Poyet needs a striker - By Andy Naylor

[Skaville]

I'd much rather us invest in a young talent from League 1 or 2 or perhaps abroad than throw our money at someone like Fuller.

In fact I'd rather Murray back than him or that West Ham lump.

I basically want a player who will come in and appreciate the club and the amazing stadium we have and use to to better themselves.

I fully agree withn this. If we're being priced out of shit like Piquionne (that spelling is pure guess work by the way), let's sign a prospect from the lower divisions. I like players who are hungry to prove themselves. Would this be the case with a washed up ex prem striker?

Finally, it doesn't matter who we sign unless we change the way we play. Both CMS and Barnes played in midfield at different points in the game last night. Why don't we try playing them up top, TOGETHER. Remember our run at the start of last season? Barnes and CMS were largely up front together, giving the likes of Noone and Lua Lua more than one option in the box.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

I am not Mr Burns' biggest fan, but I think it's quite obvious that Murray was basically pushed out the door last summer. Certainly how I see it anyway.

 

[Mr Burns]

Rubbish, we didn't "let him leave", he left for a better offer. That isn't our fault, and the comparison to Vicente is embarrassing. Our offer to a striker who has played his football in leagues 1 and 2 on the one hand... Vicente of Valencia on the other. Suprisingly our contract offers were different.

I'm not comparing it to Vicentes deal though, so how it is embarrasing.

I'm saying, for the sake of 2k a week, IF WE REALLY WANTED MURRAY TO STAY, we would have kept him. We didn't pay the extra 2k, so in my opinion we chose to let him leave. If we couldn't afford the 2k a week, then I'd agree with you. But we could, yet we chose not to, and allowed him to walk away. We then went on to pay well over ten times that difference for another player, Vicente. How is that comparing the deals. Its just pointing out, we could have easily have paid Murray what Palace do. But if you want to make a point that I am comparing Vincente and Murray by saying that, then I don't really know what to say.

 

[Stat Brother]

i thought we signed 2 unknowns from south america a few years back and they failed to make the grade

Exactly, time for a couple more.

 

[Mr Burns]

I am not Mr Burns' biggest fan, but I think it's quite obvious that Murray was basically pushed out the door last summer. Certainly how I see it anyway.

Be careful. That's negative, even if it is true. You'll get flamed for having opinions like that

 

[bhawoddy]

Probably the reason why you are not involved with football. Go and watch West Ham or something

Whats wrong with a 4-4-2 formation?

 

[murraymints4brighton]

I dont really beleive it is even the lack of this "target man" that is costing us. By all accounts, despite the frustration they cause me needing 2/3 chances to score, Barnes and CMS are good enough. Easily. Gus on the other hand despit claiming to play to there stengths does anything but. You have Gary Dicker who is and has been nothing more than a passenger since our time in division 2 putting passes out of play, being anywhere but the correct position to receive the ball. He offers not a sausage, which is why on several occasions you see Mackail Smith coming 40 yards from goal with the ball.

The playing of Barnes on the left continues to frustrate me emensley. Every goal he scores is when he has come in from that bloody position and found space in the box. He can't dribble, hes an average passer and doesnt have the pace to defend that well although does a decent job. Play him upfront with CMS OR on his own. Play bloody Vicente (when fit) down the middle ala Bennett and have Buckley and Noone etc providing the width with Bridcutt and Crofts covering. WHY do we need 3 central midfield players it worked in league one yes but with what... TWO STRIKERS up top. Having Crofts AND Bridcutt covering the more than solid back four is plenty.

It is so frustrating that the same issues are still there from last season. Bearing in mind both Vicente and Buckley will change us somewhat yet something tells me not enough unless we stick two up there.

 

[Rugrat]

I am not Mr Burns' biggest fan, but I think it's quite obvious that Murray was basically pushed out the door last summer. Certainly how I see it anyway.

Like Hoskins now, for different reasons but he's been given the big heave ho .... you've got to scratch your head a little

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Be careful. That's negative, even if it is true. You'll get flamed for having opinions like that

That is even more ridiculous than your long winded ramblings of the post before.

I am not Mr Burns' biggest fan, but I think it's quite obvious that Murray was basically pushed out the door last summer. Certainly how I see it anyway.

Obvious he was pushed? How can you see it that way? He was offered a contract on, presumably, either a 5 figure weekly salary or close enough to make no real difference plus the opportunity to play for an ambitious, forward moving club with a fantastic stadium. He chose Palace. His choice, but we made him an offer, that is a fact. You don't offer contracts to players you want to leave, you just let them go.

 

[Icy Gull]

My take on Murray/Gus is that Gus thought Murray was high maintenance and thought he could easily replace him. It was a f*** up pure and simple, Gus got it wrong.

Gus struggled to have a good word to say about GM whilst praising the rest of the squad. Personality clash is my guess. Gus needs to mellow and accept that he is not right all the time. Our slight change of style after a two years of refusing to allow the long ball shows it may be happening.

 

[Mr Burns]

Obvious he was pushed? How can you see it that way? He was offered a contract on, presumably, either a 5 figure weekly salary or close enough to make no real difference plus the opportunity to play for an ambitious, forward moving club with a fantastic stadium. He chose Palace. His choice, but we made him an offer, that is a fact. You don't offer contracts to players you want to leave, you just let them go.

Well, if you can't understand or choose not to understand what I put before, then you obviously refuse to see it other than your way.

Murray was our top scorer with 22 goals and probably best player that season. There were obvious issues with him and Poyet. We offered him less than what Palace did. No doubt his agent told us we would go to the highest bidder (wouldnt' be much of an agent otherwise) yet we offered below what Palace did. We could have kept him if we matched Palaces deal, which was 2 grand a week higher. We didn't. We made no effort to keep him. For the sake of 2k a week, in my opinion its the same as letting him go. It is really that hard to understand?

 

[sir albion]

Who cares about murray,he's ancient news and past it

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Well, if you can't understand or choose not to understand what I put before, then you obviously refuse to see it other than your way.

Murray was our top scorer with 22 goals and probably best player that season. There were obvious issues with him and Poyet. We offered him less than what Palace did. No doubt his agent told us we would go to the highest bidder (wouldnt' be much of an agent otherwise) yet we offered below what Palace did. We could have kept him if we matched Palaces deal, which was 2 grand a week higher. We didn't. We made no effort to keep him. For the sake of 2k a week, in my opinion its the same as letting him go. It is really that hard to understand?

What is hard to understand is why you think offering him what we considered right constitutes forcing him out, as you said earlier. It doesn't. Palace had to offer more to try and intice him away, that's not advanced thinking on any level. We offered a lot more than just money, but he chose the better deal financially. It is simple, I don't understand why some people insist on making a big issue out of it.

 

[Mr Burns]

My take on Murray/Gus is that Gus thought Murray was high maintenance and thought he could easily replace him. It was a f*** up pure and simple, Gus got it wrong end of

Gus struggled to have a good word to say about GM whilst praising the rest of the squad. Personality clash is my guess.

Agreed. I think Gus took issue with a player willing to leave for a few extra quid, than signing for us for less. Wouldn't be surprised if it turned into a game of bluff, and Poyet lost. Don't think Poyet will be making that mistake this window!!! Whoever we sign (unless maybe Bobby Z) will be coming here purely for the money. If it was for football reasons, they'd be here by now!

 

[Icy Gull]

Who cares about murray,he's ancient news and past it

So you don't rate a player you didn't see play ONCE at Withdean?? Your opinion has no weight when you consider that FACT

 

[Uncle C]

Well, if you can't understand or choose not to understand what I put before, then you obviously refuse to see it other than your way.

Murray was our top scorer with 22 goals and probably best player that season. There were obvious issues with him and Poyet. We offered him less than what Palace did. No doubt his agent told us we would go to the highest bidder (wouldnt' be much of an agent otherwise) yet we offered below what Palace did. We could have kept him if we matched Palaces deal, which was 2 grand a week higher. We didn't. We made no effort to keep him. For the sake of 2k a week, in my opinion its the same as letting him go. It is really that hard to understand?

Aren't you conveniently forgetting the sign on fee used as a bribe by Palace?

 

[Joe Gatting's Dad]

Others have commented on here that Murray received (and desparately needed) a substantial signing on fee which would not have offered - if you were a boy from Cumbria - what would you have done?

 

[Mr Burns]

What is hard to understand is why you think offering him what we considered right constitutes forcing him out, as you said earlier. It doesn't. Palace had to offer more to try and intice him away, that's not advanced thinking on any level. We offered a lot more than just money, but he chose the better deal financially. It is simple, I don't understand why some people insist on making a big issue out of it.

The issue is, its because it was £2k a week, which is peanuts in the grand scheme of things. £2k a week, that if Poyet really wanted to keep him, he could and would have paid without issue. We had a large squad, and I bet not one of them, even the younguns are on less than 2k a week. It was peanuts to pay to keep your main striker.

 

[greyseagull]

yes

 

[Mr Burns]

Aren't you conveniently forgetting the sign on fee used as a bribe by Palace?

Not conveniently forgetting it, just don't know it. I know what We offered Murray and What Palace did a week. I don't know what we and Palace offered in terms of signing on fee, but that doesn't mean we didn't offer a signing on fee as well. He was out of contract, so why wouldn't we offer him one. Do you think Vicente, Tommy, Bruno didn't get a signing on fee? Besides I doubt any signing on fee, would be anywhere close to what we would have to pay to get him back. If we were to, which I don't think for one second we will.