The clubs had 6 months (or even just shy of a year since Broja went off the boil last March) and 2 transfer windows to bring someone in. Its ridiculous that we still arnt getting any closer.
Agree that it was a screw up in the summer. Not so sure about this window. Was always going to be either bonkers hard, or we’d throw money after someone not up to the job.
We need a number 9 that is a guaranteed 10+ PL goals a season, we haven't had that since Danny left. No good on relying on regular goals from the likes of Mo El and Adarma we'll be lucky to score 40 this season with what we have currently got.
It’s still a massive **** up and black mark against SR if this window shuts and we don’t have a striker in. I’ve no doubt that it’s difficult etc. etc., but we have known for a ****ing long time that our strike force is not good enough and will not score enough goals and if we don’t improve it there’s a very good chance we go down. All of the options should have been identified and feelers put out before the window opened. Then throw the money at the best options. Go in like you mean it, not pussyfooting around with offers that were never going to be accepted and allow the club and player to look at other options. I’m fully aware it’s not that simple but I also highly doubt we’ve done all we can to land targets because I don’t believe this board would pay over the odds for a player, nor do I think they would pay much for a player that doesn’t have resale value. I don’t want them to spend £20m on someone we know isn’t good enough but there must be players out there that are worth taking a punt on. I’d rather we bring in someone that may or may not be good enough then just continue with what we have which we know isn’t good enough. It’s not hard to improve on our strike force. I said at the start of the window I was worried that they wouldn’t be flexible enough in their approach, that they would need to shelve the long term plan to get some players in that you have to overpay for and players for the short term that we will lose money on. You could argue they did that with Orsic due to his age (though his relatively cheap price I’m sure helped there and I’m sure if we go down we’d make that money back), but if the window shuts and we don’t have a striker then it doesn’t matter how many left sided attackers we bring in, it’s not good enough.
You mean Che "Can't hit a barn door" Adams? I definitely think we need someone in, but the reason we need someone in is that Che isn't the answer. Nor Adam.
Totally get what you mean, and tend to agree, but it was Pelle getting injured that saved Koeman and turned that season around from dogshit to one of our best ever. Perhaps it Che got injured, he’d be forced to play a different way, or to start Sekou who could find his feet. I mean, it’s a major long shot there, and you wouldn’t ideally want to risk it, but I don’t think we’re nailed on relegated if Che gets a knock.
As ever, it's not black or white. The common refrain of "we're down if we don't sign a striker" is a classic example of black/white thinking. FWIW my view is that the team as a team looks suspiciously like it's turned a corner. Our performances look much more like they used to. A striker might indeed make it easier to get out of the relegation zone but it may not be absolutely crucial. We are getting the ball in the net (and goals from open play counted the same as set-pieces last time I looked before that old chestnut rears its ugly head). We have a team that has shown it can fight back. Also, the bottom of this league is so ludicrously flat that a couple of wins would have us laughing - and not many of our competitors have great strikers; that's why they are our competitors. I'd like us to have a new shiny striker but I really don't see it as vital to our survival. I think the apparent revival of the team spirit is worth more. Vin
We have Orsic and Alcaraz to bring in with JWP playing further up the pitch I don't see not signing a striker being a recipe for relegation.
Plus, although I hesitate to mention him, I will. Dom Ballard. The club are quite correctly keeping him out of the limelight but he surely can’t be far off making his PL debut for the first team. Maybe a hat trick in his first start at the Emirates in April?
Problem is that there are very few strikers that are guaranteed 10+ PL goals a season. When I went through all of the striker signings in recent years, a couple months back, I was shocked by how long the average goal return was on fairly expensive signings. I'd hazard a guess it was the equivalent of 5 goals/season or less.
Based on today when Mara got a few minutes, he looked utterly lost. Nowhere near the strength required to be a 9 in the premier league yet. Needs a season in the championship.
Bit Harsh on Che there I think number 7. We all know he is not going to get a shedful of goals and needs to play along side someone, rather than up by himself, he has done okay, I personally would be looking at other personell
