Striker needed

[JayGreen17]

Righdo. Here goes.

Is it just me having deja vue ??

Seem to recall stating all of this precisely 12 months ago.

Having been generally encouraged by Leon's improvement late last season, and a workmanlike performance against Brentford, his obvious technical deficiencies were clearly evident tonight. His first touch, so vitally important in his role, was Hanson Esque ! Not good. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt.

Billy. Our Billy. What can I say. You might as well come and have a sit in the stand with me if that's the way we are going to play. Said it times many, Sharp is useless in a side using direct long ball tactics. We went far too long far too often last night. Again. And to add insult to injury, against a team who's average height must have been 6'2". A giant side, big, strong, well drilled etc etc.

Why on earth would you employ such tactics against such a strong, tall side ?? It plays straight in to their hands. Their defenders lapped it up, had a field day, and our front lads did not get a sniff. The ball came straight back at us. Each and every time. For the life of me I can't understand why this tactically naive strategy was employed. Down to the manager ? Or down to the players ? I would really really love to know.

When we actually did get the ball down and played a bit, we looked good. So why the fuck did we not do it more ??
This is our game. We blasted L1 last year on the back of this. Why the "need" to change ? As you can tell, I'm utterly bemused by this !

I still maintain Clarke and Sharp is not a pair, but yesterday was not a game to judge this. The service was just not there.

Look, losing 1-0 away at Boro is no great cause for panic. Particularly as we were robbed of a point (a point we didn't deserve !).

They have spent more on players in the last 2 or 3 years than we have done in our entire 128 year history. Sadly it showed !!

Onwards. But we need to learn from this

UTB

Couldn't have put it better myself! Great post.

 

[DronnieBlade]

experience of the first half !

Maybe.

But the fact that in his post match interview Wilder has said we changed a few bits at half time tells its own story.

We were better 2nd half cos we played more our type of game. Every single time this Wilder side goes "long" it backfires spectacularly. We just don't have the personnel for the job. So why force it ?

UTB

 

[Fanny magnet]

Clarke was no better than Sharp. And he was more directly involved, and did precisely squat with it. First touch was abysmal.

Not a good day at the office for either. Trying to pick out who was best, rather pointless.

Evans will ultimately displace one of them in the long run. For the sake of the team, it should be Clarke that makes way. I'm not at all sure Tufty sees it as I do !

UTB

Incredible

 

[Norderner]

Give the front lads some proper service and balls played to them at a far quicker pace (so the opposition haven't all had chance to funnel back into position) and then and only then can we judge the existing forwards. If they miss chances then fine we need others, but if the poor sods are feeding on scraps (like last nignt) what are they supposed to do? Messi could have played up top for Utd for 60 mins last night and looked garbage cos he wouldn't have got the ball.

Leon 1st 10 minutes? Should have eaten it! Different game then? Especially if Fleck had of tucked his in as well?

 

[DronnieBlade]

Incredible

That's a bit strong.

I'll take insightful, but even I don't think I'm that good

But thanks anyway !

UTB

 

[BushBlade]

Every single one of their players was a better player than ours, being worth much more in the transfer market and being paid much more in wages. Not one of our players would get into their team. They have a good manager who set them up right to counter our threats.
It's that simple. You can go on about tactics til you're blue in the face but a team of better players, matching us in work rate and organisation, is always likely to beat us.

 

[super_pig]

Maybe.

But the fact that in his post match interview Wilder has said we changed a few bits at half time tells its own story.

We were better 2nd half cos we played more our type of game. Every single time this Wilder side goes "long" it backfires spectacularly. We just don't have the personnel for the job. So why force it ?

UTB

exactly we aren't trying to force it.. the team has no experience at this level and had a tendency to 'get rid of it'. .. (disguised as long ball to Leon).. they'll acclimatise

 

[Barney]

Personally I think we could really do with a top quality addition in CB, CM, ST and out wide. I appreciate the want not to "spunk money" but at some point you have to face the reality that real quality doesn't always come cheap.

 

[Stretch]

Regarding Billy, I was listening to Hasselbaink at half time and he was asked about him only touching the ball 7 times. His response was interesting, in that he wasn't at all worried because as a manager he knows that Sharp only needs 1 touch to impact the game. So on that basis the emphasis should be on getting the ball to him in the right areas of the pitch, which is easier said than done of course. In any case a lack of touches does not equate to a lack of workrate, he was still making runs, finding space and trying to cause their defenders a headache or 2, it's just that up against better defenders and better organised teams this is going to be much harder to achieve.

I didn't realise that Hasselbaink knows Billy and had worked with him. He was incredibly complimentary, praising his skill as a finisher and mental attributes, in particular his determination to win and strength of character. Coming from a striker of Hasselbaink's quality this was high praise indeed. I loved watching that guy play.

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

Billy will get goals in this league - he just needs to be playing in the box and be surrounded by the right kind of players (who can stretch defences and create space for him).

I agree with the posters we need an injection of pace and power. Hopefully Wilder will be looking to solve this issue.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Billy will get goals in this league - he just needs to be playing in the box and be surrounded by the right kind of players (who can stretch defences and create space for him).

I agree with the posters we need an injection of pace and power. Hopefully Wilder will be looking to solve this issue.

A fully match fit and healthy Evans will help in this regard. But I agree, we need to think seriously about moving at least one or two out and invest in an upgrade.

UTB

 

[LoughboroBlade]

A fully match fit and healthy Evans will help in this regard.

I don't think we can afford to wait for that to happen, besides which there are still question marks on whether Evans even when fully match fit will really deliver. I'm hoping transfers at other clubs will allow us to bring in someone of quality that will offer more of an outlet when on the pitch.

 

[Slim Man]

We do need a striker with a bit of pace who can stretch teams when we're under the cosh. At the minute when we hoof it it's coming straight back cos Leon and Billy aren't quick enough to reach it in time.

We've needed one all summer.

 

[HoodedClaw]

Personally for me there was too much long ball first half, whether that was tactical (we aren't that type of team so won't work) or that we are still getting used to the league, I'm not sure. We seemed to lack a bit of confidence, there were numerous occasions where Coutts or Fleck could've turned an ran forward with the ball but chose to pass it backwards, which invariably meant it ended up being knocked up towards Clarke.

It also didn't help that Carruthers first touch was shocking, I'm hoping he was just having one of those days. We seemed to get better when Duffy came on and we started to try to play our normal passing game.

We do seem to lack some options and we've lacked pace for a while, but I'm intrigued as to what Wilder business Wilder will get done before Jim White day.

However all the above said, 'Boro certainly didn't look £50million+ better than us. I'm pretty sure if we'd have had Bamford and Asombalonga we'd have won by more than 1 goal. But hey thats £21million worth of "talent" in those 2. The worlds gone fuckin' mad.

 

[Norderner]

Baldock's brother on a season long loan from Brighton is the new name I've been told.

 

[derfblade.3]

Baldock's brother on a season long loan from Brighton is the new name I've been told.

Told by who?

 

[Grizzly blade]

Regarding Billy, I was listening to Hasselbaink at half time and he was asked about him only touching the ball 7 times. His response was interesting, in that he wasn't at all worried because as a manager he knows that Sharp only needs 1 touch to impact the game. So on that basis the emphasis should be on getting the ball to him in the right areas of the pitch, which is easier said than done of course. In any case a lack of touches does not equate to a lack of workrate, he was still making runs, finding space and trying to cause their defenders a headache or 2, it's just that up against better defenders and better organised teams this is going to be much harder to achieve.

I didn't realise that Hasselbaink knows Billy and had worked with him. He was incredibly complimentary, praising his skill as a finisher and mental attributes, in particular his determination to win and strength of character. Coming from a striker of Hasselbaink's quality this was high praise indeed. I loved watching that guy play.

He was coach at Forest when Sharp was there.
I went to a forest/Blackpool game over the big hill a few years back with a mate...before it went badly wrong for pool obviously.

 

[Norderner]

Told by who?

Fortunate to have a mate who works at the club, so get a few snippets here and there. Told me George was signing a fortnight into the close season. Also that Hugill was a goer until PNE started demanding Monopoly money due to sunlan & brim coming in. So fingers crossed. Exactly what we need. Right age, pace and a proven finisher at championship level.

 

[Booker4]

Billy would be great if he got some service, same for Ched, but we just didn't get the ball in the box today, we we're like that against Walsall too. I'm happy we try and play nice football but crossing the ball isn't a hoof. We need to get it into the box instead of passing it around until they close the gaps and we end up back at coutts in our own half.

Wish Billy had gotten that Leon chance, would have been very different.

We need a fast Leon.

My problem with the existing formation is and lack of wingers is that we have no one who can drop the shoulder and take someone on - with or without pace - Brooks aside, but he isn't a regular yet. Therefore the number 10 role is arguably the most important creativity wise and I think we could have done with Holmes or someone of real consistent quality, like Jamie Murphy did for us. Think about it - how many games did he win on his own? We need someone like that and they don't come cheap but we can afford it post sell ons this summer.

 

[HolmesfieldBlade]

100% need more pace and fire power upfront. Someone who is speedy and can hold the ball up for our midfield.

 

[super_pig]

Regarding Billy, I was listening to Hasselbaink at half time and he was asked about him only touching the ball 7 times. His response was interesting, in that he wasn't at all worried because as a manager he knows that Sharp only needs 1 touch to impact the game. So on that basis the emphasis should be on getting the ball to him in the right areas of the pitch, which is easier said than done of course. In any case a lack of touches does not equate to a lack of workrate, he was still making runs, finding space and trying to cause their defenders a headache or 2, it's just that up against better defenders and better organised teams this is going to be much harder to achieve.

I didn't realise that Hasselbaink knows Billy and had worked with him. He was incredibly complimentary, praising his skill as a finisher and mental attributes, in particular his determination to win and strength of character. Coming from a striker of Hasselbaink's quality this was high praise indeed. I loved watching that guy play.

.. and this is why boro worked so hard to cut out Billys supply

 

[5tannington Blade]

I do agree it would be great to have a striker with pace that can catch a team on the break when are on the back foot like yesterday. Let's not get carried away though, it will be different at home and Billy just needs the odd pull back, scrap in the box to get a goal. I though Clarke did well yesterday despite some comments on here, chased the ball down, made some decent tackles. He should be a good option from the bench though but he will be effective against some of the lesser oppositions in the league

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Billy would be great if he got some service, same for Ched, but we just didn't get the ball in the box today, we we're like that against Walsall too. I'm happy we try and play nice football but crossing the ball isn't a hoof. We need to get it into the box instead of passing it around until they close the gaps and we end up back at coutts in our own half.

Wish Billy had gotten that Leon chance, would have been very different.

We need a fast Leon.

Seat Leon Cupra R. That should do it.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

.. and this is why boro worked so hard to cut out Billys supply

Ha-ha! You're joking right? He just wasn't in the game mate. Simple as that really. The way we played in the first half, except the first ten minutes, was the reason why.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Won't find me giving him a free pas at all. But yesterday was not his fault in anyway if there is no service there is no service.

Only reason Clarke touched it more was because he was the target.

I guess that is easy to check out on the video and see how many times Clarke got the ball because it had been knocked long to him as a target man and how many times he got it because he was in better positions and just generally more involved in the game?

I think you're making excuses for Billy personally. 16 touches for Clark, 7 for Billy. That speaks volumes I'm afraid.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Baldock's brother on a season long loan from Brighton is the new name I've been told.

Is he fitter than his brother?

 

[DronnieBlade]

I guess that is easy to check out on the video and see how many times Clarke got the ball because it had been knocked long to him as a target man and how many times he got it because he was in better positions and just generally more involved in the game?

I think you're making excuses for Billy personally. 16 touches for Clark, 7 for Billy. That speaks volumes I'm afraid.

16 first touches. 14 2nd touches being a tackle !

Speaks volumes

UTB

 

[Norderner]

CW's preference at Northampton was 4-1-2-3

Is he fitter than his brother?

You are a clown, aren't you? He's missed 2 games so he's a crock? Need to reign your neck in. Bet your a right laugh on a night. Negative Ned.