Yakubu...Basically a gonner?

[stinger]

Beckford unproven. Saha hasnt scored in 13 games. And Heitinga was on the bench who came back later and played in a world cup final, while Yobo and Yak were back earlier and played less games.

No reason not to be on the bench to be fair.

Heitinga doesn't need as much fitness work as Yak does, not only because he is natural fitter, but also because his game is more about positioning. You are clearly tryying to see something which is impossible to seem, at least at the moment.

 

[little curly alan ball]

Please feel free to merge the thread but....

2007/08 Statistics -
26 games - 15 goals - 3 assists

2008/09 Statistics
14 games - 4 goals - 1 assist.

2009/10 Statistics
9 games - 16 from the bench - 5 goals - 4 Assists.

2010/11 1st game of the season....Not on the bench.

If they're not good enough to start of be on the bench is he basically gone or not good enough?

Same with Yobo.

He probably is going . And Yobo , but for me its a toss - up with him and Saha . We need a centre forward .

Vero .

 

[ToxtethBlue]

It's rubbish to be honest, there's very little evidence to suggest he is suspect defensively, people just bring it up to somehow justify Moyes' selection of Neville or/and Hibbert.

The only game he'd had problems defensively was against Benfica, and he was playing left back in a very unbalanced side. Other than not, nothing. Blackburn barely got the ball down all game, the only thing he would've had to worry about is long, diagonal balls and set pieces, and lets be honest, Neville and Hibbert aren't exactly giants either.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

Im not having that about coleman, ok he may get exposed sometimes defensively but he would more than make up for it going the other way. Its simple, if you have the ball more and make the other team defend more, which is what coleman would have contributed to with his running and support play from full back, you have to worry less about your own goal as the opposition are pegged back and less of a threat. Why shackle our offensive abilities, if we want to be seen to be genuine top 4 contenders this season we are gonna have to start acting like it, and not be going to places like blackburn and playing into their hands, we should be imposing ourselves on them FFS.

Yeah and its hardly like Neville was tested for 90 mins today and had to be at the top of his defending game. I barely remember them troubling him.

 

[kenada_blue]

Heitinga doesn't need as much fitness work as Yak does, not only because he is natural fitter, but also because his game is more about positioning. You are clearly tryying to see something which is impossible to seem, at least at the moment.

Yak doesnt need fitness work though...he's had a few weeks off after playing all his world cup games and played against Wolfsburg so could easily play 20minutes. Pienaar looks battered but played a full 90...he's clearly not fit yet, so like I say its about options.

As for Heitinga...surely Yobo is at better if not on par fitness level than him and played in pre-season? Heitinga is a better player than Yobo hence he was on the bench not matter what fitness level he's at it seems.

Overall, I cant see an excuse not to have them on the bench unless they're off.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Point being, Yobo could've been on the bench as he's had more time back in training and played more minutes in the team. He wasnt, so the World Cup is not an excuse not to have players on the bench.

Gueye, Saha and Beckford are all similar. Yakubu offers something different - strength and hold up play. He was fit, he played against Wolfsburg. Im sure you'd get 20minutes of him.

Its all about options upfront. Doesnt matter if you've got 3 forwards, you need to score goals. If Yak's staying, we'll have 3 strikers unless him or Beckford are dropped...which is my original point - is Yak a gonner? IF so lets get the money and move on.

Heitinga's better than Yobo, that's all there is too it really. And neither of them have picked up injuries, Yakubu has, and on top of coming back late, didn't deserve to be selected. He's competing with two players, and Beckford and Saha earned there 'chance' during pre-season.

He may well be a gonner, but he hasn't left yet and Moyes has said he'll use him, but like everything else, he'd got to earn his place in the side. As of now, he hasn't done that. Did you really expect him to be on the bench? I didn't. It'd be a slap in the face of Beckford

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Yak doesnt need fitness work though...he's had a few weeks off after playing all his world cup games and played against Wolfsburg so could easily play 20minutes. Pienaar looks battered but played a full 90...he's clearly not fit yet, so like I say its about options.

As for Heitinga...surely Yobo is at better if not on par fitness level than him and played in pre-season? Heitinga is a better player than Yobo hence he was on the bench not matter what fitness level he's at it seems.

Overall, I cant see an excuse not to have them on the bench unless they're off.

Considering how much high level football he played during a short period of time, I doubt it.

 

[Dublintoff]

It's rubbish to be honest, there's very little evidence to suggest he is suspect defensively, people just bring it up to somehow justify Moyes' selection of Neville or/and Hibbert.

The only game he'd had problems defensively was against Benfica, and he was playing left back in a very unbalanced side. Other than not, nothing. Blackburn barely got the ball down all game, the only thing he would've had to worry about is long, diagonal balls and set pieces, and lets be honest, Neville and Hibbert aren't exactly giants either.

Correct. Im sorry but its got to the stage now that i wont accept neville starting ahead of him in any game. I didnt see the game today but reading all reports its seems we lacked any creativity. Colemans style of play, with his constant overlapping, drags opposition players out of their comfort zone, and also creates space in other areas of the pitch for us to exploit. Compare that with what the blackburn players had to face in neville and the advantages and disadvantages are clear. Its a no brainer at this stage.

 

[kenada_blue]

Heitinga's better than Yobo, that's all there is too it really. And neither of them have picked up injuries, Yakubu has, and on top of coming back late, didn't deserve to be selected. He's competing with two players, and Beckford and Saha earned there 'chance' during pre-season.

He may well be a gonner, but he hasn't left yet and Moyes has said he'll use him, but like everything else, he'd got to earn his place in the side. As of now, he hasn't done that. Did you really expect him to be on the bench? I didn't. It'd be a slap in the face of Beckford

Exactly, which is why I dont think the fitness argument holds water. Case in point - Yakubu is better than Beckford in the premiership so why couldnt both be on the bench? Yak could've lasted 20minutes. He needs games to get up to speed. We did have 2 wide players on the bench why no 2 strikers. Spurs had 2 strikers on the bench. United have 2 strikers on the bench etc etc. Chelsea have 2 strikers on the bench.

So yeah, I did expect him on the bench because he'd work against a team like Blackburn.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Saha, Beckford and Cahill, who's basically our target man and plays as close to Saha as any 'midfielder' I've ever seen. I'd say that's enough attacking options personally, especially when Gueye can play upfront, Rodwell can play behind the strikers and so could Bilyaletdinov, if Moyes chose to use him that way.

I don't know what type of shape Yakubu is in so I couldn't say anything for definite but I know he was injured against Everton Chile and Norwich, which I'm guessing would've meant less training. Add that to Beckford and Saha's form and there are a number of reasons why he wasn't involved.

 

[Brownie]

Heitinga's better than Yobo, that's all there is too it really. And neither of them have picked up injuries, Yakubu has, and on top of coming back late, didn't deserve to be selected. He's competing with two players, and Beckford and Saha earned there 'chance' during pre-season.

He may well be a gonner, but he hasn't left yet and Moyes has said he'll use him, but like everything else, he'd got to earn his place in the side. As of now, he hasn't done that. Did you really expect him to be on the bench? I didn't. It'd be a slap in the face of Beckford

Even more of a slap in the face for Coleman.