joey_big_nose

Can't see it really. He would cost 15 odd million and United are certainly looking well covered in the midfield department. Next season they are going to have Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Ronaldo, Evre and Park to contend with. Liverpool are, in my mind, the main threat as they actually might need a player like Bentley depite their profusion of midfield options.

Im confused too, he is a decent player but I'm not sure where he fits in in the scheme of things? Nelsen is clearly first choice but then it is hard to say who is going to be picked out of Samba, Henchoz, Todd and Zurab to partner him. I guess when we are away from home we might be playing Zurab at right back instead of Emerton, but I am still not convinced Todd is going to get a look in. We shall see.

Theres still a long way to go till May but I can't see Nonda at Ewood next season tbh. I would imagine the new TV money will be ploughed into a partner for Benni, and with Roberts and Derbyshire it is hard to see where Shabani would fit in. Curtians for Jeffer too imo.

Dunn played reasonably well today when he came on, not really at his best but won the free kick which produced the winner. What impressed me most was his physicallity, he god stuck in and pressurised the opposition. Hughes has decided to use him in the Savage role, closing down players quickly and forcing errors. Obviously not as good at it as Robbie but could do a makeshift job there. I would imagine, providing they are both fit, that Dunn and Tugay will be the first choice partnership. As a side point, on the entertainment stakes the sheer technical ability in the midfield is breathtaking at the moment. Dunn, Tugay, Bentley and Pedersen all have an outstanding level of ball control. Bentley in particular was an absolute pleasure to watch today. Has their ever been as skllful a central combination at Rovers?

I'm not sure I agree with that, they are very different sorts of player. If I had to pick one I would go for Pennant but it would be a close run thing. I wouldn't rate Bentley's chances too highly at the moment as McClaren seems to want wingers and if anything Bentley is in the Beckham mold, a deep crosser, albeit with a lot more skill on the ball. I still think he is going to end up a central midfielder however, he really does have all the tools to become a Tugay sort of deeplying playmaker if he can get his head round it. Big pat on the back to Derbs and David!

He's had a few different ones hasn't he though! Doesn't really seem like he is that bothered about his number to be honest. Definately shoul dbe some kind of memorial though.

Seconded. Have a bit of class people.

We are in an odd situation as all the fit regular starters don't seem to be captain material: MGP, McCarthy, Bentley, Emerton, Warnock, Henchoz. Personally it has to be Tugay or Freidel. The only players who will carry authority.

To be fair to him you have to say that he would more than likely have been paid better at Chelsea. WHat made him stay more than anything else imo was the CL win.

Correct. 2003 was Tugay and Flitcroft, Dunn was a substitute most of the time, or rightwing.

While I still say that Neill has every right to plya for whoever he likes, that there is a load of, as Colin would say, tummy rubbish. Whichever way you look at it, despite WH being a seemingly decent side with backing and so on, there is no way you can cast the move as a jump forward. At best it is a step down in football terms at present. In the longer time only time will tell.

--> QUOTE(Ste B @ Jan 21 2007, 17:43 ) 481886[/snapback] Against Bolton. I can see Big Fat Sam being spiteful enough to get a young player to knobble him, so potentially not a good move. I can't agree with that at all. I have never seen anything to suggest BFS is sort of manager to do that, which is a pretty nasty accusation. Nor are any of the managers I think of in the Premiership. Well, except maybe for Warnock...

Cmpletely agree with that. I think Niell has every right to move on if he likes to where he likes, but the relegation release clause just shows a lack of commitment and a lack of belief in the club. If it's accurate it is absolutely astonishing that West Ham have written it in. Surely the kind of players they are looking for are ones who are absolutely behind the cause. It just occured to me that the reason WH might have offered such massive wages is in the expectation that Rovers would take a reduced fee once they are resigned to losing him. We could effectively be engaged in a game of chicken until the window closes wating to see who crumbles first. This would be bad for us, but makes a lot of sense from a West Ham perspective. If thats the position then it is going to be very hard to get the money in for Warnock or whoever else.

Incidentally something that hasn't been mentioned: Surely Dunn's arrival means the end of Gallagher's career at Rovers? Gally plays right wing and striker. We now have have Dunn, Reid, Bentley, Emerton and Pedersen who can feature out wide. The striker list is even longer. I would suggest that McCarthy, Nonda, Roberts, Derbyshire, Dunn and Jeffers would all be favored over Gallagher up top. Maybe even Bentley. I know he scored the last game he played, but does he really have any chance of climbing back into the sixteen? And if we are as brassic as we seem mabe we will shift him out the door?

The only logic I can see in playing Niell is to show West Ham that we are willing to keep him if they don't provide the cash. Sensible move if we really are in the position where we simply cannot afford a replacement without adequate funds. If he got injured we would be in trougble though.

Thats actually very funny! However, it does only go to show that the support at Bolton is hurt by his decision. He is a quality player and the guy who wrote that article must have appreciated that. Can't wait to see him make a cameo on saturday, but I have to say I will wathc every challenge he goes into with trepidation.

I just don't understand that attitude. What in God's name does he owe us? He signed a contract, he honored that contract, we have made a bit of money. It's a free country, he has not done anything wrong. I was annoyed with Bellamy because he actually lied to the support, but Lucas has been the model of professionalism. He is not Rover's property, just in the same way your employer does not own you.

Virtually never as far as I can remember. Dunn played for them mostly on the wings or as second striker.

Fantastic news. We might now be able to get Nesmanchyi in with a bit of cash to spare. If we do that then in all honesty I would say the only player we would need is another tough tackling midfielder. Sidewell? There has been talk of strikers but I would say we are well set at the moment - McCarthy, Nonda, Derbyshire and Roberts all have something to offer - and especially if you consider Dunn can be very effective up front. Him and Benni would actually make quite an interesting partnership, defenders would find it difficult to work out how to handle them as they drop off so much.

It's Dunn for Christsake Drog! No e! To be honest I'm with you in that I think Dunn is far more likely to play on the wings and as a second striker than as a central midifielder. Of course he will get a chance there from time to time but you have to say that it is unlikely that if other more defensively stable midfielders are available he will play there. If he wants to make central midfield his own he is going to need to not just be fit but ultra fit, as savage and Reid are. Tugay has the luxery of beinga bona fide genius to allow him to play without real pace and power.

Not neccessarily true, he couldbe going for a change of scenary and a new challenge. Money will play a part too of course. It's his life, all the best to him. I wonder if a certain Ukrainian international could be at Ewood by the weekend?

To be fair to Dunny that is asking for him to play with his career. He will want to get things sorted. The longer he waits the more chance there is that he could get injured or interest wane in him and he has to stay on in uncertain circumstances at birmingham. I can easily understand the attraction in taking the Bolton offer, in his situation I would seriously consider it. They are looking like outside bets for the CL this season. The concern of being left adrift at Brum will weigh heavily on his mind. That said it really does seem like Bruce is forcing him toward Bolton. THe reason for this can only be either a) to get one over Hughes, Provoke Rovers into exceeding the Bolton bid.

Did we get a sell on for Duff? I don't remember mention of it. And I think Stead went for 1.25m rather than 3m.

I guess it depends if Rovers have got anyone else lined up. If not then we have to sign Dunn, simple as that.

Seconded, while Derbs wsn't fantastic and missed some sitters he certainly wan't poor. The qualit of his performance matched that of McCarthy who, while being much better on the ball, did not find it as often as the blackburn lad. No complaints from me if Nonda starts the next game but I will be amazed if Derbyshire doesn't make quite a few more appearences as the season progresses.