Strikers

Pelle and Lambert were our best strikers of recent times because of their ability to bring other attacking players into play, Austin can’t do this, usually losing the ball and giving away a needless foul, not winning a header or being able to hold the ball up. So many better options available out there.

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Like who?

Mitrivovic and Bas Doost have names I have seen and I'd rate both on par with Austin if not worse and they'd cost us at least £20 million.

The only other striker link we have is Alcacer, who I am not convinced will cut it in PL, he looks too similar in stature and style to guy Everton signed last year and barely played.

Pelle and Lambert were our best strikers of recent times because of their ability to bring other attacking players into play, Austin can’t do this, usually losing the ball and giving away a needless foul, not winning a header or being able to hold the ball up. So many better options available out there.

 

 

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100% this. Pele and Lambert's skills in this area are missed - Pele particularly.

I'm fine with Austin and Gabbi as the two striker options. These are the only two guys who have shown they know where the back of the net is. If Austin stays healthy he'll score 15 or so goals, probably Gabbi too. Gabbi has more quickness but Austin is better in the air. Also Austin holds the ball up fine. He did this for Hughes at the end of last season, since this is the style Hughes seems to like, and also did this in the first preseason match on the Redmond goal. Besides Hughes seems to like 1 striker with a bunch of attacking mids flying around them, in this scenario I Think Austin and Gabbi are fine options.

Have I said we shouldn't sign another striker? I've been saying we need a proper CF since Pelle left.

 

I'm just pointing out that teams finished in the top 10 scoring a similar number of goals as us last season. Had our defence been more Burnley like last season we could have finished Top 10.

 

My big concern is we get the defence sorted for this season the first pre-season games still suggest our defence is a mess. If we can be solid at the back it gives us a platform to be more adventurous going forward.

We did a Burnley 2 seasons ago under Puel, solid defensively and finished 8th. We couldn't score, and half the fans hated him, and he got sacked. You're right being solid defensively is important, and it seems the new signings (hopefully including that tall Dane) will be a big improvement. But a goal-scoring target man is desperately needed.

I'm fine with Austin and Gabbi as the two striker options. These are the only two guys who have shown they know where the back of the net is. If Austin stays healthy he'll score 15 or so goals, probably Gabbi too. Gabbi has more quickness but Austin is better in the air. Also Austin holds the ball up fine. He did this for Hughes at the end of last season, since this is the style Hughes seems to like, and also did this in the first preseason match on the Redmond goal. Besides Hughes seems to like 1 striker with a bunch of attacking mids flying around them, in this scenario I Think Austin and Gabbi are fine options.

If we ignore injuries, suspensions, lack of form and fatigue we could get even away with just having one of them.

Are we still, after three years, deluding ourselves that we'll be fine with Austin as our main striker, "if he can stay clear of injuries"?

Jesus, it's like West Ham levels of denial with and perma-crock Andy Carroll.

Yeah, maybe this year will be different...

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Are we still, after three years, deluding ourselves that we'll be fine with Austin as our main striker, "if he can stay clear of injuries"?

 

Jesus, it's like West Ham levels of denial with and perma-crock Andy Carroll.

 

Yeah, maybe this year will be different...

 

 

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You forget, he's defying the laws of nature by becoming younger as the years go by, as opposed to a year older annually. Sooner or later he will be fully fit and immune to injuries, and our striking problems will be solved.

Yeh it's not like he could have played 30 league games last season if our inept manager hadn't left him on the bench.............

But sure let's blame injuries

It worries me that there is no new striker seriously linked. Hughes has indicated that once the CB situation is sorted there will be no more incoming. From what I have seen there are no young strikers in the Under 23's that are ready for the first team. It worries me if we have to rely on Austin, Gabby and Shane Long.

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/16350154.southampton-very-close-ahead-of-taking-summer-spend-to-51m/

It worries me that there is no new striker seriously linked. Hughes has indicated that once the CB situation is sorted there will be no more incoming. From what I have seen there are no young strikers in the Under 23's that are ready for the first team. It worries me if we have to rely on Austin, Gabby and Shane Long.

 

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/16350154.southampton-very-close-ahead-of-taking-summer-spend-to-51m/

He said we’d be close to having our business done - so I don’t think that precludes bringing another striker in.

I guess a lot will depend on a) how he wants to utilise Elyounoussi; b) who we can actually ship out. Bringing a new striker in before we can get rid of the likes of Austin or Long will cause a few headaches with squad numbers and obviously FFP with wages stacking up.

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Yeh it's not like he could have played 30 league games last season if our inept manager hadn't left him on the bench.............

 

But sure let's blame injuries

It only took the heavy workload of a whole five starts for his hamstring to explode.

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He said we’d be close to having our business done - so I don’t think that precludes bringing another striker in.

 

I guess a lot will depend on a) how he wants to utilise Elyounoussi; b) who we can actually ship out. Bringing a new striker in before we can get rid of the likes of Austin or Long will cause a few headaches with squad numbers and obviously FFP with wages stacking up.

 

 

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I would also suggest he might be considering playing Redmond in a more forward orientated role this season and of course Gallagher may now be getting the opportunity. He appears to be in Hughes plans.

Personally sell Boufal and either get the money on another creative wide player, Strikers Wise I think we have enough give Sam G a chance if it doesn't go to plan then this would be the priority position to look at in January. You could even play Gabba as a left forward and Redmond on the right give it a go.

We need a striker who is super fit, lightning fast and capable of scoring at least 10 goals a season. They don't come cheap. Probably a relatively unknown youngster from one of Europe's lesser leagues, like Mane was, would be our best way to find one we could actually afford. This is where our head of recruitment, Ross Wilson, and his scouting network need to prove their worth. The fact they couldn't spot that Carrillo was a donkey is a bit of a concern. But, hopefully, they'll get this one right.

Yeh it's not like he could have played 30 league games last season if our inept manager hadn't left him on the bench.............

 

But sure let's blame injuries

Oh, come on. I was as vocal as anyone on Pellegrinos shortcomings, but you can't honestly be holding him responsible for the times Austin didn't get used??

The £51m spend isn't quite what it seems. The total is offset by £10m income from selling Tadic and presumably, there is some of the Van Dijk money still left as it wasn't all spent on Carrillo. If Boufal is to go and anyone else, there should still be enough for the striker we need. We really only have two top strikers in Austin and Gabbi. After that it's Long, who is more of a support forward than a striker and Gallagher, who isn't proven at the Premier level. To make a real impact. a spend of about £20m on a quality striker would make the squad look very much stronger, in effect, the sort of player that Carrillo was thought to be. Now he's gone, surely he should be replaced.

Oh, come on. I was as vocal as anyone on Pellegrinos shortcomings, but you can't honestly be holding him responsible for the times Austin didn't get used??

why can't you hold MoPe responsible for not playing a fit Austin?

why can't you hold MoPe responsible for not playing a fit Austin?

Fit is a relative term with Austin, he normally has steam coming out his arse after an hour. I'd bet that had he started every game from the start of last season, he'd be out injured by October.

I'm pretty sure the ITK word has been that we are looking for a striker

We need a striker who is super fit, lightning fast and capable of scoring at least 10 goals a season. They don't come cheap. Probably a relatively unknown youngster from one of Europe's lesser leagues, like Mane was, would be our best way to find one we could actually afford. This is where our head of recruitment, Ross Wilson, and his scouting network need to prove their worth. The fact they couldn't spot that Carrillo was a donkey is a bit of a concern. But, hopefully, they'll get this one right.

I suspect the scouting team was overruled in order to give support to Mope

Fit is a relative term with Austin, he normally has steam coming out his arse after an hour. I'd bet that had he started every game from the start of last season, he'd be out injured by October.

The idea that we can rely on his decrepit body to hold up under the burden of being our main striker is not based in reality.

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If Gabbiadini is feeling reinvigorated under Hughes, after being allowed to fester and rot under MoPe, then that will be like having a new striker especially as he has the ability to convert something out of nothing (that second goal in the EFL final still has me -Smalling and De Gea too - thinking how the chuff did he do that?). Add into the mix Gallagher, who despite the personal circumstances that were sitting heavily on his shoulders, Pochettino (who is no mug) was prepared and felt was ready to thrust him into the team, if Redmond is deployed in the middle to greater effect, then maybe the need to splash stupid cash on another relatively un known Carlos Kickaball isn’t the top priority.

No doubt someone will respond with “ah but Gallagher isn’t premier league” neither is anyone with an exotic name we might buy from a team outside the UK, the Lad has played the last 2 seasons with basket case clubs and basket case managers and done ok. No point spending money when someone just as capable is more than likely sitting right under our noses given the right opportunity........... blooming defenders and a “part timer” scored more goals than anyone else for us last season.

Read somewhere that a Barca player said he was not interested in joining Everton yet until he found out if they want to retain him.

Maybe we have put a bid in for Alacer but we are waiting for them to see what the plans are for Barcelona and the squad.

We need a striker who is super fit, lightning fast and capable of scoring at least 10 goals a season. They don't come cheap. Probably a relatively unknown youngster from one of Europe's lesser leagues, like Mane was, would be our best way to find one we could actually afford. This is where our head of recruitment, Ross Wilson, and his scouting network need to prove their worth. The fact they couldn't spot that Carrillo was a donkey is a bit of a concern. But, hopefully, they'll get this one right.

Isaac Mbenza?

Isaac Mbenza?

Seger has gone to Telstar on season long loan...