[Albion] Are we missing a finisher?

[Sarisbury Seagull]

No. The issue is we’re not creating opportunites. If we’re going to sign anyone, it needs to be a more creative wide attacker.

 

[Swegulls]

I think we would benefit from giving the ball away sometimes. When we break we are flying. Must be a nightmare for Fergie or Welbeck being surrounded in the box, watching us pass from left, middle to right. We can't even play them, to many legs there to get passes through.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Was the same question asked after our last home game?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Yep. Webster's hardly played, and he did OK

I'm a big fan of Adam Webster, but I'm not going to pretend he did well. He really struggled, but he was always going to, given the task he was given - one that he was wholly unsuited to. He has no left foot, he's not particularly quick, and he takes a few minutes to get up to the pace of a game when coming on. Putting him on at left back against Neto, who was superb last night, was just setting the bloke up to fail.

On par with giving Hinshelwood his PL debut in a flyweight midfield, outnumbered by McGinn, Douglas Luis and Kamara at Villa Park.

Sometimes people need to look at the manager for mistakes made in player deployment, rather than players doing their best when hung out to dry.

 

[Stat Brother]

The lack of width is a worry.
It's not like AFCON and the Aisa tournament were sprung on us.

We'd have been in exactly the same position last night even with a full squad.

 

[Springal]

Dunk hardly covered himself in glory when Webster came on either.

And Gross getting in everyone’s way when it looked like we might have found some space.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

The lack of width is a worry.
It's not like AFCON and the Aisa tournament were sprung on us.

We'd have been in exactly the same position last night even with a full squad.

March? Fati? Enciso?

 

[abc]

Welbeck has never been a prolific finisher.
Undav is.

Would have been happy to see Undav subbed on. Can’t understand why we appear to be uninterested in giving him a chance after the end of last season

 

[Stat Brother]

March? Fati? Enciso?

March yeah.

Fati and Enciso are very much part of the plethora of #10's, though aren't they.

Soon we'll be playing 5 goalies and 6 #10's.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

March yeah.

Fati and Enciso are very much part of the plethora of #10's, though aren't they.

Soon we'll be playing 5 goalies and 6 #10's.

It's about creativity, and speed of thought as much as width, though.

Enciso makes things happen.

 

[GloryDays]

Wolves were playing very deep tbf. My thoughts were that we kept repeating the same left wing stuff which makes it easier for the defending team with just one line of enquiry.

Didn’t mix it up enough. Only a few early crosses and they didn’t beat the first man. Just couldn’t crack the nut yesterday. The biggest concern was that I saw it coming.

O’Niel and Wolves played well, we were poor.

 

[Stat Brother]

It's about creativity, and speed of thought as much as width, though.

Enciso makes things happen.

I think it was very much width last night.
Mitoma and Adingra would have given Pedro and Welbeck more space, instead of tripping over Gross and Good night and their #5 who had a good game.

 

[POSKETT AT THE VALLEY]

Is there any chance we might get a number 9 in - maybe offering Dahoud going the other way.

No but we are missing wide men.

 

[Mellotron]

Webster is fine. If you are going to dig him out for his efforts, when thrown on at left back, against Wolves' best player, then you might as well stick Tariq Lamptey at centre back, then pile in on him if it doesn't go well.

I agree except I do find it odd that multiple managers have now used him at full back. He just isn't one. I'd rather Gross there.

 

[Swegulls]

Is there any "new" van Nistelrooy out there? He knew how to play in the box.

 

[Albion Robster]

Too late to get Maupay back??
#Jokes

 

[Justice]

The lack of width is a worry.
It's not like AFCON and the Aisa tournament were sprung on us.

We'd have been in exactly the same position last night even with a full squad.

Fati would of played on left in Mitoma’s position as that’s his natural role they planned ahead unfortunately he also got injured.

 

[nwgull]

No. We are missing Mitoma, Adingra, Fati, Enciso and March

You'd struggle to squeeze all 5 into a starting 11, but there'd be some very tasty second-half impact subs!

 

[kevo]

No, we’re missing all of our genuine wide players which mean teams can pack their own box as we have no pace or width to stretch their defence.

We’ll be fine as soon as we get some wide players back. Being able to rotate between Mitoma, Adingra & Fati again is massive for us.

Football hasn’t been as simple as “We didn’t score so we need a striker” for a long time.

Enciso also brings an attacking threat. With him and the three you mention (plus Solly of course when he is ready) we'll be fine. We know Welbz, Fergie and Pedro are decent finishers. That wasn't the problem last night.

 

[MJsGhost]

Nah, Pedro had an off day, Welbeck is still class, Ferguson is still work in progress and despite not hitting the back of the net, his all round game and hold up play is far more intelligent than some on here give him credit for, allowing others the time and space to score.

I would say we have a finisher in Ferguson, we just don't seem to be able to create any chances for him

No, we’re missing all of our genuine wide players which mean teams can pack their own box as we have no pace or width to stretch their defence.

We’ll be fine as soon as we get some wide players back. Being able to rotate between Mitoma, Adingra & Fati again is massive for us.

Football hasn’t been as simple as “We didn’t score so we need a striker” for a long time.

^^ THESE ^^

We've failed to score in, what 6 games (?) across all competitions since about December 2022...?

OK, so 3 blanks in the last 6 isn't great, but suggesting we need to go out and sign a 'finisher' (£30-50m?) as a result is knee-jerk to say the least.

We have plenty of players with the requisite ability, so I trust that:

• Form (for those finishing & supplying) will improve
• The shrinking injury list & international commitments ending will give RdZ more options and quality again, meaning more and better chances for the 'finishers'
• RdZ will come up with ideas to counter the tactics being used to counter his tactics...