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[Albion] The Ridiculous Tedious Striker Situation
- Thread starter Tommy11
- Start date
This is a weird one:
All those, like me, saying we needed another option to replace Welbeck when he’s unavailable have been proved totally right . The teams performance improvement when we play a proper number 9 under RDZ is massive compared to when we play a false nine.
On the other hand all those saying we didn’t need to sign anyone have also been proved totally right given the emergence of Ferguson as a genuine first team starter.
So we are basically all right and the world is a wonderful happy place. Job done.
All those, like me, saying we needed another option to replace Welbeck when he’s unavailable have been proved totally right . The teams performance improvement when we play a proper number 9 under RDZ is massive compared to when we play a false nine.
On the other hand all those saying we didn’t need to sign anyone have also been proved totally right given the emergence of Ferguson as a genuine first team starter.
So we are basically all right and the world is a wonderful happy place. Job done.
macbeth
Dismembered
we're definitely alright, but we could be minus two forwards come the end of this window. as crap as undav has been and as absent as trossard has been, that's still two bodies. another general forward-y type player definitely required now imo if we want to keep up the push for top 8.
Well who would have imagined we would go into the last hour of a transfer window for once NOT being bothered we haven’t or won’t sign a striker. Absolute credit to Ferguson that he has stepped up so far and so fast to stop anyone really saying we need an additional striker this window. Fair play to the lad, he’s proved me wrong for sure.
Generally agree - but we could have done with super hot-shot goal poacher A.N.Other today!
Lurchy
Well-known member
- Jul 2, 2014
- 2,422
It’s becoming more and more clear that we need to bring another forward next season to play alongside Ferguson.
Mateo Retegui would be a very good option. An Argentinian who has just been called up to the Italian national team. Doing very well for Tigre this season on loan from Boca.
23 years old, tall, strong and used to dropping deep so would fit into our style when we play 2 strikers.
Mateo Retegui would be a very good option. An Argentinian who has just been called up to the Italian national team. Doing very well for Tigre this season on loan from Boca.
23 years old, tall, strong and used to dropping deep so would fit into our style when we play 2 strikers.
I've given up worrying or wondering about our striker situation.
We rely on a 19 year old kid, a hard working but aging former England striker and a punt from the minor leagues in Germany who has since had one outstanding season in Belgium. Yet scoring goals has not been a problem. Only Haaland and one other has scored more.goals than March in 2023. Mitoma, Ale Mac, and various others all have goals in them.
There's no point worrying about it. There's no value in paying a fortune for a proven goalscorer, and if there was a single striker who did offer value, these days I'd trust OUR club to find him.
We rely on a 19 year old kid, a hard working but aging former England striker and a punt from the minor leagues in Germany who has since had one outstanding season in Belgium. Yet scoring goals has not been a problem. Only Haaland and one other has scored more.goals than March in 2023. Mitoma, Ale Mac, and various others all have goals in them.
There's no point worrying about it. There's no value in paying a fortune for a proven goalscorer, and if there was a single striker who did offer value, these days I'd trust OUR club to find him.
We won't ever do this while Tony is in charge. The strategy is definitely to buy £50 million players - only we pay around a tenth of that or less and sell them for that. Young players, punts from other leagues and the odd great value veteran like Welbeck or Lallana who are there to mentor the non-household name to get them to that valuation.
erkan
Well-known member
I thought this was going to be a bounce about Odsonne Édouard and what a great solution he has turned out to be for Palace...
Greg Bobkin
Silver Seagull
- May 22, 2012
- 16,059
I don't think last night is the best game to judge the strikeforce – it was a bit of a weird one all round.
But I've been saying for ages that if the other players on the pitch are chipping in with goals – and the midfielders are currently doing that and more! – then the whole 'We need to spaff megamillions on a striker' argument gets less and less relevant. If other players had done the same last season, all the grief (well, a lot of it) that headed Maupay's way wouldn't have happened.
Yes, we'd all love a prolific goalscorer who scores a 'guaranteed' 20 a season but a) they are mega expensive, b) Ferguson, I believe, has the potential to be that guy, given time and c) all the time the current setup is working, then why force a change to try and shoehorn someone else in?
But I've been saying for ages that if the other players on the pitch are chipping in with goals – and the midfielders are currently doing that and more! – then the whole 'We need to spaff megamillions on a striker' argument gets less and less relevant. If other players had done the same last season, all the grief (well, a lot of it) that headed Maupay's way wouldn't have happened.
Yes, we'd all love a prolific goalscorer who scores a 'guaranteed' 20 a season but a) they are mega expensive, b) Ferguson, I believe, has the potential to be that guy, given time and c) all the time the current setup is working, then why force a change to try and shoehorn someone else in?
Change at Barnham
Well-known member
Ferguson looked superb when coming on last night. He looked confident, linked up superbly with those around him and with his raw hunger looked far more of a handful than Welbeck. In my book he's now our first choice central striker.
There's previously been mention of the need to start another 'striker' to play alongside him. I only see that happening if we are allowed to play with an extra player.
Mitoma and March have their spots fixed as our wide players. Ali Mac, Gross and Caicedo are locked into midfield, and the defence is chosen on who is fancied most on any given day.
And then we have Enciso, Buononotte, Sarmiento snapping to replace the midfield/forwards.
What a problem to have!
There's previously been mention of the need to start another 'striker' to play alongside him. I only see that happening if we are allowed to play with an extra player.
Mitoma and March have their spots fixed as our wide players. Ali Mac, Gross and Caicedo are locked into midfield, and the defence is chosen on who is fancied most on any given day.
And then we have Enciso, Buononotte, Sarmiento snapping to replace the midfield/forwards.
What a problem to have!
macbeth
Dismembered
still maintain that we could do with an upgrade in the summer, especially if we get europe, but since the midfield have started chipping in, i no longer feel like goal scoring is a huge issue for us. we’re still going to have games where welbeck will miss chances he probably should score, and that may end up costing us, but as long as they’re not as frequent as they used to be, it’s not the end of the world.
think games like bournemouth at home we’re very important. under potter, after undav missed that sitter i think many would’ve resigned themselves to the fact that it was probably going to be one of those days and the game would be 0-0 in all likelihood. it was really nice to see us persist and finally break a team down through the sheer amount of possession.
going forward, as i said a new striker would be nice but isn’t a must. though we’d probably be well advised to bring one in if we got europe. assuming we’re looking at punts, say under €15M, then i’d give another shout for this guy:
not the quickest but he’d break down many of the low blocks we come up against. won’t be expensive, some club are going to take a punt on him at some point and they’re going to look very smart when they do
think games like bournemouth at home we’re very important. under potter, after undav missed that sitter i think many would’ve resigned themselves to the fact that it was probably going to be one of those days and the game would be 0-0 in all likelihood. it was really nice to see us persist and finally break a team down through the sheer amount of possession.
going forward, as i said a new striker would be nice but isn’t a must. though we’d probably be well advised to bring one in if we got europe. assuming we’re looking at punts, say under €15M, then i’d give another shout for this guy:
not the quickest but he’d break down many of the low blocks we come up against. won’t be expensive, some club are going to take a punt on him at some point and they’re going to look very smart when they do
I wouldn't count on Ali Mac or Caicedo being here at the start of next season so there may be wiggle room for tactical changes.
brighton_tom
Well-known member
- Jul 23, 2008
- 5,523
Carefully guide Evan’s progression and he is the striker we’ve needed…
Gabbiano
Well-known member
We need another striker in the pipeline for when Welbeck retires or is crocked for half a season - Ferguson can’t do it all himself. It seems Undav is not that man, the other options are Sima, Connolly and Zeqiri but they don’t seem to be quite at the required level.
So I think a talented but not-quite-first-team-ready centre forward will be on the list for the summer. Lower priority than other areas though.
So I think a talented but not-quite-first-team-ready centre forward will be on the list for the summer. Lower priority than other areas though.
Adingra ?
No chance Caicedo of leaving IMO, but agree about Ale Mac - he deserves his chance at a big club if he really wants that move.