The striker search...

In hindsight I am glad that we didn't sign Ruiz or Maiga, as for me they probably wouldn't have been anywhere near the standards of Best and Ba. I would have happily taken Gameiro or Gervinho as they would have been an improvement on what we have and are also different types of players to Best and Ba, so they would have given us more options. I was uncertain regarding Erdinc, but because he seems to be so highly rated by Mr. Carr I would have happily taken him and I think he'd have done well.

However there is a point to this article.

There was a couple of players a lot of us on here were really wanting and we were tentatively linked with them at points in the last year (no, I'm not referring to Vossen, Mansare or Progrebnyak!)

The two players I am referring to here are Ricky Van Wolfswinkel and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson.

Van Wolfswinkel not only has a wonderful name but he also signed for Sporting Lisbon for just above £5 million and since then has scored 6 goals in 7 games. That, for me, is an absolute bargain!

Sigthorsson signed for Ajax for around £4.2 million. He has since scored 5 goals in 6 games. And again he would have been a bargain!

The two players are 22 and 21 years of age respectively and we could have signed them both early on in the transfer window for a combined fee of what we were bididng for the likes of Erdinc. Does anyone else feel we really should have gone for at least one of these players? Not that I am complaining too much, because Ba and Best have been sensational. But imagine if we got rid of Shola and Lovenkrands. We could have had Ba, Best, Sightorsson and Van Wolfswinkel. Now that would have been something special...just an after thought!

 

Playing devils advocate, these guys are playing in leagues of a much lower standard.

Also, you say you're happy we didn't sign Maiga, but has had 4 goals in his last few games for Sochaux I think (admittedly in Ligue 1) and he is different to Ba/Best as he is pacier and has quick feet.

 

The striker search...

... is solved:

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Players have to start somewhere and I think they would have adapted to the Premier League really well. Who would you have preferred to see on the bench, Shameobi and Lovenkrands or Sightorsson and RVW. They wouldn't need to start straight away so we could have given them time to adapt to the Premiership. Also the main reason I am not fussed regarding Maiga is because he has never been prolific except until now and he has a horrible attitude. Obviously if he signed I'd have given him every chance and backed him 100%!

 

Best is championship standard.

 

Disagree, 9 goals in around 12 PL starts?

 

I tend to ignore him myself, he is an idiot!

 

I dont care, even **** players can score tap-ins.

 

He doesnt even start for Ireland. Simon Cox gets more game time than him.

 

You dont know what your talking about! I deal with Facts only, the fact that you say Best is Championship standard, what facts do you have to back that up? I'd love to know! The fact that he's got a strike record any PL striker would be happy with?!

 

Yet one who was formerly touted as the best striker in the world (Torres) cant? Also how many of Leon's Newcastle goals have you seen.

 

Like you said everyone has to start somewhere, Maiga's record at Schoux isn't to different to these two players, although he's older (after a quick look on wiki) and lets be fair many footballers have a shocking attitude. Barton's attitude towards his employers (even though they are dicks) was shocking. The way Ben Arfa left his club is similar to what Maiga is doing. N'Zogbia's attitude was shocking when he wanted out but atleast half this board would have taken him back. Pretty sure West Ham fans weren't to happy when Ba left them when they were relegated as they'd given him his PL oppourtinity regardless of his dodgey knee.

What im trying to say is if maiga's good enough, his attitude doesn't really concern me. It's not like he could singlke handedly ruin the team spirit.

Saying this I'd be more than happy with either of these as well. Although Man U were linked with Wolfswinkel today.

 

The fact that ive seen him play makes me believe he championship standard.

 

Ive seen all of his goals for newcastle.

 

So they were all tap ins then?

 

As I said I'd give Maiga every chance to impress. I am just personally not sold on him, but I can't argue with the start to the season that he has made. My argument is we could have got the two players from the OP at the same price as we could have got Maiga.

 

Would you rather have a scorer of great goals or a scorer of many goals?

 

[video=youtube;gJAmyOM5uuU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJAmyOM5uuU[/video]

Tap in?

 

We should just spend all of our transfer budget for the next 5 seasons on Edinson Cavani

 

Maybe not all but most are tap ins and close range headers.