The boys are off to Spain next week and playing an exhibition match against a team in Seville. I think that's a fine idea. What I'm not so keen on is that YBR is letting Lolo go back to Paris while the rest of the squad are in Spain.
Is it just me, or is LR not really that fussed about NUFC? Some players - eg Tino, Domi - give off that vibe that, for instance, makes you want to see how quickly they join in goal celebrations, just for reassurance. You want to see that they're part of the team, that they're enjoying themselves, that they care. Others - Kets, Bellamy - you don't have to worry about. Given his fisticuffs with Griffin and the general feeling I get that LR isn't fully intergrated into the squad, I think that if one person needs to be on this Spanish trip, it's him. And yet Bobby's letting him go off to Paris while the rest of the squad 'bond'. Don't like it.

-- Anonymous, November 04, 2001

Answers

Andalucian Piss-up

-- Anonymous, November 04, 2001

If he's missing the entire trip I certainly agree with you, Dan. The trip to La Manga should be being viewed as an opportunity for team- building as much as anything.

I would hope that he is just being given a few days to get over his virus and chill out with family or friends in Paris, before joining the rest of the boys in Spain to do some work.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

The way I read it was that Lolo, Given, O'Brien and Dabs (and any others involved in internationals??) would not be going to La Manga.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Those involved in internationals, fair enough. But Lolo isn't in the French squad, he's just off to Paris.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

That was the impression I got Clarky, but I hope we don't take on another 'typical frog' point of view if he doesn't show in Spain. For the time being, I'd rather just give him the benefit of the doubt that it is purely and simply this virus thing.

Hasn't he just had a bereavement or something recently as well ?

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Give the lad a break. He dashed back from a family funeral to play for us. He then just about recovers from a virus to play for us. A bit of time with his family sounds fine by me.

2 weeks 'till our next game so I'd like to see him happy and fit on his return ... and he'd better play a blinder and score!

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

I don 't mind too much about this - it's Bobby's idea so it's not like Lolo is whingeing about going to France. Bob by has let overseas players go home on these occasions before, citing his own experiences when managing abroad. Lolo does celebrate goals and until he says/does something out-of-order, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. Sorry, but this "Frogs are unreliable" thing is getting to bew a self-fulfilling prophecy.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Is it just me, or is LR not really that fussed about NUFC?

It's not just you Dan, I too have the same feeling. However, Bellamy, Solano and Shearer were all better players than him on Saturday - I think he wasn't 100% mind. He therefore must be thinking 'I'm a good player in a team which includes many good players. I'm playing in one of the best leagues in the world. If I turn it on here in front of one of the biggest crowds in europe, I've a good chance of making the World Cup. Our best player is coming back from injury and he too wants a WC place'.
Robert is 27ish and has 2/3 of a season to force the Frence manager to pick him. If he can't focuss his fabulous talent under these circumstances then frankly what the hell does he want.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Sorry, Heednhands but can you tell me why you think he doesn't care about NUFC? Remember losing at home to Man City last season: did any of our players care about the club,then? Rob Lee couldn't play with a virus. Lolo played against Man United with flu.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

I first picked up the feeling against Liverpool when things weren't going his way. He seemed unwilling to impose himself on the game, he seemed umprepared to demand the ball. Again before the first goal on Saturday he looked like a bit of a dreamer to me.
I sit half way up the Leazers end and at times he just is not as 'into it' as I would expect given the fantastic circumstances. Compare him with Bellamy - now he is a happy footballer.

I suspect I am wrongly thinking that he might be feeling a little of the unhappness that Domi, Goma, Ginola and Dumas experienced when they were here

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Hey man heedinhands, what's all this about Lancashire Red? Decent bloke according to Screach but fabulous talent?? ;-))

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

And divvent caal me a racialist, like. I never made any blanket comment about French players. Apart from the punch-up, which we know little about, I think he's been totally professional since he came, and has obviously played a big part with goals and assists. He was the poorest player on Saturday, but I'm assuming that was because he was still ill, so good on him for playing. It was also pleasing to see him clap the crowd when he was subbed (although i think it took an rousing but undeserved standing ovation to prompt that reaction) Nevertheless, I'd like to hear him say he's enjoying himself. As for Paris, I get the impression he goes back every weekend anyway - if he's going to be in Spain for part of the time, fine. If not, as I say, I don't like it.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

He has said he's enjoying it. Who else imposed themselves on the Liverpool game? On that occasion, our talismanic captain didn't. If he does get Goma syndrome it'll be because, ten games in, we are inviting him to prove us right and become Ginola the Second.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Dan, no one called you a racialist, did they? Going back to the fisticuffs with Griffin, last season when things weren't going well, the whole squad were at it all the time in training.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

It's barely a couple of weeks since we were discussing the reasons for Robert hardly ever receiving a pass, so what's come to light to put up the point of view that far from his team-mates bypassing him, it's now he who doesn't put himself about enough ?

There does seem to be a bit of 'give a dog a bad name' about this. I mean how many games did we go through with Tino lying about like a loppy dog for long periods, then coming to life just long enough to do the business, and then going back to sleep ? I don't remember any hints of him not having his heart in the club.

I don't think Robert really had shaken off the effects of the virus by Saturday - it just doesn't happen that quickly, so I'd be inclined rather, to praise him for turning out, than to blame him for turning out and appearing to bottle it.

There'll be plenty of time to whinge about his attitude when there's really something to go on. We should count our blessings that we have him playing for us, rather than for some of the opposition we've come up against this year.

As for not being demonstrative, there's nobody less outwardly demonstrative than I am, as a mere supporter - I don't think wearing a strip and 'singing me heart oot for the leds' says very much about my feeling for the club - so I can appreciate that there could be a player who just does one bit of business and then moves on to the next bit without having to make a song and dance about it.

I think that if/when the time comes, there'll be much more obvious symptoms of his disenchantment than we've seen up to now. So I'm prepared to give the lad a break, he's hardly had time to get his bearings yet.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Maybe it was just the tv coverage, but I thought Robert did a decent job on Saturday, especially considering he was ill. He seemed to be getting the ball as much as Nobby, and I was quite impressed with how well he and Bellamy are playing together. Though Bellamy seems to be playing well with everyone. I'm sure the illness and his grandfather's death are part of the reason for him going back to Paris so I'm not reading anything into it. He'll have plenty of time to bond with the lads when he's healthy and spraying around more germs than necessary. ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Either orally or pugally, doesn't matter :-))

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

it sems to be becoming a male/female issue this. Ciara and Dougal seemingly defending Robert, and the rest having a go at him.

I'll say one thing about Robert. His presence makes us a better team. He commands respect and can turn it on in a heartbeat. Ye can't compare him with Bellamy who runs around all day, but there are equal times when I wonder about other players hiding during a game.... Gary Speed and Alan Shearer to name a few!!!! Speed played his first decent game of the season on the weekend, yet no one has said jack shite about his lack of effort!

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

I am joining in the female defence of Robert. He's just had a bad virus, if it's the same one as I had then he did well to even get on the pitch on Saturday! Yes I KNOW he's probably a bit fitter than me (?) but that will have played a part I'm sure.

Also I have heard BR say a number of times that he likes to give the foreign lads time off to visit their families. That is good man management.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

And we should keep in mind, no player will perform like superman every single week. Give the guy a break. Players go through patches where they are heros for a period and tossers the next period. I'm sure Bellamy will probably go through a lean spell somewhere in the season and then what..."running around like a headless chicken"?

Bobby ok'ed LR from Spain, fine. He had a couple of rough weeks what with the flu and the death of his grandpa. Bobby probably thought it will do him a world of good resting than joining the squad. He's the boss so if he doesn't make a meal of it, fine.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

How Sparxx! You calling me a lass? ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Just to play devilled advocaat for a spicey moment...........if Robert was picked for the starting line-up on Saturday, YBR must have judged him to be fit. Otherwise, why didn't he draft in a player from the squad? Bernard for example (OK, OK, so what if I did have him in my TeamPick - what's that got to do with it?). So please, no excuses about him not being fit.

However, despite him being perhaps the least effective player on Saturday, he did contribute to the game, not the least in being to keep the Villa defence on their guard. If him being on the pitch is enough to make more space for Bellamy to run ito, then that's fine. I don't think there was any question on Saturday of him not being given the ball. As I said in the earlier discussion, Rob Lee is probably the best one for spraying passses in his direction. Rob Lee was playing on Saturday and he passed to Lolo (on many occasions).

So, the guy wasn't as emphatic as he was against ManUre. So what. We won, he was part of a team that stuffed the league leaders. Let him go to France. I presume YBR has judged that allowing him to re-charge his batteried en France is as good, and probably better, than playing golf and getting p!$hed on Rioja. I'll trust his judgement.......until he next picks a flat back three ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

for me he was dead on his feet from the start, he looked 'heavy' and lethargic and should have been subbed far earlier, he is usually keen to take the fullback on and just didn't, and again it looked to be heavy limbs rather than attitude. Didn't generally hide but did for a couple of throw ins when he'd just had a sprint. Reminded me of Andy Cole when he had shin splints

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

I also thought Robert should have been subbed a little earlier. He was clearly a spent force, and gave the ball away in a couple of very dangerous positions with about 15 minutes to go.

I can never understand the reluctance of Managers to use their substitutes more effectively. There have been several games already this season where Shearer was clearly dead on his feet with 20 minutes to go, but either wasn't subbed at all, or was brought off with only a couple of minutes left - a pretty meaningless gesture. I realise he is skipper, and is extremely useful defending corners, but tired men make mistakes - and get injured.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

He doesn't look too unhappy in the photo in tonight's Chronicle of the celebrations of Bellamy's second.

For somebody who's heart isn't in the club he's gone overboard on the bonding. We'd be getting funny looks bonding to that extent. :- ))

Leave the lad alyen.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

If I was a lass I'd want Lolos babies. Personally I think he is magic and will only help to make us a top 5 club consistantly when hes here.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Not only 2 viral illnesses + a close family death in the last month... hes still trying to adjust to a new pace of football matches+training AND living in a new country with no old pals. A deserved break me thinks!

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

I agree with you spud. These players need time to adjust to their new home. YBR letting him go home is a great way to aid in this settling in process. It reduces that feeling of isolation.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

apols Geordie....I missed yer response... could be the lasses were cooing so much over loverly Laurent, that I got caught up in the hype...and who says good lookin fellas can't play footie??

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Peter Beardsley ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

I think it was @rsene Wenger that said French players need at least 6 months to adjust to the pace and physicality of the PL - as he found with Viera, Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord, and I suppose Anelka.

On that basis, LR is doing incredibly well at the Toon - and I'm firmly with the "leave the blerk alone, and just support him" brigade.

-- Anonymous, November 06, 2001

To my mind, there are any number of players not going to Spain: Dabs, O'Brien, Solano, Distin, Bernard, Given (to name but the ones I'm aware of) that it's not really intended as a bonding session. I think it's just R&R. Lolo's family live in Montpellier and he is apparently very family-oriented. His wee brother is a youth player with Montpellier, too. I mean, he has gone to Paris a couple of times, but, then Shay goes to Glasgow to watch as many Celtic matches as he can, Dyer goes home to Ipswich quite often and Hughesie has been known to go home to Northern Ireland. If we'd bought Lolo from Carlisle, he'd no doubt be going home there now and then.

-- Anonymous, November 06, 2001

Agree with Screach, he is a dangerous player if he isn’t marked, so by being on the pitch he takes out at least one opposition defender, creating space for others.

Even if he plays crap he still has a big part to play.

-- Anonymous, November 06, 2001