Newcastle are dealt a Duff deal
Lee Ryder reports from Northwich Victoria
Damien Duff has already had his fair share of bad luck in 2007 but that misfortune continued as he attempted to make his return from injury against Manchester United reserves tonight.
Farcical scenes before the scheduled kick off time resulted in Man United's second string players sprinting across the car park to head home at the 11th hour at Northwich Victoria's Victoria Ground which, by the way, was in the middle of nowhere.
And by the time the Newcastle players had turned up the referee, the opposition and the handful of supporters who'd turned up to cheer on the two teams had all cleared off - you couldn't make it up.
To be fair it would have been impossible to play a game of football on the waterlogged pitch and the referee called it right.
However, he also called it late with the small band of Tyneside media also greeted by the crazy scenes which were the Man United players racing for their cars as the rain lashed down.
The postponement even caught Geordie, Man United legend and World Cup winner Bobby Charlton by surprise but spare a thought for Duffer.
After suffering a dislocation of the foot Duff has been out of action since April.
And he's also had to watch from the stands this term too.
But when he and the rest of his team-mates recover from eight hours cooked up on a bus for nothing perhaps he will appreciate playing in monsoon conditions with such a delicate injury could have caused him more damage than good.
A quick look at the soaked surface from coach Adam Sadler and his players before turning the bus straight back round and United were gone just 10 minutes after arriving at the outpost that is Northwich.
Oh well at least Toon backroomer Craig Russell could see the funny side: "We didn't put a foot wrong all night" he quipped before boarding the bus for another four drive back to Tyneside!
It could only happen to the Geordies couldn't it?
Northwich, nice place - shame about the weather.
HAVE YOUR SAY
SHOULD DUFF WALK STRAIGHT BACK INTO THE TEAM WHEN FIT?
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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I guess he'll be eased in slowly and given a lot of protection as he's likely to pick up minor injuries on his comeback.
He's certainly a class player when at his peak form.
Good to see him back and I wish him well on his return from what was a very nasty injury.
Let's hope the team isn't constantly changed around to accomdate Duff (who I think is poor) being constantly selected like it has been for Smith. He certainly can't be any worse this season than he was last year. I would have re-signed Robert for this season.
Yes it will be great to have Duff back as the player he was for Chelsea rather than the player he was for us pre-injury. My big fear though, is what will happen to Nzogbia's confidence as an attacking left midfielder/winger, in fact what's he going through now in his blatantly wrongful position of left back. Now that everyone has forgiven Sam's March-hare moment, or several moments this season, will it be politically incorrect to criticise any more tactical lunacy such as with young Charles, who frankly could become twice the player Duff was/is if nurtured correctly. His cavalier style is exactly what the Toon supporter wants to see, same as Waddle and Robert, the disappearance of which is what's killing the once beautiful game. I would put Duff as left back and Zog in left midfield, what a combo they would be in attacking overlaps, phew! what a thought. Or buy a top class left back, either way this position needs sorting out quickish. But please don't sacrifice young Zog, kids like him are like hens teeth in todays robotic game.
Sorry Mr Baines but signing Robert would've been crazy mate-don't get me wrong Duff hasn't been the player he was at Chelsea. But let's just hope that when he gets fit and has played half a dozen games on the trot and is match fit, lets hope Big Sam starts to get the best out of him. I do agree that Alan Smith does seem to be picked regardless sometimes, and that very often when you have him in the centre alongside Butt, there's no creativity at all. Personally If he plays the way he played the other night against the gunners, I would play him or Viduka up front alongside Martins. Own would have to win his place back and bide his time for me. I would only play Smith in the middle of midfield if Butt was injured maybe. I still think that the best way we shoul play is 4-4-2 with Milner on the right, N'zogbia or Duff on left when he is fit again and on form. While I haven't seen enough of Enrique to comment, I personally believe that if he is the player that alot of pundits in Spain say he is and that they thought Barcelona was his next destination and not the toon, that it might be wiser having him as left back and N'zogbia as the left winger, so that we get the best out of both players.
I agree with Duncan Baines about Damien Duff. If he gets back into the team, someone will have to tell Duff to move the ball quickly, as we have quick players up front. He always seemed to slow the game down, or cut across field and hold the ball too long last season. He needs to adjust and "fit into" a team. Good luck to him.
Have to agree with most comments above, apart from Robert (other fans must laugh at us lads) Smudger gets way to much negative comment, however, i agree that he is not as effective in midfield when there is no creativity. Ala David Batty ?? great at breaking midfield up, but put him in a team with no flare and side ways would not look good. Give the ball to someone else after winning it (who wants to go forward)and all of a sudden he looks a different player. Smithy has looked average, maybe negative for the reason, he has a team scared to venture forward for the fear of conceding. Get the balance right as suggested in other posts and Smithy should be 1st on the team sheet, 100% pure effort. your thoughts
Hi Lee.A few quick points. Duff in my opinion last year was awful-terrible goals return-poor assist ratio-easily knocked off the ball and crossing of the ball was awful-I really dont know how any one could even consider him in the team in front of Charlie- I hate to think that Sam may again prefer to play Duff as Roeder did to the exclusion of Charlie. All Duff did last year was fiddle with the ball and make several exagerated turns before making the pass he should have made minutes before by which time the pass was of no use as the defenders had closed in. I have rarely been so agitated with a players performances as I was with Duffs last year-in short he produced nothing for a player with such a glowing reputation and if we consider selling any player to raise funds -he would be first on my list-I think he was seriously past his best when he came to us -while Charlie who we know has a lot to learn has been one of our most exciting players this season and if Sam would only play him in his best left sided forward position with some better support behind him I am sure we have a real premier league star who will give us pace,power and real attacking presence.Charlie if handled and coached properly to utilise his strenghts can become a real star-but hey no point me thinking that Sam has to have faith in this youngsters talent and help him to blossom-if Duff is preferred to Charlie we might lose this talented young man as I am certain other managers may see his value. Regarding Alan Smith I also have to say why does every one keep having a pop at him -to my mind he was brilliant against Arsenal and works his socks off in every game he plays. I think generally he is a better forward than midfielder and while he may never score a sackful of goals his sheer persistence up front will always trouble the opposition and allow our other srikers to score goals-Reflect for a moment on his display against Arsenal-when have we seen the gunners back four been given as hard a time as they had against him last Wednesday-I cant remember him not winning a ball in the air against them -and more importantly like AS did his flicks on were first class. No surprise then when he got man of the match-you cant argue with the stats or the facts.Finally sort out Taylors contract he has to stay at least he as well always earns his corn -I know he is also not quite the finished article but he is getting there and when he does he will be some player.
Yet again we have serious injury problems & with the forthcoming Arican Farce, even greater searching for our real depth.The squad is quite big now but lacks real quality.Defence remains our biggest dilema, with CARR,BABAYARO,& RAMAGE Being long term crocks; leaving BEYE,FEYE,CACAPA & TAYLOR, as part time crocks. ROZEHNAL & ENRIQUE, make up the octet. There is no order what so ever at the back, every game we concede a daft goal.We have great midfield potential but only MILNER is real class, this area must improve before we can progress.Up front , again is a casualty ward, OWEN,AMEOBI,VIDUKA, all unfit for Prem. status; SMITH & MARTINS, willing triers. At least 7, of the current squad need to be moved on and new blood brought in at Xmas.