On Sunday, or should I say what the fecks wrong with him now? With Seb out for the next 2 game's we really need him back in the squad. I can't believe we blew over 10m on him. He looks quality when fit, but how the feck did he pass his medical??
Dick played very few players without Wear-Tyne derby experience, and I think that was wise. I'd have loved to have seen, for example, what Giccherini and Alvarez would have made of that Newcastle defence. But still, good players have been known to bottle out in that sort of atmosphere, and he didn't risk them. He knows very well what he's doing - he's been involved in a number of Old Firm clashes after all. He more or less had to play Defoe and PVA, but avoided it wherever possible. I think he was right to miss e.g. Rodwell out, injury or not. Everton v Liverpool is very poor beer compared to this one.
JACK RODWELL has a chance of featuring against Crystal Palace this weekend, despite being ruled out of the Wear-Tyne derby through injury.Rodwell missed Sunday’s victory over Newcastle with a hamstring problem after the £10million summer signing had started Dick Advocaat’s opening game in charge at West Ham a fortnight earlier. However, the Echo understands that Rodwell’s injury is only minor and the 24-year-old’s stint on the treatment table is expected to be a brief one. Head coach Advocaat will hope that Rodwell recovers sufficiently to return to the squad for Saturday’s visit of rejuvenated Crystal Palace, particularly as fellow midfielder Seb Larsson is absent. Larsson’s two-game suspension has been confirmed after he picked up his 10th yellow card of the season in the derby, with the Swedish international now missing the Palace game, plus the trip to Stoke a fortnight later. The 29-year-old had been walking a disciplinary tightrope on nine yellows for a month, but went into referee Mike Dean’s notebook during the second half against Newcastle – prior to this weekend’s cut-off point for cumulative bookings. Rodwell would provide a like-for-like replacement for Larsson in Advocaat’s 4-3-3 set-up, but if both were missing, then the Sunderland boss would be left with limited options. Liam Bridcutt – yet to feature under Advocaat – is the only other midfielder available in the first-team squad and has been an unused substitute for the last two games. The other possibility available to Advocaat would be to use Adam Johnson in a deeper role. Johnson – who has not started a competitive game in more than a month – did regularly drift into a central midfield position during his 90-minute run-out for the Under-21s earlier this week.
I'd favour AJ to Rodwell while Seb's out. No brainer for me - Rodwell is so delicate these days and AJ looked good when he came on.
I'm not following. AJ is an inside forward while Rodwell is a DM. Having Rodwell as a box to box or orthodox midfielder is bad enough but needs must as Gus thought three DMs at the club was a good idea but I've never seen AJ play that role. If AJ wasn't fit enough to start the Derby I can't see him fit enough to keep up with a CM role. Dick nearly always plays 433 but he does tweak it. I think with tricky opponents we could play 2 DMs and remain direct. Depending on Rodwell- Pants Vergini----Oshea Jones------------------------------PVA Brid/Rod--Catts Gomez Defoe--Fletch--Connor That way the DM's can drop off either side to assist our fullbacks with Palace's tricky wingers when needed leaving the other in place to protect the back 4.
There's no logic to my view. I just like AJ and would rather have him (if no one more suitable is available) than Rodders. Waste of £10m!!! When AJ came on he was briefly playing deeper, maybe told to do so by DA?
I don't think he's a waste. I he's a CB converted into a DM, what we've asked of him is frankly ridiculous. It's like trying to turn Vergini into a box to box midfielder. Daft. But as we've got more DMs available than CMs we've not got much choice. I rate him and I'd move him back to CB next season.
He came through the ranks at Everton as a holding mid . Because his heights increased alot since them days I think a few of us are hoping he's gona be our equivalent to Yaya Toure. Whether he can play that role remains to be seen.
He didn't mate, Tosh Farrell brought him through as a CB and believed he'd become the best CB in the country but as he broke into the Everton first team he was used mostly as a DM due to injuries and made the position his own. He's got everything needed to be a top class ball playing cb imo.
I didn't realize that mate, I'm only going off memory when I saw him play for Everton. He said in an interview when we signed him that he's played centre back before but he thinks he's better suited as a central mid.
I think he prefers being a midfielder, he likes the ball doesn't he. But I think he'd be better at CB, so many of his talents are wasted in Midfield for me, the lad can mark, block, tackle, head, pass and carry the ball. The type ball playing defender I'd love us to have.
I would like to see Rodwell and Vergini given a chance together some time in the future, this might save us a lot of money which could be spent elsewhere, the attacking midfield department needs attention, as injuries to Giacca and Alvarez have left us short of options.
i think AJ could try the gomez role for a while. rodders is the closest we have to seb, but he's not that close. a slower engine and not sure how good his windmilling at the ref is. good at corners, but not b2b.
