With Brucie having bid for all 3 of Wickham, N'Gog and Ji its looking more likely IMO that we will play 4/5/1 next season with Sess in behind Gyan as the lone striker. I would not be unhappy if that was the case as I would imagine this summers marquee signing will come in the form of a winger/creative midfield. Still early doors mind and anything can happen but if thats the case the midfield will have to chip in with a canny few goals this term.
He knows he needs to get a decent striker in, his job is gonna depend on it. Perhaps that is what Whickham is line-up for. Big enough name to give us that boost? I know nowt of him, but would everyone be happy if that was our only striker buys..
Simply, no. Your spot on to say that Bruce not getting a quality and PROVEN striker in, may as well be him handing in his resignation. He's done ok this summer to date, Gardner is another solid aquisition, i don't believe for a second we aren't working on getting a really decent striker in.
Its hard to say pal IMO Sess will be the key man next season pulling the strings and creating the chances, for me his best position and favoured by all acounts is just behind the striker but could you see him playing behind 2 strikers? That leaves the other 3 midfielders playing quite narrow and unless we have 2 Dani Alves style full backs we wont be using the full width of the pitch, could be well wrong but thats IMO. It seems to me as its either Sess on the wing and bring in a top striker or Sess behind Gyan and a top winger coming in as I couldn't see a top striker coming in to sit on the bench or demote Gyan to the bench if we go that way, thats why someone like Wickhm could be perfect in Brucie's eyes. Plenty of selection for Brucie if he brings in a top winger aswell as a top striker, cannot see it mind
We need more than one striker in. Bruce's big problem is the lack of a Plan B and C when things start going wrong. We can't afford to be short of goals up front and relying on the midfield to score.
We have got to get another striker in as we have 1 yes 1 fit striker at the club get whoever in now and stop dicking about with these marquee/exciting signings. 4 5 1 is okay ish away from home but at home we'll get murdered again. Of the 3 you mention poolie I'd have 1, shoot 1 and no nothing about 1. If Whickam wants first team football he'll come to us as he will not get it at Liverpool what with 35mil Carroll getting first dibs. Bid big for him now and get him in, as for Gok Kwan if he's stalling then forget him I'm sick of getting messed about by big time players who see us as a step down from where they have come from. As for N'gog just forget him he's not worth the reported 4.5mil or the reported 45k a week wages, 9 goals in 3 years is not my idea of a striker.
Lets start a Podolski rumour on Twitter, get it spread around enough, unsettle him, and end up signing him........................Somehow.
I'm up for that mate, Podolski would be close to the perfect signing, we tried for him before i believe. He could also be used on the left in a 4-5-1 when required, sure we all recall him tearing a great big hole in Englands arse from that position!
We only have Gyan so we need three at least. Kgog I see as a option for a plan b, Di is a no brainer for the price but I cant see any way Bruce would see him in a first choice role and Wickham I dont see us getting but even if we do a young lad new to the prem is, IMO and I think Brucies a big risk. I can still see one of two things, either a big name signing or a return for Welbeck
I'm sure that getting in a quality (not necessarily big name) striker or two is high up on Bruce's agenda... Patience is a virtue as they say...
Big names come with big price tags that don't always justify the cost, doesn't need to be big name as long as they do a job for us.
Welbeck and Sturridge 25mil that's the 20 from Henderson and a bit of the Bent cash (fnaar fnaar) that would sort that one out.
What about the Ipswich lad Whickham? I'd prob. prefer him as an out and out striker to Welbeck if I'm being honest.
Would have Cisse back in a heart beat mate doesn't score that many but is a pain in the arse for the opposition as his own team mates don't know what he'll do next so what chance have they. Seriously though he'd be a very good plan B and I think he would work well with Gyan. vauxsamson, not proven though mate still think he'll be a good buy for us and if he has any sense will see us as an opportunity to prove himself. Okay bit of a stepping stone to bigger and better things but why not? If it was a choice between the 3 then I'd have to say Welbeck, Sturridge then Whickham.
I don't think Cisse would cost a lot either, and i think he enjoyed his time here, and may well be keen on the idea. I can't see Bruce going for him in a billion years though.
Welbeck IMO is the man to get, we know all about him he knows the setup and all parties know what they are getting out of it. In a 4/5/1 or 4/3/3 he can play on the left with Sess behind Gyan or in a 4/4/2 he can play alongside Gyan and Sess on the wing so there is the different options with Welbeck and his playing position and what he brings to the team. If we can get Welbeck as the main striker on another season long loan and bring in Brucie's number 1 target that winger forgot his name think we could be in for one hell of a season but cannot see us splashing the cash for a class winger and class striker, one would have to be a loan deal surely
I don't see why one needs to be a loan, we've brought in £44million from 2 player sales, and it's not as if we were penniless. We got Sess for £6million, if he keeps up the form he had last 6 games he's worth easily double that, Ellis the businessman will see that spending on the right players is an investment rather than a folly.
I can see Welbeck (And many young players) suffering from burnout. Be it not living up to the hype, ridiculous expectations put upon them ultimately causing them to suffer from the pressure, getting figured out by opposition players an not being able to adapt. Theres a whole catalogue of reasons why using youth can be a gamble. We need reliability. Cisse is a solid bet for at least 10 goal, stick him with Gyan and the Dongmeister along with an improved midfield and it looks a little better. Sure Djibbers is a bit slower, and he'll be 30 soon, but get him on a 2-3 year contract and he still offers aerial threat, power, and personality.
