Why all the grief for the strikers?

[Stat Brother]

So you think its the strikers not being good enough.

Nothing to do with they way we play?

Baldock has ONE chance yesterday, should have done better granted, but for a man low on confidence you can't blame him.

CMS was never good enough? What the same CMS who scored for fun for Peterborough, THe same CMS would was being chased by bigger clubs than us. The same CMS who thrived in a partnership, but struggles, like the other do playing isolated with balls being pumped into his head, whilst surrounded by defenders a foot taller than him.

In a way I could agree that none of them are good enough. Not to play the system we do. But I struggle to think of a striker alive that would thrive at this club at the moment.

But play to the striker strengths, then they are more than good enough for this division.

We may as well go an sign Jack Butland. Not to play in goal, that would be being silly.

We'll play him as the holding midfield. Would make as much sense to me as playing CMS or Baldock up front on there own, and then play floated ball into them.

Careful Tubby carry on like this and I'll be measuring you up for your Team CMS onesie.

 

[GreersElbow]

we sell off our best players - we bring in cheap re-placements with no pre-season experiance - then wonder why we are near the relagation zone - albion fans deserve better.

Ince is/was a near enough adequate replacement for Bridcutt. Buckley was too inconsistent, we got a great deal for him. I personally cannot see how the players are at fault for what's happening. The set up we're playing makes no real sense. It's too inconsistent in its own right.

We've been playing very narrow most of the games we've played with little to no muscle in the midfield, we don't play widemen to use pace to beat stronger players alas, we lose a lot of the battle in the midfield. Which does 2 things. It puts pressure on the defence because the defence has to literally be on its toes all game because the chances are, the central midfield will lose possession and the defence has to back pedal, we have no pace in our centre backs and because fall backs are being encouraged to go forward, we're exposed on the flanks.

We have no real creativity, other than McCourt. We all know he's not barely getting enough game time, yet he appears to be the key to unlocking defences. But due to his late subs, we're not seeing this by which I can only imagine our forwards are so frustrated, they're not likely to be hitting on que. Our attacking problems stem from the midfield and also our defensive issues stem from the midfield.

However, we're not see any real pragmatism from Sami. We did against a dreadful Leeds, which funnily, we flooded the midfield which had Agustien and Holla in, adding to the strength required. Since then, we've not seen Agustien and Holla appears to be the only strength in the midfield.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Why all the grief for the strikers? Why do you think? Sake!

 

[Machiavelli]

Have to disagree with the main thrust of this thread. There are several places we can point the blame, and that's being done on NSC prolifically at the moment. This includes Hyypia, the system, Burke, Bloom and Barber (bizarrely), Stockdale, the midfield, and the strikers.

If I had to point the finger at any of these, the strikers are first in my particular queue. Between them, they've amassed a grand total of one goal in 12 Championship games this season. CMS will run-and-run, but his finishing and first touch don't seem good enough at this level. Colunga has a good history playing in La Liga, but was never prolific a la Ulloa. O'Grady holds the ball up well, finished well in the Championship last season but hasn't done before, and I'm not sure if he can score enough for us. Baldock, it's too early to say, his movement is good, and things might have been very different if D'Urso had allowed advantage in the first minute yesterday, but his touch was poor for most of yesterday, and was presented with a gilt-edged opportunity and contrived to miss by some margin. If I was being generous, I'd say that he should at least have hit the target with that one, but really he should have scored.
He might come good, but I hope Bloom has told Burke to draw up a shortlist of proven goalscorers from across Europe for January, or youngsters of immense promise from PL squads (Gallagher at Southampton, Wilson at United for instance) to bring in on loan.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Happy to wait a bit longer to see how he improves but so far I am struggling to see ANYTHING in Baldock.

He's weak, not especially quick, doesn't work especially hard, too small to win a header, his passing is average, and when he did get a simple, simple chance, he completely wasted it.

Not great.

 

[Silk]

Happy to wait a bit longer to see how he improves but so far I am struggling to see ANYTHING in Baldock.

He's weak, not especially quick, doesn't work especially hard, too small to win a header, his passing is average, and when he did get a simple, simple chance, he completely wasted it.

Not great.

I think we just aren't giving the strikers anything to work with. We have midfielders that are all too similar, or where they are different, they are too predictable.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I think we just aren't giving the strikers anything to work with.

If you mean giving them the League One thing of a pass to run on to vs. a flat-footed defence then, no, that's rarely going to happen in the Championship. They need to make things happen for themselves a bit more. Current crop clearly aren't up to the task at this level.

 

[sir albion]

I've finally given up on CMS,but Baldock will come good as he's far better than this.I also like colunga and im sure he will come good if he was actually in the penalty area rather than the wing all the time.To many played in a weird system that doesn't fit them.

COG is very average im afraid and was another one if those desperate signings,nothing against him as he works hard for the team,but quality isn't there.

 

[Silk]

They need to make things happen for themselves a bit more.

And where do they get the ball from? It's news to me that in the top two divisions, midfielders don't create chances for forwards any more.

 

[Brighton Mod]

Surely Tony Bloom deserves better for his £200 million?

I hesitate to say this, but feel compelled to, Tony Bloom ultimately is the architect of the situation that we find ourselves in. I take nothing from his splendid contribution and input that has provided us with a super stadium and three different but fantastic years at the Amex, but he heads up the club and where we are now is down to him and his management team. Anyone can cut the costs of a business, but it takes a special person to do this whilst maintaining the same output and in this Barber has failed. Sorry but Tony is paying the price for his strategic decisions or those of his management team. Its not Sammi, the club selected on whatever criteria they imposed, its the governance of the organisation that is lacking and failing us all.

 

[Brighton Mod]

Ince is/was a near enough adequate replacement for Bridcutt. Buckley was too inconsistent, we got a great deal for him. I personally cannot see how the players are at fault for what's happening. The set up we're playing makes no real sense. It's too inconsistent in its own right.

We've been playing very narrow most of the games we've played with little to no muscle in the midfield, we don't play widemen to use pace to beat stronger players alas, we lose a lot of the battle in the midfield. Which does 2 things. It puts pressure on the defence because the defence has to literally be on its toes all game because the chances are, the central midfield will lose possession and the defence has to back pedal, we have no pace in our centre backs and because fall backs are being encouraged to go forward, we're exposed on the flanks.

We have no real creativity, other than McCourt. We all know he's not barely getting enough game time, yet he appears to be the key to unlocking defences. But due to his late subs, we're not seeing this by which I can only imagine our forwards are so frustrated, they're not likely to be hitting on que. Our attacking problems stem from the midfield and also our defensive issues stem from the midfield.

However, we're not see any real pragmatism from Sami. We did against a dreadful Leeds, which funnily, we flooded the midfield which had Agustien and Holla in, adding to the strength required. Since then, we've not seen Agustien and Holla appears to be the only strength in the midfield.

Too narrow under Sammi? under Poyet we saw Bridge on the left in acres of space never receiving the ball, then under Oscar we had Ward on the left in acres of space never receiving the ball and now under Sammi we have Bennett on the left in acres of space never receiving the ball, where we sit we're all chipping in to buy the left back a seat, thus we push our left back up in space never use him and then get him caught out of position!!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Too narrow under Sammi? under Poyet we saw Bridge on the left in acres of space never receiving the ball, then under Oscar we had Ward on the left in acres of space never receiving the ball and now under Sammi we have Bennett on the left in acres of space never receiving the ball, where we sit we're all chipping in to buy the left back a seat, thus we push our left back up in space never use him and then get him caught out of position!!

Don't forget Calde on the right in acres of space never receiving the ball. The manager should either a) stop Bennett and Calde from going there or b) demand that the other players show an IQ higher than their shoe size, look up occasionally and give the wide players the damn ball!

 

[Brighton Mod]

Don't forget Calde on the right in acres of space never receiving the ball.

Of course, that's two pointless strategies which have led to us conceding easy goals,

 

[spence]

Don't forget Calde on the right in acres of space never receiving the ball. The manager should either a) stop Bennett and Calde from going there or b) demand that the other players show an IQ higher than their shoe size, look up occasionally and give the wide players the damn ball!

Did i see you leave early yesterday

 

[bhawoddy]

Can we lay off the strikers please.

Seriously can you not see that square pegs will not fit in round holes.

It's happened every season at the Amex, we play one isolated striker, give them no ammo, and then wonder why they don't score goals.

CMS and Baldock are about as much a lone striker as Katie Price is a scientist.

Baldock had one chance yesterday and fluffed his lines. If this was one of ten chances, no one would care. But it was the only proper chance he had. The bloke needs confidence, that will come with goals. One chance a game, is not going to bring that.

Some are calling for target men up front. Leo played that role last season, and it didn't suit him as much as it won't suit CMS or Baldock, or O'Grady or anyone else for that matter.

It would be no different if we had you 6ft 6 giants up front and then played balls in behind the defense for them to run onto. They equally would not be suited to that style.

So please, get off the strikers back. If there is anyone to blame, its the manager, who whilst might be a nice bloke is painfully out of his depth here.

When he came in he said he will suit the style of play to the players he has. That painfully is not happening.

CMS and Baldock will score for fun in this division. All we need to do is supply the Ammo, and until we do they will struggle.

Lol.....score for fun? ......

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Did i see you leave early yesterday

Not guilty guvnor, though I did bid a fond farewell to an NSC poster of my acquaintance on about the 53 minute mark

 

[GT49er]

Surely Tony Bloom deserves better for his £200 million?

He might wish he'd got better value for the relatively small part of that which was spent over the summer.

 

[El Presidente]

I hesitate to say this, but feel compelled to, Tony Bloom ultimately is the architect of the situation that we find ourselves in. I take nothing from his splendid contribution and input that has provided us with a super stadium and three different but fantastic years at the Amex, but he heads up the club and where we are now is down to him and his management team. Anyone can cut the costs of a business, but it takes a special person to do this whilst maintaining the same output and in this Barber has failed. Sorry but Tony is paying the price for his strategic decisions or those of his management team. Its not Sammi, the club selected on whatever criteria they imposed, its the governance of the organisation that is lacking and failing us all.

Fair enough. Perhaps we are where we deserve to be, and should simply accept, that as a middling provincial club, on the basis of our resources, we are likely to bounce around in this division most of the time, with a playoff chance now and then along with the odd relegation scrap.

Certainly that's what an analysis of the numbers would suggest. If so, why not enjoy it?

 

[El Presidente]

He might wish he'd got better value for the relatively small part of that which was spent over the summer.

Agreed, I think we all would. But signing players is a lottery often, which is what I've previously tried (and failed) to suggest.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

That is my default position El Pres. But the OP has a point. Baldock is best off a big man. So why pursue him if we are not going to use him to best effect.