Obviously Long and Jelavic will begin our Premier League games if they are fit but after last night's performance (I don't ever remember seeing Fryatt work so hard) should he now be our 1st choice back up striker?
That's the question. I'm hoping Fryatt continues his current form and earns a new contract at the end of the season. Based on his FA Cup appearances alone he is surely worth keeping in the squad.
I like Matty, but he's nowhere near the quality of Aluko, he's a great Championship striker, but you can't get away with taking so many touches in the Premier League(though he's far better than Danny Graham).
I'd imagine he is our 3rd choice striker now, with Sagbo 4th choice (though they'll be a front pairing for however much longer we remain in the cup for I'd assume).
Aluko is a good forward but I'm not sure I'd call him a striker. He drops so deep when played up front I think he does better when played behind a striker or as an advanced wide player. The same way Eden Hazard is awesome playing off a forward like Eto'o but if you played Hazard in that striker role he'd be far less effective. Having more physical strikers like Long, Jelavic and Sagbo is better to feed the likes of Aluko and Brady (when fit), plus our midfielders who like to make runs to score from deeper positions.
Can't argue with that statement at all. If you were being kind you could say maybe he's suffering from not playing regularly but all the same, and despite the ref ignoring the crap Aluko got, he's honestly not as good as Aluko. I did think Matty looked like he had his elder brothers shirt on, just looked odd on him for some reason.
Matty, bless him, can only dream of the sort of pace that Aluko has, and unless you're very, very good (and/or large), you're a much less potent striker when you don't have pace.
I thought Matty's closing down a defending from the front were admirable last night but Sagbo has a better touch , more quality on the ball and defends in our penalty box better.Sagbo thinks quicker and is our best replacement for Jela or Long. imho
Matty is 5th in the strikers pecking order: Long & Jelly, then Aluko, Sagbo with Matty bringing up the rear. I've never liked the way he uses his feet to juggle the ball and I saw nowt but sweat added to that juggling - sad but true. If we had a left-wing as good as our right then we would see Sagbo coming more into his own in a true hold-up role with snap-shots that, if they don't go in can be picked up by others. Matty has had lots of time, Sagbo deserves some now. His hold- up play in the last 10 - 15mins was worth having 12 men on.
It's a simple matter of what is in the 'bicky-bin' at the end of this season as regards running the club on an even keel. There is every chance that we will sign Livermore - but not at 10 million. Long and Jelly have been two excellent investments whilst "The Hudd" has shown his class. McGreggor and Harper are very solid in the last line of defence. Chester, McShane, Figueroa, Elmohamady and Rosenior have raised their game to this level whilst Bruce has been a good back-up. In my view Fryatt, Sagbo, Aluko (is an individual and not a team player for me), Boyd, Brady (has lost his game), Meyler (a little too erratic at times), Faye and Quinn are a sandwich short of a picnic at this level and I feel that there are better options available. It depends on Mr Allam's 'bean-counters', who most certainly will NOT allow the Club to punch over it's weight financially, as to who goes, who comes in and what the 'War Chest' can afford. I feel that we will obtain loan-in players who are of Premier League quality and bring in a couple of younger up-and-coming players ready for 'blooding' as well as another two or three new signings. Again, this is just my opinion as a fan, and I am not familiar with the wages situation or contracts of those I feel will be let go or made available for transfer. We have done well imo this season so far and the signings of Long and Jelavic have been first class.
