I can't believe people still question the need for a target man, how often have they ****ed us up over the years? We've struggled against a big target man for as long as I can remember watching. Dion Dublin being mentioned above reminded me of this, he always used to score against us for Norwich in the Championship, same with Barry Hayles at Plymouth. I'm sure there are more...
Why do we need a 'big man' so he can be used for 6/7 set pieces? But for 87 out of 90 minutes he can then flounder around and look useless? Defence can the turn creator by hoofing aimless long balls up to a big man in the hope that he can turn a touch into an opportunity? Works in league 1 and 2 maybe, I don't wish to watch that deterioration and **** football at the KC. It's the midfield and a winger that needs addressing not a numb 6'5" cart horse to wander aimlessly up front like a donkey. No need!!!!
Why does a target man have to be a donkey? Have you seen Jay Bothroyd play at all this season? Jon Parkin, Shane Long? Looking at the Premiership is Drogba a donkey? And what about Carroll, Crouch, Pavyluchenko, Kenwyne Jones, Zigic, Dzeko? Are they donkeys? All of the above are target men who are technically talented, most of them score goals and just because they are good in the air doesn't mean they have to be gash at everything else. Yes there are players like Holt, Becchio and Heskey who solely rely on strength but there are also plenty of others. Either way, it's the physical thing we lack, so even if it was a donkey we got, it'd still give us something we desperately need.
Sorry, didn't realise we were being linked with Drogba, I thought it was Adebola and Howard. Who let's be honest can't even be mentioned in the same breath as the players you've listed. The players you listed are also mobile, not like the cast offs we've been linked who a) are at the end of their careers b) their careers weren't that great when they were in their prime. We're now looking at them as some ornamental pitch feature, because sure as **** they won't be bringing energy to the team.
I agree with your point but why have you named a donkey and a midget as examples of target men who aren't donkey's? Steve Morison was the best example I saw last season. The term "target man" is what is dying from the game. The big, strong forward who can play back to goal isn't.
Nobody's defending Adebola, I was just showing a you examples that prove target man can still be good footballers and don't have to be ****e.
I was going to suggest Kyle Lafferty, but I've just seen his recent form, if he was lower down the pecking order at Rangers then it might have been a possibility.
He's got to be about the worst finisher I've ever seen. He's right up there with Craig ***an in the "willing worker but not a striker" category.
The point of having a squad (other then to cover injuries) is to allow you to play different formats tactics etc. Our current strikers are all similar we lack what is called a target man. We have had one of the best of this type in Stuart Pearson play for us. Like Deano he was not that big but strong and broad enough to hold off defenders and bring the midfield into the game. With a target man it does not necessarily mean high balls into the box but balls played into the feet for the return.
Sorry, but how many games have you watched where the 'target man' has passes played to feet? I'm guessing not many? Even crouch who prefers ball to feet has it launched at him from all over the pitch because he's seen as a 'target man' sorry it's rubbish, and the sooner fans drop the 1970s notion that you need a brick out house up front then the more likely we are to move up the football world ranking list.
I may not have explained myself very well but I don´t like the big tall striker good in the air but useless on the ground. Both Pearson and Windass were more than useful on the floor and I would prefer somebody who can play football rather than just a Whitehurst type player. Man U would play the ball into Pearsons feet usually with his back to the defender and it was effective. It is just as easy to play the ball into feet as it is in the air when even if we win the first ball we lose the second. In full agreement with your last sentence.
Current issues: 1) We pose no threat from corners or free kicks. You're saying 7 or 8 a game. I'd say nearer to 10, and if you give a big man a 50/50 chance of winning headers in that situation that'd be 5 attempts on goal that we're sacrificing immediately. 2) When defending in our own area, clearances are going as far as the half way line and due to no physical presence coming straight back at us. How many chances do this make for the opposition and cost us because we lose possession almost instantly where if someone could hold it for 5 seconds you could have the likes of Stewart and Simpson helping out and launching a counter attack at pace? 3) When attacking, the opposition just drop deep in numbers to neutralise the pace of Stewart/Simpson. Having the big man up front forces them to defend higher up the pitch due to the aerial threat they pose. Once they're defending higher it's much easier for the likes of Stewart to do their job without even involving the targetman if we don't need to.
1) Disagree on your 10 chances and 50% = 5 goal attempts. What's wrong with being creative with variety? High ball into the front post/back post from a corner/free kick is a) very predictable and b) very British c) very **** to watch. I want to see creativity, short corners, crosses across the ground for a strike on goal etc etc It's an epidemic in this country where player converge around the penalty get it in the box!!It's like pub football!! 2) Disagree clearances should be 'controlled' anyway so your not just launching the ball into the unknown. Pick out a team mate with the ball from defence into midfield and out to the wings. Don't just hoof up front while A Donkey holds it up to miss place a pass into touch. Swansea are about the best team i've seen in all our time in the Championship. All 11 players comfortable on the ball, not afraid to pass the ball around, no big donkey up front, played football in the right way with no real superstars in their team, and they got their reward of promotion, well earnt. A group of players all pulling in the same direction is an unstoppable force, all working to the same plan, all knowing their jobs to the *nth degree, and all trusting their team mates with the ball. 3) The 'Big Man' argument. We don't need it, and hopefully we won't choose the path to donkeydom. Midfield can create more opportunities by supporting attack in numbers, tricky wingers either side Stewart and A N Other. Danns in midfield if we're fortunate enough to land him, with RoKo and Evans will bolster the attack and provide us with many more options than having an un mobile geriatric up front, who can just win a few headersThe game is all about pace now, we're unlikely to find a big numpty that has pace, so it's like playing with 10 men. We're gearing up for an exciting season Rosenior at RB (our most attacking player for the most part) and Dudgeon looks of similar ilk, so with another left winger it'll be like have 2 wingers down either flank. I don't disgree with a back to goal striker, but not an Adebola or a Howard. Henderson would be ok, he's reasonably mobile.
Ricardo's points make sense. You've just sort of dismissed them with illogical comments such as 'clearances should be controlled'. If it's a choice, get the ****er out of the area or pussyfoot about trying to get your clearance to the right angle, you choose to get rid. If you don't, you concede.
Not really illogical, my opinion. We want progressive football, not football from the dark ages. How many times does an aimless clearance go to the opposition? Plenty, controlled clearances with well thought out passing rather than hit and hope results in possession football. You stick to hit and hope football, there's plenty of that around in parks across the county on a Sunday.
If in doubt, give it a clout. By all means, when you have time use it. I'm all for that, but when you don't, and the ball just needs to go out of your area you get rid. Did you see the Middlesbrough home game? We tried 'controlled' clearances there.
Not sure it is a dying breed but I think it takes footballing experience which logically only comes with age to become a good target man. You very rarely see a young one they get called late comers to the professional game eg Drogba, Windass. The only young example i can think of which is commonly known as a target man is Lukaku
There was nothing controlled about the defending against 'Boro. It was panic and calamity defending. A season's worth of errors in 45 minutes of football. You're not likely to see that too often TBH!
