Are our strikers that bad, really?

[Jon]

So of our five strikers we have three thirtysomethings and a kid.

true.

also, of our 5 strikers, we have 2 in form england internationals playing well, a norwegian international going through a lull, a young but talented young striker who is gaining in experience, and an experienced head out on loan.

i'd like to see a quality striker come in, but IMO it won't be the end of the world if we don't get one, especially as we do have options in that dept, including the fonz and asher.

[Stu_The_Villan]

and we have Harewood who is shit. And out of contract in six months.

Thats a point...are we just going to allow Harewood to run out his contract and levave for nothing??

But back to our strikers (dont consider Harewood our player any more) Gabby is our best striker - never going to be prolific but his work rate is good and he causes problems. Carew is a good player but hot and cold, we could do better. Heskey...dont know what to say i think there is a good player in there somewhere but he just doesnt fit into our style of play, and of course, he couldnt hit a cows arse with a banjo to be honest. Delfouneso is a good player and although i really think he should get more game time its clear to me that MoN thinks hes not ready.

So the verdict?? Get rid of Heskey and Carew, bring in 2 more strikers - 1 young and one more experienced. And MoN also more willing to give Delf (and Delph for that matter) more games and drop Gabby or at least sub him if hes not doin the business.

[Kiwivillan]

If needs be, we can always play asher further forwards behind the front man. I'm surprised we haven't tried that more. Sort of in the Tuncay role.

It's not MON's style. Not in my memory of clubs he has managed?

[briny_ear]

^^^^^^^

Well if they are 'that bad' then they would require replacement, the question therefore is can we attract better quality replacements, I fail

to see why such learned people are struggling to see the obvious link here.

But if they aren't 'that bad' then they don't need replacing and the poll doesn't allow for that.

Surely that's not too hard to grasp?

[Grant(aka_eddy)]

I dont think that the goals per striker is that important, i think the total goals for all the strikers is the more significant stat.

In that we are some way behind

Chelsea, Man U, Man City, Spurs, West Ham, & Liverpool.

There are 2 anomalies in that: West Ham and the fact Arsenal are not ahead of us. Arsenal can be explained away by the sheer quality of their midfield and the fact that Fabregas will probably have as many as any of our strikers this season.

So considering that, i would say that it is noteworthy that only 1 team below us has more goals from strikers and that 5 of the 6 teams we are competing for top 4 with have got quite a few more, the other being Arsenal.

[Grant(aka_eddy)]

I have of course missed Sunderland in that.

[Richard]

The thread is already going round in circles, what with people suggesting we sign central midfielders from Pompey and play them up front and move for the likes of Robbie Keane, who's best days are clearly behind him.

It has been said on VT many times that we need a striker. We have five on the books, Gabby, who stretches sides and plays well in big games, but cant be asked to do everything, Carew who seems to have three modes, i) out of this world, ii) doesnt look interested or iii) injured. The latter two seem to be how he spends most of the season though. We have Heskey who does work hard for the team and brings people into play around him is never going to score very many goals and he turns 32 in a few days. We have the Fonz who still needs a couple of years, and we have Harewood who is shit. And out of contract in six months.

So of our five strikers we have three thirtysomethings and a kid. All of the clubs fighting for a top four place have more prolific strikers than we do. Its not whinging and whining to suggest that we might need to get a new striker in, is it?

Top post rev

[Jon]

If needs be, we can always play asher further forwards behind the front man. I'm surprised we haven't tried that more. Sort of in the Tuncay role.

It's not MON's style. Not in my memory of clubs he has managed?

true, he likes his 4-4-2.

although we did play an awful lot last season, albeit enforced, in a 4-3-3, with Gabby s the lone striker and ash and milly as the wingers, with support for gabby in theory coming from sidders playing an advanced CM role.

No reason why we can't have ash playing the sidders role to greater effect, or indeed Milly, now we have downing to help on the wings.

doubt it will happen, but it is an option.

we are one of a few top teams that plays a genuine 4-4-2, with 2 out and out strikers. Chelsea do too now, but united perhaps don't all the time, and arse and liverpool certainly don't.

[bannedfromHandV]

^^^^^^^

Well if they are 'that bad' then they would require replacement, the question therefore is can we attract better quality replacements, I fail

to see why such learned people are struggling to see the obvious link here.

But if they aren't 'that bad' then they don't need replacing and the poll doesn't allow for that.

Surely that's not too hard to grasp?

No, but this entire thread was and is in response to and aimed at a section of members (no names mentioned Richard so you're safe) who seem absolutely adamant that with our current strikeforce we will achieve nothing.

This is the same guy mind you who wanted Randy out in the summer and MoN out after the Wigan game..................

[Richard]

This is the same guy mind you who wanted Randy out in the summer and MoN out after the Wigan game..................

Is that aimed at me? If so I am afraid to tell you it's utter rubbish.

[Richard]

You know it's really good that the reactions and ratings threads are retained. People should check this out for ratings and reactions.

[briny_ear]

You know it's really good that the reactions and ratings threads are retained. People should check this out for ratings and reactions.

I think one or two posters will blush somewhat when they re-read their comments on that thread.

[flatty]

I voted yes.

We're a big club, we have a good fan base, glorious history, located in a part of the country that wuold appeal to most. We can pay wages to attract a striker of higher calibre than we have.

Okay perhaps not a David Villa but There'll be players out there that will give us something extra and take us to that next level for 7-15 million surely? Other clubs do it.

I dont know why we haven't looked abroad, I know MON loves his English based players but history tells us that foreign players dont always bum out and can be stars in the prem. I for one do not know why we haven't looked at a player like Vagner Love or similar. I'd love to have a beer with MON and ask about or transfer policy. In general we've done well and cant question his managerial quality at all but I am bemused at the apparent lack of ambition in the transfer market.

[villainmyblood*]

I voted yes.

We're a big club, we have a good fan base, glorious history, located in a part of the country that wuold appeal to most. We can pay wages to attract a striker of higher calibre than we have.

Okay perhaps not a David Villa but There'll be players out there that will give us something extra and take us to that next level for 7-15 million surely? Other clubs do it.

I dont know why we haven't looked abroad, I know MON loves his English based players but history tells us that foreign players dont always bum out and can be stars in the prem. I for one do not know why we haven't looked at a player like Vagner Love or similar. I'd love to have a beer with MON and ask about or transfer policy. In general we've done well and cant question his managerial quality at all but I am bemused at the apparent lack of ambition in the transfer market.

This