There is a post on MM about selling smith
Im un decided he isnt prolific even in league one but to get a striker championship quality is out of our budget
Unless we get in another striker, which is unlikely now, having got Hirst, I'd say we need to keep all our strikers.
Smith is our only capable target man, I'd be sad to lose that, especially away when we might play him on his own up front.
We have a decent size squad but the 'best 11' is not easy to name.
That might be a good thing, but we have to find a formation home/away, that produces goals. I can't see it yet, so until we 'click' and start putting the ball in the net, I personally don't want us to lose any options we have.
It sounds daft, but we almost have too many options now, especially in midfield (moreso if we get Barlaser)... plus we have wingers to get crosses in... but what is our best striker combo?, I'd say it's too early to call - so keep 'em all for now.
If we could string together a couple of wins, or at least a non losing streak, just for a few games, the formation might sort itself out with the confidence that would bring. It seems weird that we have a better squad but can't yet see what our 'team' looks like - but we are only 2 games in...
The issue I have is the way our forwards are presumably asked to play.
They all seem to want/told to hold the ball up with their backs to goal and get into the channels drifting far too wide. No one wants to run in behind or get across a man especially when a cross comes in and give the defender a different problem.
As solid as the performance was against Millwall we were really let down upfront, far too static and predictable.
Hopefully Hirst can be the striker we desperately need in this division.
A very high percentage of goals are scored with a first touch. Calvert-Lewin scored a hat trick for Everton with three first time finishes at the weekend and from a combined distance of about ten yards. I did think on Saturday that we got a bit predictable and although we had some territory and got a lot of crosses in they were easy to defend and we were really hoping for a lucky break in the end. In truth once they were gifted the first goal Millwall were happy to defend deep and soak up the pressure which they did with relative comfort. It is fine to aim to get the ball wide and get crosses in but it has to be done quickly and with movement in the box. In my humble opinion Smith likes to be up against a defender and his movement to get himself a yard of space is sometimes lacking. Also in my humble opinion all three of Smith, Ladapo and Vassell tend to want too many touches and the latter two can be a bit greedy. The instinctive finishers tend to come at a premium and therein lies the ever present problem. Whether Hirst can improve us or not I dont know yet. We also have to square a circle trying to score goals without leaving ourselves vulnerable defensively. It is a difficult balance. The good news for me from Saturday was that despite playing 442 against a decent side we looked defensively sound barring one calamity and had plenty of the ball, so if we can add a bit of creativity and improve in the final third we might be in business.
I know it is is only two games in as far as the forward line is concerned we have been sussed out. Didn't look like scoring only chance went to a defender a bit worrying. Tough game at the weekend I fear a bit of a pasting.
I know this is a thread about selling Smith and i feel we should hold onto what we have at the moment, but i am intrigued by T.H saying he fears a bit of a pasting. This is a Birmingham who finished fourth from bottom last season with 50 pts. Only four teams scored less goals than them. This season they have played two league games and won one 1-0 and drew the other 0-0. They also played Cambridge in the cup and lost 1-0. They are hardly free scoring and i expect a close game with possibly 0-0 or 1-0 being the most likely score.
I hope it's not you fearing a pasting but hoping for one, so you can give our manager the usual bile you dish out.
Can't see Birmingham scoring that many against us Saturday but if we are to get anything out of the game got to be changes. Leave that to the manager. I'm not confident his approach works.
As gwru and I are paying customers we are entitled to have our say or moan about the performances of the manager and players.There are a lot who go to watch the millers worse than us two. The money warney is on he should know more about football than an ordinary punter like me. Prove it on Saturday by getting a win against Birmingham.
It's one thing having a moan or having an opinion. It's another thing to sit in your chair as a lay punter and assert that you know all about the game and that anybody who thinks differently must be picking his mates or cant be trusted. Gwru goes beyond moaning and groaning. He asserts himself as if he always knows best. Better even than an ex pro and licenced coach. So I would like to hear the straight answer from the horses mouth if he has got the balls to give a straight answer for once. Gwru, who knows more about football - you or Warney?
-- Edited by smiler on Wednesday 23rd of September 2020 08:10:01 AM
Everyone who watches football thinks they know more than the ex pros difference is the fans pay and these so called experts take out. No fans no football gwru is entitled to his opinion waiting with baited breath to see what his take on this matter is.
He's already answered the question within the last week when he said that Warney should go and sit with him and he would learn something. That is both hilarious and sad in equal measures
His answer will be something along the lines of...
"Been watching Roth U long enough, should know something. Why are Jones and Price hear? Need left back and midfeilder good enough. Vassel whats he doing here? ladapo same. I've proved it with horses same with Roth U player, tell me different."
Believe me Top Cat and realmiller, Gwru knows very little about horse racing. On a par with his knowledge of football. My offer to you Gwru about me taking every bet you want and giving to a charity of our choice the winnings is still open and always will be.
I don't get paid to make decisions: Roth U. I just give my views. Looks to me Warney thinks signing Barlaser is suddenly going to transform our fortunes. Still only Ogbene I'd say our only provider. Up front not firing on all cylinders either.
