Glenn Murray

[One Love]

Albion are going to buy 2 strikers to replace Zamora and Wilson and to as back up to Hemed and Baldock or I'm a banana.

Hemed and Baldock as our main two strikers next year is not good enough. They can't compete with the top sides in the division.

The rest of the team would have to perform as least as good as last season (which was exceptional) or better for us to get auto promotion.

 

[skipper734]

Albion are going to buy 2 strikers to replace Zamora and Wilson and to as back up to Hemed and Baldock or I'm a banana. (Assuming COG is sold/goes out on loan again). Thats not in doubt.
Whether Murray would be ideal or available or value for money or likely to earn his fee/wages back when sold is in doubt. Although you're a brave man if you suggest that on here.
Hemed played 90 minutes only 9 times last season out of his 44 appearances. Not exactly flogged to death but yes we did rely on him.

I gave you a thumbs up Jem. It shows as 2 thumbs down. Shrug! Definitely a thumbs up.

 

[Betfair Bozo]

Even more reason to look at a "potentially free/cheap" Murray IMO.

I'd be fine with Murray, Rod. My only counter argument would be that you could undoubtedly attract much more quality from abroad with the type of wage Glenn would command. But you also have to pay a fee and find the player in the first place....

The other positive with Glenn is that he has an uncanny knack of being in the right place to head clear opposition set pieces which we obviously had an issue with in the last campaign.

We obviously have a major chance of promotion next season if we are able to retain the key players (Kayal, Knockaert, Stephens, Dunk, Goldson of those most likely to attract bids) and add the right two or three so would think TB will explore the boundaries of FFP to make it happen.

 

[Bozza]

I gave you a thumbs up Jem. It shows as 2 thumbs down. Shrug! Definitely a thumbs up.

It's only possible to give thumbs up. So he currently has 2 for that post.

You see the thumbs down so you can reverse your thumbs up should you want to do so.

 

[Bozza]

Hemed and Baldock as our main two strikers next year is not good enough. They can't compete with the top sides in the division.

The rest of the team would have to perform as least as good as last season (which was exceptional) or better for us to get auto promotion.

Agreed. I'd be surprised if Baldock is first choice next season. Hemed - 50/50 chance.

 

[chaileyjem]

Hemed and Baldock as our main two strikers next year is not good enough. They can't compete with the top sides in the division.

The rest of the team would have to perform as least as good as last season (which was exceptional) or better for us to get auto promotion.

"Not good enough ?" - can't "compete with the top sides in the division".
blimey ! 89 bloody points. 73 goals !

In fact the rest of the team could perform worse than last season and still get auto promoted given how close it was this season and not going up with 89 points was highly unusual. Tough crowd.

 

[One Love]

"Not good enough ?" - can't "compete with the top sides in the division".
blimey ! 89 bloody points. 73 goals !

In fact the rest of the team could perform worse than last season and still get auto promoted given how close it was this season and not going up with 89 points was highly unusual. Tough crowd.

What I'm saying (if you need clarification) is that we amassed 89 points by the exceptional performance of the rest of the team (of which the strikers are a part I grant) and not by the abilities of our strikers. If we keep them then the rest of the team have to repeat that which IMO is going to be difficult.

How do you think Hemed/Baldock compare as a strike force compared to the other teams in the division last year?

 

[Bozza]

"Not good enough ?" - can't "compete with the top sides in the division".
blimey ! 89 bloody points. 73 goals !

He was clearly talking about the two front men, not whole teams/squads.

The club will be looking in to bring in the two best strikers they can. I'm pretty convinced that when all four are fit, Baldock won't be a first choice and, as I say, there's a reasonable chance that Hemed won't be either.

 

[Rod Marsh]

I'd be fine with Murray, Rod. My only counter argument would be that you could undoubtedly attract much more quality from abroad with the type of wage Glenn would command. But you also have to pay a fee and find the player in the first place....

The other positive with Glenn is that he has an uncanny knack of being in the right place to head clear opposition set pieces which we obviously had an issue with in the last campaign.

We obviously have a major chance of promotion next season if we are able to retain the key players (Kayal, Knockaert, Stephens, Dunk, Goldson of those most likely to attract bids) and add the right two or three so would think TB will explore the boundaries of FFP to make it happen.

I totally agree with you. Finding another Ulloa would be fantastic. I'm all for that. As you say, two strikers needed. Murray knows the division, has done it before. If he wasnt ex brighton or ex palace, with the same goal record. I think he'd be viewed more favourably by some.

 

[Diego Napier]

"Not good enough ?" - can't "compete with the top sides in the division".
blimey ! 89 bloody points. 73 goals !

In fact the rest of the team could perform worse than last season and still get auto promoted given how close it was this season and not going up with 89 points was highly unusual. Tough crowd.

I think the point is that we did so well without either of our first choice strikers performing particularly well. From the many chances we created throughout the season, would it be reasonable to expect your main striker to net 20 and the secondary striker to bag 10? If Hemed had scored another 3 and/or Baldock 6 then we'd've been home and dry.

 

[Rod Marsh]

He was clearly talking about the two front men, not whole teams/squads.

The club will be looking in to bring in the two best strikers they can. I'm pretty convinced that when all four are fit, Baldock won't be a first choice and, as I say, there's a reasonable chance that Hemed won't be either.

100% Agreed. A really good striker in our side this season would have got 25+

 

[One Love]

My issue is the performance against the top 6. Off the top of my head I can't think of a goal or an assist either of them got.

When it comes to top of the table games playoffs you need strikers that are going to turn games.

 

[BensGrandad]

If you take Gray and Vokes as an example they scored 39 between them then add in our other scorers we would have been home and dry.

 

[chaileyjem]

What I'm saying (if you need clarification) is that we amassed 89 points by the exceptional performance of the rest of the team (of which the strikers are a part I grant) and not by the abilities of our strikers. If we keep them then the rest of the team have to repeat that which IMO is going to be difficult.

How do you think Hemed/Baldock compare as a strike force compared to the other teams in the division last year?

I think we will keep them and as with [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] think that means they probably won't be considered first choice in the squad.
Did Hemed/Baldock compete ? yes in terms of top 6. In terms of top 2. No.
Were they "not good enough" ? . Self evidently they were good enough to be 3rd and you could argue that it was our defence etc that cost us promotion not Hemed's finishing. But i get the point and its a fair one. I don't expect Hemed to play 44 games next season.

 

[8ace]

If they paid him up one year of that deal it saves them 1.5m. If we then offered him a two year deal on 15k a week he will be financially just as well off. I'm sure Zamora was on a similar wage. Murray is 3 years younger? And realistically, does Murray want to spend the last two years of his playing career not even in the match day squad. I can't see a premier league team taking him now. But a top end championship side yes, he lives in the city, won't have to move house. We flogged Hemed to death last year and he also played a lot of games for Israel. If he were to pick up a long term injury, Murray would be ideal.

That could work if bmuff want to help us out - something they seemed reluctant to do previously.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

My issue is the performance against the top 6. Off the top of my head I can't think of a goal or an assist either of them got.

Hemed assisted Bobby's goal at Burnley
Hemed scored the winner at home to Hull

 

[One Love]

I think we will keep them and as with [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] think that means they probably won't be considered first choice in the squad.
Did Hemed/Baldock compete ? yes in terms of top 6. In terms of top 2. No.
Were they "not good enough" ? . Self evidently they were good enough to be 3rd and you could argue that it was our defence etc that cost us promotion not Hemed's finishing. But i get the point and its a fair one. I don't expect Hemed to play 44 games next season.

That's fine Jem. However the only reason I entered the discussion was because you thought they were good enough to be first choice

I would say top 6 as they struggled against Wednesday.

 

[8ace]

I sincerely hope they do not buy two strikers as "back up" to Hemed and Baldock. I'm a big fan of Tomer and SB does a lot of unheralded work but am firmly of the opinion that we need two more who are very much potential starters. After all, I very much doubt CH and co expected James Wilson to be a back up when we brought him in and a fit BZ would have started as frequently as possible (even though that was a fingers crossed job.) A pacy sniffer and an aerial threat would be ideal.

Agree with this, we should always be looking to bring in better or at least the potential to be better rather than just cover/back-up.

 

[One Love]

Hemed assisted Bobby's goal at Burnley
Hemed scored the winner at home to Hull

Thank's for the reminder

 

[Rod Marsh]

Hemed assisted Bobby's goal at Burnley
Hemed scored the winner at home to Hull

I can't and won't be critical of Hemed. I think his performances and goal return for his first season in English football has been terrific. The support striker/no.10 is where we missed out in my opinion. If Baldock had chipped in with 10 goals, which I don't see as a particularly large number. We would have more than likely been top two. We need another quality number 9 and number 10 to get over the line next year.