You rate Koren. Now, at this level? Christ. I'll rate long once i've seen him play. However, I would rather have him over all the other strikers in our team that have little or no experience at this level.
Counting his first 2 years in the PL is silly. He was 18 years old. He is a 1 in 4 goal scorer since his return to the PL. That is twice as good as our next current striker. Now you can say that you FEEL that the ones you listed CAN be that good. (except koren who isnt a striker) But to say that they are better than Long is simply wrong. It isnt even up for debate. You can think he was to much money, he is on to much as far as wages go but we have 0 strkers that have a record as good as Longs (excluding Jelavic).
He's done Ok, he's dropped off recently but so have others, earlier in the season he was performing well & consistently.
I'd of thought as I don't rate Long & I've previously said I rate current players as better than him that the answer would be obvious.
Ok so Robert Koren for you would get a new contract and we wouldn't bother with Long as he wouldn't start as Koren would be. Got it now, was just confused by the whole 'I rate Koren'
I wouldn't of bothered with Long at all, especially if the quoted costs are anywhere near accurate. I'd of preferred spending on an in form Championship player with potential rather than Long who has proved consistently that he's not up to this level.
I think what's happening is this jump from Championship to Premier League. We all thought our team was great last year. Looked at the starting line up and thought what a great team we have, but we didn't. The jump from Championship to Premier league is Colossal and signing a Championship player for a team sat in 10th is hardly inspirational. Long, LOTS of experience in the league and HAS scored whatever statistic you may have mentioned. Name another Striker in the league you would rather have that you could get for cheaper?
Danny Graham was a 1:3 for Swansea & left for £5m, based on that we've overpaid for an out of form Long. Hopefully Bruce can get the best out of him. We'd could of got a bang in form Championship player for cheaper or similar, that would of been my preference. Last season & the previous (& on & on) we were a consistent striker short of an excellent team. If we'd had a consistent striker last season we'd of won the league. Signing from a Championship club to a club sat in 10th in the PL should be awe inspiring never mind hardly inspirational. Long does have lots of experience & hasn't consistently produced throughout & that's why I don't rate him, \i think we've overpaid & would rather have banged in an offer for Ings. He will though, receive my support & I hope I'm proved wrong.
I'd go as far as to suggest that overall, Rodgers has had more flops vis-Ã -vis the level than Bruce in transfers.. only Proschwitz has been a let-down really
must be tough for a side battling relegation to see their ex manager doing so much better. I know who you are FatBruce - always blame those before for the mess the current club is in. enjoy going to Leeds next season love,
It is a massive assumption to make that a Championship striker can replicate that goal ratio in the Premiership. Chris Wood dropped down to the Championship last season from West Brom and started knocking them in for fun. Glenn Murray got 30 goals in the Championship last season out of 42 appearances. Do you think he will start replicating that goal ratio again in the Premiership when he comes back from next month. Rhodes would have cost £8M to £9M and probably as much as Long/Jele in wages as that's what hes already on at Blackburn. Ings similarly would have cost £5M and who's to say he's not another Gayle when he comes up against better defenders?
Shane Long has scored in 2 games this season, 8 goals last & 8 goals the season before. Gayle has scored the same amount of goals as Long this season, his first go at it. Long has proved over 4 1/2 seasons in the PL he's not up to it. Your taking less of a chance on Ings.
