to consider Jermaine Jenas and his home debut. Didn't run around after Viera like a teenager at a Pop Idols recording, unlike his older team mates. Tried to make things happen. A GREAT PLAYER in the making, I think.

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2002

Answers

Just fast forwarded the match, and I can second to that. He looked mature, calm, confident, consistent, the lot. Would have deserved a goal from one of his runs into the box. No one should take his place now. Sports.com rated him 9, the rest 5-6.

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2002

Our top man yesterday, methinks - greatness in the making.

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2002

At £5m I think Forest ought to prosecute a charge of theft against NUFC.

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2002

He was fantastic yesterday, he was everything we needed for a Rob Lee replacement - he tackled superbly, his passing was top notch and he was comfortable on the ball.

It all looks good for the future.

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2002

Compare and contrast with his senior team mate Gary Speed.

When Dyer was in the side Speed looked excellent, and I ate humble pie on here because he was looking very good. It now seems that his improved performances were a result of having Dyer next to him.

Last night I thought he was woeful again. (And I wasn't happy v Man City either). He did one run out of defence near the end that was reminiscent of Dabs at his worst. He was clearly running into trouble so he deliberately played for the free kick by trying to look as though he was body checked and just looked a fool as the ref waved play on and Arsenal retrieved the ball when we really needed to hold on to it.

We were all concerned at the thought of Dyer being too light to replace Rob Lee in midfield (we were, I remember !) yet the postives of Dyer overwhelm any negatives his 'lightness' introduces. Robso now has to take the big step of going with a central midfield of Dyer and Jenas, weighing 16 stone between them :0)

I thought Jenas was fantastic, and we have to remember the two games has has started for us have been a wild derby and against a superb Arsenal side. He can only get better ?!

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2002

I agree Macbeth. The reason Dyer and Speed worked is because they are different types of player.

Jenas and Speed were trying to do the same thing, except Jenas did it much much better.

Jenas proved yesterday that you don't need to weigh 20 stone to tackle well. Him and Dyer in centre midfield is potentially England's future partnership and I can't believe they only cost £11 between them. That really is nowt when you consider how good they are now. Jenas seems an absolute steal for £5m.

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2002

the reason why speed looked good with dyer in the team was because he (speed) could play the 90 minutes without moving out of the centre circle. yesterday he looked like a little boy next to vierra.

similarly, shearer looks good with bellamy in the team because bellamy's movement makes up for his lack of mobility.

we can do without one (bellamy & dyer) but not both. and oh yes back on thread, jenas looked very good

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2002

i think even though we wopped by Arsenal, there is a sense of transition between the two teams. Whereas Viera is going to Madrid next year (el bar corona de pasada, stu) we have gone for a young guy who looked great yesterday amongst a few who didn't. Maybe Arse's bottom will fall out?

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2002

Jenas was brilliant - I love him already!

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2002

spoke to a forest fan the other day and he reckons we've signed an absolute GEM. and performances so far more than consolidate that view.

VERY promising. Go JJ

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2002

Is this the same Jenas who watched his man sail past him to score?

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

OOO sorreeee 1 mistake in an otherwise excellent performance , bearing in mind this lad is 19 and plays like hes been in the PL all his life. I think hell be a england star for a good few years. With him and Dyer in centre mid nobby and robert wide I fear for the oppo.....

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Bobby .... which goal was that ?

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Gosh, Sky is obviously the best way to watch football: it allows you to pick up on minor errors from the youngest player on the pitch.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

As Doug says, "A great player in the making". But not by any means the finished aticle at the minute. Going forward he's great, always buzzing, looking to create. So far he looks like a Dyer who can tackle.

However his defensive qualities are less impressive, especially at set pieces. This will improve as he gets to know his teammates but at this stage of the season I can't help thinking that a midfield of Robert, Dyer, JJ and Nobby would be drastically toothless especially against some of the relegation strugglers we're due to play.

He also needs to stop getting excited and lashing the ball over the bar. I hope he gets a goal soon and calms down a little. He was MOTM yesterday but he's got a way to go.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

.....so you thought JJ was sh**te then, Bobby?

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Clarky, having seen the bairns, do you think any of our youngsters is anywhere near JJ's ability?

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

....regarding m/f nothing I've seen is anywhere near the same class dougal, unfortunately. As strikers, Chopra & Offiong could be good if they continue to develop, but they are still a year or possibly more away.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

How did I guess that my comment would spark the above reaction? :-)

I won't get on the defensive either as I've already said he had a good game vs the makems. I only saw the lowlights on Saturday night after a great curry in Hexham (highly recommended, kids). BUT I distinctly recall shouting "Aw, JENAS!" at the telly as Arse got their 2nd (I think). He was flat footed.

He could well be Jenas Christ for all I know, but for the moment he's a young lad who's played, what 2 games for us? Just don't all start the building him up to be the next big thing, fellers. Shall I start with the list of previous 'this lad will be brilliant' with JDT?

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

So Bobby, when you post a smart-a*se put-down of a young lad who played really well for us against an excellent Arsenal team on the basis of spotting him make one mistake while perusing the "lowlights", it is presumably done entirely to solicit the predictable defence of the lad from me?
In which case, well done - it worked.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

You cast yer rod and see what bites, mate ;-)

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

That was my initial reaction when I saw the video yesterday Bobby (first goal BTW - he gave away the FK for the 2nd). However, it has to be remembered that he was playing m/f and although it's his job to stop movement in the middle of the park, it doesn't always work out and the guys at the back also have a job to do to stop the forwards. But on the basis that Bergkamp didn't have the ball when he "sailed past" JJ, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what you think he might have done to stop him running on to a superbe ball from Pires, bar fouling him and risking a yellow card? Maybe he should have sprinted over to the far side of the pitch and tackled Pires? Let us know and if it's good enough, I'll pass on your answer to the coaching staff.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Obviously he should take the man out. I need to look at the incident again but that was my gut reaction (nothing to do with the curry). I don't want to harp on about this 'cos it's starting to look like I don't think much of JJ - I do, just trying not to get carried away.

2nd in the list of 'this lad will be brilliant' - LuaLua

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Who's list? Not mine. IMHO, Lua x2 is more suited to a circus ring than a football pitch right now. At least with JJ, he has shown he can perform consistently well at every level he's played at. Same can't be said for Lua x2 or JDT (I believe). Now, Andreas Andersson - that's a different matter altogether ;-)

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

:o{I

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Didn't I say, Screach? I've been (self)appointed keeper of the BBS top 10 lists - Gav has his half-empty glass, Softie his tables and stats, Dougal has floods and Aaraon...I get to compile subjective lists.

You get to appear on the telly and drive stealthily ;-)

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Ah yes. I forgot. Greenspun's very own David Letterman.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Initial response was "Dyer with a work ethic". Sensational performance. 19 years old and successfully tackling Patrick Viera.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

David Letterman? Is that the annoying twat who whines on with unfunny witticisms and dire topical commentary?

Bit too close to the truth, Screach :-)

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Clarky, that's interesting. I wish we could get Chops and Offiong out on loan so that they could get first team experience. While I'm not sure that Lua Lua and Shola will ever be top notch, their game isn't helped by having them onb the bench all the time.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Dougal - I was contemplating that very point on Saturday night when the initial anguish subsided. Because of the relative weakness of our 1st team squad we don't engage in very much 'rotation'. Hence the squad players get very few appearances. For instance Shola and Lx3 have probably only played in 5 or 6 Reserve games, plus a handful of 5-10 minute 1st team sub appearances, over the last 6 months, and are totally devoid of match sharpness.

This is a vicious circle, and the end result is that these guys are utterly unprepared physically or mentally to come into a game against the likes of Arsenal and put on a performance.

I just can't see these lads developing being used in this way, and feel sure a 3-month loan spell with a Nationwide 1st Div Club would be a much better way of bringing them along. As things stand I suspect they'll both fail here and move on - probably going on to produce the goods elsewhere.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Clarky, that problem is going to haunt us from now on. Harper is no longer a like-for-like replacement for Given, for example, and will probably leave this summer..

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002