Cuellar likely to stay for another season

[Chris Smith]

Let's face it, we're not going to be constructing moves from centre half; we rarely construct them from central midfield.  Considering what our defence was like for most of last season, skill on the ball shouldn't be one of the top criteria when choosing our centre halves.  Carlos and one of Dunne or Collins would do, if we don't buy a new one.

Or, as is far more likely, McLeish will come to the same conclusion as O'Neill, McDonald and Houllier and Cuellar will be back up to the other two.

An ability to pass it competently should be a minimum standard for any Premier League footballer. I like Carlos but as somebody mentioned earlier it's a classic case of the longer he is out of the side the better he is syndrome.

[hilts_coolerking]

Or, as is far more likely, McLeish will come to the same conclusion as O'Neill, McDonald and Houllier and Cuellar will be back up to the other two.

An ability to pass it competently should be a minimum standard for any Premier League footballer. I like Carlos but as somebody mentioned earlier it's a classic case of the longer he is out of the side the better he is syndrome.

Quite possibly.  I hope not though.  I remember Carlos playing poorly in the RB position but I don't remember many stinkers at CB.  Certainly not as many as Collins and Dunne last season.

[usav]

Let's face it, we're not going to be constructing moves from centre half; we rarely construct them from central midfield.  Considering what our defence was like for most of last season, skill on the ball shouldn't be one of the top criteria when choosing our centre halves.  Carlos and one of Dunne or Collins would do, if we don't buy a new one.

Or, as is far more likely, McLeish will come to the same conclusion as O'Neill, McDonald and Houllier and Cuellar will be back up to the other two.

An ability to pass it competently should be a minimum standard for any Premier League footballer. I like Carlos but as somebody mentioned earlier it's a classic case of the longer he is out of the side the better he is syndrome.

Maybe my memory is hazy, but weren't you all for him being in the team at right back under the messiah?   Now you've finally concluded his passing isn't up to it?

[Chris Smith]

Let's face it, we're not going to be constructing moves from centre half; we rarely construct them from central midfield.  Considering what our defence was like for most of last season, skill on the ball shouldn't be one of the top criteria when choosing our centre halves.  Carlos and one of Dunne or Collins would do, if we don't buy a new one.

Or, as is far more likely, McLeish will come to the same conclusion as O'Neill, McDonald and Houllier and Cuellar will be back up to the other two.

An ability to pass it competently should be a minimum standard for any Premier League footballer. I like Carlos but as somebody mentioned earlier it's a classic case of the longer he is out of the side the better he is syndrome.

Maybe my memory is hazy, but weren't you all for him being in the team at right back under the messiah?   Now you've finally concluded his passing isn't up to it?

He was (in my opinion) the best right back we had at the time as, if you recall, Luke Young's brother had died. He got his chance and our defence was one of the tightest in the division so it would have been stupid to change it.

He isn't the best centre half we've got (in my opinion).

Why the need for the tiresome 'messiah' dig? Does it make you fell like a man?

[usav]

Let's face it, we're not going to be constructing moves from centre half; we rarely construct them from central midfield.  Considering what our defence was like for most of last season, skill on the ball shouldn't be one of the top criteria when choosing our centre halves.  Carlos and one of Dunne or Collins would do, if we don't buy a new one.

Or, as is far more likely, McLeish will come to the same conclusion as O'Neill, McDonald and Houllier and Cuellar will be back up to the other two.

An ability to pass it competently should be a minimum standard for any Premier League footballer. I like Carlos but as somebody mentioned earlier it's a classic case of the longer he is out of the side the better he is syndrome.

Maybe my memory is hazy, but weren't you all for him being in the team at right back under the messiah?   Now you've finally concluded his passing isn't up to it?

He was (in my opinion) the best right back we had at the time as, if you recall, Luke Young's brother had died. He got his chance and our defence was one of the tightest in the division so it would have been stupid to change it.

He isn't the best centre half we've got (in my opinion).

Why the need for the tiresome 'messiah' dig? Does it make you fell like a man?

It's not a dig at you, it's a dig at the man himself and the high esteem he seems to carry himself in.   So relax.

I actually think he is worthy of a place in the centre of our defence and I actually feel sorry for him as he has never let us down playing there.   I also feel sorry for him that MoN stuck him out at RB for so long when there was a perfectly good right-back either playing at left back or on the bench.   He had declared himself fit and psychologically ready after the family tragedy so he should have played - he too never let us down through all of that.

[Chris Smith]

But our defence that season was superb, there was no reason to change it. His ability in the air meant we were rarely embarrassed at set pieces as we were for much of last season so therer were sound reasons for doing it.

[hilts_coolerking]

The thing is, that is a sound enough reason for playing Cuellar at RB in tough away games (e.g. Chelsea) but not really good enough for winnable home games.  In O'Neill's last season we were very solid at the back but struggled to score so playing Cuellar there was stifling us unnecessarily.  We desperately needed to win rather than draw games to keep up the challenge for 4th but he seemed unwilling to make the change.  The one game where he did play a better attacking RB was at Stamford Bridge.

[Chris Smith]

The thing is, that is a sound enough reason for playing Cuellar at RB in tough away games (e.g. Chelsea) but not really good enough for winnable home games.  In O'Neill's last season we were very solid at the back but struggled to score so playing Cuellar there was stifling us unnecessarily.  We desperately needed to win rather than draw games to keep up the challenge for 4th but he seemed unwilling to make the change.  The one game where he did play a better attacking RB was at Stamford Bridge.

If we'd had a good attacking option I would agree but we didn't, we had the solid plodder Luke Young.

[hilts_coolerking]

If we'd had a good attacking option I would agree but we didn't, we had the solid plodder Luke Young.

Cafu he isn't; a better attacking RB than Cuellar he definitely is.

[Eigentor]

His presence at RB helped us defensively in MON's last season as he frequently bailed out Collins, who unfortunately finds himself in the wrong position far too often. Our defensive success in the 09-10 season came at the cost of an impotent attack, as both our full-backs were uncomfortable in the opposition's half. Carlos is a very solid centre half back-up, and that is what he was used as last season. At £7.8m we would probably want some more, but that's not his fault.

[Nastylee]

Cuellar - An average PL performer. He has cult status because he replies on twitter and facebook but let's not kid ourselves he's a great player.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Cuellar is a must stay. We are short on players and him And Collins are our best defensive pairing. Pointless selling him for 2m. But he is not a RB and think Mcleish will quickly realise that .......

[Chris Smith]

If we'd had a good attacking option I would agree but we didn't, we had the solid plodder Luke Young.

Cafu he isn't; a better attacking RB than Cuellar he definitely is.

Yep, but not enough to make a difference, in my opinion, and disrupt a very good defence. As you say we didn't score enough goals and I really don't think Luke Young was the solution but by conceding few we made it less of an issue.

[JJ-AV]

In an ideal world we'd get Agger in the Downing deal.

[Mister E]

I'd ship him out and get the money for him. He's gonna be third choice at best, and he'll be off next Summer anyway.

What money?
And, he'd be a first-choice CB based on the performances of other candidates last season.