hypochondriac

Probably someone who thinks I'm making a perfectly reasonable and non-abusive point.

I really don't think you understand what I am trying to say. What I am attempting to get across is that it is quite possible that we will get promotion with just Lee. It is possible that he will make an immediate impact and fire us to promotion. What I believe is that it is more LIKELY that an NPC striker currently in form will be able to do a job straight away. It's the same reason that fans in general give players a lot more slack when they come from different countries and cultures because in most cases it takes a little while to adjust to the culture and physicality of the league. The likes of the three strikers mentioned will have one advantage over Lee because they are used to playing and being successful in this league already. That does not mean that they will be more successful at all but it does IMO mean that they are more likely to be able to do a job immediately which is really what we require.

I don't think we need one of those three, but I definitely do think that by having one of those three or very similar will improve our promotion chances quite a bit. As I said, they are in-form in our league and thus fit the criteria for what we should be looking for IMO. If we leave it with just Lee and no one else then I think that whilst promotion could still be achievable, we are taking a gamble that if it doesn't pay off will see us looking back and wishing we had gone for an in form and affordable NPC striker (like Sharp) in January.

I think my comment was pretty fair. I was hardly getting my knickers in a twist like you claim. I just don't want to be the one starting a thread in May if we fail to go up asking where it went wrong and looking back to our lack of firepower following key injuries to the likes of Lambert and missing out because our Japanese striker took a couple of months to settle into the squad (which would be entirely understandable.)

You said it much better than I could. Good post.

Of course but I believe that without knowing for certain, I would suggest that having seen their respective form in the same league as us, they are more likely to be able to adapt quickly and represent less of a gamble than a promising striker from the J league. Fair?

People are not saying we are unmbitious because we have not gone for those three. Those three strikers are examples of players who are in-form in our league, affordable (well at least two out of three reportedly) and are strikers who are MOST likely to make an impact straight away which is what we need IMO. Obviously there are others but like I said, there are a small number that fit what we need now. Lee sounds great but if he is the only striker we get then I would question how much of an impact he can have straight away based on the factors that have already been outlined. To repeat, I did not say that those three are the only strikers available. If you reread the post of mine that you quoted above then you will see that.

No I said that in my opinion our squad depth was not sufficient enough to stay in our current position. History has shown how weak we are without certain key players and with little backup for Rickie for example we will struggle IMO. This is the best chance we have of promotion and I would hate to see us miss out due to lack of cover or a striker with good npc experience who can hit the ground running.

They are three of a small number who are available, affordable and in form in the npc. I think the point is that many other options represent a bigger gamble when what we really need is someone to make an immediate impact between now and the summer to propel us to promotion.

Oh dear.

Indeed it could be. Delldays just likes to say things to get a reaction. Obviously every transfer has a risk and this does look like a good buy on the face of it. The problem would only be if this is our only bit of business up front in January.

I quite agree. IMO it is worth getting in some proven NPC quality in at least a couple of signings this window.

Don't think I have done that at all. Entirely possible that we will sign another striker in this window as well as Lee that will see us steady the ship a bit after the poor form of the last month. Also entirely possible that we will just sign this striker and still get promoted. I think most posters see this signing as a gamble though (a gamble worth taking to be honest.) It would sit easier with me personally if the solution for our forward line was not confined just to a player from a totally different footballing environment. He may need time to adjust and we can't afford to give him that time if he is our only striker in this window.

Someone gets it. This is exactly what we need. If this is our only striker then I think we will be throwing our chances of automatic promotion away because we simply do not have the depth to cope with injuries to key players.

Have a bad feeling they are finally going to get away with it...

Apologies! Certain I read striker on wikipedia earlier.

I would be happy of this were true because it shows we are still looking for a striker.

I wouldn't. The unending car/bus jokes would be beyond tyresome.

Jesus mate talk about an overreaction!

Ffs bet it was from football rumours though. Idiots.

Would be happy with this. Along with jos and fonte that gives us decent cover and then Martin of needed. Please please get some pace in though.

I think at least a couple of those should have been played in the last two, if nothing else to give some of our regulars a rest.

I think the point is that Sharp is a proven, in form NPC player for a supposedly affordable price who reportedly wants to come to saints. I don't think we will get anyone much better and anyone we get from abroad will be a lot more of a gamble than Sharp. I hope we sign him.

Pretty sure we won't sign sharp an I personally think it would e a real opportunity missed to sign a proven npc striker.

I wonder what percentage of your posts contain a reference to me? Pretty tragic.