Why can't we (apart from the money involved) stop trying relying on target players like Moore or Glatzel to provide the goals and look for players like Maupay, Moura or Gayle as options? I realise we'd be hard pressed to find that sort of money, but the principle is the important thing and there are players out there who aren't 6' 5". It's worked in the recent past with the likes of Chopra and McCormack, and going further back Earnie and Carl Dale. This obsession with pumping the ball into the box is doing my head in. If we can get Wilson and Tomlin making the bullets through midfield, then we should capitalise on their skills and get someone in the side who can fire them.
I wish I had an answer for you sparkey. Even last season when we were obsessing about getting in a striker, I feared that we were actually going to get an old fashioned centre forward. Lo and behold we did just that and to my mind that's 10% of our outfield that's ineffective. It's not the fault of Moore, its just how inept we are at feeding him. Playing the percentage game of lobbing balls into the box doesn't cut it at this level. You've identified the type of players we should be looking for sparkey. When I think about it, I'm reminded about how Jamie Vardy was discovered. I know it's difficult right now with travel constraints, but have we ever looked at the lower leagues to identify a gem? Or is that just what other clubs do? My fear is that there is no joined up thinking when we buy. It seems we just buy to fill a gap with little thought to how a player is going to fit in. That said, with tactics and style seemingly so jumbled at the moment, anyone could struggle to fit in. I'm also fearful that as we continue this way, we are becoming less and less attractive to the type of player we need. Radical is a good word to describe the changes needed just now. We're just falling between too many stools. Ps Mention of Carl Dale brought back great memories.
Scoring is a knack and not something you can teach - you either have it or not irrespective of size. Your mention of Vardy hits the nail on the head, Although not really a "small" guy, he has an awareness and pace to burn - I think he was playing non league at 25 years of age. Other top end players prove the point about the knack of scoring being more important than physical size. Aguerro, Salah and even lesser lights like Danny Ings and Jarrod Bowen just have that "knack", and they're all well under 6'0". OK, all are well out of our reach, but there are players out there who can bring a different dimension ot our game at a reasonable outlay. The question is do we make the effort to find them or is it a cast in stone policy to always go with a big man up front? The last player at the club who just had the ability to sniff out and convert a half chance was Rhys Healey - he should never have been let go. He's always scored goals wherever he's been and I think he's playing in France now - I'd take him back in a heartbeat if only to provide an alternative outlet for Wilson/Tomlin.
The funny thing is we had Jarrod Bowen here and rejected him. We had a bid accepted for Vardy and he chose Leicester. I wouldn't mind if we actually put loads of crosses in. We dont. We cut inside most of the time. I dont think the size is a problem. Moore is good on the deck and the move for the goal shows that. The issue is the lack of passing and moving with the ball comfortably. Ojo is getting better by the game though and we have Wilson and Tomlin to come in.
I agree with the principle of not relying on the big target man. There are bound to be possibilities in Divs 1 & 2 and the National League. It's a case of having a scouting network capable of finding them - with a couple of exceptions in the past, Roger Johnson is the main one who springs to mind - our track record of elevating lower league players is not good. Taiwo from the Daggers and Revell from wherever being examples. Kadeem Harris came from Wycombe (as did Johnson I think). He was hot and cold but has moved on. A regular at the Wendies but it looks like that's his level. It doesn't say much for our scouting in that area. As for Healey, to me he always looked a little boy lost. He had the skill but always seemed off the pace and easily knocked off the ball. Apart from injuries, he scored a few at MK Dons, obviously at a lower level. Don't know he's doing in France. It could be that our playing style didn't suit his skills but he's moved on, so history. As ever, how we do our scouting is down to the financial resources employed. It would probably need a shift of emphasis from what we do now to look at the lower leagues. However, one gem would pay it all back.
He came to us when Hereford went under. Had a 6 week trial and deemed not good enough. Think he would have been about 16.
