[Archived] Benni Mccarthy - Gone

[dazmaz]

Now that Emerton is back - Andrews looks like he will probably get some time on the bench. Im sure if Reid makes it back and Dunn stays fit then his chances will become even more limited. It all depends on them 3 staying fit!

Whether Benni runs around like a headless chicken or not does not matter - what matters is that he gives us a serious goal threat and he seems to have that natural goalscoring ability - something that we wont find around for cheaper.....BENNI Needs to be given another chance by Sam.

the way i see it we need to keep benni, when (not if) dunn gets injured where the hell are our goals going to come from? theres also the matter benni is hungry for first team football and wants to do all he can to ensure he gets to play in the world cup, a win win for us in my opinion

[DeadlyDirk]

I can't see us getting much more than a few million now for Benni, if that can be used to really strengthen the frontline then perhaps we should but anyone in that price range is going to be a massive gamble surely. It's unlikely we'll get someone better than Benni for that price.

So with that in mind and the World Cup coming up where Benni knows he needs to be on his best form to get selected it could see him pull his finger out and become a regular goalscorer again if given the chance.

I agree with dazmaz above, Dunn who we all know is always prone to injuries, if he misses out then suddenly were looking a bit thin on the goal front.

So in closing, for me any deal involving Benni going has to depend upon us bringing someone better in to replace him which I just can't see happening at that kind of price. When we had all summer and 7m odd to spend on a striker we struggled enough.

[brfc4ever]

I really hope he stays and plays.

Di Santo is prob leaving. Keep Benni and give him some games.

[Hughesy]

We should keep Benni until the end of his contract - he has the best goal scoring ability in our team and he still has alot of the blackburn end behind him. Unless of course someone was daft enough to pay £5m+ for him then I cant see how we could replace him with anything decent or better than him.

BENNI MCCARTHY!!!

[bubblerrovers]

Really want him too stay, but if he went what fee would we actually get for him?? i think 3mill at best?

[Majiball]

We should keep Benni until the end of his contract - he has the best goal scoring ability in our team and he still has alot of the blackburn end behind him. Unless of course someone was daft enough to pay £5m+ for him then I cant see how we could replace him with anything decent or better than him.

BENNI MCCARTHY!!!

I'd swap him for one of our other Madrid targets from the summer. I wonder whether we could pull the money for him together from just Benni's sale, though.

[mellison24]

swap him for tuncay, otherwise, KEEP HIM!!! There is only Tuncay (realistically, imo) who we can replace benni with who has a similar (maybe better?) threat and keeps us from paying an astounding price.

[sweet]

swap him for tuncay, otherwise, KEEP HIM!!! There is only Tuncay (realistically, imo) who we can replace benni with who has a similar (maybe better?) threat and keeps us from paying an astounding price.

He has only just joined stoke! They are not going to sell him for a reasonable price either.

[Hughesy]

He has only just joined stoke! They are not going to sell him for a reasonable price either.

Fallen out with Pullis though according to reports and set to leave in Jan.....

[ABBEY]

Now that Emerton is back - Andrews looks like he will probably get some time on the bench. Im sure if Reid makes it back and Dunn stays fit then his chances will become even more limited. It all depends on them 3 staying fit!

Whether Benni runs around like a headless chicken or not does not matter - what matters is that he gives us a serious goal threat and he seems to have that natural goalscoring ability - something that we wont find around for cheaper.....BENNI Needs to be given another chance by Sam.

You say sam is the man...and now you say he picks the wrong team .the mind boggles

[est990]

According to central news, Tuncay has a future at stoke. Keep Benni!

[Miker]

If Andrews doesn't play it won't be because suddenly we have other fit players, but because he had 2 shocking games in a row and has now been rightfully dropped. Before that Andrews' form was on and off, so it would've been unfair to drop him. Andrews was dropped previously against Wolves as well after having shockers against West Ham and Everton.

It's hard for Sam to play McCarthy and Roberts because Dunn and Di Santo have done well over a sequence of games, so it would be slightly unfair to drop either of them. I do think that we should be sticking with McCarthy and Roberts up front in a 4-4-2. For no other reason than the fact that we played like that for 3 games last season where we won 3-0 and 3-1 I think and drew with Man City 2-2 and have again won 3-1 against Portsmouth.

I'm interested to see if Sam will stick with the two wide men next game (Gamst and Diouf) or try something new.

[Mc Love]

most likely he will stick with two wide men

[thenodrog]

most likely he will stick with two wide men

I think he'll stick with the formation but I'd not rule out a change of striker. Just as Roberts usually starts a spell as 1st choice up top brightly and then suffers a dip in form it appears Di Santo is doing the same. A spell on the bench can serve to refresh and re-invigorate. Also managers must not be seen to 'make fish of one and meat of another' by displaying favouritism.

........... It's not impossible either that BM might be on the team sheet as a starter either.

[philipl]

I am absolutely torn on this one.

Benni is the most skilful player now at the club, is a brilliant goal scorer (look at his record) and can turn it on when he wants. Plus it would be great to see him as a Rover and leading the South Africa front line.

BUT his lack of self-discipline in everything he does combined with the fact he is of an age where lack of physical fitness is literally a career-ender (look at Fowler as another example) means I would enormously reluctantly part company if he cannot mend his ways.

For all his professed desire to play in the World Cup Finals, apparently he still couldn't put in a decent shift against Japan yesterday.

Edited November 15, 2009 by philipl

[47er]

If Andrews doesn't play it won't be because suddenly we have other fit players, but because he had 2 shocking games in a row and has now been rightfully dropped. Before that Andrews' form was on and off, so it would've been unfair to drop him. Andrews was dropped previously against Wolves as well after having shockers against West Ham and Everton.

It's hard for Sam to play McCarthy and Roberts because Dunn and Di Santo have done well over a sequence of games, so it would be slightly unfair to drop either of them. I do think that we should be sticking with McCarthy and Roberts up front in a 4-4-2. For no other reason than the fact that we played like that for 3 games last season where we won 3-0 and 3-1 I think and drew with Man City 2-2 and have again won 3-1 against Portsmouth.

I'm interested to see if Sam will stick with the two wide men next game (Gamst and Diouf) or try something new.

It would be GROSSLY unfair to drop either Dunn or Di Santo. If we are going to play 4-4-2 at Bolton the best option would surely be McCarthy partnering Di Santo with Dunn in midfield.The issue is whether mid-field would be strong enough.

[Hughesy]

I know Dunn has done well in the hole - however I think he should now revert back to midfield, alongside Grella and be told to do some of the graft, and allow us to play with 2 strikers (Benni & Roberts) against Bolton.

Its a very winnable game and I just pray we take advantage of it!

[Exiled_Rover]

Grella, Dunn, Diouf and Pedersen is a very static midfield. Sadly Dunn doesn't have the legs to play centre mid effectively anymore.

[Hughesy]

Grella, Dunn, Diouf and Pedersen is a very static midfield. Sadly Dunn doesn't have the legs to play centre mid effectively anymore.

I agree but thats not what Id play.

Id go with Emerton--Grella--NZonzi--Dunn - A hard working midfield with Dunn just infront of those 3, and if supported by the full backs then it should do a good enough job to beat Bolton.

[MarkBRFC71]

Grella, Dunn, Diouf and Pedersen is a very static midfield. Sadly Dunn doesn't have the legs to play centre mid effectively anymore.

Diouf, and especially Pedersen both need dropping. Diouf hasn't really set the world on fire this season, and Pedersen has been truly shocking since 2007. If we start against Bolton as we did against Pompey we will struggle, simple as. Hopefully the second half against Portsmouth will make Sam realise the error of his 4-5-1 ways ....

[broadsword]

Grella, Dunn, Diouf and Pedersen is a very static midfield. Sadly Dunn doesn't have the legs to play centre mid effectively anymore.

Perhaps N'zonzi could do Dunn's work for him?

But I would agree that Dunn's current role seems the only viable one for him, which is bad news for benni.

The ideal would be to incorporate both, because Benni knows how to finish.

[JAL]

Diouf, and especially Pedersen both need dropping. Diouf hasn't really set the world on fire this season, and Pedersen has been truly shocking since 2007. If we start against Bolton as we did against Pompey we will struggle, simple as. Hopefully the second half against Portsmouth will make Sam realise the error of his 4-5-1 ways ....

In defence of Sam Allardyce, i'd hate to have be in his shoes having to rely on these two to get a result for the team.

Its a very uncomfortable situation for Sam Allardyce to be in that I think we should have some empathy for.

[LeChuck]

Grella, Dunn, Diouf and Pedersen is a very static midfield. Sadly Dunn doesn't have the legs to play centre mid effectively anymore.

I think I'd go with

Emerton Dunn N'Zonzi Van Heerden

At least we'd have two wide players with some pace and at least one central player who isn't likely to break down.

I'm not sure why people are picking Grella ahead of N'Zonzi, he's done nothing in his 15/16 months with us to suggest he's anything more than a backup player.

[broadsword]

No point selecting him as first choice, most of the time he's unavailable anyway.

Swear to God, never known a player to be so injured.

[G Somerset Rover]

No point selecting him as first choice, most of the time he's unavailable anyway.

Swear to God, never known a player to be so injured.

No doubt we'll get a Vince Grella interview on Friday saying how he's never felt better and can't wait to get stuck into Bolton. A day later we'll get the team news saying that Vince has a 'slight thigh strain' that will 'put him out for a couple of weeks'.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Somerset Rover!