Recently quite a few of us have been discussing whether Rob Lee still has a place in the first team frame. Or whether Gary Speed is good enough as our midfield enforcer/box to box type player.

Well after looking at the squad and young players in the reserves, it doesn't appear we're going to find such a player there. Apart from Jamie McClen, the rest of the midfield bairns are smallish, light weight right wing or attacking players. And McClen doesn't exactly have the build to be a midfield hardman, though I was surprised to learn he's still only 22.

So does any one have any suggestion as to who would fit the bill? discounting the likes of Roy Keane, Patrick Viera, Bowyer, or Stephen Gerrard.

(And yes I know some one will say something negative about each of them. Keane = women beater; Viera = french & recieves a lot of cards/suspensions; Bowyer = Leeds GBH squad; Gerrard = injury prone)

I see recently that Seth Johnson has moved infield recently for Derby and has been fulfilling such a role. Last season there was a lot of talk of Notts. Forrests young midfielder David Prutton and how he reminded a lot of people of a young Roy Keane. But I have heard much about him this season.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

Answers

There is only one answer to this question. The problem is that the answer was there to be had 4 years ago for nothing and will now cost a fortune. Michael Carrick is just superb, just does all the right things, all the time and he's only 19. I'm sure he wants to come here but I can't imagine West Ham selling for less than £8m after all the (justified) hype he's getting. Sadly we don't have that money available. We do though have to think about 'free' money coming form off loading other players, as well as the annual lump sum given to Robson.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

I think we have enough midfield players in Lee, Speed, Solano, Dyer, Acuna, Bassedas, Glass and Gavilan. That's eight with first team expieriance . In the reserves Pedro Dimas deserves a mention.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

This is where we came into this circular discussion Rik.

Solano, Gavilan and Glass are exclusively wide players - that's five left. 'Superglue' and Speed are too old and lacking in pace, mobility and stamina - that's three.

Do you really fancy starting next season with Bassedas, Acuna and Dyer as our central midfield, with no back-up whatsoever?

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

How is young Stuart Green progressing? Robson gave him a new contract at the start of the season so he must have seen something he liked.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

I was impressed with Kevin(?) Gall in the one juniors game I saw. I stress it was just one game but he did look to have a lot of talent on the ball. I thought Shola looked very untidy in the same game so I'm not a great judge of these things. :-)

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

Well to be honest we really should never have gotten rid of Hamman, a presence like his would be what the doctor ordered. Another player I like is Poyet of Chelsea (he always kills us though).

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

As I recall it - Hamman got rid of us!

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

Gall was one of the subs at Hillheads. If he was the little, pacy guy, he certainly looked promising.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

Hamman??? Good as his passing and shooting was, he was hardly a bundle of energy and enthusiasm, was he?

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

His shooting would be excellent and I'm sure there'd be plenty volunteers for the firing squad from here.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

Problem with Poyet is..if u dont look at the team sheet then u dont realize hes playing till he scores a header!! Apparently he has been seen in a McDonalds outside the ground for most of the game and popped up to score a header in the 78th minute. Probably just tabloid rumour.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

Jonno why waste good bullets?? I think that white collar thing he wears is bullet proof anyhow!

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

Well his discussion has headed of in a slight tangent to what I was after.

I was looking for a discussion on who we might target to replace the Gary Speed/Rob Lee type role.

Clarky identified some of the problems in that Speed and Lee won't be around for many more seasons, and that the majority of our other midfielders are wingers or playmaker types. Not the hold the fort, get suck in type such as Roy Keane or Patrik Viera.

Reports from the resorves and juniors is that our young talent coming through are more of the wing and light weight playmaker type.

I did like macbeths mention of Michael Carrick. From what I have heard is he's a left footed player who can play on the wing or in central midfield as a schemer type. As to being a Geordie and any ties to his home land, the lad has said he doesn't see coming home as an option in the near future.

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001