Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[dave.woodhall]

I agree with you, I'd take our striker line up - with or without the two injured players, probably - ahead of Stoke's any day of the week.

However, I have to admit, I'd be totally unbothered to see Gabby shipped out. He looks to me like a player who has been on auto-pilot for far too long, in fact, I'd say he sums up the sort of drifting mediocrity of the club in recent years.

On his day, he can be brilliant, the problem is, we see that day less and less as time passes.

I wonder how much of that is down to him being a big game player and we don't play many big games now.

[Clampy]

You forgot to throw in Odemwingie who a struggling Cardiff got rid of and the free scoring Jonathan Walters.

In the last 4 seasons Walters has scored 39 goals for Stoke, Compared to gabby's contribution of 27 for us. Last season Odemwingie scored as many league goals for Stoke in 15 games as Wiemann did for us in 24.

Out of interest, how many did Walters score last season?

[Ads]

 Paulie, you're spot on with your assessment, but I will admit that Gabby gets more wiggle room from me, purely on a sentimental basis.

From 4:24 onwards.

[RussellC]

You forgot to throw in Odemwingie who a struggling Cardiff got rid of and the free scoring Jonathan Walters.

In the last 4 seasons Walters has scored 39 goals for Stoke, Compared to gabby's contribution of 27 for us. Last season Odemwingie scored as many league goals for Stoke in 15 games as Wiemann did for us in 24.

Out of interest, how many did Walters score last season?

5. Remind me of Gabby's return again..?

[Mister E]

I guess it depends on how you look at it. One way is to ask, would you rather start the season with Wiemann, Agbonlahor and Bent upfront, or with Crouch, Odemwingie and Walters. I know which trio I'd rather go with.

The thing is - in my honest opinion - unless Benteke is one of the 3 front players, it's a pretty blunt attack. Gabby and Wiemann certainly look lost without him and, as we all know, Bent is a completely different player. Gabby, Bent and Wiemann are all capable of scoring goals individually, but as a trio the lack of creativity between them is frightening. When you factor in that we don't have a lot of creativity in the midfield (and virtually none from out wide) I'd say that, as per last year, we'll struggle to score as many goals as the likes of Swansea, Stoke, Newcastle and Hull again.

I agree on the likes of Gabby and Weinmann, but Weinmann is still young and does have other things to his game than goals.  Also, if Kozak lives up to his promise off last season then he should be able to share the goals with CB.

Wiemann? Weinmann?

It's WEIMANN

[Clampy]

You forgot to throw in Odemwingie who a struggling Cardiff got rid of and the free scoring Jonathan Walters.

In the last 4 seasons Walters has scored 39 goals for Stoke, Compared to gabby's contribution of 27 for us. Last season Odemwingie scored as many league goals for Stoke in 15 games as Wiemann did for us in 24.

Out of interest, how many did Walters score last season?

5. Remind me of Gabby's return again..?

4 I believe but we all know Gabby doesn't score enough, that's common knowledge and I haven't suggested otherwise.

[RussellC]

You forgot to throw in Odemwingie who a struggling Cardiff got rid of and the free scoring Jonathan Walters.

In the last 4 seasons Walters has scored 39 goals for Stoke, Compared to gabby's contribution of 27 for us. Last season Odemwingie scored as many league goals for Stoke in 15 games as Wiemann did for us in 24.

Both Walters and Odenwinge played up front last season. Short of Hull at home, Gabby and Andi played out wide.

Walters also takes Stoke's penalties, while Gabby and Andi are also not our best forwards.

From what I recall, Walters seems to miss a lot of penalties! As for Gabby and Andi playing out wide, you're right, but then we have to scrutinise their lack of assists.

I genuinely think that without Benteke our forward line isn't up to much at all.

[RussellC]

You forgot to throw in Odemwingie who a struggling Cardiff got rid of and the free scoring Jonathan Walters.

In the last 4 seasons Walters has scored 39 goals for Stoke, Compared to gabby's contribution of 27 for us. Last season Odemwingie scored as many league goals for Stoke in 15 games as Wiemann did for us in 24.

Out of interest, how many did Walters score last season?

5. Remind me of Gabby's return again..?

4 I believe but we all know Gabby doesn't score enough, that's common knowledge and I haven't suggested otherwise.

And you accused me of backtracking!!

[Clampy]

You forgot to throw in Odemwingie who a struggling Cardiff got rid of and the free scoring Jonathan Walters.

In the last 4 seasons Walters has scored 39 goals for Stoke, Compared to gabby's contribution of 27 for us. Last season Odemwingie scored as many league goals for Stoke in 15 games as Wiemann did for us in 24.

Out of interest, how many did Walters score last season?

5. Remind me of Gabby's return again..?

4 I believe but we all know Gabby doesn't score enough, that's common knowledge and I haven't suggested otherwise.

And you accused me of backtracking!!

You did, I heard the bleeping noises from here. You came out with comments like 'lines of supply' when that wasn't the original point that was being made.

If you can re-post where I have said Gabby has been good and scores plenty of goals, then feel free. All I said was that i'd prefer him out of the Stoke three you mentioned.

[Mister E]

Surely the most accurate answer to "who's got the best strikers in the lower half of the Premiership?" would only come when we've strengthened our midfield. We know that Bent and Gabby are capable of scoring goals when the right players are around them (they did fine in periods over the last few years). We know that Weimann can score if given a more central role. We know that Benteke and Kozak have goals in them, both from their time at VP and elsewhere. And we might even get a glimpse of Robinson's potnential at some point this season.
The challenge is to get the right service to our attack and the right level of midfield defensive cover. without further strengthening of the MF, we'll wallow again in the deep waters of the bottom quarter.

If and when we bring in two decent MF, we can have a decent discussion about the comparative merits of our strikers versus others.

[RussellC]

I made a direct comparison between Walters and Gabby. You asked me how many goals Walters scored last season. When it was apparent that it was more than Gabby you changed tack on the point you were making. And if we're not comparing their scoring record, what are we comparing? Assists?

[Ads]

If we had the midfield capable of supplying our forwards on a regular basis, then we wouldn't be in the bottom half.

[Clampy]

I made a direct comparison between Walters and Gabby. You asked me how many goals Walters scored last season. When it was apparent that it was more than Gabby you changed tack on the point you were making. And if we're not comparing their scoring record, what are we comparing? Assists?

I wasn't asking in comparison to Gabby's, I was asking in general because I don't rate the bloke. You made the comparison, not me. Besides, you also mentioned a striker who last played for us in 1935 but to save you further embarrassment, let's gloss over that one.

[Monty]

I think Gabby and Weimann have more talent than most, but for whatever reason we're not seeing it anywhere near enough. Walters is about as good as he ever will be, and Odemwingie blows hot and cold, and that's pretty much the story for most players at this sort of level. We do know, I think, that we have by some distance the best striker in the bottom half of the division. The question, therefore, is why are the rest of them so bad.

[RussellC]

If we had the midfield capable of supplying our forwards on a regular basis, then we wouldn't be in the bottom half.

I agree with this, which is kind of why I disagreed with your original post. When you say "forward options" that I include all attacking options, which our midfield largely don't.

If you're talking specifically about centre-forwards, then you may be right. Although, as a starting pair, I still think Bony and Gomis will score a lot of goals next season.