McGoldrick and Antwoine Hackford?

[HD8 Blades]

The only striker doing anything at the moment is McGoldrick. Cost nothing and a joy to watch. How much worse would we actually be without him?

The partnership options
Sharp - Legend. Still has value from the bench and in cup games but no longer a “first name on the team sheet” striker
McBurnie- Poses little threat to the opposition
Brewster- Maybe one day but shown very little as yet
Burke - Can run really fast.
Mousset- Impact sub last season. Last resort this season

Antoine Hackford. We’re down and the pressure is off to some extent. Worth a try as we have very little to scare the opposition up top

 

[Latters]

McGoldrick was pretty far from “a joy to watch” today. He was shite. In fact, if we’re bullet pointing our forwards you could say:
McGoldrick - has some fancy touches, piss poor end product (final ball, as well as shooting) and gives away more needless free kicks when we’re in decent positions than any of the other forwards.

A lot of our fans seem to be blind to these inadequacies though, because he tries hard and speaks well.

 

[robbiez666]

He should be playing Brewster and McBurnie since those are his marquee signings. If they can't play together, he needs to explain why he spent £40 million on the pair of them.

There's no point playing McGoldrick or Sharp. They're not the long-term future. We're down. What's the point of spending big money on young strikers and not giving them the chance to play together?

 

[chesblade]

Thought Brewster was pretty decent today, play well with mcgoldrick

 

[1889]

Brewster and McGoldrick should be the preferred strikers for the rest of the season.

Wilder needs to accept he’s dropped a momentous bollock signing McBurnie and Mousett and concentrate on giving Brewster game time.

That said McGoldrick was absolutely awful today, showed what a terrible finisher he is with two gilt edged chances and failed to roll Brewster in when he had acres of space.

That I’m afraid is the difference between mid table and bottom three.

 

[MalmoBlade]

Unless you have midfielders with the guile to create chances for these people you could have the bastard offspring of Pele and Maradona up front and never get a goal.

The way we play isn't conducive to creating enough goalscoring opportunities to positive affect the "Goals Scored" column.

We don't create goals we "hope" for goals and we want 1 of our 3 chances to go in while hoping all the oppositions 11 chances are missed

I'm sorry I grew up with harry bassett as manager where everything was all about getting forward and scoring goals. This is all about keeping it out at our end and hoping for the best at the other. I don't like it. The game against Man Utd last season spoiled me because for 80 minutes we ripped them a new arsehole with some exquisite passing, but something happened and now we're relying on aimless hoofing. the Chelsea game too, just before the wheels fell off, some great stuff, but God has it been shite this season.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Hackford is 16. Only special 16 year olds regularly play. Let him learn in the kids sides first. Who knows if he will ever be good enough but give him a chance to develop before finding out!

 

[Rudders]

Levandoski and haaland would struggle as a strike pairing with Chris's system

 

[Sheff de party]

McGoldrick was pretty far from “a joy to watch” today. He was shite. In fact, if we’re bullet pointing our forwards you could say:
McGoldrick - has some fancy touches, piss poor end product (final ball, as well as shooting) and gives away more needless free kicks when we’re in decent positions than any of the other forwards.

A lot of our fans seem to be blind to these inadequacies though, because he tries hard and speaks well.

Was pretty rubbish today but I’m always amazed that some people don’t think we’re a lot better with him in the side.

Fair enough if you don’t rate him, but the above is unbelievably harsh on someone who’s been a revelation for three seasons.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

McGoldrick was pretty far from “a joy to watch” today. He was shite. In fact, if we’re bullet pointing our forwards you could say:
McGoldrick - has some fancy touches, piss poor end product (final ball, as well as shooting) and gives away more needless free kicks when we’re in decent positions than any of the other forwards.

A lot of our fans seem to be blind to these inadequacies though, because he tries hard and speaks well.

He was a class act against Villa, you may remember, not so good today but not shite as you put it

 

[JackSUFC]

Was pretty rubbish today but I’m always amazed that some people don’t think we’re a lot better with him in the side.

Fair enough if you don’t rate him, but the above is unbelievably harsh on someone who’s been a revelation for three seasons.

Agree, McGoldrick is the only one ever capable of creating anything seeing as the midfield are incapable. In fact he’s the only one who seems to be able to pass forwards in the final third.

 

[Yogi]

Hackford is 16. Only special 16 year olds regularly play. Let him learn in the kids sides first. Who knows if he will ever be good enough but give him a chance to develop before finding out!

Agreed there’s plenty of rumours of interest in him from elsewhere but he isn’t the type of striker who’ll create for himself and he isn’t exactly clinical yet even though he scores lots of goals. Let him learn how to improve his game playing in a side which creates chances rather than learning how to press side to side without getting a sniff for the seniors.

Incidentally Hackford’s absolute top outcome is to have a junior career like Brewster and be pushing for a first team starting role at 20 so rather than looking for a player who we hope could be the next Brewster in 3-4 years let’s develop Brewster now and hope Hackford is in the same place in a few years.

 

[Foody]

Let's not start bringing a prospect of a young striker in. McBurnie, Sharp, Brewster, Burke and Moose have all struggled to make an impact. Maybe, just maybe it's because they're getting absolutely zero service. Let's not subject anyone else to the confidence zapping, abuse inducing, career damaging, nightmare that is playing up front for us this season.
We are desperately poor, let's not destroy the lad.

 

[Latters]

Was pretty rubbish today but I’m always amazed that some people don’t think we’re a lot better with him in the side.

Fair enough if you don’t rate him, but the above is unbelievably harsh on someone who’s been a revelation for three seasons.

I don’t “not rate him”, I just don’t rate him as highly as others do. We do generally play better as a team with him in, but I think that’s more down to our cautious play, rather than him being a stand out. He wastes too many chances and wastes possession in attacking positions too often to be a guaranteed regular starter. If we persevere with the current dour system, he probably should start, but if we had any creativity in midfield whatsoever, he should be nowhere near the first team in favour of a proper strike partnership.

I often see “Rolls Royce of a footballer” trotted out about him. I’d say he’s more of a TVR or an Alfa. Can be entertaining on the journey, but if you reach your destination (I.E. we score a goal), it’s more of a pleasant surprise than an expected outcome.

 

[HD8 Blades]

He should be playing Brewster and McBurnie since those are his marquee signings. If they can't play together, he needs to explain why he spent £40 million on the pair of them.

There's no point playing McGoldrick or Sharp. They're not the long-term future. We're down. What's the point of spending big money on young strikers and not giving them the chance to play together?

If you bought a new shirt that cost £300 and couldn’t take it back, would you still wear it even though it was awful? Transfer window has come and gone and what’s done is done

 

[robbiez666]

If you bought a new shirt that cost £300 and couldn’t take it back, would you still wear it even though it was awful? Transfer window has come and gone and what’s done is done

but they've hardly played together. I guess they might do in training but presumably they're both here next season.

Given we have 6 strikers, and I can't see us being able to sell any of them, this is what we have.

 

[HD8 Blades]

Yeah this is what we have and they’ll be little or no budget next season. Someone needs to scoring

 

[Foody]

If you bought a new shirt that cost £300 and couldn’t take it back, would you still wear it even though it was awful? Transfer window has come and gone and what’s done is done

If everytime I'd worn said shirt I'd also been wearing trousers with a hole in that means my left bollock kept popping out and, a pair of shoes that I'd stood in a dog egg in and never cleaned off and had finished off the ensemble with a jacket that my grandad had died in. I'd probably conclude that the shirt may not be the issue after all.

 

[TC's Magic Boots]

McGoldrink is perfect for the number 10 role where he creates chances for others and chips in with the odd goal himself. I think both Brewster and McBurnie should come good next season and Didzy can also play his part. That being said, if Freeman comes back from Forest then he could be a big player for us next season too. I know Didzy has scored goals this season but he isn’t an out and out striker for me and he messes about with the ball when better options are available. His first touch is awful sometimes and he loses possession too often. He was poor today but he is allowed a bad game now and again.

 

[MalmoBlade]

When you're the worst scoring side in Europe (remember 88/89 when we were the best scoring side in Europe?) then either your entire raft of strikers are dogshite OR there's something wrong with the strategy leading to the creation of chances (or otherwise) but Chris is refusing to consider that there might be something wrong with the way he's playing.

Yes it worked on the way up, (mostly with a creative attacking CMF) but nothing works all the time or forever. Where's the new plan?

 

[Sean Thornton]

If everytime I'd worn said shirt I'd also been wearing trousers with a hole in that means my left bollock kept popping out and, a pair of shoes that I'd stood in a dog egg in and never cleaned off and had finished off the ensemble with a jacket that my grandad had died in. I'd probably conclude that the shirt may not be the issue after all.

So, McBurnies look when he joined?

 

[ScoobBlade]

McGoldrick was pretty far from “a joy to watch” today. He was shite. In fact, if we’re bullet pointing our forwards you could say:
McGoldrick - has some fancy touches, piss poor end product (final ball, as well as shooting) and gives away more needless free kicks when we’re in decent positions than any of the other forwards.

A lot of our fans seem to be blind to these inadequacies though, because he tries hard and speaks well.

He’s just played 3 games in 7 days, he’s 33 and has a chequered past with his fitness.

To me he just looked jaded and maybe needed resting.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

He’s just played 3 games in 7 days, he’s 33 and has a chequered past with his fitness.

To me he just looked jaded and maybe needed resting.

The two posts aren’t mutually exclusive.

 

[finlaytheblade]

Brewster and McGoldrick should be the preferred strikers for the rest of the season.

Wilder needs to accept he’s dropped a momentous bollock signing McBurnie and Mousett and concentrate on giving Brewster game time.

That said McGoldrick was absolutely awful today, showed what a terrible finisher he is with two gilt edged chances and failed to roll Brewster in when he had acres of space.

That I’m afraid is the difference between mid table and bottom three.

Finishing has dogged Mcgoldrick all his career,has a good alround game but lacks composure where it matters in and around the box,that's why he's a championship player and going back there with us.
We have a historical problem !
We have had 3 stints in the top division since the late 1980's each time we try to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear each time we fail.
Not blaming anyone ! We just need investment to create a team with a real chance of making a go of it.

 

[ormester]

McGoldrick was pretty far from “a joy to watch” today. He was shite. In fact, if we’re bullet pointing our forwards you could say:
McGoldrick - has some fancy touches, piss poor end product (final ball, as well as shooting) and gives away more needless free kicks when we’re in decent positions than any of the other forwards.

A lot of our fans seem to be blind to these inadequacies though, because he tries hard and speaks well.

I think to be honest I struggle to slag him off the finish on Wednesday a haaland etc scores they would be raving about it

 

[Flumps]

I'm sure Wilder has to be seen as still competing or perhaps it doesn't matter to him anymore if he has the intentions of either being fired or leaving after this season, but for me I'd honestly prefer him to come out and say

"Right, the lads I've signed haven't quite worked out as I'd hoped, I wish I'd had more cash but shit happens. This season has been a nightmare and I think a shake up in tactics and set up is something I need to look at"

I'm pretty sure almost all Blades would say fair enough, you deserve our support and get on with it. Then use the rest of this season to try out those ideas. Technically we aren't down but you can tell all the staff and the squad know there's no way of coming back so now you have free reign against some of the top sides to set up for the future.

This may just be me, but I do not care that we're as near as makes no different relegated, I more care that when we're playing I struggle to muster the arse to even put the match on.

 

[1889]

Finishing has dogged Mcgoldrick all his career,has a good alround game but lacks composure where it matters in and around the box,that's why he's a championship player and going back there with us.
We have a historical problem !
We have had 3 stints in the top division since the late 1980's each time we try to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear each time we fail.
Not blaming anyone ! We just need investment to create a team with a real chance of making a go of it.

I agree and I’ve witnessed them all.

I think relegation is an absolute necessity for us if we are going to build a squad capable of holding our own in the EPL. We need to develop our facilities and Academy. We don’t have a billionaire benefactor so we need to recruit for the Premier League while we’re still a successful Championship side. That way we’re seen as an attractive proposition to up and coming players, with real unrealised pedigree, get in early and get the deal done. Slowly build a squad over a few seasons that will destroy the Championship and then go up, with a well prepared squad that has real quality in every position and a CAT 1 Academy.

Once we get into the Premier League everything is so scrutinised that everyone knows our targets, the players want another £10k a week and we get out bid and end up with the leftovers, no one else wants and end up with square pegs in round holes.

I’d argue that Baldock, Egan, Fleck, O’Connell, Lundstram,Norwood, Basham, Stevens, McGoldrick and Sharp have looked every bit at home and have had more success in the Premier League than Mousett, Berge, McBurnie, Brewster, Callum Robinson, Rammers, for a total combined cost less than half a McBurnie?

All very well in theory I suppose and easier said than done, but I firmly believe that only a similar type model will bring any hope of lasting success, without finding a bottomless pit of money.

 

[Sheff de party]

I don’t “not rate him”, I just don’t rate him as highly as others do. We do generally play better as a team with him in, but I think that’s more down to our cautious play, rather than him being a stand out. He wastes too many chances and wastes possession in attacking positions too often to be a guaranteed regular starter. If we persevere with the current dour system, he probably should start, but if we had any creativity in midfield whatsoever, he should be nowhere near the first team in favour of a proper strike partnership.

I often see “Rolls Royce of a footballer” trotted out about him. I’d say he’s more of a TVR or an Alfa. Can be entertaining on the journey, but if you reach your destination (I.E. we score a goal), it’s more of a pleasant surprise than an expected outcome.

Haha. I don’t agree, but this is well presented and well written!

 

[BushBlade]

On a good day, his qualities outweigh his weaknesses. Yesterday wasn’t a good day.