The Front 2

Not sure. But how we have not seen fit to bring in a striker yet is mind boggling.

Mid table at best with our current strikeforce

 

The most annoying thing is SMc and the club knew we were woeful up front after losing Vaughan but have totally ignored it, it's very poor.

 

I can only assume they are lining up a loan signing from a higher League club.
We'll really struggle if we are relying on Novak and Guthrie to score our goals for much longer.
Donaldson looked a handful as a target man when he came on, but we desperately need some pace and finishing ability.

 

Said it in the other thread but they're all the same players with the same obvious deficiencies. No pace, no mobility and poor finishing.

Guthrie is probably the easy target but Novak was horrendous today. Must have had trampolines on his feet rather than boots as his first touch was something I'd expect to see in the park on a Sunday morning.

 

Do you want me to repost the striker analysis I did yesterday (it is very relevant!)

 

It isnt just the front areas we lack pace, DMH did nothing attacking wise against bramall their left back, we need a right back/wingback with pace and a striker with pace or were gonna be mid table. Must say reece staunton did very well

 

Absolutely. Not only are the strikers poor individualy, the fact that they're the same players stifles the team and leaves us with only one way of playing.

 

Here you go Staff

Hope you dont mind me sharing this but as part of my coaching we do a team 'assessment sheet', and using this format here is my striker assessment form for City and it highlights why I think we need to move to improve this area as soon as possible. We use a simple marking system (NO/UNLIKELY/AVERAGE/PROBABLY/YES) and for our forward players we look at 6 points to assess where we are and I have indicated my own view on each one:
1) do we have a natural/20 a season goalscorer in the team - NO
2) do we have the necessary physicality up front - PROBABLY
3) do we have the height/areal threat up front - PROBABLY
4) do we have the necessary pace/mobility up front - UNLIKELY
5) do we have the instinct/movement up front - AVERAGE
6) do we have alternatives up front - NO
(there is one other point we use as well, do we have the right characters but without knowing the players first hand it is difficult and unfair to include)

We would always like to have 3 to 4 answers in the PROBABLY/YES category (obviously 6 would be ideal but hardly ever achieved) So using this I currently rate us as a 2 which is why improving are striking options is so important - you may not agree with my marks (sorry always use that phrase as I also work in a school!) but in my opinion it is a fair assessment as to where we currently are. For me it is important because the first couple of games have bought us a bit of time (as Stuart himself says) but we are short in some of the key attributes for a forward line and if (hope its not the case) we have a couple of bad results to start with in the league I know patience will wear thin as we have taken so long to act in this area. We need an extra (and different) option in our striking potential, whatever results we achieve, because I dont think we can change a match from the bench - the current strengths we have are very 'samey'.

Anyway, thats enough bollocks from me for one night

 

Known since vaughan went.

Done nothing too busy moaning about budget capping. We haven't even spent current cap yet.

 

Thing with Novak is he’s half decent if you give him the chances in between the goal posts. But to get those chances we need to get to the byline and cut it back for him. We are never gonna do that under that formation at home. Did it last week away with French for our goal vs bolton but otherwise it’s always going to be hard. Have been asked today to do the wrong job for me.
Stuart got his tactics wrong.

That been said I don’t rate either of them and would have Novak off of the bench. I’d have two with a bit of pace and skill up there to run in behind etc. Hiwula would be one and then someone in the mould of Sam Surridge but can’t see him dropping this low and he was on the bench for Bournemouth today

despite Guthrie being on the back pages of the t&a every other day he’s never gonna get a decent amount of goals. He’s a Monday to Friday training player and can’t do it on a match day. A bit like Jordan Gibson.

 

Been watching Donaldinho in training.

 

Worse? Depends who Conlon paired up with.

Novak and Guthrie are too similar. We've had success in the past with a tall striker and a smaller pacey striker - Hanson/Wells, Mills/Blake spring to mind. Novak is very, very slow. Guthrie actually looks to have decent feet for a big man, but that's about it. Both their movement is terrible. Shouldn't have been offside on those two occasions when we could have scored.

The other problem, is when we take Guthrie or Novak off for Donno, then it's just the same formulae up front.

HAVE to bring in a striker with pace. Blindingly obvious.

 

Well yeah I agree. I was trying to stick up for him a bit. Half decent I’d say but not the answer. A half decent return for goals and that’s why he should be used off to the bench

 

Ok, replace "pace" with "tricky". Of course Robbies arse was way too big for him to have pace, but he made up for that with very fast feet.

 

Taken from a Bolton forum-seems shite players are everywhere
Doyle - 1 he’s had three sitters in the last two games and missed them all. Offers nothing else.