Mon has apparently confirmed we will be following up our enquiry tomorrow. Would take him at the moment because on today's evidence Wickham ain't ready.
just been on ssn that O'Neill will speak to Bolton again tomorrow regarding the transfer of Kevin Davis to Sunderland. Looks nailed on this like
Have to agree, okay we see different perspectives of a game when you watch from the stand's or the TV, unfortunately for me it has to be the TV. First of all glad to see Campbell get on the scoresheet. We are in need of a striker as I know 99% on here see the same. Getting back to the game I thought Richardson was poor, he seemed to give the ball away far to easy causing us to backtrack and defend when a good pass would have prevented this happening. This isn't jumping on the bandwagon just thought he lost the ball to easily. BTW Villa have just scored.
I think our players need to practice jumping and heading, then put them together, because we didnt win a ball in the air.
Is he the answer to what we need, im not going to question MON but we would have to play a different way to suit Davies, a game based on high pressure not fast breaks.
Thats the problem with signing him, just can't see how he fits into the current system. Mind you, we may be playing on the counter all the time because we can't hold the ball up front, at least he should improve that part of our game.
After Brown going off today I think we should be looking for a CB instead of a striker, if we can get both then fine.
I know I'm probably going against the grain here, but I'm not a massive fan of the Kevin Davies signing rumours... He's been a good mid-table player - never top class - but I think at 34 (35 in March) he's probably a bit old. He's not playing as regularly for Bolton but I doubt he'll come here to sit on the bench. Which leads me to my main fear - that we'll sign him and he'll play at the expense of Wickham and Ji, who need regular football to develop. By signing Davies, who isn't good enough to push us on for European football, we're effectively keeping them out of the team and slowing their development for no net gain - maybe a place in the table or two. Plus - what happens then when Gyan comes back in the summer? I'd much prefer us to loan a striker in as cover. BUT! I'm not a professional football manager and there's probably a good reason for that. Very happy to be proved wrong if the signing does come off. In MON we trust...!
But where are you going to get a decent out and out striker at this point in time (Jan Window) it won't happen. I think we have to accept the striker(s) we want isn't (aren't) available until the summer, along with other sides looking for a front man. I think we are waitng on the Gyan situation once that's finalised then we make a move.
With you totally on Davies mate and what you say about a loan signing instead, again not ideal but something needs to happen soon.
Stripes - totally understand what you mean, it's a tricky one. I suppose I would rather have someone in than risk running out of strikers if we get a few injuries - but I don't want our current strikers, especially Campbell and Wickham, to suffer. Not ideal either way. Which is why I'd prefer a loan, like you say talc. especially since MON has us playing with one striker and Sess. So we'll have Bendtner, Campbell, Davies, Wickham and Ji playing for one spot. We only really need someone short-term to cover Bendtner's injury (unless they are top class)
We all slated Bruce for not brining in a striker last January. I think if it is Kevin Davies then a new challenge might just be what he needs. I also think he has a part to play helping the young strikers. We all know how difficult it is to get a top striker at this time as clubs just don't want to put their clubs at risk unless silly money is on the table.
I think he could play with any of our strikers in a partnership and bring something out of them and it wouldnt be unbalanced . Ive seen him score all sorts of goals ...scrappy and dynamic and ones where hes alone....He gives everyone he plays against lumps Hes an English international who enjoys proving people wrong who have written him off..... MON has a few senior players on the field but I dont think theyve got the leadership quality of this boy when the chips are down or when theyre not.....
We both can see the value of having Kevin Davies for 18 months BB. We need someone with a bit of nous up front and Connor is still a little wet behind the ears on recent evidence. Davies always has been a quality target man. Boltons loss will be our gain imo.
could be worse, could have been heskey... i have no problem signing davies, and given his age it's obvious he's a stop gap. what he will do is give physical presence up front, which is precisely what we lack - we can't keep the ball up there and get pegged back too much. he will work harder and be more physical than bendtner, who's a) injured, b) scored 3 goals, and c) likely to not be here next season, either through his choice, ours, or both. he is more experienced, savvy and stronger than wickham, who also has only one goal to his name? and in any case looks both unfit and not yet up to the rigours of good quality defenders. he will benefit wickham by allowing the lad to come on later in games, and his experience will show wickham how to play. i wouldn't consider him usurping the place of the likes of campbell and ji, they will thrive on playing off his knockdowns. campbell looked totally isolated at times today, with davies there he won't.