Tyrone Shoelaces

Where does he play ?

I go back to just before that and he wouldn't be in my top twenty. In no particular order - Dobing, Dougan, Vernon, Big Fred, Andy Mac, Johnny Byrom, Tony Field, Simon Garner, Speedie, Newall, Shearer, Sutton, Kevin Gallagher, Matty J, Andy Cole, Santa Cruz, Yakubu, Benny Mac, Duffer, even Dwight Yorke, were all better.

Archibold and Ardiles played in that 0-3 loss. Ardiles got " quietened " by Nicky Marker and had to be subbed.

Me too at 19 with a second break of the same leg. What people who've never had that sort of injury don't realise is the problem can be 50% physical and 50% mental. I just wasn't the same player after the second break. I take my hat off to the players who can rise above serious injuries and come back strong.

Did that young lad we sold to Leicester a year or two back get a game for them ?

That would have really spoilt my Saturday back then !

Great Film. I've got a piece of the multi story car park the " Alf Roberts " character went off.

What I noticed was we were getting plenty of bodies up and around the box. As mentioned 7 up in the last third. When did that last happen ? Johnson for instance got up to the " D " for two shots at goal. It's a high risk strategy at times but I prefer that way of playing to the our previous rather laboured walking football.

It's a sign of the times that we're all so excited about next Saturdays game. During last seasons spell in the doldrums there wouldn't be a thread on the up-coming game until the Thursday or Friday. I'm just hoping we can play with a smile on our faces again.

Every team has dropped that sort of clanger. Bolton let Alan Ball go and kept Gordon Taylor. The Dingles told Bryan Robson he wasn't big enough. Billy Bremner had trials at Arsenal and got sent home. We had Ron Davies on trial when Mike England was his pal and let him go. It happens

What I liked about Rhodes was he rarely blasted the ball, he just gave it enough to get it to the back of the net. He went for placement and accuracy rather than power. He had as cool as head in front of goal as I've seen from a striker. Very unflappable and calm, he never got over excited with a chance. What let him down was he wasn't blessed with any sort of pace and he wasn't physical. If you ever went on the Boro site or the Sheff Wed site the critics were saying exactly the same of his time there.

I watched him first in that game at Old Trafford when we won. He looked to be a real prospect in my opinion. Something went sadly wrong there.

A bit like Devon Malcolm in the cricket. He needed to get mad. I remember the South Africans bouncing him. He got really mad at that , I think he took something like 8 for 40 when he got to bowl at them !

That was part of the problem. When we were playing two up front lots of our opponents made do with one. Their five in midfield usually got the better of our four.

I thought so too but I don't think he ever reached the heights he should have done. He was like a fast Sonny Liston to look at but he never really made the most of his physique. I suspect he wasn't mean enough as a person.

I don't think I would. I prefer having somebody up front with pace. There will be Premier League clubs watching Armstrong now, I don't remember any Premier League clubs giving Rhodes much of a look.

I thought he was a bit peripheral last season. Having said that he was played all over the shop by Mowbray. He never really got to play in the role he's got now.

The first time I saw Heskey play when he was a kid I - " The new Shearer ". He was awesome for a lad. Pace and power. He never quite made it to that level but he certainly liked scoring against Rovers.

It's early days yet but the lad looks a real talent. I can see him having a big future if he can stay injury free.

I've no doubt there'll be people at a higher level sitting up and taking notice already. Henley only had to have a couple of good games and Real Madrid were interested allegedly.

If Rhodes is that good why don't we offer to swap him for Armstrong ? I'm sure his current club would be interested.

I wouldn't say ten times but I agree he is/was better. He didn't miss many. I think Armstrong is more suited to the new " total football " we seem to have discovered. The threat of his pace makes opposing teams defend that bit deeper giving us a bit more room to play in. With Rhodes opponents could line out just inside their own half knowing full well most centre halves would match him for pace at the very least.

We did well to get a draw there.

Armstrong is Rhodes with added pace. He could probably out run Rhodes going backwards.

That maybe right in Nyambe's case but it can be worked on if he's got the motivation to do so. When I first started watching back in the day Keith Newton played either flank equally well, in fact he played for England in both positions. John Bray and Dave Whelan could do both as could Billy Wilson. I was only an amateur but as I got older I could play on both flanks no problem. It doesn't come easy, it takes a lot of hard work and practice, but it can be done. It's not just the left footed running with the ball and passing you need to work on, it's the getting comfortable jockeying players down your " Wrong " side and getting a tackle in at the right time with your " Wrong " foot. I still see pros who tackle with the wrong foot because they favour their strongest side. Usually they come a cropper.