Rudy Gestede - GONE

[Rudy65]

Agree with you all. Ultimately he is a CF and if he scores goals its fine by me. Awesome in the air when he gets the right service

[Matt Collins]

The thing is he has to play next game after three in two

But I can't see us putting together many good displays with him in the team. He's not suited to our players

[Villafirst]

He needs to stay in the team to get fitter - he said he's still building up his match fitness. Fair play to him - he's scored more than Benteke in less starts and cost about a fifth of Benteke's fee.

[pauliewalnuts]

The thing is he has to play next game after three in two

But I can't see us putting together many good displays with him in the team. He's not suited to our players

That's exactly right.

You see him huffing and puffing like a pony trying to control a golf ball on the deck and struggling even to win aerial duels, and then he comes up with an absolute bullet header like today.

[Toronto Villa]

The thing is he has to play next game after three in two

But I can't see us putting together many good displays with him in the team. He's not suited to our players

That's exactly right.

You see him huffing and puffing like a pony trying to control a golf ball on the deck and struggling even to win aerial duels, and then he comes up with an absolute bullet header like today.

[pauliewalnuts]

The thing is he has to play next game after three in two

But I can't see us putting together many good displays with him in the team. He's not suited to our players

That's exactly right.

You see him huffing and puffing like a pony trying to control a golf ball on the deck and struggling even to win aerial duels, and then he comes up with an absolute bullet header like today.

[paul_e]

I've said this before, there are 2 types of strikers, ones who can play with their back to goal and ones that can't.  All the other differences are largely insignificant in terms of play style, you either have a striker you play off who has his back to goal a lot and can bring people into play and be a focal point or you have a striker that you work around and play balls into his path.  The issue is Gestede, like Kozak, looks like he should be one of the former but he's not, get the ball in front of him where he can attack it and he scores goals, he has 4 which highlight that perfectly.  Play long punts up to him and expect him running into corners or winning flickons and you'll be disappointed.

[passitsideways]

I think it's clear that it's very difficult to play Sinclair and Gestede in the same team, a bit like the Gabby/Andi thing where they're extremely peripheral until they get you a goal (except, of course, Sinclair and Gestede are more effective at doing that), which makes it feel like playing with 9 men. I think it would have to be one or the other for a goalscoring threat, and then play three of Grealish/Gil/Adama/Ayew since they actually get involved. 4-3-3 looks even worse with those two at the same time, since it leaves just one creative player and then three midfielders who do the same thing.

[Clampy]

I said to someone on here that I didn't think he was going to make it and I'm still not totally convinced but he took his two goals really well yesterday. I don't think he's as good in the air as Benteke was when flicking the ball on, but he's superb in the box.

[Rudy65]

Todays header can be added to his Youtube montage from his Blackburn days

[mr underhill]

I'd hate to see the sort of opprobrium the poor guy would be on the receiving end of had he not bagged four goals thus far. What ever way you colour it, it isn't a bad return on games played

[PeterWithe]

Didn't see the game today

I know it sounds odd after three in two. But I still think him playing leaves us so short of mobility up front I'm not sure I'd do it

I was there at the game and said exactly the same thing, not many disagreed. A different player to Darren Bent but playing him gives our team the same dilemma.

[SamTheMouse]

Gestede needs genuine wingers and full-backs who can whip in a decent ball. Amavi is perfect. But Grealish, Gil and Sinclair tend to drift inside too much. They need to get a bit of chalk on their boots if Rudy's in the team.

[Malandro]

The thing is he has to play next game after three in two

But I can't see us putting together many good displays with him in the team. He's not suited to our players

That's exactly right.

You see him huffing and puffing like a pony trying to control a golf ball on the deck and struggling even to win aerial duels, and then he comes up with an absolute bullet header like today.

Ruuuuuudy

[supertom]

Gestede needs genuine wingers and full-backs who can whip in a decent ball. Amavi is perfect. But Grealish, Gil and Sinclair tend to drift inside too much. They need to get a bit of chalk on their boots if Rudy's in the team.

Adama likes to get wide. Hopefully he'll be fit soon. Grealish puts in quality when he's wide, so I'd like to see him get wide a bit more often, particularly if he's struggling to make in-roads in the center. And honestly, if you have Gestede playing up top, there's no need for a number 10. It won't work.