Le Fondre vs Pogrebnyak

[Ian Royal]

Pog: 23(3) - 5 goals, 0 assists, 30 shots (1 goal every 6), key passes 13.
http://www.whoscored.com/Players/7182
ALF: 11 (20) - 10 goals (4 from starting, which is actually very respectable), 1 assist, 52 shots (1 goal every 5 shots), key passes 9.
http://www.whoscored.com/Players/9776
So clearly not a lot of difference between them statistically.

Decided to look up the minutes each had played (league only):

Pog: 1839
Alf: 1420

Have to question how Pog has played 400 minutes more and managed 30 shots, and Alfie has managed 52 shots, with this same 'poor service' they receive. And for Pog's great hold up play, the stats don't really suggest he's much of a creative outlet. Granted Alfie is playing against more tired defences, but for Alfie to have so many more shots with less minutes is telling, in my opinion.

Also, for people suggesting Pog will get a tonne of goals in the Championship, he's never really been much of a goalscorer, below are his league goals since 2007.

Games (Goals)
Zenit 2007 24 (11)
Zenit 2008 19 (6)
Zenit 2009 15 (5)
Stuggart 2009-2010 28 (6)
Stuggart 2010-2011 26 (8)
Stuggart 2011-2012 14 (1)
Fulham 2011-2012 12 (6)

Seems like Pog is living off his reputation gained from his purple patch at Fulham.

It's telling us that Alfie generally comes on when we're going for it and quite a few of Pog's performances have included about 70 minutes of just trying to hang on rather than create anything.

ALF is better at finding himself space to get a shot away. But what do you expect from a fox in the box?

[St. Brynjar]

Pog for me. I'm fearful he'll do a Zigic at Championship level but he's an exciting striker who we could build a team around. Still think Roberts is our best striker though. Ambivalent about Alf, he's done great for us and would be a star in next year but if he's not happy with the bench then we can't be that pissed off.

[Clyde1998]

Seems like Pog is living off his reputation gained from his purple patch at Fulham.

He was UEFA Cup top goalscorer in 2007-08 though:

Q2 - Zlaté Moravce (SVN) (away) - Played 75 mins (subbed) - Scored 0
Q2 - Zlaté Moravce (SVN) (home) - Played 90 mins - Scored 1
R1 - Standard Liège (BEL) (home) - Played 90 mins - Scored 0
R1 - Standard Liège (BEL) (away) - Played 79 mins (sent off) - Scored 1
GS - AZ (NED) (home) - Suspended
GS - Larissa (GRE) (away) - Played 72 mins (subbed) - Scored 1
GS - Nuremberg (GER) (home) - Played 90 mins - Scored 1
GS - Everton (ENG) (away) - Played 61 mins (subbed) - Scored 0
32 - Villarreal (ESP) (home) - Played 90 mins - Scored 1
32 - Villarreal (ESP) (away) - Played 90 mins - Scored 1
16 - Marseille (FRA) (away) - Played 90 mins - Scored 0
16 - Marseille (FRA) (home) - Played 90 mins - Scored 2
QF - Leverkusen (GER) (away) - Played 90 mins - Scored 1
QF - Leverkusen (GER) (home) - Played 90 mins - Scored 0
SF - Bayern (GER) (away) - Played 90 mins - Scored 0
SF - Bayern (GER) (home) - Played 90 mins - Scored 2
F - Rangers (SCO) (Manchester) - Suspended

Minutes: 1,277
Goals: 11
Minutes per goal: 116.1

[SydenhamRoyal]

Pog's had so few chances. When he has had sight of goal he's been awesome (except that time he tried to hit the moon in Newcastle). Feed him and he'll score. It's Pog for me.

Surely you can't be serious? He's scored 5 league goals this season. People go on about how great a finisher he is, but 5 goals with the amount of games he's played is not acceptable.

Danny Welbeck has one league goal this season. In a team with far, far better service. A lack of goals does not make you a bad player - other examples this season are Rooney, Adebayor, Jelavic etc. Pog, like ALF, has taken his chances when they have been handed to him.

Except when they have been on a plate like the 3 on Sunday

[Jano]

What 3 on a plate were these? There was 1 half chance, nothing else.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

ALF all the way.

I'd always much rather have a player who wants to play and always gives everything he can ahead of a player who doesn't look interested half the time.

[SydenhamRoyal]

What 3 on a plate were these? There was 1 half chance, nothing else.

a simple header which he aimed at his own feet, the one that - fair play to him - he created himself but where his shot (I'm quoting the Sun here) was steered somewhere towards Maidenhead, and the scrap on the goal line in the first half

[Jano]

What 3 on a plate were these? There was 1 half chance, nothing else.

a simple header which he aimed at his own feet, the one that - fair play to him - he created himself but where his shot (I'm quoting the Sun here) was steered somewhere towards Maidenhead, and the scrap on the goal line in the first half

The simple header from a cross which was behind him, that wasn't actually simple. The goal mouth scramble that he reacted to and was fortunate to get a knee to which created an on target shot that was cleared off the line. Neither of these were anywhere near handed to him on a plate.

The one he created himself was the only decent opportunity he had, and he missed it by inches.

[urz13]

What 3 on a plate were these? There was 1 half chance, nothing else.

a simple header which he aimed at his own feet, the one that - fair play to him - he created himself but where his shot (I'm quoting the Sun here) was steered somewhere towards Maidenhead, and the scrap on the goal line in the first half

For the header he he had to jump with practically no momentum, backwards, from a standing start, under pressure from 2 defenders. The scramble was just that - desperately trying to prod it goalwards. The one he created for himself was good play and centimetres wide - although he probably should have hit the target.

[Ian Royal]

What 3 on a plate were these? There was 1 half chance, nothing else.

a simple header which he aimed at his own feet, the one that - fair play to him - he created himself but where his shot (I'm quoting the Sun here) was steered somewhere towards Maidenhead, and the scrap on the goal line in the first half

The simple header from a cross which was behind him, that wasn't actually simple. The goal mouth scramble that he reacted to and was fortunate to get a knee to which created an on target shot that was cleared off the line. Neither of these were anywhere near handed to him on a plate.

The one he created himself was the only decent opportunity he had, and he missed it by inches.

If by inches, you mean about 3 feet including the width of the goal post, yes.

[Maguire]

rofl, bloke cuts inside the last man and curls one marginally wide of the post and you all hate on him for it

That was the best bit of the whole game

[southbank1871]

The answer is Pogrebnyak.

[Sanguine]

I've said this already, the answer is both.

[southbank1871]

Hold on, what was the question?

[Hoop Blah]

Pogrebnyak is the better player and the one who can do more for the team so I'd take him over Le Fondre any day of the week.

Le Fondre is a great finisher on his day, but he's proved this season and last that his all-round game isn't good enough for any more than coming off the bench when his teams in need of a goal.

[Ian Royal]

rofl, bloke cuts inside the last man and curls one marginally wide of the post and you all hate on him for it

That was the best bit of the whole game

It was certainly the best move of the whole game. And it was a decent effort he should have done better with once he made it. It wasn't inches wide, unless by 'inches' you mean double figures. He is a good player who will do damage in the Championship and he's well worth keeping.

I don't see anyone hating, except maybe yappy, just putting in a little perspective. It's not like you to criticise everyone for something one or two people have said Mags... is something up?

[Mintona]

Pavel, every single time.

[Maguire]

Pogrebnyak is the better player and the one who can do more for the team so I'd take him over Le Fondre any day of the week.

Le Fondre is a great finisher on his day, but he's proved this season and last that his all-round game isn't good enough for any more than coming off the bench when his teams in need of a goal.

Sums it up.