[Archived] Weak Link

[joey_big_nose]

I was idly thinking today that I guess in the longer term - hopefully to be realised in the next few weeks - Sparky will be aiming to be putting out a team that looks like this:

------------Cruz-----McCarthy

Pedersen---Reid------Dunn---Bentley

Warnock---Samba---Nelsen--Emerton

-----------------Freidal

My question is- do we really have a weak link? All these players I consider to be the required standard for our 4th-6th challenge:

Santa- Proved himself to be world class. Best striker of his type at Ewood since Shearer? Only Bellamy in recent years has perhgaps shown more alround quality although he is a different sort of forward.

McCarthy- Looked a lot hungrier last Saturday. Akways a aquality finisher but if he gets more involved allround definately deserving of a polace and capable of producing skills Ronaldo would be proud of.

Bentley- Started hitting a rich vein of goalscoring form after a relatively poor start. Looks close to an England start and a key player for us.

Warnock- Best left back since Le Saux?

Emerton- Adapted and impoved in the right back slot to the point where he is defensively quite solid and often sensational going forward. Hughes was looking for a more defensive minded replacement ove the summer but the former scapegoat has recieved little criticism and much praise this season.

Nelsen and Samba- What can you say? What a unit. Easily a best centre back combination I have seen at Rovers and I would say a match for any of the great Premier league defences (Henchoz and Hyppia, Adams and Keown, Ferdinand and Vidic).

Freidal- Still the best player.

These are the guys who have a small question marks over them:

Dunn- Still stuggles over 90 minutes, but has had a very good start to the season. I feel he could come into his own when allied with Reid in the middle.

Reid- Coming back from injury, our only real viable option in midifield to partner Dunn in the longer term (unless we buy of course). Before injury he was proving himself to be a power player in the Gerrard mould (if not quite on th esame plane as the England star). The main issue is whether he can recapture that sort of form. Until his return we have Savage who can still do the business but seems on a bit of a downward trajectory to be expected as he gets older.

Pedersen- There was a period last season from Christmas to April-ish where the Ped was superb. But before that he was terrible, and the pre christass slump seems to have happend again this year. Covers the ground well, but seems to lack enthusiasm at the moment. Not sure turning on him is the best thing to do though as if he can find that top gear he does just about everything- tackle, pass, score, cross. Getting him playing well should be an infinitely easier option than selling and trying to find a decent left winger.

So I guess imo if Hughes can achieve a few things- 1) Make Benni's renewed enthusaism a permanent feature of the team 2) Get Pedersen back to his best 3) Rehabillitate Reid 4) Improve Dunn's already vastly improved fitness - we will be laughing.

As far as January goes- as long as everyone stays fit - the only real addition we seem to need is a Tugay replacement. Emre, Mendes or Huddlestone would all be worthy in my opinion.

[LeftWinger]

We do have a very strong starting eleven when everyone is fit. The fact that the question marks are all about midfielders is a potential down point though.

[rover6]

Queries over that team:

- Can Reid and Dunn play together? Both are forward thinking

- Warnock and Emerton are good going forward but defensively not amazing.

- Can McCarthy and Santa Cruz play together?

and last but not least

- How will Robbie Savage cope with settling for being the centre of attention on the bench...?

[ihateburnley]

I still have question marks over David Dunn, I do not rate Pedersen, and I think McCarthy's days are numbered.

There. Plenty of work still to do.

[OJRovers]

I still have question marks over David Dunn, I do not rate Pedersen, and I think McCarthy's days are numbered.

There. Plenty of work still to do.

Dunn has been our best central midfield players this year, and has been as consistent as anyone when he'd been played in the correct position, so I think if he stays fit he will answer some of the doubters.

McCarthy is not past it, he came on on sunday and was back to his best, he just needs to stay in that zone.

Still work to do though, but not a bad squad considering how little we have spent.

[cletus]

There`s only Bentley in the midfield who`s showing any form at the moment.

[joey_big_nose]

There`s only Bentley in the midfield who`s showing any form at the moment.

Thats unfair on Dunn, he has had a few MOM performances and Savage has been decent. Pedersen is not cutting it though. But saying that neither was McCarthy two weeks ago. Sparky just needs to work the magic...

[ihateburnley]

I think the problem some people have is that they want Dunn to come good so badly, that they see an average performance and declare him as 'on-form'.

I would say that at the moment our only indispensable member of the midfield is David Bentley. Dunn has been average, Savage not up to his usual self, Tugay has hardly played, Reid is injured and Pedersen has been awful.

[RevidgeBlue]

I think the problem some people have is that they want Dunn to come good so badly, that they see an average performance and declare him as 'on-form'.

Equally some people seemingly refuse to give Dunn any credit no matter how well he plays.

I thought he had an excellent start to the season but had a couple of poor games against Pompey and Larissa (away)

Along with about eight others.

[krislu]

I was idly thinking today that I guess in the longer term - hopefully to be realised in the next few weeks - Sparky will be aiming to be putting out a team that looks like this:

------------Cruz-----McCarthy

Pedersen---Reid------Dunn---Bentley

Warnock---Samba---Nelsen--Emerton

-----------------Freidal

My question is- do we really have a weak link? All these players I consider to be the required standard for our 4th-6th challenge:

I do not think Reid will start many games this season. He has been out injured for a really long time, and it will take him a whole season just to get back to his best (if he ever does).

We don't have a clear weak link in form of one player. It is the total lack of pace which I feel is the big weak link in the team as a whole. Also that central midfield does not fill me with confidence. I agree that this team could challange for a 6th spot, but its nowhere near the quality of a team you would expect fighting for a place in the Champions League.

[USRoverME]

ihb, my view is the complete opposite. There might be a few in that mold you describe, but I think there's a fair few more who want and expect him to be a superhuman, England selection worthy, mazy attacking run making, Rovers celebrity. Basically they want him to be Lampard or Gerrard. Therefore, when we get a workmanlike solid outing from him, which is what Hughes probably expects, he's simply called "average".

This team is setup to punish people down the wings, with the assistance of overlaps and attacking runs by the wingbacks and be solid enough in defence in the middle to cover for the times that someone in the back line goes walkabout to suport the attack. This means the central midfielders hold back more for us than for other sides. Dunn is doing this well and still getting involved in supporting the attack well. How much more can we ask of him?

[Pinch]

It is annoying to hear clubs like Chelsea go on and on about the "spine" of the starting XI being strong (Cech, Terry/Carvalho, Essien/Lamps, Drogba)...we on the other hand may be set up to play down the wings a lot more, but our spine is fine from Brad to Nelson/Samba but we are weak in centre mid...then strong again up front.

I got to say, I love Dunn and want him to come good. But he has been average.

Reid could take a while to get up to the pace he needs to be at to be a focal point in centre mid.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

In a few years time we will have a major problem.......who is going to replace Friedel? That's my biggest worry!

[tcj_jones]

Absolutely, world class goalkeepers don't come along too often and, when they do, are usually well out of our reach.

[RevidgeBlue]

To go back to the original question, given the shoestring budget Sparky has had to work with, I don't think there are any particular weaknesses in the first choice starting eleven.

There would no doubt be one or two positions we could improve on if we had ten or fifteen million pounds per position to spend but given the current financial circumstances which seem to be prevailing I think the current set up is as good as we can do.

Getting them all to play as well as possible as often as possible is the key.

[Roar of the Rover]

Ooijer is probably the weakest link along with Mokoena, they both can perform on thier day, but hardly do.

[bluebruce]

Ooijer is probably the weakest link along with Mokoena, they both can perform on thier day, but hardly do.

I think the focus is on weak links in the first choice 11 mate. Neither of those players are in it.

[grizfoot]

Pedersen when he doens't turn up or Emerton he's due to the odd defensive mistake.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Based on that team staying fit - and playing at roughly the top of their game - I could easily see us capturing 4th spot - or at the very least top 6.

I don't think we have ever had it so good since 95 - and all on a relative shoe string budget.

Our back five (incl goal keeper) IMO are as good as anyone in the Premiership. I struggle to think of a defence with such a good balance and also with attacking menace (both from corners and from the wings).

In midfield - a fully fit and confident Reid is one of the most effective midfield players in the Premiership. Add that to Dunn creating space with a mazy dribble - and the goal scoring ability of both MGP & Bentley - WOW.

Add Santa and Bennie up front - with Roberts and Derbs waiting in the wings (not forgetting Rigters).

If that starting 11 were turning out for Tottingham the national press would be drooling - but because it is little ole Rovers we get no credit. For all the doubters - just enjoy the ride guys and stop being so pessimistic. Even if we end up finishing 10th (or even below) - at least Sparky and players have allowed us to dream again

[thenodrog]

Based on that team staying fit - and playing at roughly the top of their game - I could easily see us capturing 4th spot - or at the very least top 6.

And the manager staying put...............

[joey_big_nose]

To go back to the original question, given the shoestring budget Sparky has had to work with, I don't think there are any particular weaknesses in the first choice starting eleven.

There would no doubt be one or two positions we could improve on if we had ten or fifteen million pounds per position to spend but given the current financial circumstances which seem to be prevailing I think the current set up is as good as we can do.

Getting them all to play as well as possible as often as possible is the key.

Well I think realistically we should have around six or seven million available to be spent in January as we had so little outlay over the close season. I am sure if Hughes saw a player who could make a real contribution from midfield (the high quality passing defensively solid midfielder that Rover 6 always bangs on about) then we will get him if he is affordable.

And Hughes' record of finding top class players like that is outstanding so I would not be suprised if someone pops up in the new year who ties the whole midfield together.

[krislu]

I could easily see us capturing 4th spot

How many of our players would make the starting XI of ManU, Chelsea, Liverpool or Arsenal?

My honest opinion:

ManU:

Friedel for Van der Saar

Chelsea:

Benni for Shevhenko

Bentley for Wright Phillips

Arsenal:

Friedel for Lehmann

Nelsen or Samba for Sanderos or Gallas

Bentley should get a place in the middle

Liverpool:

Friedel for Reina

Nelsen for Agger

Bentley for Pennant

Im sure many on here will say Dunn for Carrick or Dunn for Alonso or something like that, but as I see it you can't argue much about the above.

conclusion: There is nothing suggesting that we have a chance of a 4th spot. Having said that, everything can happen in football!

[thenodrog]

An injury free season and a young Tim Sherwood would see us seriously challenging for a CL place. Too often our playmaking from central midfield has been weak and far too generous with possession.

[tcj_jones]

It's difficult to say who in our team would be guaranteed first team football in the big four, but Friedel, Nelsen, Samba, Bentley, Santa Cruz and McCarthy would all, at least, be pushing. A few years ago, Tugay could have played for any team in the Premiership.

Warnock wouldn't look out of place in one of the big four's starting line up, neither would Pedersen when he is on form.

[joey_big_nose]

Just thought I would bump this backup to the top. After the Livepool game I would say we were excellent in all departments given relative spendingand all that, with only really two question mark positions: 1) Defensive central midfield (losing savage is a big loss, and things are a bit quiet on the Reid front) 2) Left wing- Pedersen is improved but it does seem that at a bare minimum we need cover for his off periods, and really someonewho can perform more often.

Any suggestions guys? I don't get to watch much football beyond the rovers and was wondering if there is anyone floating around out there who could end up in a Rovers shirt. If we could pull out any signings in these two positions like we have at CB (Nelsen, Samba), LB (Warnock) Striker (Benni, Cruz), RM (Bentley) we would be laughing!