Which is why I think Grabban would be a useful player in the PL where we'd need a counter-attacking threat as other teams come on to us, especially away from home. He also disrupts defenders, making space for others to get into scoring positions. As for his last goal, I think he actually 'touched' the ball around the keeper so that he could follow it up, but fortunately it went in anyway.
We voted in August as fans of a former Premier league team that most thought were good enough to survive for a 4th year. We didn't sell anyone vital to our squad and even strengthened in areas to give us the best chance at bouncing back. If I was a Millwall fan Leeds fan or Rotherham fan I could understand the logic in playing down our chances but I'm not, we still have a squad that could handle the bottom half of the Premier league and I have every right to expect us to go up. The critisism of Delia McNally and the board has gone and I find anyone who doesn't see the results week in week out to be anything less than promotion/champion form to be delusional now. For heavens sake even our fiercest critic Carabuh has even seen the light. O T B C.
He may do that against those in this Division, he's not got anywhere near the skills to do it at the next level. He's a Championship player at best, nothing wrong with that or saying it.
My pecking order. 1. Wolfswinkel 2. Hooper 3.Jerome 4.Grabban 5.Lafferty 6.Becchio Skill and pedigree don't always mean goals and assists. Becchio is as good as gone and a total waste of money but 3 of the remaining 5 should be here next season . 2 3 & 4 plus a new signing looks the most likely.
I think that's spot on. Much as I'd like Wolfswinkel to come back and prove all the doubters wrong, he seems to have a good thing going in France.
I'm surprised to see Wolf top of your list though agree with the rest of it. I'd love to see Ricky given another shot with the current management and midfield set up but suspect chances are slim to nowt. If we make it up this year, chances on goal will be fewer. It would be interesting to see the stats this season for who's converted the most chances vs wasted.
Yes, that would be interesting to see. Has anyone seen the Ipswich V Brentford game on the League Show and the mighty Murphy's glaring miss just after the start of the 2nd half???
There you go! Shoved a few others in there for fun, and Wolfwinkels are of course not for us. Also worth noting, i didn't include any blocked shots in the 'on target percentage'. From this id say a few things. 1. Hooper is the best striker overall (especially if we go up, with the paucity of chances for strikers in the Prem) 2. Grabban is actually quite accurate, but doesn't test the keeper nearly enough. (only 1 in 3 on target converted to goals) 3. If Johnson is on target, he will score. No two ways about it! 4. Wolfswinkel isn't doing that well in France. 5. Jerome is a more effective striker than Grabban on balance. That would make my top 4 1.Hooper 2.Jerome 3.Wolfwinkel 4.Grabban
Really nice analysis. I love how Johnson's shooting is still pretty inaccurate but the ones that are on target go in. I think it shows, even in the stats, that most of his shots are absolute canons!
"Skill and pedigree don't always mean goals and assists." I find this a very bizarre point to try and make.
Those Johnson stats are hilarious. That basically means he hits the ball incredibly hard, but with wayward accuracy. So about right.
I cannot see a scenario where RvW returns. He's well liked at St Etienne and they could be in the Champions League next season - certainly Europa League. We've already agreed a fee for him. I think if that falls through he'll go elsewhere. He's still highly rated everywhere except here.
He didn't get on for St.Etienne in their 2-0 win today, unused sub he was. Max Gradel seems to be doing better for them this season and he's never played higher than League One over here has he?
Always liked Gradel. Think he may have played Championship for Leeds. He's the only piece of the League One Leeds midfield we never signed!
