Main Strikers lack of goals

Read Cougars reply, he got the reference

 

Cheltenham, Crewe, Scunthorpe, Morecambe - at least 4. But as I’ve said all season, Donaldsons work rate and off the ball runs are worth goals in itself

 

Another way to look at it, whom has the capability to drag defenders, draw the free kick, run the lines and cause fecking nuisance across a game.

I'll take a bet with anybody on this site for £200 that CD hits double digit goals in the league. And that's just goals, he provides much more.

 

You cant tell which he is can you?

 

I give up

 

What does is matter? If were winning games by small margins ie 1 0, 2 1 then the goals tally wont be the best. I expect a couple of FKs to be scored over the season, a few headers from corners - Paudie, AOC, BRE - they all add up to the all important 3 points.

 

Yeah, as I say, I recall the ones against Cheltenham and Scunny and obviously the miss yesterday. Not sure I recall Donaldson missing a sitter at Crewe though. Wasn’t that Pritchard right near the end of the game?

But I agree with the rest of your post.

 

It ain't a debate, it's a fact.

 

Now we know the loophole for getting out of a permanent ban - just up sticks and move to India.

 

It works both ways though. If we have a striker who scores most of our goals then you become a team reliant on one man and if he is injured/suspended then we suffer. Whilst it’s not ideal to have strikers missing chances like CD’s chance yesterday at least we look to have goals from all areas of the pitch.

I would imagine if we stick with this system the midfield will chip in with more goals than they would normally in a standard 442 so the strikers don’t need to score as many. We also have some good set piece takers so I would guess our CBs will continue to pose a goal threat as the season progresses. As long as we’re scoring goals and winning games I’m pretty happy for the goals to be spread out.

 

Well it's not.

 

Donaldson has some good qualities to his game and has played his part this season. As long we're winning I suppose his deficiencies can be some what overlooked. He is the type of player though who's ability in front of goal can and will cost us points and when he does I'm not sure anyone will give a fook about his hold up play (see the Cheltenham game for reference).

Vaughan hasn't been great either, but I've seen enough of him to suggest that he's a more instinctive finisher and is capable of scoring more than Donaldson if given the opportunity to do so.

It does then leave us with a conundrum. Do we stick with Donaldson for his all round play or do we drop him and attempt to rectify an area we're currently struggling in?

For the time being I'd be happy to back Vaughan who atleast looked like he might be able to get something going. If he or Oteh aren't the answer then a goalscorer should be our priority in January. It's literally the only thing this team lacks and we'd be mad not to try and sort it out.

 

From the games I've seen this season we just seem to want to get to half time nil nil. If we were to play more expansively earlier the goals tally would no doubt increase. I could maybe understand the cautious approach earlier in the season but feel the easing of the shackles is now overdue.

 

Always thought that was Parkies plan too.......

 

Both goals tally’s will increase. Statistically you are a lot more likely to have no goals in the first half than you are second half. I think his approach is patience,the chances will come when teams get tired and lose concentration

 

We've always been a club where strikers come to die.

Though in fairness to Vaughan, we've only looked remotely creative since Cooke came into the side.

 

The tempo of our play with Connolly and Ismail on the wings has helped as well. Especially Connolly's pace. Teams are really stretched which is helping us massively.

 

I'm with you, great to see one of our strikers getting well up into double figures but as long as were getting points it doesn't make any difference to me, in fact if the goals are spread over the team that makes it more difficult for opposition teams to stop us scoring.
The one thing I did notice was when Morecombe scored O'Donnell was doing his nut for not keeping a clean sheet that's what it means to him as keeper.

 

And his clean sheet bonus

 

Donaldson has played at a higher level most of his career yet prolific goalscorer has never been on his resume. His missing of sitters is unforgivable but his all round game at the moment makes up for this. Gives centre backs a right battle, just don’t expect him to be challenging 20+ goals, thats not his game.