I think we'll have to disagree

In some respects, i think Helveg has got "Mulryne Syndrome", i.e. he *ought* to be good. For a period there, a number of people were convinced that Mulryne was the answer in the midfield, largely because he'd been shielded from the same spotlight as some of the others through not playing.

Helveg had a few early sniffs and then, quite rightfully after one of the most appallingly inept performances I have ever seen against Everton, got kicked out into the reserves. Eddy did a bloody good job at the back, and fair enough, he got replaced after a number of bad games, particularly against Arsenal. Helveg looked pretty good when he came in, but he did have the advantage of not playing against Arsenal! In particular, he's delivered some real Jaffa crosses, but defensively, I don't think he's really been that brilliant. It's hard to say how much of this is a Drury style thing where he's hindered by the player inside him (a la Doherty/Drury - get rid of the lummox and put a decent player in, and suddenly Drury's back to his normal self), and how much is due to injuries.

Which brings me to the biggest point; Fitness. how many games did Helveg miss through injury this year? Vs Edworthy? As much as we'd all like to, we're NOT going to sign a squad of superstars - we need to, like it or not, rely on a number of solid journeyman professionals to prop us up, and they can't do that from The Fridge's treatment table. Helveg is 34 now, Eddy has just turned 32. Given the choice between the two, I know which one I'd take, if only on the basis of knowing (as much as these things can be judged!) that I'd have a solid, reliable and above all FIT player to depend on should the new right back (Whoever he is) have injury or form problems.

Also, what if Morten Olsen has his way and Helveg leaves? We're now stuck with err, um? Andrew Cave-Brown, barely out of diapers? And Mystery-Man.

Posted By: Iwan Husarmi on May 17th 2005 at 23:48:10

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