Barry Ferguson

[grizfoot]

Today he was brilliant he had the freedom to get foward (which he hasn't have in previous games) and looked dangerous.

[RoverDrake]

Ferguson Thommo Pedersen

Djorkaeff

--

Sorted?

[Paul]

Thought Ferguson was excellent today , just what I expect to see from him. His post match interview suggested he was happy with the role and was being encouraged to get forward. Good stuff Hughesy.

[frosty]

The first buy in January should be a decent,young,strong centre midfielder to partner Ferguson ( who was excellent today ).

[grizfoot]

A shame that we still have no decent midfield partner for Fergie.

We need someone with a physical presence, a tenacious tackle and a steady passer of the ball.

That rules out Tugay and Flitcroft.

Neil Danns scored two goals for Colchester today and by all reports is taking the league by storm, surely worth a recall sometime.

Well That is League one (old money: divison 2), he could be worth a try he always reminds me of a young Flitcroft for some reason.

Also i'd love to see Thommo in the middle with Bazza

[P.E.]

I'm intrigued at the moment how Hughes is lining up the team. I don't think the system is 'that' similar to the one he uses for Wales but then maybe he doesn't want to knock the boat too much.

I'm all for bazza getting forward as he looked good against Villa and our attack actually looked like we were trying new ideas and varying the style of our attacks, now wether this was down to ferguson's new found freedom as well as fitness remains to be figured out by myself (I only watchd it on the prem highlights on sky.... )

But the defence looked vunerable again and that needs plugging by someone who will just sit in front of the back four and harry opponents when not in possesion. The thing is who's avalible..... well as has been said Flittcrofts prob lost the legs to do it and Douglas..... big task that for someone with little top flight experience IMHO. Tugay, well from what I heard he was sold as he was too similar to barry ferguson (well that and Rangers mamoth fianacial problems).

So who could we get in.... lievrpool have the market cornered for defensive midfield players but there... well... prob over priced for us. Personally i'd like to see hamann but Gerrards injury rules that out. Robbie Savage has recently signed a new contract as has anyone at ManUre (as much as i'm loath to say it P.Neville could do a job for us). There is a distinct lack of players who we could get to fufill that role. I wouldn't mind seeing Todd in that role but after refusing to wear the shirt i'm not so sure....

[T4E]

I'm sure I heard yesterday on the Sky coverage of the Chelsea game that Scott Parker had been told he wasnt in Mourinho's plans at Stamford Bridge. If thats true, and Hughes gets given a bit of money in January, he would be an outstanding signing.

[American]

I've heard Curbishley wants him back, though the fans don't.

[T4E]

<< Moyes expresses an interest >>

[Hughesy]

How about we offer to take him on loan until the end of the season with a view to a permanent move?

[grizfoot]

If Everton are in for him we must have a chance

[joey_big_nose]

The way I see it is that we are absolutely buggered unless we can find a player to hold the midfield together. This new 4141 formation certainly has promise but unless we have a tiger sitting infront of the defence we are in trouble.

We cannot get anybody in till Januay but we might have a possibility in Thompson. Does anybody know when he is back?

                              Friedel

          Niell    Matteo    Amoruso  Gray

                            Ferguson

Emerton    Thompson      Djorkaeff  Pedersen

               

                              Dickov

The only problem with this is hta Ferguson will be completely tied down without any hope of the forward runs that made him such a force on Saturday. However we would not have to have either Flitcroft or Tugay on the field which would be a massive bonus.

Another big problem for me is what are we going to do with Stead, Bothroyd and Gallagher? All of them are hugely talented yet there seems little space for them in the lineup....

Edited October 4, 2004 by joey_big_nose

[Eddie]

I think I read today that Thompson was looking to be back within the next couple of weeks

[Alan75]

I think I read today that Thompson was looking to be back within the next couple of weeks

Maybe here

[sumps]

The way I see it is that we are absolutely buggered unless we can find a player to hold the midfield together. This new 4141 formation certainly has promise but unless we have a tiger sitting infront of the defence we are in trouble.

We cannot get anybody in till Januay but we might have a possibility in Thompson. Does anybody know when he is back?

                              Friedel

           Niell    Matteo    Amoruso   Gray

                            Ferguson

Emerton     Thompson      Djorkaeff   Pedersen

                

                               Dickov

The only problem with this is hta Ferguson will be completely tied down without any hope of the forward runs that made him such a force on Saturday. However we would not have to have either Flitcroft or Tugay on the field which would be a massive bonus.

Another big problem for me is what are we going to do with Stead, Bothroyd and Gallagher? All of them are hugely talented yet there seems little space for them in the lineup....

Dickov wouldn't be able to last a full game up front on his own with his work rate. He also needs someone else to support him when going foward. On saturday I thought Djorkaeff and Dickov worked well with Emerton and resulted in the goal. So IMO to change that would be a mistake. If Jansen can build on Saturdays performance, and run at players more like he was doing, then our attacking line up is looking all of a sudden very promising.

However if we play Thompson, then this will restrict Ferguson making the runs he was doing on Saturday. Therefore I'd say put Matteo in midfield and play Short and Todd when they are back.

Friedal

Neil Short Todd Gray

Emerton Matteo Ferguson Jansen

Dickov Djorkaeff

Edited October 4, 2004 by sumps

[philipl]

Matteo in midfield? NO

That is how Leeds ensured relegation. With the Rovers, he was failing pretty comprehensively playing in midfield for Souness.

Must confess to not being impressed with Matteo in any of the televised Rovers games I have seen so far.

Given the flexibility and rotation of the most forward Rovers players on Saturday, I don't think the return of a fully fit Thompson would not neccessarilly restrict Ferguson's forward running.

If we get all our players playing to their full ability, I would expect the midfield now to be Thompson, Ferguson in the middle, Emerton wide and Djorkaeff playing the creative disrupting role Hughes made his own at the end of his career. That means a frustrating time for Tugay, Flitcroft, dePedro, MGP, Reid and Rover 6's three little Darlings (Douglas, Danns and Donnelly).

I still think a Jansen/Stead partnership would be brilliant up front but I stress only if they are playing to their full ability.

However, to have this luxury we need Short to get fit and stay fit at least until January. Much as it pains me to say it but unless Matteo improves, we probably need a fit again Todd as well.

However, for any Rovers team to work before the transfer window comes to our rescue, Ferguson has got to keep on improving to give us a totally commanding presence in midfield.

Edited October 4, 2004 by philipl

[kingalan]

Just thought I'd let everyone know that the Scottish Sun has dug up an old story with today's "exclusive" back-page headline:

"Gers want to use 10m to buy Barry back."

Alastair Donald is due to invest 10m quid in the club and they plan to use that money to buy Bazza back in the January transfer window. Looking over the article, there's absolutely no foundation in the story and they base it on some pretty flimsy facts. They state that "Eck (Alex McLeish) must wait to see if his former captain wants to quite Ewood Park and his shot at the Premiership." So they even concede that Bazza doesn't want to leave.

They even manage to contradict themselves by saying that Hughes is wanting to build his side round Fergie, yet Rovers would be willing to do business as we're running on a tight budget and need funds for transfers. That's right, build a team round our captain, then sell him a few months down the line. What a load of cack. How do the Sun get away with journalism like this???

[Jan]

ignore

Edited October 5, 2004 by Jan

[philipl]

The Rovers have taken The Scottish Sun sufficiently seriously to issue a rebuttal. At least our friends north of the border have provided a £10m starting price in case Souness or Moyes decide to attempt to use their reported £20m January transfer budgets with a raid on ewood.

[Radagast]

£20m?

*Yoink*

[1864roverite]

they havent started any pricing at all, they have simply been offered a £10m injection of capital from an outsid einvestor, there is nothing to link a £10m bid for Fergie and in any case if there was I am pretty sure Rovers would snap their hands off.

[philipl]

1864, technically true. But The Sun headlines never lie or mislead

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

If either club came in with 10 million chances are we would sell..in the cold light of day we all have to face the fact that Rovers are no longer a footballing force both on and off the field.

Such is life.

[sumps]

Matteo in midfield? NO

That is how Leeds ensured relegation. With the Rovers, he was failing pretty comprehensively playing in midfield for Souness.

Must confess to not being impressed with Matteo in any of the televised Rovers games I have seen so far.

Given the flexibility and rotation of the most forward Rovers players on Saturday, I don't think the return of a fully fit Thompson would not neccessarilly restrict Ferguson's forward running.

If we get all our players playing to their full ability, I would expect the midfield now to be Thompson, Ferguson in the middle, Emerton wide and Djorkaeff playing the creative disrupting role Hughes made his own at the end of his career. That means a frustrating time for Tugay, Flitcroft, dePedro, MGP, Reid and Rover 6's three little Darlings (Douglas, Danns and Donnelly).

I still think a Jansen/Stead partnership would be brilliant up front but I stress only if they are playing to their full ability.

However, to have this luxury we need Short to get fit and stay fit at least until January. Much as it pains me to say it but unless Matteo improves, we probably need a fit again Todd as well.

However, for any Rovers team to work before the transfer window comes to our rescue, Ferguson has got to keep on improving to give us a totally commanding presence in midfield.

I don't see how you can justify dropping Dickov from the starting line up after his performances this season in favour of Stead and Jansen. It will take time for Jansen and Stead both to regain confidence and at the moment we can't afford to give them a run of 5 or 6 games.

The team I suggested is going off current form, with the exception of Short as he's injured. Yours is all hypothetical, and what are the odds of us having a full squad, all playing to their full ability. If that were to happen we'd be challenging for a champions league place.

[philipl]

Completely agree.

It was totally hypothetical based on my assessment of the best balance of the most gifted players at the club all playing at the top of their form. Many are way short of producing what they are capable of.