Trying to get up-to-date news on Holt's hamstring injury and all I can find is that the club are working hard to get him ready for Saturday against NUFC. We need to win this one - opposition not looking too effective recently, but fear we will struggle without Holt. No news about Morison - both Jackson and Kane unlikely to be chosen in a 4-4-1-1 formation. Gone very quiet on a new striker front - Bechio now mentioned in the mix, but get the impression that Graham now unlikely to tread the turf at CR. Frustrating time at the moment as it would have been more reassuring had a suitable striker been in place for Saturday. I can see the striker scenario going down to the wire, but with games against Liverpool and Spurs to follow NUFC can we afford to let this run and run until end of January?
WoahWoahWoahWoahWoah!!! Thats an awful lot of information buddy! If your lead striker is injured, and it's not a long term one, why reveal when he's back? Much better for it to be POW! Holts back bitches!!! On the striker front, it's tricky. We all want someone in but theres a lot of discussions that need to go on, lots of bullshitting and corporate hoodoo. Think back over previous years, how many strikers get bought in the middle of the window? Not many. Usually a last minute job not usually out of panic but more out of a month of bartering and the selling party finding cover etc. As a buyer a selling party owes us nothing and doesn't give a crap if we need a striker asap, all they care about is securing a good price. We shouldn't assume that our team is resting on its laurels and doing nothing till deadline day just for drama, activity will be furious right now and Hughton has obviously isolated players he wants. Just have to be patient but I frigging hate the January window, way too much hassle!
Jackson was chosen in a 4-4-1-1 on Saturday and was very effective with Benno playing just off him - their pace and movement would worry any defence so I would not be overly concerned if Holty wasn't fully fit although it would be better for us if he was avialable. I have a sneaky that Jackson will start Saturday with Holty maybe on the bench. We'll see..... No need to press the button marked "panic" just yet - apart from Ba, Sturridge and Chamack, not many strikers have moved in the window so far - it's very early days and there's a whole lot more drama to unfold this month that's for sure.
its amazing how many people panic at this time of year isn't it. i honestly dread to think what this board would be like if we don't manage to sign this mythical new striker which will bang in 20 goals a season. beefy is right. why would the club announce our star man is fit again? and odds are we won't be able to bring a new striker in – at least, not one who massively improves our forwards – but we shall see. we're 12th in the league and sitting very comfortably in mid table, we've had a lot of key players out over the past few games and they'll all be due back in the near future. as others have said, certainly no need to panic, that's for sure!
Couldn't agree more Supers. In my opinion Holt, Jackson, Morison and Kane are more than adequate to cover the one place in our 4-4-1-1 formation and any major purchases should be left until the summer when CH can review the whole squad and the formation he wants to play next year. CH will also know then how much he has in the kitty to spend overall.
I think we'll get someone but you'll never please everyone. there seem to be entrenched camps of thought forming amongst fans and if an alternative to their way of thinking is purchased theres going to be some serious butthurtery... e.g. theres the "Cisse/Michu Camp" - some people now believe theres a miraculous striker in europe that can be purchased for a fiver. His name is enrique gonzalez djibuti toure III and he plays for Barcelona Z, you know the type. These folks tend to pretend to be football scouts but actually they just know how to use wikipedia. I can see the tweets now... "I Can't BELIEVE we got Hooper instead of enrique gonzalez djibuti toure III!! He's WELL good on FIFA!! YOU ARE **** MCNALLY! #disappointed"
Funny how Beefy disappeared when 'The King Of Spain' went out on loan ? Now he's back, Beefy has returned
Jackson up front with Elliot B. behind worked well against lowly Posh, but come on can you see that working against NUFC? OK, lets accept that Holt will be back for at least the Liverpool game on 19th Jan and hopefully beyond, but as we are unlikely to take much at Anfield what points we do get need to be against Newcastle and Spurs. Even if Jackson starts as a lone striker with Hoolahan behind he isn't going to trouble Newcastle even though they are pretty poor at present. CH has introduced the 4-4-1-1 system with some success, but without a big strong target man it is likely to be less effective. Morison should have been shown the door end of last season and a replacement sought in case of the very scenario we have now - an injured Holt. If Jackson does play as the lone striker I hope he proves me wrong and scores a hat-trick!
That's rather presumptuous regarding Jackson! So long as Hoolahan behind him provides adequate support I'm sure he would be fine!
I can't see Jackson on his own up front working. Upfront on your own you have to be either strong with good T&T, or average with immaculate T&T. Being quick is not a strong enough attribute to play on your own, unless your midfield are very good at keeping the ball, which ours isn't. If he is on his own that ball is just going to be coming back at us time and time again, Hoolahans good but he can't carry the burden of Jacksons possesion as well.
And why all the negative about Jackson? Every time he plays for us he delivers at the very least great effort, and usually a lot more than that. If Holt is still injured, I'd prefer Jackson to start before either Morison or Kane.
Anyone who criticises Jacko either did not see him rip Manure apart last year in the first half or have a very poor memory of all the great things we have seen him do, was over the moon to see him start at Posh and would not be at all worried if he started Saturday
We may have made 3 new signings in Fox, Jackson and Benno? Jackson to go on a "end of the championship" style bender?
i expect the people who said grant holt couldn't play up front on his own are now the very same people who say the same about simeon jackson. fact is, jackson is a good player. is he as good as holty? no. but they are totally different players and actually, i think we'd probably play a little more football if we started with jackson up top as it means we can't go long to holt as an out-ball. his goal at the weekend was pure instinct - natural goal poaching. the lad has pace to burn and is always a willing runner. you won't find a player who works harder. he is much stronger than carrabuh is giving credit for (quelle surprise!) and can head a ball, though of course not as well as if he was 6ft 3"!. his performance away to ipswich was one of the very best i've ever seen from a norwich player - he's been very patient, lets see if he now gets an opportunity to impress again. i think he may well have leap-frogged both morison and kane after his showing at the posh. i personally think he works better in a two but that doesn't mean he can't be effective on his own, especially with hoolahan threading through balls for him to use his pace. deserves a chance
Benno was doing a pretty good job of this on Sat as well. Could play Benno and drop Pilks or sub Pilks after say 60 mins.
