Where does Simon Church fit in now?

[Friday's Legacy]

as a striker he must be 4th or 5th choice now? tonight he was disappointed not to play for wales but he could be in for a lot more disappointment at domestic level.

1. hunt
2. le fondre
3. manset
4. robson-kanu
5. church
6. b.williams

fair/unfair?

his goalscoring has received much criticism, but his movement often gets praised - so could he be worth a try in an attacking midfield role instead? it's a position that nobody has claimed as their own yet.

[Simon's Church]

I don't think we'll know where Le Fondre fits in until he's played a bit but yeah Church is definitely behind the other 3.

Can't see him as a midfielder myself, just needs a loan to get some minutes and some confidence.

[CayeneMatt]

Shame really considering how he finished 2009.

[urz13]

I'd just like to congratulate you on your first usage of capitals! (Even if it was only in the thread title).

[PEARCEY]

I haven't given up hope on him yet....but time is running out.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

A good 3 month plus loan spell at a Div one club will do him the power of good.

[gazzer, loyal royal]

I think if we still could name 7 subs his role would change as he could play a few positions and would maybe give us more options in the 7. Now with only 5 subs named, we need an out and out goalscorer on the bench. Church just doesn't addd anything different.

A loan to league one club will do him the world of good, and with the loan window opening tomorrow I'd expect to see him go out on loan until Jan.

Hunt, Manset, HRK and ALF are all ahead of him

[Schards#2]

If the players ahead of him perform badly, they'll get dropped. If the players ahead of him do well, they'll be sold.

Either way Church will get a chance at some stage.

[roadrunner]

He really needs to go out on loan until January to a League 1 club. Someone like Charlton who are creating chances. His confidence is shot to pieces and he's now 4th choice here.

I'd have Le Fondle, Hunt and Manset ahead of him, and if we class HRK as a striker then even him actually.

I would actually prefer we sold him while anyone still thinks he's worth anything.

[brendywendy]

I haven't given up hope on him yet....but time is running out.

^^ zis

[loyalroyal4life]

Think a loan until Jan would do him good

[Ferris]

I'm surprised that it hasn't been mentioned, as it seems the obvious solution, but a loan move until January would be the best thing for him imo.

[Hiram K Hackenbacker]

I agree

[manny96]

His confidence is shot to pieces and he's now 4th choice here.

I guess this is true but we don't really have any evidence for it. He's barely played so far this season, apart from Charlton, when everyone was gash.

[Cobi]

I agree he shouldn't be written off just yet but it really doesn't look too good for him. He did alright for us in 09 but before that including loans elsewhere and after that he's been dreadful. Not only his loack of goals but his first touch too. For someone who doesn't have much pace, too need two touches to bring the ball under control just gives the opposition time to resposition and compose themselves. Arguably the same for Noel Hunt actually.

Currently I would favour Le Fondre and Manset up front with Hunt on the bench with Robson-Kanu. Church needs a loan move down a division. If he fails again while on loan then we really need to consider shipping him out. There's no room for sentiment just because he's a local lad.

[Hoop Blah]

...and if we class HRK as a striker then even him actually.

Considering Robson-Kanu has played a number of games upfront, ahead of Church, I think it's safe to say he's ahead of him in the pecking order!

I would actually prefer we sold him while anyone still thinks he's worth anything.

I think it must be getting close to this for him now. A loan is all well and good but there comes a time when he has to move on and find his niche in a team that wants to play him. That might mean dropping down a level or just finding a Championship side that wants what he can offer (whatever that may be!).

I've always said he hasn't got enough of a strength at this level. No one part of his game is good enough to really worry Championship defences or to combine well with another forward, he's just distinctly average at everything.

I'm not sure convinced that Le Fondre is going to come straight into the side either. I wouldn't be surprised if he did mind, but as with some of the other cheap investments, he will probably start off as a bit of a squad player and work in progress.

[NR_Royal]

I love how FM11 has Church completely wrong. He has 17/20 for finishing and in my save, went on to score over 20 Premier League goals in one season for Sunderland...

[Norfolk Royal]

I think Church going out on loan until January would help him get his confidence back.

[zummerset]

Church could always come down here... there are lots of barn doors that he could try and hit until he gets his confidence back

[Row Z Royal]

Church could always come down here... there are lots of barn doors that he could try and hit until he gets his confidence back

Which will be never.