Should Shola get straight back in the team?

I don't understand this negativity around Best. He's been brilliant, considering the fact that everyone was calling him worse that **** before this season. It's understandable, but atleast he's stepped up to what we needed.

5 goals in 7 games. Ok, 3 goals in one game yes, but he's scored in 3 of his 7 matches. That's a decent record, which means he'd be scoring around 12-18 in a season! He also came close to scoring vs Spurs and was unlucky not to do so, and should have had two against Arse. And he also looked threatening against the unwashed ****s.

How many times has someone wasted a chance, and if they'd only passed to Best he was in a perfect position to score? He's got good instinct, gets into the right positions by spotting holes in defences. He's also great in the air, not just as a goal threat, but he can pick people out and be part of a great, creative piece of attacking play.

In my opinion, the only thing Shola is better at is holding up the ball, apart from that, Best is a much better option for us.

ALSO, i think Pardew is getting the best of out Lovenkrands. Lovenkrands isn't just looking like scoring, but also playing with Best and making a partnership. His vision is decent, and his passing is also good. He's not going to scoring as much as Shola, but he tries much harder, and is a much better team player. Did you see that through ball he tried to play to best? Top class attempt, forced the best out of the Brummers defense.

BOTH strikers are trying their hearts out, how often does Shola do that?

 

Shola does look like he's not putting the effort in but appearences can be deceptive.

Just because someones work rate is higher it doesn't always mean they are going to be as effective.

The topic of this thread is a hard one to answer because of the above. I am not Alan Pardew so I will leave the decision to him as this is too tough for me. (sorry last 4 mins at work and me head is all over the place)

 

Damn it, I've had to give this article 5*'s.

 

wow, good article man.

 

Sunderland, home and Sunderland away.

 

Who's being negative about Best? You seem to be overreacting to something that isnt happening. All some people are saying is that we will need to sign better next year because Shola and Lover are aging and Best cant exactly get 20 a season.

And no, Shola does not walk back into the team, very few of our players should be able to do that (Enrique, Tiote, Ben Arfa, possibly Colo).

 

I'd put him straight back in like, I think he's a lot better than Best much as he frustrates us all a lot of the time.

 

How many teams have players that will score 20 a season? Best will get his fair few. He's good in the box, a composed finisher and a hard worker. I'd expect around 15 a season from him tbh.
He could have and should have had more than 5 already.

 

Only problem with Best is he can't head a ball to save his life and we need someone up front who can get on the end of the fantastic crosses from Jose and Bartoon - and before anyone points it out, I am aware he scored with his head on Tuesday and he did well to win it but he has missed easier chances with his head since he got into the team.

 

Has nobody considered playing Ameobi and Best?

 

no as he is bone idol and a waste
of time

 

I am quite happy with best at the moment, but I doubt he is more effective than Shola. I think what Shola gives you is those knock downs that Carroll was great at. Best scored a header the other day but I've seen him miss a few that Shola would have put away.
I don't think there is enough of an aerial threat in our team at the moment when Lover and Best are up front, and the way Barton floats them in, a good header is what we need!

Having said that I am still happy to give best a decent chance. He's only 26 or summit and apart from Ranger is our "best" prospect.

I also think that trying to type anything of any length on this piece of **** of an iPhone keypad is a piss take!!! 20 minutes this **** has taken!

 

Sorry steviemac, i started typing that ages ago and was not aware u had just pretty much posted the same thing!

 

Haha either way we are both right

 

Best's 24 i think, and Ranger needs to be given a proper run of games alongside.

 

I didnt literally mean 20 a season BT, I meant he will never be very prolific and his impressive record will decline eventually. Not putting him down, just pointing out we need to sign someone in the summer.

All those people going on about Shola and how he would have scored some of those headers, remember the Wigan game? Sitter.

Shola reminds me of a quote I heard about Joe Cole (before Liverpool) "he gets better every time he gets injured" in that when he hasnt played for a while, people remember him as being better than he is by remembering how good he can be, not how good he generally performs.

He has to work to get his place in the team back, just as Harper did.

 

Oh deary me.

A good article from you Tash.

Completely agree. Best is our BEST striker. He offers a LOT more than Ameobi(apart from being a threat in the air, he's simply not good enough to be a regular starter in my opinion).

Best = good pace, good movement, CAN win headers(didn't ANYONE watch how he won most of his headers against Johnson???), pressures' defenses non-stop, great work-rate and does so MUCH more than Ameobi. He's also good on the deck, has two good feet but lacks consistency and isn't a ''natural deadly'' finisher and not the most skillful or tricky player you'll ever see but gives a LOT more than Ameobi.

Ameobi is past it IMO, no pace, technically very average, no touch, no dribbling ability, poor on the deck, very good hold-up play but lacks movement and agility to cause Premier League defenses problems. Good threat in the air and can play the ''target man'' role very effectively on his DAY but he's quite inconsistent and in my opinion should be sold in the summer. Championship quality player.

Best is currently our BEST striker, the stats don't lie. Keep in the summer as a option from the bench IMO. Need 2 strikers in the summer to hold down a regular 10 top finish in the Premier League.

 

Have to agree with both of Steviemacs posts on this one, but I would probably play them both to be honest, we have quality coming in from both sides now it seems and having two big men up front wouldnt hurt.

 

I would play them both up top until HBA is fit to slot in behind Shola. I think the fact that it is a toss up between Leon Best and Shola Ameobi who is the BEST striker at the club emphasises the need for Pie Boy to dip into the Gregg's fund for a decent striker.

 

Best is the Best striker at the club.

Why? I like his name