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Our strikers next season
- Thread starter milo
- Start date
braineclipse
Steve Sedgley
Depends on the direction our manager wants to take us.
It starts with how many strikers we want to start in most games, if we want to start two then both Ade and Soldado could be kept around. I really feel we have to rethink our central midfield if that's the case though. I'm not sure about Paulinho, Capoue, Bentaleb (at this point) or possibly even Sandro and Dembele in a 4-4-2-esque formation. They all range from good to excellent, but the only real proper passer in there is Bentaleb and I'm not sure he's ready to be first choice in a system like that. We're really lacking balance in central midfield if we want to move in that direction.
If we want to start with a lone striker for most games then I think we need to have a "complete striker" as our first choice striking option. Someone with a bit of height, strength, pace, skill, finishing ability etc. If you look at most top teams regularly playing a lone striker they have one of those strikers available to them or as first choice. The exceptions are teams that are so outrageously good on the ball that they don't need a physical option/holdup player. I'm not holding my breath for us to join that category next season. Look at Arsenal with Giroud and the young Sanogo, Bayern, Dortmund, City (under Mancini), Chelsea at their best had Drogba, and so on. I'm sure there are exceptions, but for where we want to move, I think we need that complete forward.
That, unfortunately, doesn't leave Soldado as a good first choice option. It leaves Ade as a good option, but one many of us will struggle to trust as that first choice striker and like Milo says we might want to cash in anyway.
I started a "which complete strikers could we get" thread in the transfer rumour thread this summer (iirc), and also this January. I still think that's a vital question for us if we want to push on.
Mandzukic or Lukaku would be up there on the wishlist, but probably both are like wishing for a supermodel from Santa for Christmas.
It starts with how many strikers we want to start in most games, if we want to start two then both Ade and Soldado could be kept around. I really feel we have to rethink our central midfield if that's the case though. I'm not sure about Paulinho, Capoue, Bentaleb (at this point) or possibly even Sandro and Dembele in a 4-4-2-esque formation. They all range from good to excellent, but the only real proper passer in there is Bentaleb and I'm not sure he's ready to be first choice in a system like that. We're really lacking balance in central midfield if we want to move in that direction.
If we want to start with a lone striker for most games then I think we need to have a "complete striker" as our first choice striking option. Someone with a bit of height, strength, pace, skill, finishing ability etc. If you look at most top teams regularly playing a lone striker they have one of those strikers available to them or as first choice. The exceptions are teams that are so outrageously good on the ball that they don't need a physical option/holdup player. I'm not holding my breath for us to join that category next season. Look at Arsenal with Giroud and the young Sanogo, Bayern, Dortmund, City (under Mancini), Chelsea at their best had Drogba, and so on. I'm sure there are exceptions, but for where we want to move, I think we need that complete forward.
That, unfortunately, doesn't leave Soldado as a good first choice option. It leaves Ade as a good option, but one many of us will struggle to trust as that first choice striker and like Milo says we might want to cash in anyway.
I started a "which complete strikers could we get" thread in the transfer rumour thread this summer (iirc), and also this January. I still think that's a vital question for us if we want to push on.
Mandzukic or Lukaku would be up there on the wishlist, but probably both are like wishing for a supermodel from Santa for Christmas.
Having good options up front makes the world of difference to a distinctly average side v a very good side.
You only need to look at Liverpool to see how their fortunes have transformed.
I think one prerequisite if I were looking for a striker would be that I want players who can be part of an aggressive front line. Again Liverpool and City for instance are very aggressive up top, this is not just pressing well, but actually snapping in challenges, and actually going for the throat with every attack. Its not an area that fills me with confidence, we are notoriously slow to buy strikers when it seems we need them.
Adebayor has made the world of difference to us since his return. We all know his problems. Soldado is a good player but we don't have enough creativity in the side for him to really be successful.
You only need to look at Liverpool to see how their fortunes have transformed.
I think one prerequisite if I were looking for a striker would be that I want players who can be part of an aggressive front line. Again Liverpool and City for instance are very aggressive up top, this is not just pressing well, but actually snapping in challenges, and actually going for the throat with every attack. Its not an area that fills me with confidence, we are notoriously slow to buy strikers when it seems we need them.
Adebayor has made the world of difference to us since his return. We all know his problems. Soldado is a good player but we don't have enough creativity in the side for him to really be successful.
braineclipse
Steve Sedgley
Are you seriously saying that you think Sherwood will be happy to go into next season with Harry Kane as our first choice striker?
Superhudd
Simon Davies
Are you seriously saying that you think Sherwood will be happy to go into next season with Harry Kane as our first choice striker?
Can you say he wouldn't do it just to prove a point
braineclipse
Steve Sedgley
Can you say he wouldn't do it just to prove a point
As far as it's possible to be sure of anything, yes.
People suggested he was only trying to prove a point with Bentaleb, but I think Bentaleb and Sherwood have proven that wrong by now.
Sherwood is obviously desperate to get the best results possible, as he will be come the summer and next season if still in charge (or involved). And there's effectively the same chance Sherwood would be happy with Kane as his first choice striker as it is van Gaal or Prandelli would.
Sandman
Jermaine Jenas
With Defoe gone, Soldado not firing and Adebayor a strop away from not performing we really need to get in some honest strikers that fit the system and at worst will put in a shift. It seems TS is now settling on a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. I pretty much think if we hired one of the other managers that we are being touted for that is a system they would probably use as well.
So we need strikers that can play up top on their own. Have the ability to hold it up, some pace maybe to keep the defence honest, some ability in the air and some physical strength to hold off the defence.
Prem proven players would be:
Benteke
Bony
Michu ( a more cultured version that showed he could play as a lone man )
From abroad I dont really know. I dont watch enough other leagues to know really. I think we have to stop thinking we can get the absoloute top drawer players. But there must be plenty of players like Bony that would readily come to the prem and have the attributes we need.
So we need strikers that can play up top on their own. Have the ability to hold it up, some pace maybe to keep the defence honest, some ability in the air and some physical strength to hold off the defence.
Prem proven players would be:
Benteke
Bony
Michu ( a more cultured version that showed he could play as a lone man )
From abroad I dont really know. I dont watch enough other leagues to know really. I think we have to stop thinking we can get the absoloute top drawer players. But there must be plenty of players like Bony that would readily come to the prem and have the attributes we need.
I
indianspur
Guest
Benteke and Bony
Armchair Expert
Vedran Corluka
I'm still hoping deploying Lamela at some point in an extremely advanced role will solve the potential problem of numbers.
Baleforce
Arthur Rowe
Same here, if we can get him playing like he did for Roma, behind Soldado, playing like he did for Valencia, we'll be back in business.