How many will we sign?

[Snowflake Royal]

Think he sees Aluko and Barrow as CFs as well rather than just wingers. Plus Clement. Suspect we'll play false 9s quite often

This. We don't want to be Leeds, totally reliant on one player for goals. We did desperately need a striker. And we bought one.

In addition, Stam has added Bacuna, Edwards, Barrow and Aluko. All capable of hitting 5 - 10 goals each. There's your 20 goal striker and then some.

On top of them we have McCleary, Popa, Beerens, Clement and Swift. Plus Kelly and Evans.

Anyone goes on a barren run, we replace them with someone else. And Bodvarsson has already shown nice signs of being able to bring others into the game to get chances, plus with more pace Kelly can play more killer through balls and balls into the channels.

You look at the side compared to last year and it's potentially chock full of goals.

I want to see how the players we've signed in the last six months do. oxf*rd splashing stupid money on someone who almost certainly won't justify it.

[FiNeRaIn]

Why is it always extremes and " splashing silly money" ,why is there no in-between? Its only silly money in terms of UK proven strikers. Realistically we could have gone to Mexico, Sweden, German second division, Serie B,etc and found a 15 goal striker for 2/3 million or so. Would it have worked out? Maybe, maybe not. We could have bought a dud or found a steal but those countries don't come close to demanding the stupid fee's the UK does and they still contain good players.

As it stands lets get behind what we have but filling up on talented wingers, however good they may be is a risk strategy for a team that often fails to score several goals and put teams away. You can't just add up all the midfielders and say " here's 20 goals you were lacking", firstly they are expected to chip in anyway, secondly playing them all at once isn't a sensible strategy and thirdly none of them have particularly impressive goal scoring records. We better pray Yann comes back, gets fit quickly and finds the form of last season which frankly isn't a given considering his age. I'd be surprised if we aren't working on loaning someone from somewhere. We've done well everywhere else, adding a low risk loan again would be a smart low risk move.

At this point there isn't any benefit in moaning, but fans are absolutely entitled to feel concerned with the lack of proven striker options so those criticizing people for voicing their opinion can get off their high horse. ( this isn't aimed at anyone in particular for the record)

[Millsy]

I don't understand the people that have elsewhere said they are happy to go without.

If you think we can maintain a sustained promotion push with what we've got then fair enough, id like some of what you're smoking but I think it's imperative we get a striker in with a good goal scoring record. There's no telling when Kermorgant will actually get back and with his age will he be the same player he was before? I think we have enough goals in the team to get by, but it won't be sufficient if we harbour hopes of a promotion challenge imho.

Nonsense. We'll scrape through to the playoffs with a shit goal difference despite not being able to score. We'll get through to the final against an average team and will be unable to score in 120mins of football. Then we'll lose on penalties.

[Drew_3]

Why is it always extremes and " splashing silly money" ,why is there no in-between? Its only silly money in terms of UK proven strikers. Realistically we could have gone to Mexico, Sweden, German second division, Serie B,etc and found a 15 goal striker for 2/3 million or so. Would it have worked out? Maybe, maybe not. We could have bought a dud or found a steal but those countries don't come close to demanding the stupid fee's the UK does and they still contain good players.

As it stands lets get behind what we have but filling up on talented wingers, however good they may be is a risk strategy for a team that often fails to score several goals and put teams away. You can't just add up all the midfielders and say " here's 20 goals you were lacking", firstly they are expected to chip in anyway, secondly playing them all at once isn't a sensible strategy and thirdly none of them have particularly impressive goal scoring records. We better pray Yann comes back, gets fit quickly and finds the form of last season which frankly isn't a given considering his age. I'd be surprised if we aren't working on loaning someone from somewhere. We've done well everywhere else, adding a low risk loan again would be a smart low risk move.

At this point there isn't any benefit in moaning, but fans are absolutely entitled to feel concerned with the lack of proven striker options so those criticizing people for voicing their opinion can get off their high horse. ( this isn't aimed at anyone in particular for the record)

I agree wholeheartedly with everything you have said. Unfortunately the window is slightly different this time around in that the loan system is also now closed. What we have is what we have until January now.

[Platypuss]

I'd be surprised if we aren't working on loaning someone from somewhere. We've done well everywhere else, adding a low risk loan again would be a smart low risk move.

I agree wholeheartedly with everything you have said. Unfortunately the window is slightly different this time around in that the loan system is also now closed. What we have is what we have until January now.

Indeed, the only remaining option now is out of contract players.

[Millsy]

Maybe silly question but is it still possible we've signed someone but it's not been announced yet? I remember asking this a few years back and being advised yes it's possible. Just hanging onto a faint glimmer of hope.

[mumbo-jumbo]

Maybe silly question but is it still possible we've signed someone but it's not been announced yet? I remember asking this a few years back and being advised yes it's possible. Just hanging onto a faint glimmer of hope.

Let it go mate! We have a great bunch of players already and seemingly a good team spirit: let's give them a chance now and see what happens.

[leon]

At least we've got some pace in the side now. That was lacking massively in previous years.

That might give Bod the chance to flourish.

The reason we conceded so many goals last season was the lack of cover the midfield gave the defence.

[Hound]

At least we've got some pace in the side now. That was lacking massively in previous years.

That might give Bod the chance to flourish.

The reason we conceded so many goals last season was the lack of cover the midfield gave the defence.

Yep as above. The forward options look ok to me, obv helped massively when Yann is back. Reckon McCleary will play CF a fair bit, and can do the role pretty well

Agree also on the conceding of goals. Along with often having to play players out of position (i.e. Joey and Gunter CB). Blackett looks far better this season as well

[maffff]

So, what strikers are available on a free?

Also, I see Cardiff haven't yet added ledley to their side.

[blythspartan]

A really good transfer window. Apart from Pelle, we signed all players with Champ and Prem experience and we managed to extend deals for our best players. For me Edwards is my favourite, as I think he will be a 7 out of 10 each week and our midfield needs that.

Another striker would have been great but Jon Dadi could do the business yet and we have Yann to come back. We could have maybe tried overseas for a cheaper option but that normally carries a bigger risk. Fair play to the club for trying in this window and January isn't too far away.

Until last season Chris Wood hadn't been prolific and how many goals has Rhodes been scoring lately. I just think it shows that you can be lucky and a striker can hit form for you at just the right time. Dave Tarpey of Maidenhead is a perfect example of that.

[Wycombe Royal]

Dave Tarpey of Barnet

Corrected for you.

[genome]

Remember with the cheaper overseas option, the pound vs the euro is a shambles so we would be paying over the odds there as well

[Millsy]

Remember with the cheaper overseas option, the pound vs the euro is a shambles so we would be paying over the odds there as well

Something else to blame the brexitossers for.

[Maneki Neko]

im officially bored of "cant buy a striker so buy a load of random midfielder" transfer windows

It would be so good to have an actual strike force for once. I miss it.

[Hound]

im officially bored of "cant buy a striker so buy a load of random midfielder" transfer windows

It would be so good to have an actual strike force for once. I miss it.

give it a month and we might have Yann, Jon Dadi, Barrow and Aluko (or McCleary) up front. Surely that qualifies?

[MouldyRoyal]

im officially bored of "cant buy a striker so buy a load of random midfielder" transfer windows

It would be so good to have an actual strike force for once. I miss it.

give it a month and we might have Yann, Jon Dadi, Barrow and Aluko (or McCleary) up front. Surely that qualifies?

Half of those are wingers, that's the point. We have just two senior proper strikers.

There's perhaps a discussion to be had whether the importance of an old-fashioned style striker is properly diminshed and the modern winger-cum-forward is the only viable way, but I certainly get Brendy's point that it was nice when we had a proper collection of actual strikers.

[Hound]

you're not going to play 4 CFs though are you?

Barrow/McCleary/Popa/Aluko on the wings and Jon Dadi/Yann through the middle. Mendes on the bench. Its a pretty good front line

Looking at September's relatively gentle fixtures, I think we have enough without Yann being fit. If he can get going for the tough period in mid Oct onwards, I think we should be fine.

[maffff]

Another striker would have been great but Jon Dadi could do the business yet and we have Yann to come back.

re: Bod - as someone said to me elsewhere, if we signed him on deadline day from Kaiserslauten for £5m on the back of a good euros, we'd be pretty happy (even if he only scored 2 in 15 there). Getting him for considerably less after a poor spell in a bad Wolves team, great. He's looked good so far and already managed to bag one.

Plus we have Yann to come back.

[genome]

Yup as said in another thread, I've got a good feeling about Bodvarsson, in fact I'm willing to stick my neck out and say he'll get double figures for us this season.