by Millsy »
01 Aug 2013 15:15
Royal Rother 2 world wars, 1 world cup Mike Hunt I know that he goes OTT, but he does have a point.
- Pog does not want to be in the Championship. So even if he stays, will he be like Shorey in 07/08?
- Le Fondre has hardly pulled up any trees when starting, even in the Championship in 11/12. And it looks like he cannot play up front on his own.
- Roberts is injured, and needed to exercise in that zero gravity runner a few weeks back. He may not be fit until Christmas, and then he has to get back up to speed. And then - he is 2 years older than when he came in and took the Championship by storm. Will he still have it?
- Blackman - Lets be honest - he has not showed us much since joining. But Adkins must see something in him to keep playing him, so I will reserve judgement until he has had ample opportunity.
This leaves the younglings. I would like to hope Samuel can come on, but it may be a season too early.
In conclusion, I whilst I do agree with FG's sentiments, I feel that he takes it too far. And I feel that It is all well and good saying that we must get Rhodes or Austin or Hooper, but in reality - it is never going to happen.
+1
Except I suppose if Pog wants out so badly he realises the only way to do that is to really shine.
We're looking quite toothless. I envisage excellent possession play, with disappointment after disappointment in the final third. A frustrating season unless we gt someone or the strikers come good !
Again, and it was YOU I responded to last time with this (on the Hooper thread a month or more ago), so why you no risten...?
Last season we had the highest percentage of all teams in the PL for Clear Cut Chances converted to Goals.And we came 4th in the table for all Chances to Goals.The problem was not converting chances - it was creating them!!!Argue with stats all you want, there's always room for dispute etc. but for the team to finish 1 off the bottom to have the highest conversion rate is fairly amazing I'd have thought.
That's fair enough but what does it have to do with what I say about Pog
I was just countering the assertion that he wouldn't be interested in the Champ so I was saying I think he may well be if only to escape it. The assumption therefore is that he HAS the ability, but all it requires is him being bothered. I hope he does come good and so hope you're right, and stats or not I started a thread last season suggesting he was a phenomenal finisher so I'm definitely with you there.
As it happens though, to take you up on that point for the sake of good HNA discussion only, to me strikers aren't about sitting around and converting "clear cut chances" whatever those are deemed to be, it's about getting into positions to help create them, their whole game, converting NON clear cut chances etc etc etc. Any old fool can take a punt at a clear cut chance but how about getting into the positions in the first place? Just look at what Roberts did single handedly when he joined. It's quite probable that Pog's goal:clear cut chance ratio is better than Roberts' but Roberts changed us with the way we played and completely changed our fortunes with the half cut chances he created and put away etc etc... despite having the same service.
When as a striker you have to focus in on an obscure stat like that to defend you it's a little worrying!!!
But overall I potentially agree with you hence my post: in the championship chances are he'll do more generally in his game and more chances will be created anyway.
So overall we have to hope that a) he is bothered and b) he ups his game from a clear cut finisher to a half decent all round striker. Both together are a big ask I reckon but even if he does pull it off, we can't go round expecting him to be injury/suspension free all season and so we DEFINITELY need to bring in a striker. It's an absolute no brainer.