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[Albion] The striker situation





Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jul 11, 2003
73,356
West west west Sussex
It seems odd for the Albion to have a 'striker situation'.

Despite what others may think we've had a striker situation every season at the AMEX, and most seasons for the previous 20+ years.

Keeping Tomer (if it were to be against his will) for a second season would be tantamount to player cruelty, and would be in direct opposition of how the club handles itself in the transfer market.
 


Beanstalk

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2017
2,452
London
Don't forget that Aaron Connolly got a lot of game time in pre-season. He's very highly rated and his scoring record is ridiculous. Think as a fourth choice, for one position, the club would be happy to have him as an option on the bench providing Locadia/Andone are not fit.
 


LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
46,480
SHOREHAM BY SEA
Far be it for me to have the temerity to question Sir Chris, after that magnificent win on Sunday, but.... it seemed to me (from before the game, not ONLY in hindsight), that Tomer Hemed's absence on the bench was an error of judgment.

Glenn Murray was utterly magnificent in that game - an absolute masterclass in the lone striker role. But, with 15 minutes to go he looked exhausted, and as a result we were less able to keep the ball in their half. It was very clear that fresh legs were needed, but because the only available options were Locadia - who plays in a different style, or an out of position Bissouma - it was completely understandable that CH felt that leaving an exhausted Murray on was less risky than changing anything.

All perfectly understandable if those really were the only possible alternatives, but when you had a perfectly decent back-up striker, of exactly the same style as Murray, sat watching in the stands, and then training on his own in Hove Park later that evening, it seems absolutely baffling.

I just don't get it. Our style is built around Murray's role. We have two players who can play it, and we don't use one of them :shrug:

Dont agree Murray was still chasing after everything and didn't look exhuasted at all..similarly the same could be said of our two wide men, normally one of which would have come off...I was thinking after 70 mins he must make a sub soon ..but couldn't think who he would drag off and he waited until 90 mins..another match and maybe it will be different
 


chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jun 27, 2012
13,769
Let's see how the unproven, unknown and unfit Locadia and Andone actually perform between now and January before panicking.

Locadia , apart from 1 week in pre season has been fit and available for every league game since February.
 




hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,072
Chandlers Ford
Dont agree Murray was still chasing after everything and didn't look exhuasted at all..similarly the same could be said of our two wide men, normally one of which would have come off...I was thinking after 70 mins he must make a sub soon ..but couldn't think who he would drag off and he waited until 90 mins..another match and maybe it will be different

Fair enough, though that's almost irrelevant to the point I was making. What if he HAD needed to come off after 70 minutes? What if he'd got injured? Or was sailing even closer to a second yellow card?

What possible reason is there to NOT have the only obvious direct replacement, available on the bench? :shrug:
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Both Gyokeres and Connolly offer hope for he future but are not ready for prolonged first team action and neither play the Murray role in fact we have nobody Hemed included that can play that role as effectively. This means that should he get injured our system of attack will have to change so Hemed staying or going on loan wouldnt alter the situation. If TH is happy to stay as 4th choice keep him if not let him go out on loan. If he goes on loan we are then forced to change our approach play and both Locadia and Andone, if fit, would be able to step in with Gyokeres and Connolly as back up.
 


Perkino

Well-known member
Dec 11, 2009
5,978
The CB situation is much worse as we play 2 and have a 3rd on the bench. Now without Dunk we will probably be bringing White to sit on the bench.

The Striker situation still leaves us with a spare striker not even on the bench. I'm more than happy for us to just have 3 strikers knowing that Ali could play as a 2nd striker if we are ever tempted to play another up front.

Another gap is the creative central midfielder. But I think we have the players to adapt
 




chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jun 27, 2012
13,769
It seems odd for the Albion to have a 'striker situation'.

Despite what others may think we've had a striker situation every season at the AMEX, and most seasons for the previous 20+ years.

Keeping Tomer (if it were to be against his will) for a second season would be tantamount to player cruelty, and would be in direct opposition of how the club handles itself in the transfer market.

Yep signing Zamora, Hemed and Murray and getting the best out of Baldock in the last 3 seasons (for a few £m ) has been a right old situation SB. Their 90 odd goals that have given us promotion and the premier league and some of the most successful seasons for 30 or 40 years has been the downfall of this club.
I bet Derby, Boro, Norwich , Stoke etc etc are rubbing their hands in glee relieved and wondering where it all went wrong for us.
 
Last edited:




LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
46,480
SHOREHAM BY SEA
Fair enough, though that's almost irrelevant to the point I was making. What if he HAD needed to come off after 70 minutes? What if he'd got injured? Or was sailing even closer to a second yellow card?

What possible reason is there to NOT have the only obvious direct replacement, available on the bench? :shrug:

Its relevant to Sunday.....maybe it can be judged that he sees Locadia's future in that role..he played him there against Liverpool last season ...I dont see him as one of the wide men (we are covered there)..playing off a centra striker? Well we have the German, Andone and Biss potentially? So is Locadia the central striker...probably not ..after all he cant head a ball can he :D
 




Should anything happen to Glenn and also allowing for the fact that's he's 34, we are left with the unproven Locadia (and a different type of forward) and the seemingly far from full fitness and also unproven Andone. Surely there is no way we can allow Hemed to leave on loan and presumably one more striker is top priority for 1st January? Really difficult for the club to judge and keep everyone happy but a couple of injuries and we are suddenly very short.

Why do people keep referring to Andone as unproven. He may have had an injury but he is a current Romanian international who has played a fair amount of games in La Liga. As Messi has not played in the premier league before would he be unproven if he opted to come to England ?
 


GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,458
Gloucester
Locadia , apart from 1 week in pre season has been fit and available for every league game since February.
Locadia was covered by 'unproven', and just a little bit of 'unknown'. The rest of 'unknown', along with 'unfit' was for Andone (and I wish my ruddy spell-checker/corrector would stop automatically putting a space between the 'd and the 'o' in Andone!).
 






chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jun 27, 2012
13,769
Fair enough, though that's almost irrelevant to the point I was making. What if he HAD needed to come off after 70 minutes? What if he'd got injured? Or was sailing even closer to a second yellow card?

What possible reason is there to NOT have the only obvious direct replacement, available on the bench? :shrug:

Chris has had Locadia on the bench or starting in every game since February often ahead of Hemed who has barely featured. So presumably disagrees.
 


Napper

Well-known member
Jul 9, 2003
23,858
Sussex
Why do people keep referring to Andone as unproven. He may have had an injury but he is a current Romanian international who has played a fair amount of games in La Liga. As Messi has not played in the premier league before would he be unproven if he opted to come to England ?

He's scored 1 in like 30 for Romania and we've seen numerous flops in the prem from La Liga. I'm just saying this for balance.

I think he'll do ok , this groin injury is a nighmtmare though. The Argus says doesn't even know when will be back in training.

Wouldn't be surprised if will need an op.

We should of got someone else in IMO
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
49,969
Goldstone
If Murray is injured we have Locadia and Hemed. Although Locadia is a bit of an unknown and I'm not sure if CH trusts him yet, I'd be completely happy if Hemed had to play the Murray role.

We also have Gyorkes in the stiffs, who I'm told is highly rated. I don't think we need to be panicking about something that hasn't happened yet.
Indeed. And it is only one position.
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jul 11, 2003
73,356
West west west Sussex
Here we go again.

- Last season the club started with Tomer & Glenn as the ONLY fit strikers.
- This season the club has started with Tomer & Glenn as the only fit strikers, with a player who seems to look more like a panic buy as every week passes.
Were Zamora to have been fit (or god forbid the club bought a fit striker) at the start and/or the end of his season the Albion would have been promoted.
- Were Baldock to have ever played more than 10 consecutive games without 'breaking down', the Albion would have been promoted.

Throughout all that time, we've had 'inflated markets', 'transfer bubbles' 'hyper inflated markets' the one I always forget.
"We will sign a striker this window" - "Oh no you won't".

Even now fans are rightly suggesting Tomer shouldn't be allowed to leave.
 




OzMike

Well-known member
Oct 2, 2006
12,890
Perth Australia
He's scored 1 in like 30 for Romania and we've seen numerous flops in the prem from La Liga. I'm just saying this for balance.

I think he'll do ok , this groin injury is a nighmtmare though. The Argus says doesn't even know when will be back in training.

Wouldn't be surprised if will need an op.

We should of got someone else in IMO

Is this the bloke who was already injured when we signed him ?
 


chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jun 27, 2012
13,769
Here we go again.

- Last season the club started with Tomer & Glenn as the ONLY fit strikers.
- This season the club has started with Tomer & Glenn as the only fit strikers, with a player who seems to look more like a panic buy as every week passes.
We're Zamora to have been fit (or god forbid the club bought a fit striker) at either the start and/or the end of his season the Albion would have been promoted.
- Were Baldock to have ever played more than 10 consecutive games without 'breaking down', the Albion would have been promoted.

Throughout all that time, we've had 'inflated markets', 'transfer bubbles' 'hyper inflated markets' the one I always forget.
"We will sign a striker this window" - "Oh no you won't".

Even now fans are rightly suggesting Tomer shouldn't be allowed to leave.

I agree with all of that and of course remember all of that in great detail SB . . And yet we’ve scored goals galore, had 3 of our most successful seasons ever mostly thanks to our efforts upfront. Incredible isn’t it ? What a terrible situation.
 


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