[Albion] The Ridiculous Tedious Striker Situation

[Guinness Boy]

Your incredibly literal and full of stats - yes were 7th, but 7 points off 4th from bottom with half a season to go. This was not a thread based on the Charlton game, its been going on for years. It makes me laugh that you and your cronies jiizzz in your pants about last season, the stats, the goals (42 - not exactly jizzing material) when we actually went god knows how many games without scoring at home, winning a game and playing tedious football. I mean, now your going on about Connolly? WTF he may as well be statue. Take your head out your arse.

OK mate

 

[Machiavelli]

Agreed…..it felt like a bit of a reversion after mostly decent performances under RdeZ. Seemed to me we (specifically Dunk and Colwill) were very slow to move the ball, sitting on it waiting for a Charlton press to expose gaps but (unsurprisingl) the press never came (as it would have done against many PL teams) because Charlton were happy to defend en masse in their own half. This was obvious from the start and RdeZ didn’t seem to have a Plan B (or if he did, it was implemented late, chucking Trossard and Ferguson on). Lallana was the only one that really looked like unlocking them.

Like under Potter, we struggle against the deep block with RdZ and, as yet, I haven't really seen anything that is seeking to address that. Note it wasn't just Villa and Charlton, also Forest. You might be right that Lallana is our best option to address this (might also add Mitoma), but I think we might need new personnel to do so -- for instance, to have a 'get it in the mixer' option whereby we shift (or complement) tactics from what (IIRC) @Titanic refers to as horseshoe football. A target man would mean that we can mix things up and, hopefully, that player can either cause havoc from punts into the box or even score from these opportunities. Both, of course, would be preferable. As a guide, what Netherlands did towards the end of their (thrilling) game against Argentina.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

It is a predictable argument, that gets made when we struggle to score for a while.

It's as predictable as people coming on here and scoffing at the argument we need a striker when we put five past leicester, or put 4 past Chelsea, then 3 past both Arsenal and Wolves.

I don't think the problem is the striker. We can score goals. The problem, for me, is that we can only do that if the team is either in disarray (eg man u, leicester), or have a habit of trying to play football/believe they can beat us by playing on the front foot (arsenal, liverpool, chelsea). If teams decide they are going to put some effort and discipline into defending, we struggle. We're too slow to see a pass or too slow to assess it and decide to take it, giving defenders a chance to get back into position.or we lack creativity to get around blocks. If you put a bit of effort and discipline into defending against us, you're halfway to a win. Even if you're a league one club.

Exactly this, speed and decision making is what hinders us.

When RDZ talks about mistakes I’m certain this is what his is referring to.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Like under Potter, we struggle against the deep block with RdZ and, as yet, I haven't really seen anything that is seeking to address that. Note it wasn't just Villa and Charlton, also Forest. You might be right that Lallana is our best option to address this (might also add Mitoma), but I think we might need new personnel to do so -- for instance, to have a 'get it in the mixer' option whereby we shift (or complement) tactics from what (IIRC) @Titanic refers to as horseshoe football. A target man would mean that we can mix things up and, hopefully, that player can either cause havoc from punts into the box or even score from these opportunities. Both, of course, would be preferable. As a guide, what Netherlands did towards the end of their (thrilling) game against Argentina.

Looking at Ferguson on Weds he could do that role. Otherwise you'd need to sign a player like Weghorst and hope he was happy to warm the bench unless we needed Plan B.

I don't think @Tommy11 and the like would be happy with that. They're after a change in style that would mean changing the philosophy of the club just so that they could say "I told you so" when Diaz scores 12 goals in a season and we finish 17th.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I don’t think we need a 20 goal a season £50m plus striker we simply need an effective target man to offer something different against two blocks of 4.

At the minute we struggle to break through and simply keep recycling passes down one side then back then the other and repeat because the defence is doing their job well and they are aligned.

We need s recognised target man to, of a better phrase, lump in into and to cause havoc on their defensive line which will then by the laws of averages, create space and bring our other players in (they themselves need to be faster in making decisions still regardless)

Ideally we’d want someone who has some physicality to achieve the above but is also comfortable on the ball allowing us different options throughout the game.

BBD fits the mold here for me, he doesn’t need to score 20+ to be effective, 10 is probably enough if the rest of the role is effective

 

[Perkino]

In reality which other clubs would we say are in a better position for strikers than us? There are plenty of clubs with larger numbers of strikers but few that have any real quality strikers that are not a "top 6 side".

We have Connolly, Sima, & Zeqiri all out on loan and allowed Andone to leave in the summer. A switch from Potter to De Zerbi may require us to hold a larger number of strikers in our squad by the end of the window but any incomings will be young and relatively inexperienced at the highest level but full of potential to play for a top European side within a few years

 

[El Presidente]

Looking at Ferguson on Weds he could do that role. Otherwise you'd need to sign a player like Weghorst and hope he was happy to warm the bench unless we needed Plan B.

I don't think @Tommy11 and the like would be happy with that. They're after a change in style that would mean changing the philosophy of the club just so that they could say "I told you so" when Diaz scores 12 goals in a season and we finish 17th.

If @Tommy11 can win the Premier League on Football Manager, why can't RDZ do it in the real world? You lack ambition and vision GB.

 

[chaileyjem]

Our chairman is a gambler, but he is not taking enough risk or balls for me to push us on.

The striker argument - is there anything new to say ? Resurrecting it post Charlton - It’s a bit like Liverpool fans saying they now need a decent striker cos Nunez missed a few sitters last night.

But arguing that Bloom isn’t taking enough “risk or balls” to “push us on “ is certainly a new one. He just spent £10m on a 17 year old Argentinian - most of Albion’s transfer activity is a big risk.
Unless you’re saying he should sell up to a nation state or multi billionaire etc. are you ?

 

[Lurchy]

The striker argument - is there anything new to say ? Resurrecting it post Charlton - It’s a bit like Liverpool fans saying they now need a decent striker cos Nunez missed a few sitters last night.

But arguing that Bloom isn’t taking enough “risk or balls” to “push us on “ is certainly a new one. He just spent £10m on a 17 year old Argentinian - most of Albion’s transfer activity is a big risk.
Unless you’re saying he should sell up to a nation state or multi billionaire etc. are you ?

I’d also add that we know the club has shown serious interest in Nunez and Ramos in the past and were willing to shatter our transfer record (there could even be players we don’t know about).

The club would be spend big, but I think the numbers have to make sense and more importantly it’ll have to be for the right striker.

 

[schmunk]

And would still be within our wage structure

Ideally we’d want someone who has some physicality to achieve the above but is also comfortable on the ball allowing us different options throughout the game.

BBD fits the mold here for me, he doesn’t need to score 20+ to be effective, 10 is probably enough if the rest of the role is effective

Forget BBD, for a decent target man we need BDB back...!

 

[pocketseagull]

I thought the signs of breaking down a defensive opposition were actually quite positive (despite the result!). Lost count of the amount of times the ball was crossed directly in front of goal, beating the keeper and their players. All it needed was for one of ours to be just a little sharper to get the slightest of touches.

 

[AstroSloth]

RDZ, even with limited English and a less than brilliant translator, appears to be pretty strident in his "I've told the club what I think we need" statements. This side has needed an experienced, 28 year old GM type finisher, ever since they let the actual GM go to Palace. This type of footballer will cost a fortune and the sell-on will not be an option. Still think Berardi has to be on RDZ's radar - even if he's recovering from injury.

Are you talking about Domenico Berardi who RDZ previously managed?

He's one of the players I'd most like to see in a Brighton shirt but I very much doubt we'd be able to sign him.

He's been at Sassuolo his whole career except a weird time where Juventus co-owned him but he still played for Sassuolo.

I'm surprised bigger clubs haven't come in for him as he's an exceptional player and one of my favourites.

 

[Barnet Seagull]

It would be interesting to know where the bulk of chances we create fall. My sense is that they fall mostly to Tross, March and Lallana. Two of those can't finish.
A striker may not solve anything if we aren't playing in a way that can use one.

 

[Perkino]

Usually a return of 12/13 goals will be enough to put a player in the top 10 charts. 10 goals will often make the top 20. Finding such an individual isn't easy and many of the multi million pound options don't produce the goods regularly

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It is a predictable argument, that gets made when we struggle to score for a while.

It's as predictable as people coming on here and scoffing at the argument we need a striker when we put five past leicester, or put 4 past Chelsea, then 3 past both Arsenal and Wolves.

I don't think the problem is the striker. We can score goals. The problem, for me, is that we can only do that if the team is either in disarray (eg man u, leicester), or have a habit of trying to play football/believe they can beat us by playing on the front foot (arsenal, liverpool, chelsea). If teams decide they are going to put some effort and discipline into defending, we struggle. We're too slow to see a pass or too slow to assess it and decide to take it, giving defenders a chance to get back into position.or we lack creativity to get around blocks. If you put a bit of effort and discipline into defending against us, you're halfway to a win. Even if you're a league one club.

This.

Much less of a problem when we put out the first team, I have to say, albeit even that can come unstuck if we play a team who stop play every few minutes with (wankers') cramp.

The tipping point may hinge on whether we can up our game to maintain fast slick football more often against dirty timewasters, not whether we can singe Lionel Messi ("not him obviously, I'm not stupid; but someone if his stature" . . . . . what, like Tom Cruise?)

 

[GT49er]

Forget BBD, for a decent target man we need BDB back...!

Forget 'em both (although I wouldn' mind BDB back here if the price was right if it turns out his role at Newcastle is merely transitional) - never mind te 'D's, we've got BBB storming through the U21s!

 

[GT49er]

This.

Much less of a problem when we put out the first team, I have to say, albeit even that can come unstuck if we play a team who stop play every few minutes with (wankers') cramp.

The tipping point may hinge on whether we can up our game to maintain fast slick football more often against dirty timewasters, not whether we can singe Lionel Messi ("not him obviously, I'm not stupid; but someone if his stature" . . . . . what, like Tom Cruise?)

.... or what, like Aaron Connolly?

 

[Red Squirrel]

ok, so my 2nd post is a ridiculous suggestion. Not a target man but I would be tempted to push Lamptey up top . He has a terrific shot on him and would probably win a few penalties (even from VAR)

 

[um bongo molongo]

I get frustrated when it’s reduced to a ‘we need a 20 goal striker’. We know we aren’t getting one of those. But we look a much better side when Welbeck plays as he links up play and can run in behind which stretches sides. When he doesn’t play, the oppo push up and we have less space to play in. So we need another Welbeck basically, preferably one who could also score a few goals (even one who can take penalties would be good). I got pelters on here for suggesting Solanke, but he’s exactly the type (not possible now Bournemouth have been promoted). These types of strikers also don’t grow on trees, but there are feasible options out there.

 

[Tommy11]

If @Tommy11 can win the Premier League on Football Manager, why can't RDZ do it in the real world? You lack ambition and vision GB.

We finished 15th and 16th under potter his first two seasons. We finished 9th last season, with the help of the last day results going our way. We could have finished anywhere between 14th and 9th that day. The style of football is better now than under Chris, but why can’t we take a gamble, go get a forward and improve our forward line- which will improve our Chances of getting into Europe and possibly winning a cup. What is wrong with that thinking?? The problem with fans like you, is that your all so caught up and brainwashed by the commercial bollocks that come out the clubs mouth- you think they do know wrong and obey everything they say. It’s really painful to read.