Will Worthy break up the Fleming / Mackay partnership?

[silver fox 0]

Will Worthy stick with his central defensive pairing of Fleming and Mackay for the start of the new season? I think the answer to this question may determine whether we make a good start or not. You can argue that they have played together all season and therefore should be given a chance in the Premiership. On the other hand neither of them possess a great deal of pace and will almost certainly be left chasing shadows by the majority of Premiership strikers. The other emotive issue is that one has just been capped by Scotland and the other is our player of the season.

My personal choice would be to play Fleming alongside a younger and faster centre half, preferably with Premiership experience. In time I would like to see Shackell brought in and Fleming eased out.

[Jumpers for goalposts 0]

You''re dead right - quite whether either will be able to hack it in the premiership remains to be seen. Like you, I''m more concerned about Malky who continues to amaze me. Frankly I can''t think of a slower centre half in the division, but you cannot deny the guy''s positional sense makes up for it at this level.
I think we''ll know pretty quickly if they are good enough to keep us competitive next season and theres no doubt they''ll be given the chance. If not, Worthy will make the necessary changes. Scotland international, player of the season or not.

[Super Shaun Carey 0]

I think that Worthy will give them a few games, but he will have to buy another Centre Half before the season starts, to give them the competition if nothing else Shackell, although an excellent prospect, will hardly have them playing for position week in week out.

Jumpers, you are spot on though, Worthy will make the change if it needs it, he has shown before that reputation counts for little if you are not doing it on the pitch, which is one of his undoubted qualities.

As someone said on previous posts, if they can prise Gabbidon away from Cardiff, then that has to be good business, but I do fear that like other potential names, we may be up against some serious competition for his signature.

[FatMan Fat 0]

There is only one way to find out if they are good enough and that is to play them.
What is it anyway with peeps trying to break up the backbone of what this season has been built on - i.e. the defence!! We wouldn''t have won a great deal with our "goals for" if we hadn''t had such an outstanding defensive record. I have no doubt that Mr W will run with the "spine", that is Greeno; Edworthy; Drury;Flem;Malkay;Holt;Francis and Hucks. Sure we need cover...at right full back; central defence; wide midfield and up front which makes about 5 signings, but the central duo will not be priority to change at the start of the season.

[Temp the Revelator 0]

Ah, FatMan, thank you - the voice of reason at long last! Do people seriously neglect the value of a strong spine to your team that much? The squad that Worthy has put together plays as a TEAM, for each other, at all times, and that counts for a lot, believe me. I agree entirely with everything FatMan says here, yes we need to strengthen the squad, but I really believe that people will be surprised how good some of our players actually are!

[Being Jan Kristiansen... 0]

Colin Hendry, Matt Elliot, Steve Bruce.... Malky MacKay?

You dont have to have pace, exceptonal skill to be an effective defender. Its more important that you have gutts, determination, instinct and understanding with your fellow pros.

NW should still get another 1st choice CB in the summer in order to cover for injuries, suspensions, loss of form and to increase competition for places BUT this does not mean that the Fleming / MacKay partnership should be automatically broken up.

[Super Shaun Carey 0]

What is the significant qualities you have noted in Hendry and Elliot???

In the premiership you do need pace, skill and forward thinking. If you lumber about, push people over, wave your hand in the air at every opportunity, and get caught for pace, you will be an easy touch, and soon chasing a lead. FACT.

I am not having a pop at Flem/Malky, as they have proved lots of people wrong this year, and have been a major part in our success.

He may not need to break the partnership, and I sincerely hope that they both carry on the great work of this season, but to augment the defence has to be a major priority.

[Being Jan Kristiansen... 0]

Hendry and Elliott did a great job for their sides while in the Prem without having pace and skill. If any of our defenders were as successful as these two were for their clubs then I would be happy.

Comitment to the yellows is whats needed and Flem and Malky have that in bucket loads. Give them a chance BUT have quality back-up as the Prem is a squad game.

[olster 0]

Yeah but look where elliot has ended up?




Please do not mention his name again on here he he



I think everyone is right about the lack of pace is a big worry but how many central defenders in the prem are going to be able to get to grips with the pace of owen and henry and players of that speed anyway

So I think it may turn out to be a simple long ball game for us next season as the defence will play deep and hope to catch the top teams on the break with huckerby''s pace I hope though mackay gets his chance and proves people wrong by continuing the good work

[ZLF 334]

Yes - Hendry, elliott & Bruce lacked pace and did a good job - however they all had partnerships with players who DID have pace.

All the best defensive units in the premier (& all premier striker partnerships) have pace to burn . No, we wont face Henry owen or van nistelrooy each week but the likes of Boa Morte, Phillips, Keane, Yakubu etc do score goals and have more than enough pace to beat our current partnership. They ARE the teams we will need to keep clean sheets against to survive. I remember Hux against Flem and Mackay when he was with Citeh - and he tore us apart - that would happen every week unless we getmore pace in central defence and midfield.

Secondly the reason our defence has been so goodthis season is that other teams have been scared of Hux - they have covered him with bodies means that they could not attack so ferociously. In the premier the teams will not have that fear and we will return to a defensive unit of last year or the year before where we regularly conceeded 60 goals rather than this years sub 40 total, and that was against far less talented strikers. I have said it before but Hux has been the best defensive signing the club has made for years...

Portsmouth had a good defensive unit last year but would not have survived without strengthening it - stefanovic was put in the centre as he had pace and could play a ball. Pompey fans I know agree they would not have survived this year without strengthening our defence.

Malkay and Flem have been superb this year, at a lower level. It is time for them to make way for faster younger colleagues.

OTBC

[clacton_canary1 0]

Yes but i think what people are getting at, at replacing Malky, is that you can maybe get away with having one centre half without pace but two, i dont think so. We need to have at least one centre half with pace next season to partner either malky or flem, and i think flem is the better centre half out of the two so although malky is a legend, he just simply isn''y good enough for the Premiership if you watch the game closley, and being a defender myself Fleming covers malkys ass a hell of a lot and malky does get away with alot of things but in the premiership he would be punished alot.

[FatMan Fat 0]

I find it confusing that Malkay will not be good enough for the Premiership but Bertie V accepts that he is now good enough for International football? Us Malkay supporters clearly dont know what we are talking about.

[AJ 1,358]

totaly agree silver fox

We cant have malky in the premire ship up against Thiery Henry and Crespo can we?
Rumours are of a Dutch centre back and a Rangers centre back so it sounds so.
Although i feel malky will play in the premireship, maybe stick him on for the WBA game
(aint gunna be hard is it)

OTBC
WE ARE PREMIRE LEAGUE!!!!!!!!

[clacton_canary1 0]

no offence to scotland but there not exaclty blessed with grate players are they, whens the last time they won a game of any relivence?

[ZLF 334]

Malkay is probably the best defender scotland have got - but then he doesnt have a lot of competition. At the moment Scotland are definitely in the 2nd level of european national teams - compared to englands premier.

However Malkay could do a job for us next year - but not with Fleming. Either of those guys can do well for us next year but only with a pacier younger ball passing partner. Its just my view is that Fleming would be the better partner than Malkay in the premier.

OTBC

[FatMan Fat 0]

If you ask most pro players who has been England''s best defender ever most would say Bobby Moore. Well, Bobby Moore was not exactly tall, nor was he pacy. What he did have was the ability to read the game, organize the defence and inspire his teammates. Malkay is blessed with those attributes and he will form the basis of our defence next year along with Flem.

[XXL16 0]

To maintain our terrific form this season, we should keep the whole first team for the start of next season and hopefully Nigel would know that. It''s not a secret "team spirit" can determine we will stay up or relegated next season and again wholesale of changes didn''t make the situation look good.

It''s not fair to give up Fleming or MacKay at the start of the season, but if the situation turn worst rapidly, of course we cannot be sentiement to leave them out. Shackell will get his chance finally but we can rely on Malky and Fleming. Look at Portsmouth, their 3 central defenders are all over 30 years old too.

[Being Jan Kristiansen... 0]

When I was at Uni in Leicester I was a steward for the Foxes (getting paid easy money to watch Premiership football) while they were having their good times under O''Neil. The center of defence would consist of either Taggart, Elliot, Gilcrist, Sinclaire or Walsh (sorry for mentioning his name on this site). Non of them fast/skillful players but were well organised, tough, hard to beat and effective. On their own all those players are rubbish but because of their understanding and the system that O''Neil they competed with the best.

I agree that we need a couple of new faster defenders for our squad who have the ability to play in the Premiership but we should not discount our defensive unite before the the new season has started.

[0Amarillo<P><FONT color=#cccc00 size=4><EM> º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ Amarillo ¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°<EM><FONT><P>ddMMyyyy0Falseen-US<P><FONT color=#cccc00 size=4><EM> º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ Amarillo ¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°<EM><FONT><P>True 0]

Don''t underestimate the strength of the TEAM as opposed to the individual players. I''ve noticed that all of our defence have made mistakes this season, or been left behind by opposition strikers. But, if you look, most of the time another defender has been back covering for them, or someone like Holt.They work for each other and cover each others'' backs and that''s very valuable.

So, several of them don''t measure up individually, but together they can be quite organised. The best evidence for me was the Everton game where we did pretty well as I recall.

Ama

[Super Shaun Carey 0]

I have heard it all, Malky is the new Bobby Moore!!

Excuse me while I get up off the floor having fell off my chair laughing.

Good god, I know he has performed very well this year, but you have to admit that you are looking through green and yellow tinted glasses at the world.

Kevin Cooper is the Beckham, and Holt could be mistaken for Figo.

[Rush 0]

I think we need a good Sweeper, Ive said it for years, and with a good Sweeper I do believe we can hack it as a team with team spirit....trouble is I dont know who could fit the bill...I used to think that Kenton could do the job.....not sure since we`ve not heard about him since he joined the saints.
OTBC

[FatMan Fat 0]

SSC - perhaps you fall off your chair and bang your head as a regular occurence?
I did not claim that Malkay was the new Bobby Moore....I merely stated that Moore was not tall and did not have pace - neither does Malkay.... and that Moore was inspirational, could read the game and organize the defence -as does Malkay. As such, Malkay is good enough to partner Flem as our starting defence in the Premiership.

[Super Shaun Carey 0]

Alright FatMan Fat, no offence, I guess I over estimated your comparison.

I may be a super midfield maestro, but I am no head banger.

Malky is good enough to partner Flem as our starting defence next season, and I for one, hope that both of them succeed as a quality unit. I just don''t personally feel that they will be good enough (He says donning flame proof suit!!)

[FatMan Fat 0]

SSC...the bang on your head has turned you into a gentleman...pleasure to have discourse with you :-0)