Leading from the front

[blade too long]

As an independent view . I thought our play first half was as good as it gets. Carragher on sky said we out footballed Arsenal. i saw no major improvement when Sharp came on . He did one good lay back but also got caught wide with the ball on several instances. Thought Mousset ran his legs off first half and tired 2nd half as he's not started too often
Thought Freeman did ok. But we beat Arsenal fair and square. What's to criticise

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

McG is the best player at the club as far as linking Mid with attack is concerned - my believes, but also from Wilders mouth too.

It was clear we missed him in a few games because our attacking threat wasn't anything like it is when he's on the pitch.

 

[Red Wing Blade]

I'm hoping McGoldrick and Mousset will start again against the Spammers, they linked up really nicely and have the makings of a great partnership. Mind you a late winner from Billy in front of their fans wouldn't go amiss.

 

[dc_blade]

As others have said, if we're playing with the flat three in midfield (and I think that will be the case for 90% of our games this season, at least) then the front two has to be McGoldrick plus one. It's the only way to avoid the strikers becoming completely isolated from the midfield--which has already happened too often this year.

The other has to be someone capable of being the focal point: not another deep lying striker or "false nine" type, but someone who is going to get in the box, take a chance, make clever runs, and generally be single-minded in pursuit of scoring goals. Mousset looks like he might be able to do that, but if not the other obvious candidate is Billy. Robinson and McBurnie both come too deep to do it effectively (although both are young enough to learn otherwise).

Billy wasn't great on Monday but was coming off the back of an enforced lay off and wasn't as bad as some on here are making out.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Billy wasn't great on Monday but was coming off the back of an enforced lay off and wasn't as bad as some on here are making out.

Great post until this. Billy looks a long way off being a PL focal point striker. He’s been amazing, but maybe his time at this level has gone.

 

[dc_blade]

Great post until this. Billy looks a long way off being a PL focal point striker. He’s been amazing, but maybe his time at this level has gone.

We'll see. It would be a big ask for him to step up at this level but I think he's looked pretty good when he's come off the bench.

 

[Nick Jansky]

We'll see. It would be a big ask for him to step up at this level but I think he's looked pretty good when he's come off the bench.

We will see. As much as I would love a club legend, and he is, to prove me wrong I think the PL has come a couple of years too late for him. McGoldrick and a new signing in January for me.

 

[Badger Blade]

Billy brought some much needed energy after Mousset came off when our backs were against the wall but in that sense you could bring anyone on to simply sprint about and put pressure on defenders.

He might pop up with the odd goal between now and May like he did against Bournemouth but realistically it'll probably be Peschisolido-type bench cameos for as long as we're in the top flight and he's contracted to us (end of next season?), injuries permitting of course and if he gets in, could go and prove his critics wrong yet again.

 

[guancheblade]

Great post until this. Billy looks a long way off being a PL focal point striker. He’s been amazing, but maybe his time at this level has gone.

How can you tell when, unlike all our other options, he's not been given a start yet?

 

[Boxer Blade]

Wasn't it Billy who held the ball up and laid it off to an onrushing Norwood who took it first time and blazed it over?

 

[1889]

I think Sharp is ideal to come on after an hour to replace Mousset who is still not match fit. I think used in this role he will surprise many a Premier League defender and more than a few on here too

 

[Nick Jansky]

How can you tell when, unlike all our other options, he's not been given a start yet?

Because I’ve seen what I’ve seen when he has come on. He looks desperate to belong at this level, but isn’t up to it. I get people wanting him to carry on until he’s 70, he’s been brilliant for us, but it isn’t happening. He’s not a PL player. 6th choice from January, and really he should leave on a high & go back to Donnie.

 

[guancheblade]

Because I’ve seen what I’ve seen when he has come on. He looks desperate to belong at this level, but isn’t up to it. I get people wanting him to carry on until he’s 70, he’s been brilliant for us, but it isn’t happening. He’s not a PL player. 6th choice from January, and really he should leave on a high & go back to Donnie.

Flippin heck did you catch Billy shagging your missus or summat??

 

[guancheblade]

Wasn't it Billy who held the ball up and laid it off to an onrushing Norwood who took it first time and blazed it over?

Sssssshhhhh, don't you know Sharp contributes bugger all to the attack and is completely useless and over the hill?

 

[Houston_Blade]

He played marginally better or about as well as Oli McBurnie. That’s the reality, but it’s not the current party line.

Him and McBurnie did exactly what was needed of them when they came on (apart from score a goal each). Hassled, slowed play down and tried to stop the ball coming straight back.

This season I don’t think Sharp will get a start so his role is likely to be coming on either when we’re chasing a game or to see a game out. Therefore we will not play to his strengths (scoring goals from positions inside the box) and he won’t look as good as he could do.

 

[HolmesfieldBlade]

one of our other forward options have his knack of getting amongst defenders and making the ball stick, buying time for midfielders and bringing them into play. Skills that are even more important when we're playing with the flat three in midfield.

Sir... have you never seen McGoldrick play? He’s our best link up player by far.

Sharps ability is getting as close to goal as possible - and scoring. A real old school poacher, something none of our other strikers are.

 

[Rudders]

Keeping Billy to skipper the midweek champions league line up next season. YHIHF.

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

Sir... have you never seen McGoldrick play? He’s our best link up player by far.

Sharps ability is getting as close to goal as possible - and scoring. A real old school poacher, something none of our other strikers are.

Mousset's long ranger against Arsenal proving your point...

 

[guancheblade]

Sir... have you never seen McGoldrick play? He’s our best link up player by far.

Sharps ability is getting as close to goal as possible - and scoring. A real old school poacher, something none of our other strikers are.

Of course, but McG tends to do that link work somewhat closer to the half way line, whereas Billy can do it closer to the penalty area, getting us higher up the pitch as a team.

I think people have lost sight of the point I was making regarding Billy - that we look more threatening and likely to create goal scoring opportunities with him on the pitch. There's a team muscle memory that seems to kick in. On Monday we played some great stuff as a team with McG and Mousse, but once it reached the final third it usually came back.

 

[guancheblade]

So Sharp did some good work in the build up to the goal today.

Just sayin'

 

[bromtom]

As the season goes on and we get more comfortable, Billy's time will come.

Last season it was balls across the 6 yard box, we're not getting as many of those so we need pace at the moment. Confidence will lead to more of those balls in that Billy loves.

Still a decent option playing in this style though, 3rd choice for me at the moment.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Not one of the strikers, but Baldock has got himself in some good positions to score on numerous occasions this season so far. Just needs to do a bit of extra training on composure and shooting first time.

 

[bromtom]

Not one of the strikers, but Baldock has got himself in some good positions to score on numerous occasions this season so far. Just needs to do a bit of extra training on composure and shooting first time.

Got a cracking shot on him 1/5 times, the other 4 might go out for a corner though haha - he was unlucky with the one that was on target, keeper didn't have it, if it wasn't for the defender's spuds that was in.

He has said on instagram that he's going to do some shooting practice though, owning it.

 

[dan.]

It does annoy me slightly starting 2 up front who are missing sitters. I don't see how Robinson is currently more deserving of a start than Sharp. I get that we are in a much more competitive league now, but that's not going to have an effect on his natural goal-scoring ability, but some people are talking like his legs have totally gone and he's suddenly over the hill within the 5 months of going from championship to the premier league

 

[WeareBlades]

Is it just me or do we look a far more threatening team when we have Sharp on the pitch? To me this is the one constant throughout the season so far.

None of our other forward options have his knack of getting amongst defenders and making the ball stick, buying time for midfielders and bringing them into play. Skills that are even more important when we're playing with the flat three in midfield.

When he came on last night our attacking play went up a couple of notches which brought out the best in McG, Fleck and others. And because the ball isn't coming straight back, he also buys time for our defence to regroup and catch their breath. I'm sure the other 10 on the pitch feel more confident when their club captain is out there with them.

Just you, I love sharp but against arsenal he was woeful. Not surprising because of his age but McGoldrick and Mousset leading the line is the way forward at the moment.

 

[S40BLADE]

Just you, I love sharp but against arsenal he was woeful. Not surprising because of his age but McGoldrick and Mousset leading the line is the way forward at the moment.

Obviously not, In what way was he awful? He came on and held up the ball excellently (most evident in the touches and lay offs from Hendo's goal kicks) only on one occasion do I recall him losing possession when he was pressed by about three Arsenal players? Not saying he should start every match but a persistent myth of Sharp only being a pure "poacher/box player" is still prevalent in our support.

 

[Charlieblade]

Sir... have you never seen McGoldrick play? He’s our best link up player by far.

Sharps ability is getting as close to goal as possible - and scoring. A real old school poacher, something none of our other strikers are.

He’s no Alan Clarke or Gary Lineker, that’s for sure.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

I think we're currently lacking up too, it's the area that shows the most.

McGoldrick is such a clever player but continues to miss chances.
Mousset has been a good signing so far and is our best option currently.
Robinson has offered very little.
As has McBurnie.
Sharp is, yet again, irreplaceable so far.

We need something different in January. I don't know what that is. But Robinson and McBurnie have flopped so far at this early stage.

We also need more game time for Freeman, I think we'd create more and look threatening with him running at teams. We spent an awful lot on him to not play him currently and he's the highest calibre of attacking mid that we could afford.

 

[Jacobsenthecrab]

I agree that McG and the Moose are the first choice strikers when fully fit but to say Billy is over the hill is wrong.
I watched all of the match yesterday and he made a difference compared to Robinson.
One can control the ball and make simple lay-offs and the other can’t.
Yes he’s not first choice for a start but for me he’s next in line after those two as Robinson and McBurnie haven’t offered enough to the team yet.
Robinson in particular looks lost playing through the centre and doesn’t seem to be getting any better, yes he has pace but so did Luton Shelton and look how that turned out.
Agree that a January striker looks important, maybe with one of the new signings moving back to the championship on loan.
Great start to the season though UTB

 

[sheffielder]

He played marginally better or about as well as Oli McBurnie. That’s the reality, but it’s not the current party line.

It's always been your party line.