Quality striker away from Automatic Promotion...

[Marshy]

He's creating the a lot of those chances and has the most assists as it happens.

True, but who is to say CMS would not be thriving in a 442 formation.... he's paid to score goals.... how long are you happy for him to not score goals....

I am happy as long as the side is still performing well and winning, as soon as the results dry up... which they have just started too a little his place will be under serious threat...

 

[warmleyseagull]

I think most posters on this thread are looking too simplistically at this. OK, get another striker in but by definition that replaces Hemed or Baldock. There is always the risk that whatever his credentials and/or past form he might not fit in, be useless, get injured/suspended. And by definition will not be here for 4 months, so will get less than 20 games by time settled in to make a difference.

The trick is to get scorers all over the pitch with what we have now. Last season only Wilson (23) scored over 15 goals for Bournemouth, but Kermogant, Pitman & Ritchie scored 43 between them, and Arter & Pugh contrubuted another 17. So 60 goals were scored by not main striker + midfield.

I think Hemed is capable of 20 goals - he should be our Wilson. So we should be looking for around 50 from Baldock, KLL, Murphy, Stephens, Kayal with a few thrown in from BZ, March, Rosenior, Ince. Defenders also need to be doing better from set pieces a la Dunk last year.

 

[Bold Seagull]

True, but who is to say CMS would not be thriving in a 442 formation.... he's paid to score goals.... how long are you happy for him to not score goals....

I am happy as long as the side is still performing well and winning, as soon as the results dry up... which they have just started too a little his place will be under serious threat...

I may not have read back enough, but are you suggesting we should have kept CMS?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

True, but who is to say CMS would not be thriving in a 442 formation....

The fact that he hasn't managed it yet from open play, in League TWO?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Baldock's finishing is not good enough, because he isn't calm in front of goal. He snatches at chances when he has time to take a touch, or wait for the keeper to commit. I said it scores of times last year, when loads were insisting he was just not scoring because he was being played out of position.

That excuse has gone, and he's got 1 in 9, missing a LOT of chances. He could have had 4 on Saturday. Not acceptable to finish none of them, and he was the single biggest factor in the loss of 2 points.

It doesn't sound like it from what I've written there, but I actually like him -his movement is excellent, he works pretty hard, and he gets into great positions. Just never puts the bloody thing in the net.

 

[Marshy]

I may not have read back enough, but are you suggesting we should have kept CMS?

Nope, I am suggesting that even in a 442 Baldock is not scoring goals, and strike rate is worse than CMS when he was playing up front alone and with little service.

 

[beardy gull]

The fact that he hasn't managed it yet from open play, in League TWO?

Apart from the one against Yeovil?

 

[S'hampton Seagull]

Baldock's finishing is not good enough, because he isn't calm in front of goal. He snatches at chances when he has time to take a touch, or wait for the keeper to commit. I said it scores of times last year, when loads were insisting he was just not scoring because he was being played out of position.

That excuse has gone, and he's got 1 in 9, missing a LOT of chances. He could have had 4 on Saturday. Not acceptable to finish none of them, and he was the single biggest factor in the loss of 2 points.

It doesn't sound like it from what I've written there, but I actually like him -his movement is excellent, he works pretty hard, and he gets into great positions. Just never puts the bloody thing in the net.

This. He should have had at least 2 on Saturday.

 

[Marshy]

The fact that he hasn't managed it yet from open play, in League TWO?

I have 3 friends who are season ticket holders at Luton, they are also playing him as a loan front man would you believe... shocking really

 

[Bold Seagull]

Nope, I am suggesting that even in a 442 Baldock is not scoring goals, and strike rate is worse than CMS when he was playing up front alone and with little service.

Oh okay, for a minute there I thought you were a raving lunatic.

Baldock is playing a funny old role though really. He's not playing as an out and out front man alongside Hemed, he's finding himself in a deeper position, linking up the play. Hemed is new to the country, Baldock, from last season at least is new to the position, formation and his strike partner. I'm at the moment prepared to give them a little slack with 6 goals and 3 assists between them after 10 games. In fact I would go as far as to say that if they improve as the season moves forward, we are going to be very fortunate. As an early partnership though, very good signs to me at least, I'm not quite in the 'we're doomed if we don't get a striker' camp yet. Hopefully he will get a few goals to settle him down.

 

[stss30]

I think most posters on this thread are looking too simplistically at this. OK, get another striker in but by definition that replaces Hemed or Baldock. There is always the risk that whatever his credentials and/or past form he might not fit in, be useless, get injured/suspended. And by definition will not be here for 4 months, so will get less than 20 games by time settled in to make a difference.

The trick is to get scorers all over the pitch with what we have now. Last season only Wilson (23) scored over 15 goals for Bournemouth, but Kermogant, Pitman & Ritchie scored 43 between them, and Arter & Pugh contrubuted another 17. So 60 goals were scored by not main striker + midfield.

I think Hemed is capable of 20 goals - he should be our Wilson. So we should be looking for around 50 from Baldock, KLL, Murphy, Stephens, Kayal with a few thrown in from BZ, March, Rosenior, Ince. Defenders also need to be doing better from set pieces a la Dunk last year.

Different teams have different reliance on certain positions to score goals. I think our midfield and wingers have done excellently so far to chip in with so many. But I think it's clear to see from our build up play we will create several good chances for our strikers per game and if we had someone with a decent conversion rate we wouldn't necessarily need players from all over the pitch scoring like Bournemouth had. I'm not convinced Hemed will score 20 and Baldock will get nowhere near that number.

 

[aolstudios]

Oh okay, for a minute there I thought you were a raving lunatic.

Baldock is playing a funny old role though really. He's not playing as an out and out front man alongside Hemed, he's finding himself in a deeper position, linking up the play. Hemed is new to the country, Baldock, from last season at least is new to the position, formation and his strike partner. I'm at the moment prepared to give them a little slack with 6 goals and 3 assists between them after 10 games. In fact I would go as far as to say that if they improve as the season moves forward, we are going to be very fortunate. As an early partnership though, very good signs to me at least, I'm not quite in the 'we're doomed if we don't get a striker' camp yet. Hopefully he will get a few goals to settle him down.

Maybe, I hope so too but all season so far he seems to hesitate or look for a non-shooting option first.
I put it down to confidence issues after last season initially but we're definitely too light on goals right now

 

[Pavilionaire]

I agree with the general consensus that we need an upgrade on Baldock. I'd add the following:

1. We need the upgrade to arrive October. If we hold out for Calleri there's no guarantee he'll come to us in January. If we're serious about this lad then why can't we get him in on a 3-month loan now then sign him permanently in the window, as Leeds appear to have agreed with Buckley?

2. Of secondary important, but I really fear for us if we get promoted on the back of workman like one-goal victories. I totally get the argument that it's a nice problem to have come May 2016, but watching Bournemouth this season shows that it is crucial to have that attacking confidence in your DNA when you go up because instinctively they still believe they can score all sorts of goals. It's why they're not in the bottom 3 and Newcastle, Villa and Sunderland are.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

1. We need the upgrade to arrive October. If we hold out for Calleri there's no guarantee he'll come to us in January. If we're serious about this lad then why can't we get him in on a 3-month loan now then sign him permanently in the window, as Leeds appear to have agreed with Buckley?

Because his club are refusing to sell, until THEIR season finishes in December?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Baldock's finishing is not good enough, because he isn't calm in front of goal. He snatches at chances when he has time to take a touch, or wait for the keeper to commit. I said it scores of times last year, when loads were insisting he was just not scoring because he was being played out of position.

That excuse has gone, and he's got 1 in 9, missing a LOT of chances. He could have had 4 on Saturday. Not acceptable to finish none of them, and he was the single biggest factor in the loss of 2 points.

It doesn't sound like it from what I've written there, but I actually like him -his movement is excellent, he works pretty hard, and he gets into great positions. Just never puts the bloody thing in the net.

Agree with all of this. Baldock has become a bit Beardsleyesque. Sir Gary said he was the best strike partner he ever had.

But like you say really needs to stick a chance or two away.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I'll set them up, Baldock wil smash them into the side netting.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Because his club are refusing to sell, until THEIR season finishes in December?

According to Wikipedia the Argentinian season officially ends on 6th December but Boca only have 3 league matches left and the last of those is 8th November. They're also in the Cup semi, and the final is c. 25 Nov. In theory it would appear his season could be over by 8th November.

 

[warmleyseagull]

Different teams have different reliance on certain positions to score goals. I think our midfield and wingers have done excellently so far to chip in with so many. But I think it's clear to see from our build up play we will create several good chances for our strikers per game and if we had someone with a decent conversion rate we wouldn't necessarily need players from all over the pitch scoring like Bournemouth had. I'm not convinced Hemed will score 20 and Baldock will get nowhere near that number.

Well yes, but my point is that a) there ain't that many "with a decent conversion rate" out there at an affordable price; b) even if acquired, he wont be here until well over half season played; c) he may flop - it is risky to rely too heavily on the idea that one striker will solve the problem. We all loved Ulloa but he was out for several weeks with injury/suspension and certainly had games when went AWOL; and he was a top acquisition that worked. CMS never did. Who is to say that Calleri or whoever will fit in any better? There is luck involved in the transfer market - established/renowned players sometimes flop, unknowns flourish.

So I would argue that better to focus on what we do have. Totally agree that "Different teams have different reliance on certain positions to score goals", that is exactly my point, We are going to have to look all over the pitch to get goals because the two strikers we have are not going to get enough on current form.

 

[jamie the seagull]

Would "Vahid Hambo" be given a chance when fit?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I agree with the general consensus that we need an upgrade on Baldock. I'd add the following:

1. We need the upgrade to arrive October. If we hold out for Calleri there's no guarantee he'll come to us in January. If we're serious about this lad then why can't we get him in on a 3-month loan now then sign him permanently in the window, as Leeds appear to have agreed with Buckley?

2. Of secondary important, but I really fear for us if we get promoted on the back of workman like one-goal victories. I totally get the argument that it's a nice problem to have come May 2016, but watching Bournemouth this season shows that it is crucial to have that attacking confidence in your DNA when you go up because instinctively they still believe they can score all sorts of goals. It's why they're not in the bottom 3 and Newcastle, Villa and Sunderland are.

The answer to 1 is that we can only get 93 day loans from English clubs, not overseas ones, so the Buckley situation is not the same.