Does no new striker signal the end of the season's hopes for you?

[theboybilly]

I think we can still make the top two but feel the three clubs that came down will be stronger than those that went up last year once this transfer window has closed

 

[Giraffe]

We will need to be very lucky with injuries to our forwards. Murray in particular will need to stay fit if we are to mount a top two challenge.

Overall we are stronger as a team but still lack strength in depth up front.

 

[chucky1973]

In Murray baldock and hemed we have 45-50 goals between then if they stay fit and get the service

But they need to stay fit

I'm in the staying positive camp.

 

[Easy 10]

We can't rely on Glenn being fit all season, and that certainly leaves us light up top. Hemed did well last season but tends to score in fits and starts, Baldock isn't a striker, and its been pretty clear that Manu isn't up to it. The DS squad never, ever provides strikers, that's just a fact, and nothing has changed on that front going into this season.

So if nobody else comes in today, then aside from our non-scoring striker, I guess we're looking at square pegs in round holes by shoving Murphy or Knocky down the middle and hoping they can "do a job". Not ideal. We'd better pray we can get 35+ games out of Murray, but its a big ask.

 

[Steve Foster]

We will need to be very lucky with injuries to our forwards. Murray in particular will need to stay fit if we are to mount a top two challenge.

Overall we are stronger as a team but still lack strength in depth up front.

Agree - this division is much stronger than last season. We regrettably are not necessarily stronger up front. Playoffs at best for me & more of the same; us being knocked out as other sides will strengthen their attackers whilst our frontmen will be cream crackered

 

[aolstudios]

Lightening strikes twice eh? Failing to land another striker last year cost us i feel. Some of those draws could have turned to win.

Yep, one would've done it...

 

[Stat Brother]

I'll wait until the club tell us that no striker is coming in. I find it hard to believe that a club as well run as the Albion apparently are can fall short in this department every season

We have done so well in every other department that I am still expecting to hear that we have signed a quality forward..

This.

Also no striker would make the £4m (?) on Duffy, one of the most bizarre transfers in recent history.

Spend a club record amount of money on a position that has decent cover, while not spending a penny on the only area of the pitch understaffed.

 

[Icy Gull]

This.

Also no striker would make the £4m (?) on Duffy, one of the most bizarre transfers in recent history.

Spend a club record amount of money on a position that has decent cover, while not spending a penny on the only area of the pitch understaffed.

I'm of the view that we needed both positions strengthened. We can now get away with two CBs injured/suspended/out of form. When, we inevitably get this scenario with the forwards we are basically fecked. Three forwards is definitely not enough and suggesting we move players around from other positions is not the way clubs get out of this league ,,,imo

So we MUST be about to sign somebody as I refuse to believe the club can't see this when most of the fans can..

 

[severnside gull]

We were always going to struggle. We need to find a way of winning away from home. Not convinced we have the creativity going forward to do that.
A lot will depend on how Stephens responds

 

[Colossal Squid]

In Murray baldock and hemed we have 45-50 goals between then if they stay fit and get the service

45-50 goals??

Even if Murray can grab 20 and Hemed manages to equal last season's tally, you're still relying on Baldock getting into double figures, which he has shown absolutely zero capability of doing in this division. He's not even in double figures over two years with us

 

[Ernest]

Top Two - No way, Playoffs - maybe but will end in failure anyway, I PREDICT about 12th with our squad. Every other team has made MASSIVE singings and we sit on our hands and do NOTHING

 

[Wrong-Direction]

No, team just needs to turn it up a notch and we'll be underway again

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Comparing to the team that finished last season, i feel we are stronger in defence and midfield, but weaker upfront.

A striker is the difference between top 6 and top 2.

Murray will score more than Zamora did. Hemed & Baldock are the same although Hemed now has experience, so we're only missing Wilson, who didn't do that much.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm of the view that we needed both positions strengthened. We can now get away with two CBs injured/suspended/out of form. When, we inevitably get this scenario with the forwards we are basically fecked. Three forwards is definitely not enough and suggesting we move players around from other positions is not the way clubs get out of this league ,,,imo

So we MUST be about to sign somebody as I refuse to believe the club can't see this when most of the fans can..

Oh absolutely, just without a genuine 'promotion challenging' striker I don't see why the club needed a £4m international defender.

We are the Albion, any old mug can play centre back, brilliantly, for us.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Yep, one would've done it...

So a poor defence which threw away a two goal lead, twice in the season, has now been strengthened. We are stronger now.

 

[Lawro's Lip]

I'm of the view that we needed both positions strengthened. We can now get away with two CBs injured/suspended/out of form. When, we inevitably get this scenario with the forwards we are basically fecked. Three forwards is definitely not enough and suggesting we move players around from other positions is not the way clubs get out of this league ,,,imo

So we MUST be about to sign somebody as I refuse to believe the club can't see this when most of the fans can..

They must see it. Hence the bid for Pritchard. Unfortunately any alternatives have not materialised....yet?

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Play offs are still realistic and, to be honest, if you look at the money Villa and Newcastle are spending, it's hard to see top two even with a new striker. However, having shown ambition with the Pritchard bid, I'm very disappointed we've not managed to get an alternative over the line.

Assuming there's no issue with Stephens and he will give his all for us until January/the end of the season, it's been such a good transfer window with improving in all areas and keeping hold of our best players. It's just a real shame to fall at the last hurdle and not be able to add a really key player in the fourth striker. I assume with five wingers, one of them will be our first choice number 10 or we'll play Hemed/Murray but it would have been great to get that extra depth.

 

[The_Viper]

Top 2? Zero chance.

Playoffs? A chance, but it'll be a long hard slog with the way others have done their business.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

We were top scorers in this division last season. Why can't we replicate that again this season? We have replaced Zamora with Murray....A wise move....The only thing stopping us scoring as many goals is the standard of the relegated teams from the Premier league versus the teams that were promoted....Newcastle, Villa, Norwich versus Burnley, Boro, ect ect ect.......yup we need a striker!

 

[BensGrandad]

It all depends on Stephens if he stays we could finish in the play offs without him about 8th - 10 th. The top 3 places will be taken by the 3 that were relegated, as I have said from day 1 and their recruitment has strengthened that.