From Sunderland Forum: - http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/187569-Cardiff-chasing-Sunderland-midfielder-Vaughan Rent while Whitts is out or buy? Would be a useful addition in the short term at least.
Would happily have him as a centre mid playmaker. Always calm and uncomplicated on the ball. He'd be a good addition.
More natural cover for Whitts. It's the only place we haven't got cover in front of the back 4. Whitts and Taylor are the 2 most likely to be run into the ground as it stands.
A prudent move but an expensive option for cover we might not need in midfield - we have far greater needs up front and at the back. Malky can ring the changes in midfield. True, we have no natural replacement for Whitts, but the squad options in a revised system are there. A decent left back for cover (Lappin would do) and a fresh option up front remain the priorities.
Kimbo could cover for Whitts for a couple of games. I just think we have a greater need in other areas.
I heard (from a reasonable source - see comment on Birmingham v. Cardiff thread) that Whitts could be out for the season. If true then Vaughan would be a more like for like replacement than anyone we have. A fully fit McPhail can tidy up between back four and midfield but gives little going forward.
Kimbo could fill in for Whittingham! Kimbos natural position is in the middle of the park as a creative midfielder
Sincerely hope you are wrong on that one Blue. Don't doubt the integrity of the comment, just hope you are wrong.
Lappin looked decent yesterday at St Andrews could easily do the job for cover. Really hope Whitts isn't out for the season, yesterday heard it was four weeks reduced to being fit for the Blackpool game today.
Funnily enough Bluey, it was mentioned to me over the Xmas break by someone completely unconnected with the club that Maynard will be back in light training before January is out and hopes to feature around Easter time. I just hope they are different sources - and yours is the one that's wrong.
I agree with all of the above and hope the source of information was way too cautious. I have said before that I saw Maynard at the Wendies game and he looked pretty fit with no obvious limp from his injury. That being the case, with careful rehab and fitness training a return sometime in March is not out of the question - if needed by then .
Smoke and mirrors methinks. Club keeping things quiet again. An injured Whitts puts off potential suitors.
How could any injury be bad enough to see him out for the rest of the season but not bead enough to see him substituted in his last game? All a bit strange.
Xsnaggs - all depends on post match diagnosis. In my younger days I suffered injuries while playing but carried on (probably an adrenalin thing). Only after the matches did the severity of the injuries become clear and I then had time out not playing. Mind you only a month maximum not the 3 or 4 months suggested for Whitts. But then again I was just a young bloke playing for fun (still a bloke, just an old one) not a highly tuned athlete who has to be at the peak of physical fitness for each game. I think Whitts took the knock in the move that lead to our goal against Millwall when both he and Malone stayed down after colliding as play progressed and we scored. Malone went off shortly afterwards. On the other hand I don't think Whitts has played to his normal standard recently so perhaps he has been carrying an injury anyway and if out short term only then this is about the best period in the season for him to take a rest. From memory he has played well over 70 consecutive league games over the last 2 seasons and has hardly been subbed, if at all. That makes me tired just thinking about it.
Must admit, Whitts, Helguson and to some extent Noone have looked a bit tired lately. A spell on the bench (or the treatment room) won't do them any harm - let's hope it doesn't do us any harm either. By contrast, Duracell man Gunnar seems to be up for anything and Taylor has got a second wind this season. Conway, Mason and Kimbo seem fresh for the fight and the more they play for the moment the better. Rudy still worries me a bit though - needs to get that killer instinct going. The enigma that is Craig Bellamy is just getting better and better. If we can keep him fit and on the pitch, we'll walk this division.
Gunnar seems to be have played better since being dropped. Something we can afford to do now since the squad size has doubled. I'm pretty sure Bellamy is possessed. Forget suggestions of resting the 30 +, Craig didn't stop all game and his pace!
