Cuellar Off?

[villa for life]

Everton, I reckon.

[Clampy]

Whoever he goes to are getting a very good centre half who never got a proper run in his right position.

[Percy McCarthy]

His best game was in the 3-1 win at Liverpool, alongside Curtis and with Beye at right-back. If that lot had played like that more often we'd have saved a fortune.

[SoccerHQ]

His best game was in the 3-1 win at Liverpool, alongside Curtis and with Beye at right-back. If that lot had played like that more often we'd have saved a fortune.

If you look back in that season, he played very well at centre back alongside Dunne in the run up to Xmas.

I can see Sunderland signing him in January.

[jonzy85]

I like Cuellar, but I think there is a case of his reputation growing the more he doesn't play. It's wrong to say he never got an extended run at centre back, he played plenty of games in the 2nd half of the season when Laursen got injured and our defence fell apart (08/09??).

It would be a shame to sell him though. As a back up centre half, which he is at the moment, we won;t find anyone as good to replace him. Also, I do agree that he should be given a chance ahead of Collins sooner rather than later, as he isn't playing well.

[SoccerHQ]

I like Cuellar, but I think there is a case of his reputation growing the more he doesn't play. It's wrong to say he never got an extended run at centre back, he played plenty of games in the 2nd half of the season when Laursen got injured and our defence fell apart (08/09??).

It would be a shame to sell him though. As a back up centre half, which he is at the moment, we won;t find anyone as good to replace him. Also, I do agree that he should be given a chance ahead of Collins sooner rather than later, as he isn't playing well.

Him and Curtis Davies was never a good combination, no natural leader there, infact Curtis Davies and anyone is never a good combination.

[jonzy85]

I like Cuellar, but I think there is a case of his reputation growing the more he doesn't play. It's wrong to say he never got an extended run at centre back, he played plenty of games in the 2nd half of the season when Laursen got injured and our defence fell apart (08/09??).

It would be a shame to sell him though. As a back up centre half, which he is at the moment, we won;t find anyone as good to replace him. Also, I do agree that he should be given a chance ahead of Collins sooner rather than later, as he isn't playing well.

Him and Curtis Davies was never a good combination, no natural leader there, infact Curtis Davies and anyone is never a good combination.

Curtis Davies and Martin Laursen were a great combination for the 1st half of that season.....mind you Paul McGrath and Phil Babb were once a great combination.

[Concrete John]

Davies and Cuellar both wanted to be the player covering behind and not the one meeting the ball, hence they didn't work well as a pair.  Play either with a Dunne or Laursen type and you get a better combination.

[Concrete John]

mind you Paul McGrath and Phil Babb were once a great combination.

God next to anyone was a great combination.

[richard moore]

Whoever he goes to are getting a very good centre half who never got a proper run in his right position.

I would say a decent centre half rather than a very good one...

[SoccerHQ]

I like Cuellar, but I think there is a case of his reputation growing the more he doesn't play. It's wrong to say he never got an extended run at centre back, he played plenty of games in the 2nd half of the season when Laursen got injured and our defence fell apart (08/09??).

It would be a shame to sell him though. As a back up centre half, which he is at the moment, we won;t find anyone as good to replace him. Also, I do agree that he should be given a chance ahead of Collins sooner rather than later, as he isn't playing well.

Him and Curtis Davies was never a good combination, no natural leader there, infact Curtis Davies and anyone is never a good combination.

Curtis Davies and Martin Laursen were a great combination for the 1st half of that season.....mind you Paul McGrath and Phil Babb were once a great combination.

We still conceded goals with those two, I think it was more the greatness of Laursen covering Davies's flaws (and also Zat Knight's). When Laursen wasn't around, Curtis got found out big time.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

His best game was in the 3-1 win at Liverpool, alongside Curtis and with Beye at right-back. If that lot had played like that more often we'd have saved a fortune.

For me his best game was against Man United and he kept Tevez in his pocket all game.

[brontebilly]

I like Cuellar, but I think there is a case of his reputation growing the more he doesn't play. It's wrong to say he never got an extended run at centre back, he played plenty of games in the 2nd half of the season when Laursen got injured and our defence fell apart (08/09??).

It would be a shame to sell him though. As a back up centre half, which he is at the moment, we won;t find anyone as good to replace him. Also, I do agree that he should be given a chance ahead of Collins sooner rather than later, as he isn't playing well.

big time. he was fairly hopeless in his first season at the club 08/09. He was a daft signing anyway with no thought behind it. Laursen was top dog and Davies was his partner. Knight as back up. Why was Cuellar bought?

Also begs the question why Dunne and Collins were bought? Definitely a need for one of them but with Cuellar and Davies still at the club there wasnt a need for both of them. Especially with Clark coming through. MON short term thinking in action.

Cuellar had some good games, Wolves away last season. Seem to recall him playing well against Liverpool and Man Utd a few times. But he isnt any better than Collins on the ball and liable to lunging in like Collins too at times. Collins is better at the physical stuff and blocking shots where Cuellar can be good at reading situations. I think to be honest considering he is 2 years older, it makes sense to move him on.

[darren woolley]

I reckon we should keep him.

[pauliewalnuts]

Also begs the question why Dunne and Collins were bought? Definitely a need for one of them but with Cuellar and Davies still at the club there wasnt a need for both of them. Especially with Clark coming through. MON short term thinking in action.

it certainly is. I just mentioned this elsewhere, but where's the long term thinking in this:

2008-9: Davies (9m), Friedel (2.5m), Luke Young (5m), Shorey (4m), Cuellar (8m) = almost 30m on defenders (which ignores the purchase of Knight the year before)

2009-10: Beye (2.5m), Warnock (7m), Collins (5m), Dunne (5m) = another almost 20m on defenders.

That's nigh on 50m on the defence in two seasons.

And we don't even have much of a defence to show for it.