg, but you'll know better.

 

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by 80

[Willow]

Chuffed he's being offered a new contract, I honestly think he's probably our most important player

[Coffee_Johnny]

6 hours ago, 80 said:

Just saw a clip of him where he seemed to be ginger on a leg, but you'll know better.

 

 

 

My imagination has gone wild after this one! 
 

Spoiler

 

[54]