[Archived] Dunn And Tugay In The Same Midfield

[Jan]

People are just wanting Dunny to fail so they can say "I told you so". Personally as long as he starts performing soon, he can go drinking every day and night for all I care.

CERTAIN people are.

I rest my case!

[Tris]

Personally as long as he starts performing soon, he can go drinking every day and night for all I care.

Which if he does, he will never start performing.

As the evidence appears to be showing at the moment.

[Exiled_Rover]

Which if he does, he will never start performing.

As the evidence appears to be showing at the moment.

He's hardly playing poorly, Tris. He's nowhere near top form, granted, but that's to be expected having spent so long on the sidelines. He admitted himself that he doesn't expect to really start playing well until next season.

[Tris]

He's hardly playing poorly, Tris. He's nowhere near top form, granted, but that's to be expected having spent so long on the sidelines. He admitted himself that he doesn't expect to really start playing well until next season.

What I can't understand though ER, is that he must realise that next season is too late for him. When Savage and Reid are back in the frame, Dunn won't even make the bench on current form. He can still barely last 90 minutes even after 2 months under Hughes, however trim he may look when changing in the dugout.

Compare that with Warnock who - although similarly short of match action all autumn - is now absolutely flying.

If the roles were reversed and Warnock couldn't last 90 mins but was spotted out in the town the night before a game - with or without alcohol - there would be an outrage.

[Jan]

Give it a rest Tris. Your vendetta has gone past the point of boredom now.

[Exiled_Rover]

What I can't understand though ER, is that he must realise that next season is too late for him. When Savage and Reid are back in the frame, Dunn won't even make the bench on current form. He can still barely last 90 minutes even after 2 months under Hughes, however trim he may look when changing in the dugout.

Compare that with Warnock who - although similarly short of match action all autumn - is now absolutely flying.

If the roles were reversed and Warnock couldn't last 90 mins but was spotted out in the town the night before a game - with or without alcohol - there would be an outrage.

He's a much, much better player than either of those. He'd have to play with one of them (or Mokoena, on his current form) to provide some bite into the midfield. Technically however, he's a class above both of those players.

It's not just fitness, it's match sharpness. He's clearly improving in both aspects, though understandably it's a slow process.

[FourLaneBlue]

To answer the original question I'd say no. Tugay and Dunn can't play in the same central midfield. Not in a 4-4-2 anyway. Tugay is probably being asked to play a bit too much this season anyway due to other injuries. Would probably be better to alternate them a bit more and also use Dunn on the right as well at times.

I'm not really sure if central midfield is Dunn's best position. I seem to remember most of his best games coming when he was on the right and he seemed particularly dangerous when cutting in. Being on the wing also gave him more scope to dribble and allowed a bit more space than in a confined centre of the park.

[American]

Give it a rest Tris. Your vendetta has gone past the point of boredom now.

That's rich coming from you!!

[Tris]

Give it a rest Tris. Your vendetta has gone past the point of boredom now.

I just want what's best for the club I support, without any strings attached.

If you're so blinded by the fantastic Dunny that you can't see he's letting himself and Rovers down by failing to get fit and prepare properly for games, that's your problem.

Rovers have played 13 games since he signed and he's still a virtual passenger. There's been the odd decisive pass, but little else.

There are only 9 or 10 games left in the season. Unless he improves dramatically, I'll say it again, we won't even see him play once the injured players are back after the summer.

[Jan]

There's been the odd decisive pass, but little else.

Including:

The trip on him for the winning Sheffield United goal

The pass for Benni's goal against Arsenal

The pass for the first penalty against Bolton (And perhaps the second- can't quite remember)

That makes 6 points and a semi-final.

I think that's not bad for someone who has spent very little of the past 3 years playing.

[John]

I think it is far too early to judge.

We have seen glimpes of quality from Dunn but (consdiering how long he has been out for) I think it would take at least 8-10 games (starting) to get properly match fit.

I also think ideally, Hughes would not play him with Tugay. But with our midfield injuries things are hardly ideal.

[thenodrog]

I thought Dunn had a lot of extra weight until I saw him take his shirt off after the Arsenal game.

There is nothing to worry about, he was not overweight.

Maybe not his chest but his arse certainly appears to be.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I'm not surprised Dunny's copping a bit of flak, he's not produced much yet has he ? A journalist referred to him the other day as -" the player that used to be David Dunn ". I still think he's a class act and he'll come good but maybe we'll have to wait till next season

The player who's concerning me more is Tugay, I don't see every game so this is a genuine question- when did he last have a top game- by my reckoning it's before Xmas, old age and heavy grounds taking their toll ?

I watched Everton and Arse on Sunday, that Fernandes looked a bit usful, we could have done with him .

[RevidgeBlue]

I saw both Hatton and Dunn out round Blackburn town centre on the Saturday night before the City game. They were out separately and neither seemed particularly worse for wear even late on.

Am I missing something here? Ricky Hatton out in Blackburn Town Centre on a Saturday night?

Who was he with? George Clooney and Jack Nicholson?

[John]

I was going to post on Tugay a couple of weeks back.

He has been poor in 2007.

I do not think Hughes thought he would play as many games, however, he has been really poor this year.

He has not been short of effort though. He always gives his all for the team (as much as his body will allow him).

[Fife Rover]

A modern footballer can't be going out on all-day sessions during the season and expect to get away with it.

They've been getting away with it since the early playing days of George Best, and who knows maybe at other clubs than Rovers even before that. I do know though that at Rovers there was a strict rule about NO drinking during the season, and this was the case in the '50s.

[mike at picture]

I thought the players took a milk stout and a woodbine at half time in those days.

[RevidgeBlue]

They've been getting away with it since the early playing days of George Best, and who knows maybe at other clubs than Rovers even before that. I do know though that at Rovers there was a strict rule about NO drinking during the season, and this was the case in the '50s.

I used to know a few of the players to talk to in the 80's and the rule then was no alcohol after Wednesday night if there was a game on the Saturday afternoon.

[Fife Rover]

At last someone comes up with the correct answer! Absolutely right Jan. They were the only central midfielders availible. Bentley is a right winger pure and simple.

Berner is a DM. He was available.

[LeftWinger]

Berner is a DM. He was available.

Is he though? I thought he just played on the left side of defence or midfield.

[joey_big_nose]

Berner is a DM. He was available.

Berner is a left back unfortunatelty, played in Switzerland in that position. If he was a DM of even moderate quality he would have played the last game.

[Sparky Marky]

I was going to post on Tugay a couple of weeks back.

He has been poor in 2007.

I do not think Hughes thought he would play as many games, however, he has been really poor this year.

He has not been short of effort though. He always gives his all for the team (as much as his body will allow him).

:ph34r:

[Sparky Marky]

Hatton was in Blackburn, me brother got a photo with him on his phone in a place called Liquid.

[FourLaneBlue]

They've been getting away with it since the early playing days of George Best, and who knows maybe at other clubs than Rovers even before that. I do know though that at Rovers there was a strict rule about NO drinking during the season, and this was the case in the '50s.

There's no way players in the past were at the same level of fitness as modern footballers. In fact they all say it and mention how the game is much quicker now.

What players could get away with decades ago will likely take a greater toll for a player today.

Dunn does get way too much flak because he is a local lad but it doesn't mean people necessarily have an "agenda" against him. I'd suggest most Rovers fans would rather him do well than anyone else on the team. As a local lad he is supported the most but probably also more easily receives criticism as well; both fair and unfair.

[orwot]

Hatton was in Blackburn, me brother got a photo with him on his phone in a place called Liquid.

ricky "the hitman" hatton was in liquid? lmao thats great.