Our Weak Frontline

[Markman]

For my sins I work for a company that is National and so every Monday Morning the emails flood in from supporters of all clubs in this division - this week was particularly grim for me (having had mostly good weeks so far) - the one consistent trend from supporters of Ipswich, Wolves, Stoke, WBA, Southampton, Sheff Wed amongst others is to ask me about our forwards - my reply is Trundle, Byfield, Jev, Enoch.... and the truth is this basically gets a few guffaws.

Now we can all have a laugh and we are doing well, but there is a grain of truth in this - we don't really have a front line - Trundle is not clicking (yet) and teams (or at least supporters based on those I talk to) do not worry about our attack

For GJ this is a tough one - he must have been the man that got the dosh for LT - and if he does not work will he be big enough to admit it and get another striker - we are looking at this Irish Player but he is a bit untested at this level

We look fairly certain that we can avoid the dreaded drop - and that is the main aim - but on this forum many were saying (and on phone ins) that there is no reason why we cannot stay in the top 6 all season - well I think there is and it is the lack of strikeforce suitable for this level - those that do think we can hang on Top Six - do you really think the Forwards we have are the ones that will keep us there?

So long as we stay up - for me anyway - it does not matter but if we do bubble along around 4th - 8th we are all going to start dreaming and for me that will mean we have to buy a forward in January - I think the defence is ok and the midfield will do with the various options we have - but not the front-line

[bh_red]

agree, don't think there is that much of a problem with the front line,

bar the ipswich game, everything is going well so far.

obviously having Jevons, Enoch and Brooker all suffering various injury problems so far hasn't helped, but once fully fit they will all be good additions to the squad

[Guest SarahB]

Our front line is lacking any agression. Also noone seems to want to be the box player. We need Brooker back and fast. Until then providing Enoch is fit enough i would play him and Trundle up front they seemed to be linking up well together for the reserves last night.

[Henry]

Our front line is lacking any agression. Also noone seems to want to be the box player. We need Brooker back and fast. Until then providing Enoch is fit enough i would play him and Trundle up front they seemed to be linking up well together for the reserves last night.

If you carry on with this Brooker obsession, me and you will be up for 'Forum Stalker of the year' award

[Slave to the rhythm]

We are 4th - that's the answer to those other than Watford, WBA and Charlton.

What more do you need ?

And do you, honestly, think we are anywhere near good enough to stay in fourth place? No, neither do I.

[Guest CiderMeUp]

And do you, honestly, think we are anywhere near good enough to stay in fourth place? No, neither do I.

I cant see us staying top 6 for to long unless we get a striker whio can score goals at this level.

Johnson will be under a bit of pressure to get it right as the 1 million he spent on Trundle looks like being a very costly error!

[Guest SarahB]

Well yeah a costly error when he is sat on the bench!! PUT HIM ON THE PITCH!!!

[frenchred]

Well yeah a costly error when he is sat on the bench!! PUT HIM ON THE PITCH!!!

eerrr why?

[garlicbread]

To stay top six, we need a 20 goal prove championship player, simple as.

[giles_23_bcfc]

To stay top six, we need a 20 goal prove championship player, simple as.

No prizes for guessing who Sarah thinks that is!

[Longacre_red]

No prizes for guessing who Sarah thinks that is!

Phil Jevons?! :noexpression:

[giles_23_bcfc]

Phil Jevons?! :noexpression:

Noo. don't be silly!

Enoch!

[Guest Mike]

To be honest i think we could do with signing a good striker in January to strengthen our position if we are still 4th at that point. And of course by then we'll have seen whether or not Trundle has fired, whether people like Jevons etc when they get their chance are in form or not. That's the time i think a new striker would be worthwhile. But overall i think were doing great, and a lot better than i originally thought.

And as a few said, we've already proved so far that we can stand toe to toe with some of the better teams in this league, so there's no real problem. But a new striker in January maybe useful to keep our campaign positive.

[Guest seesaw]

What's more of a concern than our front line is what happens to our back line when Carey's not on the field.

We were lucky to hold on against Soton when he went off & what happened at Ipswich speaks for itself.

[old_man_terry]

To stay top six, we need a 20 goal prove championship player, simple as.

and they cost what? £2-£3m?

[giles_23_bcfc]

What's more of a concern than our front line is what happens to our back line when Carey's not on the field.

We were lucky to hold on against Soton when he went off & what happened at Ipswich speaks for itself.

Very true. Although if McCombe wouldve had a run of games then i don't think he wouldve looked as shaky as he did against Soton. Ipswich wasnt down to Carey going off injured, it was the whole team.

[Guest seesaw]

Very true. Although if McCombe wouldve had a run of games then i don't think he wouldve looked as shaky as he did against Soton. Ipswich wasnt down to Carey going off injured, it was the whole team.

You honestly think we would of leaked 6 if Carey lasted 90 mins! NO WAY

[giles_23_bcfc]

You honestly think we would of leaked 6 if Carey lasted 90 mins! NO WAY

Its very possible! We were down to 10 men for half of the game against a team who had won their last 10 home games and who were in dominating form.

Its a hypothetical situation anyway because we will never know

[Back of the net]

and they cost what? £2-£3m?

Surely if we want to compete over a season with the best in this division we must match, to some extent, the spending of most? Obviously the qualities brough to the club by GJ will mean we won't need to waste money and that we will unearth a few bargains. However, at some point we must make a major financial signing to secure a proven key player if we want to improve?

We we able to afford £1m on Trundle despite spending 10 years in the 3rd tier and the small financial rewards that brought. Now we are in a higher league, with a greater revenue income, then maybe spending £2m on a player may not be out of the question or a financial gamble? Calculated risks can bring their own rewards. Maybe the right player (not someone who's late 20's) signed for £2m may become to be a £5m-£10m player.

Personally, i'd like to think that if the right quality young player became available at around £1.5-£2m, then we would be interested in signing him.

[Nibor]

To stay top six, we need a 20 goal prove championship player, simple as.

Of the three teams promoted last season, none had such a player. The closest was Steve Howard with 16 goals.

[samo]

Of the three teams promoted last season, none had such a player. The closest was Steve Howard with 16 goals.

The fact of which still won't shut up those who use the fact we don't have one of these mythical creatures to eat on the team. What consitutes a 20 goal a season striker anyway? Jamie Cureton was a high scoring striker lat year; this year he takes 5 chances before he even hits the target.

[Alex_BCFC]

Currently I only think Trundle, Byfield and Brooker cut it. I would do my best to get rid of Jevons and Showumni ASAP and get in a pacy striker.

Last season we went up with someone only scoring 14? goals as our top scorer so it is possible not to have 20 a season man and do well. I would like to see us work on creating chances- even when we have won games this season we have rarely created more than 3 or 4 good chances in a game.

[Guest Garfunkle]

To stay top six, we need a 20 goal prove championship player, simple as.

no we don't! look at the top 6 from last season

[Guest Garfunkle]

We we able to afford £1m on Trundle despite spending 10 years in the 3rd tier and the small financial rewards that brought. Now we are in a higher league, with a greater revenue income, then maybe spending £2m on a player may not be out of the question or a financial gamble? Calculated risks can bring their own rewards. Maybe the right player (not someone who's late 20's) signed for £2m may become to be a £5m-£10m player.

quite right ie reading with lita and cardiff with chopra

[Fodbarmyarmy]

IMO it doesn't matter what WE think of our strikers it's what the opposition think and how much they have to adjust their game to handle them and therefore have an adverse effect on their own perfomance - and TBH if I were the opposition I would not be worried at all by the likes of Byfield & Trundle (they wouldn't scare me into changing tactics to keep them quiet)

Both Charlton & Ipswich sussed this and concentrated on stopping the midfield safe in the knowledge that they didnt have much to worry about from our front line - especially when we play with just the one up.

[downendcity]

The last prolific striker we had was Leroy but his goals didn't secure us promotion.

We have no prolific scorer this season, but have a decent number of goals for due to a number of players chipping in with goals ( a weakness in the past was that midfield didn't contribute many goals)

I would rather be in this position as with a prolific goalscorer the team starts to play to that one player, it's too easy to become dependant on his goals and what is plan B whe he has a barren spell or has a long period out injured (unlikely with a City striker I know!)

A 20 goal striker at this level will be on the radar of Prem clubs and will command a £5m+ fee (e.g. Chopra) so we are not going to get one in at those prices. Having said that I would not be surprised if GJ brings in a striker in january if the right player is available and at the right price.

[garlicbread]

and they cost what? £2-£3m?

..just need Landsown to look down the back of the sofa!

[Guest Red Head]

Our front line is lacking any agression. Also noone seems to want to be the box player. We need Brooker back and fast. Until then providing Enoch is fit enough i would play him and Trundle up front they seemed to be linking up well together for the reserves last night.

Showumni was a donkey first half and not much better second half. Poor touch, little or no movement off the ball, no pace. Almost missed the first goal which was handed to him on a plate.

[Markman]

Of the three teams promoted last season, none had such a player. The closest was Steve Howard with 16 goals.

That is quite an interesting stat - but did they have 2 or 3 players with 14,15, 16 goals?

I just can't see our squad with players like that (although I think you might find Howard scored 18 or 19) - I just can't see us with this type of cutting edge so happy to with mid-table - anything more is just a bonus beyond my expectations

[Nibor]

That is quite an interesting stat - but did they have 2 or 3 players with 14,15, 16 goals?

I just can't see our squad with players like that (although I think you might find Howard scored 18 or 19) - I just can't see us with this type of cutting edge so happy to with mid-table - anything more is just a bonus beyond my expectations

Sunderland had Connolly on 13 and Murphy on 10, Derby had Howard on 16 and Barnes on 8, Brum had Bendtner on 11 and McSheffrey on 13.

Goals in all three teams were spread around, most had many players on 4-8 goals.

These are league goals, I didn't bother adding up cups (frankly I don't care if we score none in the cups as long as we get enough in the league).

I think we need to improve in the final third both creating chances and taking them but I'm just pointing out that not having one player who is a goal machine isn't necessarily a barrier.