The striker issue?

[Gregorys Boy]

Touched on this in the transfer thread, but feel it needs its own space as it is a bit of a grey area.

We do have plenty of strikers already, the best of which seem to be Bentake, Kozak, Weinmann (on his day), Gabby (on his day), and if you still class him as a Villa player Bent.

Two seasons ago I really liked the three man partnership of Gabby/Weinmann/Bentake.  There was a good balance to them, they all brought sometime different to the attack and were a big part in us staying up that year.  Last season the partnership was broken up for long spells, and when they were together it didn't work as well, due to the players dip in form or injuries/lack of fitness.

Bentake is the future for me (although unless we improve our league position next season maybe not for long), so he has to be our main man.  He didn't perform as well last season, but still got ten goals, and you must factor than he is still younger (must have felt a burden after his first year) and was injured for a lot of the season.  So when we get him back in November then he should go straight back into the team.

Weinmann I am willing to give another chance to as he does work hard, can be a creator as well as a scorer, and should be able to get about ten goals a season at his best.  Also he is still young too.

With Gabby I think it is time to cut our loses.  He is getting towards 30, and it has been a few seasons now since he was regularly getting between 10-13.  The main issue with him though is that he no longer puts the shift in for the side than he once did, and just doesn't cause enough problems with his pace anymore.  A lack of goals I could excuse if he was doing the other stuff, but he just isn't.  We need to cash him while we can still get five or six mil for him, and give him the send off he deserves.

Bent is an odd one as he seemed the perfect signing a few years back, and to be fair did play a big part in keeping us up that season (although I doubt we would have gone down anyway).  Since then he has struggled for fitness and has been hit and miss form wise.  Under Lambert he has not got a fair crack.  On the one hand I think he maybe worth giving another run given our current struggles and with CB out for awhile.  But if we start the season with Lambert as manager (I think we will personally) that seems unlikely anyway.  It is a dilumama, but we don't have much better right now.

Kozak looked really good before his injury, scored a few goals, is a good target man, seems like he can link up play well.  I see him and CB as our long term partnership but then what of his fitness?  I hope he is ready by the start of the season, but it is touch and go.

If we don't sign a striker before August then I might be happy taking a chance on a Kozak/Bent pairing, with Weinmann either playing behind them or on the wing.  If we get some better creative players to set chances up then I am hopeful than this pairing could get enough goals before Bentake returns.

So my question is do we need another striker or do we have enough already?

[dekko]

I agree with you on Benteke and Weimann.

I still think Gabby could be an important squad player for us.  I don't trust his finishing (or fitness) enough to rely on him as a main striker all season but if we use him away from home/against strong teams/those that play a high line he can still be very effective.  Ideally I'd like to see him on the bench for most games and then bring him on at around 60-70 mins to run at tired defenders.

I think Bent is pretty much done at this level.  He's lost a little bit of his pace since the injuries of the last few years and his lack of work rate (meaning you effectively play with 10 men all game while he waits around for a tap in) mean I think we're generally better off without him.

I also like Kozak (I see him as another 10-15 goal a season striker if he stays fit and gets decent service).

I think some combination of Kozak/Weimann/Gabby and maybe Robinson and Bent will do until Benteke comes back.  Ideally we'd be looking to upgrade on most of them but I think given the situation with the sale and finances we'd be better off looking to strengthen the midfield and full back areas than going after more strikers.

[eamonn]

Nice to have options upfront. Not since GTII/Dolly dismantled the super six of Crouch, Vass, Dub, Angel, Allback and Balaban have we been so blessed.

[Gregorys Boy]

I agree with you on Benteke and Weimann.

I still think Gabby could be an important squad player for us.  I don't trust his finishing (or fitness) enough to rely on him as a main striker all season but if we use him away from home/against strong teams/those that play a high line he can still be very effective.  Ideally I'd like to see him on the bench for most games and then bring him on at around 60-70 mins to run at tired defenders.

I think Bent is pretty much done at this level.  He's lost a little bit of his pace since the injuries of the last few years and his lack of work rate (meaning you effectively play with 10 men all game while he waits around for a tap in) mean I think we're generally better off without him.

I also like Kozak (I see him as another 10-15 goal a season striker if he stays fit and gets decent service).

I think some combination of Kozak/Weimann/Gabby and maybe Robinson and Bent will do until Benteke comes back.  Ideally we'd be looking to upgrade on most of them but I think given the situation with the sale and finances we'd be better off looking to strengthen the midfield and full back areas than going after more strikers.

I can live with using Gabby that way.

So maybe we just need a younger version of Bent.  Remy anyone?

Defence and midfield do need more attention I agree.

[Clark W Griswold]

We have a good 'roster' of forwards with everyone fit, we don't need to sign anyone for the 'Offensive' team. The 'Defence' is where we're still light including the defensive side of the midfield.

[QBVILLA]

Not wishing to sound doom and gloom but we will have to see what Benteke is like when he regains full fitness. The achilles injury can be more damaging long term than a leg break. Chances are he won't be anywhere near his best until February so we may as well work on the basis that anything from him would be a bonus. Remy is a nice thought but his wages mean we won't even be considered with him rumoured to be looking for a move to Arsenal. More realistically for me would be Jordan Rhodes from Blackburn. Yes he's unproven at this level and would prove a gamble but he's certainly a goalscorer and would imo be in the £7m bracket.

[bobdylan]

I think we're ok, as well as the 5 mentioned, we have Robinson and Helenius and Cole and N'Zogbia can play in the no. 10 role meaning some games we can just play one up top with one off and not 2/3 strikers.

[Dave]

I'd say that the striker issue is a way behind the 'midfield issue' and the 'new contracts for Delph and Vlaar issue'.

[PaulWinch again]

I agree, getting Delph and Vlaar tied down to deals and sorting the midfield is critical.

[pauliewalnuts]

I think we're ok, as well as the 5 mentioned, we have Robinson and Helenius and Cole and N'Zogbia can play in the no. 10 role meaning some games we can just play one up top with one off and not 2/3 strikers.

Helenius won't be featuring, from what his agent has said.

[papa lazarou]

I agree, getting Delph and Vlaar tied down to deals and sorting the midfield is critical.

Ditto
None of the forwards are guilty of missing multiple sitters, they need the chances created and they should be good enough to convert plenty. Strikers demand such a premium that I can't envisage the club paying out for proven quality at this stage.

[paul_e]

I think we have enough up front.  Kozak will be back either for the start of the season or certainly pretty early on.  Benteke we're looking at anything between October and February, depending on the specifics of the injury but he'll be back and will clearly become a key part of the team again once he's fit.  Between Gabby, Weimann and Bent we need to find some support for Kozak and we should be ok.  The only thing I'd consider is a half season loan to cover us until Jan to Benteke a little less pressure to get back, but I'm not sure who would be available for that sort of deal.

[ozzjim]

I think a free or a loan striker would be useful for the start of the season. Benteke and Kozak have been out for ages and it was Bowery who filled in at the end of last season. IMO we need an extra body in that ilk.

Plus we need a genuniely pacey alternative to Gabby desperately.

[RussellC]

I really think Troy Deeney would be worth a gamble. Aside from his goal-scoring record in the Championship he seems to have an all-round game that would be suited to the Premiership. He's quick, strong, got 2 good feet and can hold the ball-up. I think he'd be capable of leading the line or playing as part of a 2 or 3 up-front.

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

not sure we need a striker but, if we did go for someone, I would go for Joel Campbell on a season long loan from Arsenal. Someone else who may be worth considering on a permie would be Demba Ba but I think the midfield has got to be priority, and the full back areas