We have Lambert, Guly, Connolly, Barnard, Tadanari Lee and now Billy Sharp. Lambert has to be the number One at the moment and now I would suggest Sharp as number two. Guly three, Tad Lee four, Connolly five and Barnard six. What order would you put them in.
Wouldn't even begin to say until 6 weeks time and they've had chance to play. The only thing I think I can say would be: 1. Lambert
Think Lambert and Sharp/Connolly, because Guly can drop back. Very interested to see how Lee develops...he could be our ace when he settles in.
A team needs four decent strikers. We have, in my order of preference: Lambert Sharp Lee Connolly Guly can now go back to playing in midfield like he should, and I'm afraid there's little room for Barnard, but I don't really rate him anyway. If we're ever in such a position that we need to call on our 5th-best striker, I'd prefer we give someone like Sinclair a chance.
How can we say Guly is not a useful striker, he is in the top five scorers in the division currently!
Lee sounded pretty dangerous on the radio commentary; Lambert and Sharp to start the bulk of the time, with Lee coming on if necessary to put the defense under pressure.
Lambert Sharp/Lee (depending on how good Lee turns out to be) Connolly Guly Barnard Like others, I think Guly can be slotted in somewhere else.
With the squad as it is now... I would prob see Adkins predominantly starting Sharp and Lambert upfront and having Lee on the bench.. With guly going back to RM... Thought with chaplow back.. it gives u a head ache!
Order is the wrong way to look at it, we should be thinking about this in terms of combinations. Lambert is an obvious first choice because he is the most well-rounded, he offers a play style that compliments most all the others. Lambert/Sharp Lambert/Guly Guly/Sharp Lambert/Lee Lambert/Connolly Lambert/Barnard In my mind, these should be our top choice combinations, in order. All offer a variety of options going forward and stop us from being limited in the final third. Combinations of height, strength, ball at feet and finishing. Guly/Lee Sharp/Lee Connolly/Lee Connolly/Barnard These combinations would represent either stylistic mismatches or combinations that have no prior proof that they have a liklihood of success. In order to maximise goalscoring potential from forward players, we need both players that are stylistically compatable as well as a historic individual track record. The only glaring combination here is Sharp/Lee, which may well work, but stylistically it offers poor variety and no prior track record of success within the current system. Personally I'd be in favour of structuring out srtikers so that they are conditioned to play in drilled pairs. So Lambert/Lee and Guly/Sharp, for example. Like a defensive line, they are conditioned and trained to function together as a unit, as opposed to just, flinging two good strikers who happen to be fit together. I think an approach like this would breed much better results. I feel the same way about midfeild lineups. People always talk about a well drilled defensive unit, but they forget that other areas of the pitch need similar training strategies.
I think it will be like: Lambert Sharp Lee Guly Connolly Barnard Which is a shame because I think Barnard is a great player but he needs to get his match fitness back...
Still havn't got over the thought of Lambert + sharp upfront. CANT WAIT to see it hopefully on saturday!
Lambert Sharp Lee & Guly Connolly Barnard. There's always a worry that two players won't gel, but I can't see that being a problem with Lambo & Billy at all.
For now, I would say Lambert, Sharp, Connolly, Guly, Lee, Barnard. However, depending on exactly how he turns out, Lee could easily move up or down that list. The fact that Guly also plays RM is mainly why I'd put him after Connolly. Although I personally prefer Lambert-Guly to Lambert-Connolly, I think signing Sharp will see Guly revert back to being a RM a lot more now - and hence when a space up front becomes free (most likely because one of Lambert or Sharp is injured or suspended), I think it will be Connolly who Adkins turns to first. (If not, then I can see Connolly rarely playing again (he's not an impact sub imo), but I can't see Adkins wanting that as he appears to (rightly) rate Connolly). I could be completely wrong though, especially if Puncheon has more games like he did yesterday and Chaplow comes back the same player that he was pre-injury (in which case Guly probably wont revert back to RM).
All the players have their different attributes although Lambert stands out head and shoulders above the rest. Barnard seemed excellent when we were in the lower tier but haven't seen enough of this this season to pass judgement as to how well he is suited to the Championsip. For me, Connolly at the top of his game remains one of the must intelligent players in our squad. I feel a lot of the dip in form was attributable to him being out injured. He didn't play so well last night yet I think he remains under-estimated by most Saints fans. Guly is brilliant but unpredictable and , when he is out of form, can be poor. I feel, again, that he is not really appreciated by Saints fans as he if a battler in my opinion and will chase lost causes. Having not seen Billy Sharp yet I am reluctant to comment. I thought that Tadanari Lee looked extremely lightweight last night and in the twenty or so minutes he got to play I felt that he almost looked like someone who had written in to "Jim'll fix it" to arrange for him to play for a Championship football team! I would say he was definately "A" for effort and certainly knew where to place himself to get in goal scoring opportunities but he was easily knocked off the ball and seemed stunned at the strength of one of the Cardiff tackles. I love his enthusiasm and am pleased that he has been made welcome by the St. Mary's faithful. However, I feel he will struggle to make an impression in English football - especially against some of the 6' 4" defenders that now seem the norm at this level. Hopefully he will prove to be better than the Japanese goalkeeper Pompey used to have who was a spectacular disaster but I can't see him making enough of an impression to dislodge any of the other strikers in our team.
