Shearer: I am no tinkerman

May 3 2009 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

“The other night (against Portsmouth on Monday) was slightly different because we were at home and we wanted goals. We wanted to get the big lads involved in it and try to score goals.

“Whether that system would be wise at Anfield or not, I would have to work out. I think you probably know my answer without giving too much away!”

Given Enrique’s fresh absence, Shearer has equally few options defensively.

“I don’t want to give anything away – but we haven’t got a left-back,” he adds.

“I thought Damien Duff did very well the other night and certainly did when we went that way against Spurs. That might give you a clue . . .

“But would I call myself the Tinkerman? Not yet, I wouldn’t.’’

And Shearer hints at another problem – the severity of which will surely be tested by Liverpool.

“What concerned me from the Pompey game was that we couldn’t go for 90 minutes,” he admits. “If we’d taken one of our chances, would it have been different? I’m sure it would have been because I’m sure everyone would have found an extra yard.

“But we didn’t, and whether it was lack of fitness or whatever, that was a slight concern. For the last 15 or 20 minutes, we looked jaded.

“And that’s probably when we could have lost the game.”

However, Shearer reflects a lot further than six days to find an explanation for the depressing state of North East football, and Newcastle and Sunderland in particular.

The Magpies head for the Mersey with Liverpool challenging for the title and Everton marching on Europe and Wembley, while Tyne-Wear fortunes flirt with the Championship.

“It’s sad seeing Newcastle and Sunderland at the wrong end of the table when they (the Mersey giants) are fighting and challenging near the top,” he adds.

“We believe up here that we don’t have a right to be up there, but that we should be. But we aren’t.”

Why, though?

“Money spent poorly on different players, bad decisions being made . . . the fact of the matter is we are in a completely different situation to those teams. “Will it change? I hope so.”

But hope may not be enough today.