A peek through the door

They are setting up a behind closed doors friendly this week for Kieron Dyer. Since our midfield, at the moment, plays with little attacking creativity it's a mouthwatering thought to have Dyer back in the team.

After being sidelined for over a year and following the stress fracture backlash he got this summer, he is obviously a bit short off his best. But that may still get him close to a first team comeback since the competition comes in the form of Bowyer, Mullins and Collison.

Bowyer has not impressed me in his latest games, he works hard but in some strange way it seems like he needs the team to have a good game for him to have one. Not a player to have a powerful impact on the game at the moment. Bowyer is my bet to be leaving in January.

Mullins is known as the underrated defensive midfielder. People have been saying this for as long as I can remember and I am still afraid I underrate him since I don't realy rate him that high, no matter how hard I try. I still can't get over that Pardew picked him before Masherano. Pretty good 78 minute sub when we need to buckle up, but not a starter unless in a game where we hope for a nil nil draw (and even then I think I prefer possession).

Collison Is the future, but not quite the present. He is brilliant for his age, but needs to be allowed to play second fiddle for some time yet. Also Parker needs someone alongside him that can take more of the weight of his shoulders than Collison can - yet.

How I wish I could be at that reserve friendly to see how far off Dyer is!

(Btw, why behind closed doors? What is the secret to be kept? That Dyer is nowhere near fit? And why should that be a secret, are they trying to sell him? Or is someone else there we shouldn't be aware of? Some Italian youngster?)