[Archived] Radio Lancashire - Team Of The Decade

[RibbleValleyRover]

Does anyone know the full team? I listened to half of it but went out to the gym, so I missed the second part. I got up to,

Friedel

Neill Berg Nelsen Warnock

Bentley ---------------------Duff

Really pleased for Nelsen, sadly it made me realise (yes, everyone's been trying to tell me) he isn't as good as he used to be but he's still one of my favourite Rovers' players.

Friedel

Neill Berg Nelsen Warnock

Bentley Tugay Dunn Duff

Up front i believe that Jansen was listed by all three, one person partnered him with Cole, another with Bellamy. I'm guessing the presenter of the program had the final say on who was Jansen's partner, they were running out of time and i'm not sure i heard who was picked.

[Ewood Spark]

Friedel

Neill Berg Nelsen Warnock

Bentley Tugay Dunn Duff

Up front i believe that Jansen was listed by all three, one person partnered him with Cole, another with Bellamy. I'm guessing the presenter of the program had the final say on who was Jansen's partner, they were running out of time and i'm not sure i heard who was picked.

Bellamy was the unanimous choice of the 2 man panel (which included the ex LET reporter Andy Neild). They were split on his partner ... one opting for Jansen, the other for Cole ... the presenter had casting vote and went for Jansen.

[erb2008]

Anyone who missed it can listen to it on the i-player.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00845zx

it will be there until next Monday.

[Mr. E]

No Benni fans yet?

I think it is ridiculous how poor of an opinion people have of him here. Yes his career has taken a nose dive, but suggesting that Santa Cruz or even Bellamy were better is absurd. He was our best striker last decade bar none.

[Mr. E]

My team:

Friedel

Neill Short Samba Givet

Bentley Tugay Dunn Duff

McCarthy Jansen

[Blue n White Rover]

I think it is ridiculous how poor of an opinion people have of him here. Yes his career has taken a nose dive, but suggesting that Santa Cruz or even Bellamy were better is absurd. He was our best striker last decade bar none.

Skill wise, yes, Benni was better than Bellamy and Roque. However, if you look at the overall game of all 3 players, then you have to say that Bellamy and Roque were the better players. Benni also scored a lot of his goals for Rovers from the penalty spot. Bellamy gave us a complete different dimension as he bought pace to the team and lifted bums off seats. Roque had excellent ball control, and was great in the air. Benni bought a bit of flare to the team, however, to say he was our best striker in the last decade is wide of the mark.

[philipl]

It really brings home how incredibly well served we have been for strikers in the past ten years- Jansen, RSC and Bellamy all squeezing out a player (Benni) who was second in the Golden Boot just three seasons ago. The Premier League's all time second highest goal scorer (Andrew Cole) doesn't even get a look in!

[Al]

I think it is ridiculous how poor of an opinion people have of him here. Yes his career has taken a nose dive, but suggesting that Santa Cruz or even Bellamy were better is absurd. He was our best striker last decade bar none.

Unbelievable! Benni was never in the same class as Bellamy.

[Exiled_Rover]

Benni's the most talented striker we've had since Shearer, he just never applied himself.

[philipl]

All three of Benni, Bellamy and RSC were capable of doing things which could leave spectators gasping in amazement. Picking one over another comes down to personal preference but it has been a privilege to see all three wearing blue and white halves at their peak performance.

Nobody can doubt Benni's credentials

(Ffan might have sleepless night or two considering their recent signing of Senderos though!)

[Ozz]

Roque is/was very good for us, a superb centre forward. Great header of the ball (debut goal at Boro), excellent at holding the ball up and bringing others into the attack and a top finisher.

Bellamy is not a centre forward in the traditional role, but his great asset was his pace. Skillful (fancy flick against Arsenal to mystify their left back, got him to the byline and crossed for MGP to score) and quick, he could play anywhere in the front line. Tremendous finisher, remember the goal at home to Boro (To win it 3-2) and a similar effort away at Portsmouth where as good as anything I have ever seen.

But Benni had it all, not the pace of Bellamy but no slouch, but he could score tap ins, some off his arse, screamers made on his own (see Phils Arsenal winner above), could set up others with hold up play and a good header of the ball too.

I said Bellamy was the greatest player at Ewood since Shearer, and would love to have seen him and Benni play together. But they would probably end up being too similar to work well, and beside which their tempers mean they would probably have killed each other after the first ten minutes.

[LeChuck]

But Benni had it all, not the pace of Bellamy but no slouch, but he could score tap ins, some off his arse, screamers made on his own (see Phils Arsenal winner above), could set up others with hold up play and a good header of the ball too.

Did Benni ever score another brilliant individual goals other than that Arsenal one? I can't remember any.

Benni was lethal in front of goal, but I never made much of his all-round game. The fact that he struggled to adapt his game when Roque became the main striker said a lot for me. I bet Bellamy wouldn't have had a problem playing alongside him like Benni did.

[Ozz]

Did Benni ever score another brilliant individual goals other than that Arsenal one? I can't remember any.

Benni was lethal in front of goal, but I never made much of his all-round game. The fact that he struggled to adapt his game when Roque became the main striker said a lot for me. I bet Bellamy wouldn't have had a problem playing alongside him like Benni did.

His all round game, well he was rubbish at tackling! But as an attacker his game was superb I think. For two years him and Pedersen took the ###### out of teams, setting up chances galore.

The opener against Salzburg in the UEFA cup springs to mind, but there were not that many 30 yarders I recall. Some brilliant headed goals though.

I think his problem with playing with Roque was more attitude than abililty though.