Our current strikers

[Bergen Blade]

Bogdanovic - 6'2, but not a target man, mobile, but not very quick
Evans - 6'0, not a target man, not very quick, ideally a goalgetter
Cresswell - 6'0, can do the target man role, but not huge and won't win a lot in the air. Slow.
Slew - 6'1?, Pace and finishing seems his best attributes. Should improve his strength
Philliskirk - 5'10, skilful. Is he quick?
Porter - 6'1, Described as a goalgetter type, not a target man, by Derby fans


If we're going to add another striker, certainly if Evans is going, he has to complement the ones we already have. I'm happy to see what Porter and Slew can do, but we need options and different types of strikers to change games when things aren't working.

Personally I think we'd be better equipped if we signed a really quick striker (Slew is the only one offering real pace at the moment) AND a really strong target man (don't think we can rely on Cresswell for that role).

I'd then like to see Philliskirk challenge for a central midfield role (this was his position at Chelsea) and we may also consider letting Bogdanovic go.

 

[raul]

I bet you really really HATE Lionel Messi.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I bet you really really HATE Lionel Messi.

Easily best player in the world, why?

 

[Micalijo]

Good stuff Bergen. Agree, definitely need a very quick player - what's Shelts doing?

Porter sounds like a crock having read up a bit, which is worrying obviously but also sounds like a great finisher.

Great description of Evans. Is that a polite way of saying slow, ponderous, useless and irrelevant in professionaL football. His only attribute for me is he can strike a ball - woudl never see him as a poacher which is pretty much all he can be given your description as you say.

 

[bricktop]

From a Derby fan.

Porter is injury prone and gives the ball away a lot but on his day is a decent player.

 

[Kopped]

We need a Shipperley type player to compliment all the others and to get the goals the other strikers can't.

For me that would be Parkin, as previously rumoured. I'm not suggesting he'd sign for us though.

We're still waiting for the marquee signing and I reckon it will be someone of significance and will put bums on seats.

The only rumour I'm hearing right now though is Ched to Leicester with Lloyd Dyer coming our way.

 

[Kempy]

We need a Shipperley type player to compliment all the others and to get the goals the other strikers can't.

For me that would be Parkin, as previously rumoured. I'm not suggesting he'd sign for us though.

We're still waiting for the marquee signing and I reckon it will be someone of significance and will put bums on seats.

The only rumour I'm hearing right now though is Ched to Leicester with Lloyd Dyer coming our way.

Can't see that happening, seems we are only interested in the money or the Monty for cash + Paynter would have gone through.

 

[SE1Blade]

Absolutely no chance of us getting Lloyd Dyer. Far too good for League One and Champ sides after him. Getting rid of Ched is a priority and Leicester are favourites, according to a Leicester forum Tom Kennedy (left back, ex of Rochdale) and Danny N'Guessan could be involved in the swap deal, but not Dyer.

 

[blade too long]

Lids played in a freindly saturday and apparently Paynter had a henderson v boro game, missed several open goals

 

[dingledog]

Bring back the Chief!!!!

 

[Ted Danson]

and NADE!!!!!!!

 

[Liaminho9]

Is Bogdanovich actually 6'2? I didn't think he was that tall! :O

 

[broomhillblade]

Is Bogdanovich actually 6'2? I didn't think he was that tall! :O

That's when he wears his Cuban heels.

 

[Bladesway]

Easily best player in the world, why?

Messi = WWBAP?

 

[Grecian2000]

Is Bogdanovich actually 6'2? I didn't think he was that tall! :O

If Bergs reckons he's nearly a full Shawcross then you'd be a fool to doubt it.

Perhaps we are training them up for next years 4x100. Will 5m 36s be in with a medal shout?

 

[Bergen Blade]

Good stuff Bergen. Agree, definitely need a very quick player .

Cody McDonald sounds like the right type of striker addition, but I reckon there must be Championship clubs after him? Relying on just one quick striker (Slew) means a lack of pace will continue to be a problem, as has been the case under our last few managers.

---------- Post added at 02:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:15 PM ----------

We need a Shipperley type player to compliment all the others and to get the goals the other strikers can't.

For me that would be Parkin, as previously rumoured.

Agree that such a striker would be useful. We are going to be seen as one of the bigger clubs in this division and many teams may come to the Lane defending deep and denying us space. When we're not at our best and struggle to open them up, such a striker can be useful, rather than throwing on another striker who offers pretty much the same as the ones on the pitch.

 

[Jonny G]

I'd just like to see somebody come in who isn't affraid to attack the ball in the air from a set piece. Other than Lowton and Cresswell (of a couple of seasons ago) there aren't enough threats in the air to give us an option of mixing up play. And before the comeback happens, I don't hate Messi or love hoofing - but there are very few successful teams who don't have an threat in the air.

 

[Oreyt]

... rather than throwing on another striker who offers pretty much the same as the ones on the pitch.

We've done that a lot over the last few years

 

[mattbianco1]

according to a Leicester forum Tom Kennedy (left back, ex of Rochdale) and Danny N'Guessan could be involved in the swap deal, but not Dyer.

I'd take that + Cody MacDonald and I think we're building a team of players that are more than capable.

 

[Bladesway]

I'd just like to see somebody come in who isn't affraid to attack the ball in the air from a set piece. Other than Lowton and Cresswell (of a couple of seasons ago) there aren't enough threats in the air to give us an option of mixing up play. And before the comeback happens, I don't hate Messi or love hoofing - but there are very few successful teams who don't have an threat in the air.

Barcelona, Man United, Arsenal, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Ajax, Man City. Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Germany, France. All teams who I would suggest haven't been overly reliant on a targetman or an arial threat.

The problem with the english obsession with a targetman is it rewards mediocre football. Lumping the ball to the big bloke rather than using craft and guile to get round the back of a team and lay the ball on a plate. Using percentages that the 6' 6" monster will occasionally win the ball against the slightly smaller opponent. It is one of the main reasons we aren't sucessful as a national team in my opinion. If all else fails unwrap Crouch and hammer it long. Good teams keep their pattern and rely on being good enough to beat their opposition by playing on the deck. Its a tactic of the underdog. Occasionally it works, but in the main it fails.

Look at your top goalscorers, Ian Wright, Tierry Henry, Ronaldo, Rush, Berbatov, Torres, Messi, Inzaghi, Linekar and our own Keith Edwards, Andy Gray, Nathan Blake etc etc. Goalgetters, not targetmen score the goals that win games. And for those who say Brian Deane, he was out of the mould because he was actually a far better footballer than anyone outside Sheffield ever gave him credit for. I never saw Deane as a targetman because he had more skill in his feet than with his head.

 

[Barney Rubble]

And for those who say Brian Deane, he was out of the mould because he was actually a far better footballer than anyone outside Sheffield ever gave him credit for. I never saw Deane as a targetman because he had more skill in his feet than with his head.

Spot on about Deano, Bladesway. One of his abilities to pull the centre half out to the wing where he had space to turn and beat him before delivering a decent cross into the box. I can remember Jocky Bryson coming in from the opposite wing to head the ball into the net.

This talent may have led to Leeds trying to convert him into a winger, although I always felt that he found running at a full back a more difficult proposition than a lumbering centre half.

You also make an excellent case for playing without a targetman but I believe that the way Wilson has stated he likes to set his team out, with 2 pacy wingers means that someone with plenty of ability in the air is going to be needed for his system to work.

 

[Guesty]

Spot on about Deano, Bladesway. One of his abilities to pull the centre half out to the wing where he had space to turn and beat him before delivering a decent cross into the box. I can remember Jocky Bryson coming in from the opposite wing to head the ball into the net.

This talent may have led to Leeds trying to convert him into a winger, although I always felt that he found running at a full back a more difficult proposition than a lumbering centre half.

You also make an excellent case for playing without a targetman but I believe that the way Wilson has stated he likes to set his team out, with 2 pacy wingers means that someone with plenty of ability in the air is going to be needed for his system to work.

Having missed most of Deane first time around, I was really struck on his "Second Debut" (against Sunderland, in which he did everything but score) to get down the channels, beat men and put crosses in. He really was sensational that day. His entire second spell was pretty good in fact, despite being so short. He scored around 1 in 2 I think. It's just a pity it didn't last very long.

As for playing with two wingers, that doesn't necessitate a target man as such, just someone who can finish with their head.

 

[mattbianco1]

Barcelona, Man United, Arsenal, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Ajax, Man City. Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Germany, France. All teams who I would suggest haven't been overly reliant on a targetman or an arial threat.

The problem with the english obsession with a targetman is it rewards mediocre football. Lumping the ball to the big bloke rather than using craft and guile to get round the back of a team and lay the ball on a plate. Using percentages that the 6' 6" monster will occasionally win the ball against the slightly smaller opponent. It is one of the main reasons we aren't sucessful as a national team in my opinion. If all else fails unwrap Crouch and hammer it long. Good teams keep their pattern and rely on being good enough to beat their opposition by playing on the deck. Its a tactic of the underdog. Occasionally it works, but in the main it fails.

Look at your top goalscorers, Ian Wright, Tierry Henry, Ronaldo, Rush, Berbatov, Torres, Messi, Inzaghi, Linekar and our own Keith Edwards, Andy Gray, Nathan Blake etc etc. Goalgetters, not targetmen score the goals that win games. And for those who say Brian Deane, he was out of the mould because he was actually a far better footballer than anyone outside Sheffield ever gave him credit for. I never saw Deane as a targetman because he had more skill in his feet than with his head.

I understand your point and what you're getting at but,

If arsenal had a decent target man, maybe they could use plan B and "Unwrap a Crouch" then they would've challenged for the title. Instead they're stubborn, stick to plan A and fall off the pace in the last quarter of the season. Every season !

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

The midfield have been as much a problem as the strikers in recent seasons. Nice to see Doyle and McAllister getting on the scoresheet in Malta, haven't seen Mac's goal but Doyle's came from a move and cross down the left and he was the furthest man forward to meet the cross.

 

[DazBlade88]

As for playing with two wingers, that doesn't necessitate a target man as such, just someone who can finish with their head.

I think this is where people are misunderstanding. Alot seem to think that an 'aerial threat' is automatically a big target man. Look at Hernandez at Man Utd, must be 5'8, 5'9? He's a massive aerial threat despite his lack of size. I know we'll not get anyone remotely near that class, but there are plenty of smaller players who can pose an aerial threat and get a head on the end of crosses.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Barcelona, Man United, Arsenal, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Ajax, Man City. Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Germany, France. All teams who I would suggest haven't been overly reliant on a targetman or an arial threat.

The problem with the english obsession with a targetman is it rewards mediocre football. Lumping the ball to the big bloke rather than using craft and guile to get round the back of a team and lay the ball on a plate. Using percentages that the 6' 6" monster will occasionally win the ball against the slightly smaller opponent. It is one of the main reasons we aren't sucessful as a national team in my opinion. If all else fails unwrap Crouch and hammer it long. Good teams keep their pattern and rely on being good enough to beat their opposition by playing on the deck. Its a tactic of the underdog. Occasionally it works, but in the main it fails.

Look at your top goalscorers, Ian Wright, Tierry Henry, Ronaldo, Rush, Berbatov, Torres, Messi, Inzaghi, Linekar and our own Keith Edwards, Andy Gray, Nathan Blake etc etc. Goalgetters, not targetmen score the goals that win games. And for those who say Brian Deane, he was out of the mould because he was actually a far better footballer than anyone outside Sheffield ever gave him credit for. I never saw Deane as a targetman because he had more skill in his feet than with his head.

If you have a look through the Premiership squads you'll find that most if not all teams have a big strong striker. Having one in the squad doesn't mean the team has to lump it up to him all the time.