Im over it… Larin scoring with his first touch. Ross will probs get injured with his 
Ross Stewart
- Thread starter Che’s Godlike Thighs
- Start date
-
Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
-
We should swallow our pride and at least ask the question.
So .much this. Ross and cyber interchanged so neither ever played more than 60 mins and so were fresh fir the next game. That is why thet were both so good in Jan to May
I'll call it. It is a very bad decision....hopefully it won't cost us, but I fear it may unless we can find another good striker. I heard there is a lat at Leyton something who is useful.....
Ballard ic clearly a good player but completely the opposite of the profile we need. He is tiny. We need to replace Stewart with a similar profile at the very least.
I've said before, I'd sell Archer and sign Ballard, we could get a LND replacement as well, maybe with a loan initially.
Plus Adarma was small but did well at this level.
I said yesterday that we could do with two new strikers now. One to replace Stewart, the other to replace Armstong.
Larin was, of course, a great addition in January. But for me he was a Downs replacement, not an Armstrong replacement - they both left that month. He performed the role that we had missed throughout the first half of the season, thanks to that horrid decision to sign Downs.
If we had kept Armstrong (or had replaced him), then we wouldn't have needed to start Azaz almost every game. There would have been the option to play three CMs (arguably the strongest area of our squad), with Armstrong (or replacement) and Leo either side of Larin or Stewart.
I know that pre-season should never be replied upon too much, but Archer could do with a blistering few weeks. Can he force his way into our side, or remain a squad player, or is he just someone who we could raise a few quid from?
For me Archer has had long enough to make an impression here and I hope that we cash in personally (he was almost out of the door in January).
On the subject of small attackers there seems to be a bias against them but we have had some great "little'uns" over the years. King Kev, Steve Moran, the Wallace brothers, Marian Pahars, Adarma.
We did the right thing then imo.
A lot of variables to whether this turns out to be a good thing or a bad thing and we're not going to know immediately. He could easily continue to struggle with injuries and fitness, or he could finally be over his injury issues. We could easily struggle to replace his quality and goals, or we could sign another Larin. Worst case scenario is if he signs for a rival and continues to stay fit and firing.
Yeah I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say if he stays fit he could be the top scorer in the Champ.
It’s a big if though, and if he does stay fit and scores 30 or something the club will get hammered, but I’d say, right at this moment when they had to make the decision, it’s the right call to let him go and if he stays fit then fair play to him
Last edited:
It's an understandable decision and if he wanted a 3 year contract then probably the right one. Obviously how people look at it will depend what we do now but you'd need to look at his performances over the next 3 years not just the next season. He might have a great next 12 months and then struggle if age and serious injuries catch up with him.
Last edited:
This is my view as well, he'll be 30 by the time next season starts and injuries must've taken their toll on his body, I think the odds are on it being the right call by 2029.
If you look at Danny Ings, he has had similar injury problems and has deteriorated quite badly after turning 30.
One of the Boro lads at WF said he would have Ross at Boro in a heart beat. I asked him, which Ross, the crock or the goal machine? We have had both. You pays your money and takes the chance.