Megson is getting closer...

Gary Megson is getting closer and closer to my preferred starting line up.
Just a few players out for the weekends Chelsea clash.

He went for:

Jussi
Ricketts
Knight
Cahill
Samuel
Lee
Cohen
Muamba
Basham
Elmander
Davies

My changes would be:

Jussi
Ricketts > Steinsson
Knight
Cahill
Samuel
Lee
Cohen
Muamba
Basham > Gardner (who i suspect was rested or planned as an impact sub)
Elmander
Davies > Klasnic (the time will come, one day it will be realised)

but other than that, its pretty much the side I would go for, my only other concern is I would like to fit Mark Davies in there somewhere, maybe in place of Cohen? although Cohen is currently doing ok. I am still hoping Knight can become solid, time will tell.

Megson out!

Jayjay you can't really want to drop Davies for Elmander, the guy is a clown. I think we need someone like Cohen to provide a bit of edge in the midfield, I like MD but if we are playing two wingers and I agree that would be what I would prefer I think we need a pretty robust central midfield.

There is no way that Lee should start.

He's a decent prospect I'll give you that but, to a man, these Asians aren't strong enough for the Premiership. They can look good in a strong side (like Park) but they don't make a weak side stronger.

Lee can be used as a sub when we need a bit of luck and trickery, but there's no way that he should start in front of Mark Davies, Gardner etc.

Ok firstly I am sure it was not deliberate and was as George Bush would put 'misspeak' but if you read back your comment it is rather racist, you will probably want to correct it. It is also an utter generalisation.
Lee is exactly what the team needs he has flair and pace and he moves off the ball, do you think it is a coincidence that we have been playing better since he has been in the team? Would you have us simply lumping long balls at KD's head?

What is racist about saying that Asian players aren't strong enough for the Premiership? And what's racist about recommending that Gardner be on the start sheet before Lee?

Is it racist to say that Etiopians are better marathon runners than Europeans? Is it racist to say that Nepalese make better mountain guides than Australians? Is it racist to say that Fijians are stronger rugby players than Chinese?

If you think that then the racist is you!

We're better because of Taylor, Muamba, Davies, Ricketts, Klasnic AND Lee and the others.

As I said I'm am sure it was unintentional and merely looks racist, I am not suggesting for a second that you are.

"to a man, these Asians aren't strong enough for the Premiership".
But I think you can see what I am saying if you look at this part of your comment.

Also if you do some research some of the tallest people in the world come from northern china and whilst sumo wrestlers probably would not be much cop at moving off the ball, I'm pretty sure they would not have any issues with strength.

I agree that Lee adds an element of risk when he plays but he also adds an degree of flair and calm on the ball (because he's not afraid to stop the play and then deliver a short pass rather than an hoof).

I think he will be used as and when depending on the opposition. I think he needs to be used sparingly for the next couple of months.

Spot on Breeze

Against Chelsea he really did look like a lightweight - he practically admitted as much.

The difference between the garbage we were watching and more recent showings, has been pace and movement, Lee as well as cohen and Gardner have been the keys to this. Lose Lee and loose a great deal of the progress.

To be fair to Haydock, I wouldn't take his comments as remotely racist.

Moving on to the lightweight asian fella, I think we need to cut him some slack. He's certainly impressed in the majority of the games he's played. He was quiet against both Chelsea and Man Utd bu, considering the opposition, that is not completely suprising. Plus, he is still getting used to the Premiership and is still a young player in a new league and country. we donn't want to do to him what we did to Mark Davies whereby we build him up to superstar levels on the back of one performance and then get frustrated when he doesn't perform at that level every game. Lee is going to have off days, of course he is, but I think the team itself looks better when he is involved more often that not. Certainly against the teams we'd want and expect to beat.

We need to get the Asian lad* on the old Allardyce steak, chips and ale diet - beef him up a bit.




*Please excuse racist remark

Maybe Nolan could give him a few tips!

tim_rigby wrote:Ok firstly I am sure it was not deliberate and was as George Bush would put 'misspeak' but if you read back your comment it is rather racist, you will probably want to correct it. It is also an utter generalisation.

Jeez Haydock. Not only are you a racist, but worse than that, you're a generalisationist.

I've never raced anywhere but I was a General Nobody.