Scott Sinclair - now gone

[UK Redsox]

Yeah but you've got to be able to build off the striker with his back to goal in English football. You just have to

Yep, we need to follow Man City, Man Utd and Arsenal and their use of a target man with his back to goal.....oh wait

[paul_e]

Yeah but you've got to be able to build off the striker with his back to goal in English football. You just have to

If Sinclair can do that it would be great because I agree with all the other positive points. But I don't see it

Why have you got to do that?  Is it because it's what other teams do?  Arsenal don't play that way at all and they're regulars in the champions league.

I think if you can make intelligent runs and open space for players to run into you can do very well if you have the right players in the 3 in behind, with Ayew and Veretout to settle and compete for those positions as well I think it's certainly something we should look at.  I think Kozak offers a similar option in that he is also not great with his back to goal but does offer good movement and gets into good positions to have chances.  I'd like those 2 to be the main options at 9 for the time being so we can let Gestede have short cameos and be an aggressive option from the bench.

Whenever I see giroud that's exactly what they do. I don't mean play long balls. But if you're a team like villa I can't see how you can do without someone who shows for the ball with reliability. Benteke was great because he did that up top and down the channels. Gestede is all the former and gabby, Ayew and Sinclair the latter.

Giroud makes runs and gets involved in general play with lots of one-twos which isn't building off a striker with his back to goal.  They have also played Walcott, Ramsey, Sanchez, Podolski and Fabregas in a 'false 9' role plenty of times in the last decade and won plenty of games doing it.  Having a back to goal target man to build off is a good option but shouldn't be the be all and end all.

Man City often play Aguero on his own and again his game is more about his movement off the ball and his ability to turn and run at people than it is doing anything that could be considered a 'targetman'.  Being able to hold it up and play flicks and lay-offs is useful but we have no idea whether Sinclair can do that or not. I think the point is that if we don't try Sinclair in there we can't play with the 4 best attacking players at the club all being on the pitch, so lets see if the skills we know he has are enough to get a working attacking unit.

[silhillvilla]

Have we had Bentekes replacement on board all the time without knowing ? We would obviously need to play him in the striker role rather than ACM / AWM but he certainly knows where the net is.

[PeterWithesShin]

I reckon that's 8 in 16 for us, which includes half a dozen sub appearances.

[paul_e]

Have we had Bentekes replacement on board all the time without knowing ? We would obviously need to play him in the striker role rather than ACM / AWM but he certainly knows where the net is.

Personally I don't like him playing wide, I don't think he's got the crossing ability and doesn't commit defenders enough.  I'm now certain that he needs to play up front, either alone or off a target man.

[Ads]

He's going to score more goals than Shearer.

[silhillvilla]

He seems to have a good array of goals in his armoury perhaps with the exception of aerial .

[PeterWithesShin]

He seems to have a good array of goals in his armoury perhaps with the exception of aerial .

Excellent reception from Amavi for his second today.

[silhillvilla]

He seems to have a good array of goals in his armoury perhaps with the exception of aerial .

Excellent reception from Amavi for his second today.

Was a lovely move

[paul_e]

he's scored a few headers for us and seems to be willing to get into positions to head the ball so I'm not worried about that, he might not be the beast that Benteke was and Gestede may become but he's good enough for now.

[KRS]

He's exactly the kind of player we need playing in the CF position in a 4231...whether TS will decide that is the case is another question but Sinclair is clearly a confidence player, and right now he's full of it. Not only that but he's got good sense of awareness, positioning, an eye for goal and clearly knows how to finish...my only criticism would be that he's shots from around the box are a bit dodgy at the moment but that can be improved. If we dont sign a CF then its a no brainer that Scott should play there with Traore, Grealish and Gil ahead of Sanchez and Gueye...and he also have the versatility of switching to a 442 or 433 if thats not working out.

[eamonn]

Reliable at penalties too. Comes across quite shy and humble in interviews.

[Toronto Villa]

Reliable at penalties too. Comes across quite shy and humble in interviews.

he does and not remotely the person some might have thought he was given his "celebrity" partner. He has really knuckled down to his task and his taking his opportunity right now.

[Sexual Ealing]

Shy & humble is the new young & hungry. I'm personally keeping my powder dry for why & mumble.

Hang on, we did try that [:/beards/]

[Matt Collins]

If grealish had been fit I wonder how we'd have lined up yday? Neither want to play on the right so maybe the diamond w Sinclair up front