Strikers

[Slim Man]

As it stands, do we have enough to escape a relegation battle with the forwards we have? (Not go down, I mean be in a battle at all).
Let's make a prediction to see if we as a forum think we have enough and see how right we are come may.

I happen to think we need 1 more addition, I'd be interested to know everyone elses thoughts.
The lack of links to a striker both baffles and surprises me. Someone to stretch teams and with a bit of star quality.

Everybody loves a poll.

 

[sufcboy95]

We need one addition, and it needs to be someone better than what we've got, otherwise it's just pointless

 

[Slim Man]

We need one addition, and it needs to be someone better than what we've got, otherwise it's just pointless

Totally agree, see no point in signing one to make the numbers up. But we are desperate for pace and it seems Lavery isn't in Chris' good books right now so maybe there's room to manouvere if we loan him out, send Hanson on his way we then have room in the squad for two new forwards. To be honest as it stands that's what I'd do.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

I think we looked better with a bit more ball rentention with Duffy on and Evans caused more problems than sharp did.

We lack a player with genuine pace as a weapon to make teams wary and push them back abit. They know sharp and Clarke are never gonna stretch play and break in the way someone rapid would do.

Must be a young premier league player we could attract with the pace to improve us....

 

[Sheffsteel]

We do have enough strikers to stay out of the relegation so the question is incorrectly weighted.
I voted yes we have enough to stay out of the battle BUT we still need 1 more striker.

But the season shouldn't be about just staying up.
We should be targeting top half and for that we need more options .
Whether that's a promising loaneee from a PL club I don't know.

 

[Slim Man]

We do have enough strikers to stay out of the relegation so the question is incorrectly weighted.
I voted yes we have enough to stay out of the battle BUT we really need 1 more striker.

We either do or we don't.
If we have enough you vote yes, if we need someone else you vote no.

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

The issue is, away from home we need an outlet, someone who can take the pressure off the defence by chasing balls down into the channels, or holding it up. Clarke actually holds it up quite well, but neither are pacey enough to put the defenders under serious pressure when they're chasing back towards their own goal.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

We need a Connor Coady. I will reply about this on every thread until it happens or at least until I have a Coady thread to rival the Morsy and Burn threads.

 

[blader]

We do have enough strikers to stay out of the relegation so the question is incorrectly weighted.
I voted yes we have enough to stay out of the battle BUT we still need 1 more striker.

But the season shouldn't be about just staying up.
We should be targeting top half and for that we need more options .
Whether that's a promising loaneee from a PL club I don't know.

Promoted clubs seldom finish in the top half first season. There are exception but not the rule. Survival is, and should be, our only target this season

Out of interest, do you think Wilder will have failed if we we finish, say, 19th?

 

[Wards]

For me you move on Hanson and Lavery and bring in one more. Who that one is I have no idea, may have to be a bit of a gamble on a PL loan.

 

[SteveBlade]

Sharp relies on service, he'll score if we get it to him.

In games like Saturday, the service isn't really there. That's when you need your strikers to do things when they get the ball. Sharp and Clarke won't turn any defenders, or run in behind very effectively.

In the games we control, and at home we'll be alright. In games like Saturday, we'll struggle.

Let's be r8 as well, I know we had a few disallowed, but Brentford should have had a few too.

We could do with a striker who can make things happen, if not I can see a lot of games, especially away where we fail to score.

Having said that, despite not playing to our potential in either game so far we've got three points, and we should have had four, despite being second best against Boro.

Wilder will be learning more every game, and everything points to several more signings before the end of the month.

 

[itsinyerblood]

I think the question of Duffy's inclusion should be considered as central to what we create. Last season Duffy was integral to how we played, yes at times he seemed lost, but his ability to make things happen was central to our overall success. By all means keep adding to our forwards, but without those behind them conjuring up the service they feed on then all you'll end up with is a heavily weighted forward resource that goes around and around in circles.

Until we reach the point of paying large amounts for quality players then we depend on the ingenuity of Wilder and Knill to spot those gems who can respond to what we need. Currently Duffy is one such player.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Promoted clubs seldom finish in the top half first season. There are exception but not the rule. Survival is, and should be, our only target this season

Out of interest, do you think Wilder will have failed if we we finish, say, 19th?

No.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

To stay out of the relegation battle, yes, I think so. If we want to do more than that, we might well need more.

 

[FMBlade1]

We need a Tammy Abrahams type signing. Though we've always ended up with someone like Cofie or Twiss XD

 

[HoodedClaw]

I've put that we need 1 more, as Bladeinleeds put we need someone to make the oppo defence think there's at least an option that we can get in behind them.

However, I will put that if Ched isn't going to be able to contribute properly due to fitness issues then we will need 2 strikers IMO. This is the tough one though, Jim White day is Aug 31st and I'm not sure if we'll be in a position to judge the potential contribution that Ched may make by then.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

I've put that we need 1 more, as Bladeinleeds put we need someone to make the oppo defence think there's at least an option that we can get in behind them.

However, I will put that if Ched isn't going to be able to contribute properly due to fitness issues then we will need 2 strikers IMO. This is the tough one though, Jim White day is Aug 31st and I'm not sure if we'll be in a position to judge the potential contribution that Ched may make by then.

Agree it's early days with ched but it's promising he's got about an hour over Wednesday and Saturday.

Hopefully we ease him back in this way, until he's over the injuries and not rushed back like he was a Chessie as they had no other options.

Not many rumours about young prem players but there must be some that can do a job / provide a different option even if it is just off the bench to start with :

 

[Danny_Boy]

We got it wrong on Saturday, playing Sharp and Clarke wasn't a good idea imo. Both aren't mobile enough and hardly touched the ball. Sharp is a poacher, a finisher and for him to be effective he needs service, this was always going to be difficult against boro away and perhaps we would have been better starting Evans instead. It didn't help that Samir didn't have a great game so the link up just wasn't there.

 

[HoodedClaw]

We got it wrong on Saturday, playing Sharp and Clarke wasn't a good idea imo. Both aren't mobile enough and hardly touched the ball. Sharp is a poacher, a finisher and for him to be effective he needs service, this was always going to be difficult against boro away and perhaps we would have been better starting Evans instead. It didn't help that Samir didn't have a great game so the link up just wasn't there.

Personally, Ched is no-where near ready to start.

 

[Booker4]

I think we all know that we lack pace in the team and its up front where pace will most hurt teams. Baldock is fast (base on the clips I've seen) to be fair but he's a right wing back. I think we've missed a trick in not signing the lad Vassell from Luton. Watched him twice in the play offs last season against Blackpool and he looked a real prospect. Skillful and fast and would be ideal for the last 20 minutes of a game to come on and run at tiring defenders. Instead he's gone to Birmingham. On our budget someone like Vassell would have been ideal - in my view. I hope we sign a fast forward before the window shuts.

I do think though that overall, the signings seem decent and in January I expect maybe a couple more when we know who is struggling, if any, any who isn't. Or where we need that extra bit of quality - if we can get it.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Totally agree, see no point in signing one to make the numbers up. But we are desperate for pace and it seems Lavery isn't in Chris' good books right now so maybe there's room to manouvere if we loan him out, send Hanson on his way we then have room in the squad for two new forwards. To be honest as it stands that's what I'd do.

2 out 1 in then.

Nearly caused WWIII when I suggested that yesterday

UTB

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Sharp relies on service, he'll score if we get it to him.

In games like Saturday, the service isn't really there. That's when you need your strikers to do things when they get the ball. Sharp and Clarke won't turn any defenders, or run in behind very effectively.

In the games we control, and at home we'll be alright. In games like Saturday, we'll struggle.

Let's be r8 as well, I know we had a few disallowed, but Brentford should have had a few too.

We could do with a striker who can make things happen, if not I can see a lot of games, especially away where we fail to score.

Having said that, despite not playing to our potential in either game so far we've got three points, and we should have had four, despite being second best against Boro.

Wilder will be learning more every game, and everything points to several more signings before the end of the month.

Agree but let's hope we aren't still scrambling around on deadline day to 'gerremin'

 

[BushBlade]

In Wilder We Trust didn't last long. Now, according to the experts he got his tactics wrong and we're missing out on signing players that have been meticulously scouted over the past few months.

 

[Slim Man]

In Wilder We Trust didn't last long. Now, according to the experts he got his tactics wrong and we're missing out on signing players that have been meticulously scouted over the past few months.

I think we trust him. I certainly hope we do anyway, would be mortified if we didn't.
But we certainly do need another forward, I think that's obvious.

 

[BushBlade]

I think we trust him. I certainly hope we do anyway, would be mortified if we didn't.
But we certainly do need another forward, I think that's obvious.

No point having a poll then, is there?

 

[Slim Man]

No point having a poll then, is there?

Well there's 2 weeks left of the transfer window so who knows what his plans are?
'I think' not necessarily everyone else shares the same opinion, although most seem to.

 

[BushBlade]

Well there's 2 weeks left of the transfer window so who knows what his plans are?
'I think' not necessarily everyone else shares the same opinion, although most seem to.

Tbh, I'd be surprised if we don't go for one, given he doesn't seem too impressed by Lavery but I can't see it being a permanent. I think the idea is to strengthen our depth this season and then start to improve on the first team next season when, in theory, we'll have to bring in fewer new players so can concentrate our funds on one or two good ones.

 

[Jon P]

Totally agree, see no point in signing one to make the numbers up. But we are desperate for pace and it seems Lavery isn't in Chris' good books right now so maybe there's room to manouvere if we loan him out, send Hanson on his way we then have room in the squad for two new forwards. To be honest as it stands that's what I'd do.

I know you've never liked Hanson, but loaning out Lavery after 2 games baffles me - he certainly deserves a chance, it's the competition for places Wilder is after.

We've had the ball in the net 4 times in 2 games, only to be ruled out rightly or wrongly. I agree we do need another striker but I don't think we need to get rid of Hanson or Lavery for that to happen.

 

[Slim Man]

Tbh, I'd be surprised if we don't go for one, given he doesn't seem too impressed by Lavery but I can't see it being a permanent. I think the idea is to strengthen our depth this season and then start to improve on the first team next season when, in theory, we'll have to bring in fewer new players so can concentrate our funds on one or two good ones.

I think Lavery would benefit greatly from a league one loan, he'd have no shortage of takers. He didn't get quite enough football last year due to his fitness, injuries and form. He's got something just really needs to work on his play in front of goal.

 

[Slim Man]

I know you've never liked Hanson, but loaning out Lavery after 2 games baffles me - he certainly deserves a chance, it's the competition for places Wilder is after.

We've had the ball in the net 4 times in 2 games, only to be ruled out rightly or wrongly. I agree we do need another striker but I don't think we need to get rid of Hanson or Lavery for that to happen.

Wilder has said he's behind Ched now, I like Lavery but it's not boding well for him as it stands, Wilder seems to flog him in public a lot more than he does with other strikers. I think a loan would benefit both parties.