So Leeds are rumoured to be after him, supposedly loan with an option/obligation to purchase, it could all be a lazy journalism rumour but seeing he was dropped yesterday it’s gathering more pace. I’m not sure myself why someone is not good enough for a struggling team, I keep reading how he isn’t finding it easy converting to your coaches style of play. Question is what is it he is finding hard, can anyone answer please
Looks to me like all he does is finish chances made for him (at PL level anyway, probably be way better in the Championship). He can’t create his own as he isn’t good enough, and we dont create many chances so he just becomes a passenger. Would be surprised if there was an obligation to buy as I think he would score a lot in the Championship for us next year, there was talk he picked up an injury as well from our end which is why he wasn’t in the squad, guess we’ll find out soon enough. Can see a loan with no option as being a good deal for both sides
I would rather cash in now. Not at all convinced. Two managers have managed him including the one who bought him. Neither considered him a first choice. The question is whether he would be good enough for Leeds ? Typical Saints signing from last summer and the one I did expect to be better. Would prefer a sale instead of a loan.
I honestly don’t understand this narrative. Who the hell created his goal against Liverpool then?! To my eye he is easily our best striker, albeit with little to no competition.
He created his goal at Arsenal. And also the Liverpool cup game to a lesser extent. I think he'll smash it the championship personally and in the right team would get 8+ in the PL. Didn't suit Martin's style at all and Juric clearly doesn't fancy him for whatever reason. It also hasn't helped, imo at least, that whenever he has scored a goal which he can take some confidence from he's been back out of the team and not been given the chance to get some momentum going. Like many strikers he seems massively affected by confidence and I don't believe he's been used well this season.
I didn’t see the Liverpool game actually and forgot he scored in that one. The Arsenal game was a breakaway wasn’t it? Where he just ran unopposed then a good cut back and finish from memory. I wasn’t clear enough in my previous assessment. I like Archer, and agree he is our best striker. I just think for him to be successful at PL level he’d need people making chances for him as to me he is a “finisher” type striker who doesn’t get involved too much apart from that. Nothing wrong with that, just not great when we are creating so little. Need a different type of striker to help get involved with link up play and chance creation I think I said before (think during the Utd game) that a front three of Sulemana, Archer and Dibling would be our best bet of scoring goals, but we’d concede a **** load more than we are already
The one at Arsenal wasn't a chance really though when he got the ball. It was quite wide and he had to check back and make the space for the shot. Was by no means a simple through ball and goal. I don't largely disagree with your general sentiment and I don't think we've really played to his strengths. Particularly under Martin we very rarely played balls in behind for him. We also lack creativity in the team in general which doesn't work for a striker like him. I'd like to see him on the left when we have Paul upfront. Felt yesterday that he might have been closer to some of the headers which he won second half.
I rate Archer, just needs better supply up there imo, just like Onuachu has done. Feel he’ll score goals for fun for us in Championship and wouldn’t wanna see us sell him, especially to Leeds, you know he’s bound to go and keep them up next season if we do…
Archer to me feels like he’d be better suited to a front 2 than a 1. Not physically dominant enough as a lone striker, not creative enough for wing or 10. But yes I think he’s a bit like Armstrong, he’ll score plenty in the Championship but likely never fit into any Premier L ague tactic for a lower half club
I think he has a lot of potential but this season has hampered many players development. A loan until the end of the season with him playing regularly could be a good move if Juric doesn't plan to play him this year.
With our strike ‘force’ consisting of onuachu, archer, Armstrong and Ross Stewart we would be mad to loan him out. My verdict on Archer: shows promise, remains to be seen if he can become a PL striker. Will get goals in the championship.
