This is not proportion blame on anyone player, this is just an observation on my part.

 

 

I now think it is time that Gary Speed to hang up his boot with dignity. He has been a great servant to many clubs and has played his part in helping the Wanderers but at the ripe old age of 37 his legs have finally gone. It is true to say that some players can move around and use their experience to gain an advantage, unfortunately players can be left wanting in the Premiership especially with the younger players running rings around them in midfield.

 

 

It is now time for Andranik to be the engine in midfield as the lad has bags of energy. He has enough energy to even to carry Kevin Nolan, but that???s another story.

This is not proportion blame on anyone player, this is just an observation on my part.

 

 

I now think it is time that Gary Speed to hang up his boot with dignity. He has been a great servant to many clubs and has played his part in helping the Wanderers but at the ripe old age of 37 his legs have finally gone. It is true to say that some players can move around and use their experience to gain an advantage, unfortunately players can be left wanting in the Premiership especially with the younger players running rings around them in midfield.

 

 

It is now time for Andranik to be the engine in midfield as the lad has bags of energy. He has enough energy to even to carry Kevin Nolan, but that???s another story.

 

 

is the prblem speed or the others in midfield ?

 

speed is still the hardest working of our midfield three.

 

at his age it is a lot to expect him to do others running rahter than look at speed it is the combination for me that needs changing, why we can not go to 4 in midfiled with andranik and speed playing the slightly wider roles and campo holding and nolan pushing on is beyond me.

 

the only reason i can come up with is that sam feels he needs to protect his full backs.

What very club needs is consistency. He has supplied that in abundance. A one Off decision that causes a penalty and the Johnny condemn latelys are already on his back. He starts every match for a reason. He has consistantly some of he best pro-zone stats in the team. I admit that he isn't the fastest mid-fielder in the premiership, but he still remains one of the most consistent. For that reason alone he has at least one more season in his legs.

Speed was the one chsing back when he gave the pen away

 

I personally don't see any dramatic sign of him aging

Speed was the one chsing back when he gave the pen away

 

I personally don't see any dramatic sign of him aging

 

Hear bloody hear

after the pen, he actually upped his work rate!

Speed had Anelka in virtually half a pitch of space at one stage yesterday and somehow managed to give the ball to Friedel. His distribution has been way off since Christmas, and his challenge for the first penalty yesterday was just numb.

 

That said, he's been doing Nolan and Campo's running all season, so he's bound to look a bit leggy.

our problems in midfield stem from Nolan not being as busy as he normally is, this is the first time either, it's been like this all season, Boro at home for example

 

he's looking v sluggish, he needs to improve because if temouryian and this new swiss lad kick in next season he's going to be a weak link in midfield

our problems in midfield stem from Nolan not being as busy as he normally is, this is the first time either, it's been like this all season, Boro at home for example

 

he's looking v sluggish, he needs to improve because if temouryian and this new swiss lad kick in next season he's going to be a weak link in midfield

 

nolan, witha bit of luck - or maybe more ability - would have scored from both the very good chances he had yesterday

 

nolans goals have always masked his deficiencies

 

i don't think he's playing any differently to the way he normally plays

our problems in midfield stem from Nolan not being as busy as he normally is, this is the first time either, it's been like this all season, Boro at home for example

 

he's looking v sluggish, he needs to improve because if temouryian and this new swiss lad kick in next season he's going to be a weak link in midfield

 

Andranik is looking a shoe in for a starting berth next season (which means he'll spend all season coming off the bench) and if the swiss fella is a good as being made out then speed and Nobby may well have a fight on their hands to start every game!

is the prblem speed or the others in midfield ?

 

speed is still the hardest working of our midfield three.

 

at his age it is a lot to expect him to do others running rahter than look at speed it is the combination for me that needs changing, why we can not go to 4 in midfiled with andranik and speed playing the slightly wider roles and campo holding and nolan pushing on is beyond me.

 

the only reason i can come up with is that sam feels he needs to protect his full backs.

 

 

There is a great deal of sense in that suggestion...

 

If Speed was playing in a midfield with legs then it wouldn't be an issue. His workrate is second to none, fitness is up there with the best and he reads the game well. The real problem lies that he is surrounded by players who are no quicker/better than him.

 

I know there are a good few Nolan fans on here, the "theory" when we plays the team plays better held water with me until the turn of the year. But watching him closely its clear to see he is distinctly average, total lack of pace, no vision. However he does posess a attacking threat when given licence to roam forward, arriving into the box. However in our current line up with Campo, the one midfielder who could find a telling pass sitting so deep, Nolan chasing shadows and Speed left covering the whole midfield we look clueless and disjointed.

 

Come the end of the season I really do hope there is a real shake up in midefield. Andranik may come good if he toughens up to the physcial aspect of the PL. But some pace and creativity are desperately needed.

Edited March 5, 200719 yr by jimmyjoojar

our problems in midfield stem from Nolan not being as busy as he normally is, this is the first time either, it's been like this all season, Boro at home for example

 

he's looking v sluggish, he needs to improve because if temouryian and this new swiss lad kick in next season he's going to be a weak link in midfield

Can nobody see he just isn't very good? Playing in a front three last season, it was easy for him to have a bit of a breather while Davies and Diouf ran around all over the shop. His undoubted eye for goal kept him in the limelight and helped fuel the laughable "Nolan for England" clamour. Now he doesn't play so high up the pitch, his workload is increased, his limitations are exposed and he doesn't score nearly enough goals to make up for his shortcomings.

 

He just gets booked a lot now.

Can nobody see he just isn't very good? Playing in a front three last season, it was easy for him to have a bit of a breather while Davies and Diouf ran around all over the shop. His undoubted eye for goal kept him in the limelight and helped fuel the laughable "Nolan for England" clamour. Now he doesn't play so high up the pitch, his workload is increased, his limitations are exposed and he doesn't score nearly enough goals to make up for his shortcomings.

 

He just gets booked a lot now.

 

i sort of agree with that, i think nolan is highly overated as a footballer.

 

BUT

 

we are still fifth and i dont believe we carry anyone, so we are there on merit because we have a decent team.

 

as discussed before nolan brings something to the team, which i can not explain. maybe its just his motivational and organisation skills. all i know is that we are much less of a team with out him.

Love Gary Speed, but since Christmas it is like he has hit a wall and has gone

as far as he can playing at this level.

His passing is poor and his reading of the game is detiorating.

He would never have made that lunge for the first penalty in his hey day.

Love Gary Speed, but since Christmas it is like he has hit a wall and has gone

as far as he can playing at this level.

His passing is poor and his reading of the game is detiorating.

He would never have made that lunge for the first penalty in his hey day.

 

 

It could be argued that his hey day was nearly 10 years ago though!

nolan brings something to the team, which i can not explain. maybe its just his motivational and organisation skills. all i know is that we are much less of a team with out him.

Urban myth.

as discussed before nolan brings something to the team, which i can not explain. maybe its just his motivational and organisation skills. all i know is that we are much less of a team with out him.

 

plenty of support / competition for Nolan next season.

 

I expext our Iranian friend to be a near regular after this his taster season + we have the 20 year old captain from FC Zurich.

Can nobody see he just isn't very good? Playing in a front three last season, it was easy for him to have a bit of a breather while Davies and Diouf ran around all over the shop. His undoubted eye for goal kept him in the limelight and helped fuel the laughable "Nolan for England" clamour. Now he doesn't play so high up the pitch, his workload is increased, his limitations are exposed and he doesn't score nearly enough goals to make up for his shortcomings.

 

He just gets booked a lot now.

 

When Nolan was on suspension we had a massive gap in our midfield. As Casino said - I don't know what he does but he does it well. He is coming up to ten yellow cards. That means an automatic two match suspension. If this conicides with Kevin Davis being out it could seriously knacker our UEFA hopes.

To be honest i didn't think it was just speed , to me our whole midfield looked old/tired/no invention hate to say it but wish we had got dunn as he had a good game yesterday and showed what we are missing in the middle would like to see andranik starting or when meite is back playing faye in front of the back 4 as i think thats his best role far to clumsy already given away a few penalties this season don't want any more

The JOHNNY CONDEMN LATELYS are already on his back.

 

Very good that Squidgy, very good

Next season looks very promising. With us already signing 2 young promising players it makes it already seem much brighter.

 

Next season we already have a replacement for Ben Haim, who if good enough could free Faye up to play in the midfield, if he needs time to settle in or he is not good enough then Faye drops back into defence where he is still an outstading player, and Cid acts as cover.

 

As for the midfield.

 

Nolan this season hasn't hit the form of last season, but he has still been a very important part of the team, and once again I will say that we are much better with him than without him. Ronaldinho has had a poor season but would you drop him?

 

Speed has had a poor run of games but for me he still has 1 season left in him, and with the depth that we will have next year in midfield he will not have to play every minute of every game.

 

If the new Swiss lad is anything like he has been hyped up to be then he will become an important part of the midfield, probably taking over the role of Campo in defensive midfield over the next season.

 

Andranik IMO will be a regular next season, and with a bit of premiership experience he will be a very good player. He never stops running and can also pass and shoot well, he maybe just needs to toughen up a bit.

 

We also have Thompson to add depth to the midfield and Tal, who at the moment doesn't impress me much, and also any other players that Allardyce may add to the squad from now until the start of next season.

 

Also with Davies back fit and Anelka's partnership with him and Diouf ever growing next season looks very promising.

 

As for this season we just need to hope that we can hold onto a Uefa cup spot and grind out the points from somewhere.

 

That should cheer up this miserable board.

Next season looks very promising. With us already signing 2 young promising players it makes it already seem much brighter.

 

Next season we already have a replacement for Ben Haim, who if good enough could free Faye up to play in the midfield, if he needs time to settle in or he is not good enough then Faye drops back into defence where he is still an outstading player, and Cid acts as cover.

 

As for the midfield.

 

Nolan this season hasn't hit the form of last season, but he has still been a very important part of the team, and once again I will say that we are much better with him than without him. Ronaldinho has had a poor season but would you drop him?

 

Speed has had a poor run of games but for me he still has 1 season left in him, and with the depth that we will have next year in midfield he will not have to play every minute of every game.

 

If the new Swiss lad is anything like he has been hyped up to be then he will become an important part of the midfield, probably taking over the role of Campo in defensive midfield over the next season.

 

Andranik IMO will be a regular next season, and with a bit of premiership experience he will be a very good player. He never stops running and can also pass and shoot well, he maybe just needs to toughen up a bit.

 

We also have Thompson to add depth to the midfield and Tal, who at the moment doesn't impress me much, and also any other players that Allardyce may add to the squad from now until the start of next season.

 

Also with Davies back fit and Anelka's partnership with him and Diouf ever growing next season looks very promising.

 

As for this season we just need to hope that we can hold onto a Uefa cup spot and grind out the points from somewhere.

 

That should cheer up this miserable board.

 

Good post Eddie, worthy of a thread of it's own

Next season looks very promising. With us already signing 2 young promising players it makes it already seem much brighter.

 

Next season we already have a replacement for Ben Haim, who if good enough could free Faye up to play in the midfield, if he needs time to settle in or he is not good enough then Faye drops back into defence where he is still an outstading player, and Cid acts as cover.

 

As for the midfield.

 

Nolan this season hasn't hit the form of last season, but he has still been a very important part of the team, and once again I will say that we are much better with him than without him. Ronaldinho has had a poor season but would you drop him?

 

Speed has had a poor run of games but for me he still has 1 season left in him, and with the depth that we will have next year in midfield he will not have to play every minute of every game.

 

If the new Swiss lad is anything like he has been hyped up to be then he will become an important part of the midfield, probably taking over the role of Campo in defensive midfield over the next season.

 

Andranik IMO will be a regular next season, and with a bit of premiership experience he will be a very good player. He never stops running and can also pass and shoot well, he maybe just needs to toughen up a bit.

 

We also have Thompson to add depth to the midfield and Tal, who at the moment doesn't impress me much, and also any other players that Allardyce may add to the squad from now until the start of next season.

 

Also with Davies back fit and Anelka's partnership with him and Diouf ever growing next season looks very promising.

 

As for this season we just need to hope that we can hold onto a Uefa cup spot and grind out the points from somewhere.

 

That should cheer up this miserable board.

 

Strangely, no mention of either full back spot, which MUST be a priority for next term, Ricky looks a pale shadow f the past, Fortune & Peds, well, enough said, and neither Hunt or Joey look like the real deal. Shore up thse tw positions, add a bit of depth to midfield, and we have the makings of a top ntch squad.

Strangely, no mention of either full back spot, which MUST be a priority for next term, Ricky looks a pale shadow f the past, Fortune & Peds, well, enough said, and neither Hunt or Joey look like the real deal. Shore up thse tw positions, add a bit of depth to midfield, and we have the makings of a top ntch squad.

 

my views of hunt are well documented, but thats not my reason for quoting you

 

you point out these areas that need strengthening and suggest that would be a good squad, but we'd still be going with the current crop of attacking players, and currently we look way short of the required quality

my views of hunt are well documented, but thats not my reason for quoting you

 

you point out these areas that need strengthening and suggest that would be a good squad, but we'd still be going with the current crop of attacking players, and currently we look way short of the required quality

 

I think the 4 up front of Davies,Anelka, Diouff & Vaz te pretty much covers our needs. Unless we can prise Henry from the Arse that is. I think our prblems are more defensive rather than offensive, 19 conceded in our last 10 league games, 2 clean sheets. In those games, where we conced no more than1, we've won 3, drawn 2, lost 0. (43 points on the season where we've conceded less than 2, 4 where 2 or mre have been shipped)

With our best defender about t leave n a Bsman, I'm more concerned about the back 4, rather than the attacking options. Thats not to say its perfect, just not no.1 priority.

It's a bit harsh saying that Joey "doesn't look the real deal" given that he hasn't played this season. He did well enough when he was fit.