It is becoming apparent that we need to purchase a striker in January.

Realistically who would you prefer the club went for?

If we have between 10-20m I would go for Lucas Joao at reading, he looks like he is destined for the premier league.

If we don’t have much finance to support a deal I would take a punt on Jephcott from Plymouth, currently league 1 top goal scorer and only 20.

Toney

I think you're looking at things from the wrong angle.

It's the midfield that needs to improve.

We need improvements throughout the whole squad and more than one. None of these 30+ slow journeymen types either.

Cauley Woodrow at Barnsley is a player I believe would fit into our side very nicely. A player who links the midfield and attack, but scores goals as well.

Adam Armstrong at Rovers (sorry) is also a player who I think would be a good addition, but is probably about as far away from being a Dyche-type striker as it’s possible to be.

Mumbongo

FactualFrank wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:15 pm

I think you're looking at things from the wrong angle.

It's the midfield that needs to improve.

The midfield never seems to work well no matter who we put in there. I maintain it is the way Dyche sets us up that causes this. Our central midfielders rarely go past the strikers or even support. That is up to the wide men. We effectively play with two defensive midfielders. Which is why everyone clamouring for an attacking midfielder might be very disappointed.

I strongly disagree with frank anyway. Wood has missed 11 clear chances according to premier league stats that is more than any other striker in the league.

Service is there, quality to finish is not.

Somethingfishy wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:20 pm

The midfield never seems to work well no matter who we put in there. I maintain it is the way Dyche sets us up that causes this. Our central midfielders rarely go past the strikers or even support. That is up to the wide men. We effectively play with two defensive midfielders. Which is why everyone clamouring for an attacking midfielder might be very disappointed.

Exactly my point. Like I say - sort the midfield and we'll score more goals.

Everyone has a go at the midfield two but forgets 99% of the time they are up against three in the middle. Agree more creativity needed but with the way we play it’s not another central midfielder, for now. Added creativity can come from a new winger and striker who can link play/make runs in behind.

FactualFrank wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:15 pm

I think you're looking at things from the wrong angle.

It's the midfield that needs to improve.

So it's the midfield's fault that Chris Wood has missed 12 big chances (the highest) in the Premier League?

FactualFrank wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:25 pm

Exactly my point. Like I say - sort the midfield and we'll score more goals.

Wood, Barnes and Jay are proven goalscorers in the PL. The goals will come. The top priority has to be a right--footed winger, to ensure Dwight can't be triple marked.

FactualFrank wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:25 pm

Exactly my point. Like I say - sort the midfield and we'll score more goals.

It is not the players though is my point. Dyche will have to drastically change our style for our central midfielders to start contributing more goals. Creativity wise i don't think we are too bad..yes it could be better but when our strikers are missing the chances they are it becomes irrelevant.
I'd sadly let Vydra go IF it is true he wants away. Replace him though with a decent lower division replacement. Barnes is also looking a busted flush at the moment. I was never convinced he would score when he was put clean through. Wood is having one of those spells unfortunately but he will come good again.

nyclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:30 pm

So it's the midfield's fault that Chris Wood has missed 12 big chances (the highest) in the Premier League?

One second. I need to make sure we have this right, so there's no coming back.

You are saying, we create enough chances for Chris Wood to score double digits this coming season. You're admitting that right?

Somethingfishy wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:32 pm

It is not the players though is my point. Dyche will have to drastically change our style for our central midfielders to start contributing more goals. Creativity wise i don't think we are too bad..yes it could be better but when our strikers are missing the chances they are it becomes irrelevant.
I'd sadly let Vydra go IF it is true he wants away. Replace him though with a decent lower division replacement. Barnes is also looking a busted flush at the moment. I was never convinced he would score when he was put clean through. Wood is having one of those spells unfortunately but he will come good again.

Our midfield doesn't create enough.

FactualFrank wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:35 pm

Our midfield doesn't create enough.

But it gives the defense enormous protection. If we look to buy good creative attacking midfielders and Dyche gives them the freedom to go forward to create chances then the defense will be left exposed, wont look half as good as it does now and we'll concede a lot more goals

Dyche has to make a trade off and get the right balance to earn us the most points and for most of his time here he obviously feels he can do it best with an ultra cautious and defensive midfield

Its not the kind of football I enjoy to watch but in keeping us in this division it is obviously working and that is an understatement

FactualFrank wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:34 pm

One second. I need to make sure we have this right, so there's no coming back.

You are saying, we create enough chances for Chris Wood to score double digits this coming season. You're admitting that right?

I haven't said that at all. I've said it's not the midfield's fault Chris Wood has missed the most chances in the Premier League this season. I'd like us to sign a new right midfielder but that wouldn't guarantee Wood burying big chances.

We were at out best arguably in this league with one up top, Hendrick in the number 10 and Defour and Cork CM.

We’ve swapped and changed a lot under Dyche along the way. I’m sure he’d go back to that way if we could get a decent CM in. Trouble is Brady/JBG can’t stay fit. McNeil would be great doing the Hendrick role but can’t until decent wide players are brought in alongside a CM.

Jesus, Wood is in bad touch, he’s missed another chance between 11:24 and 11:30!

nyclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:54 pm

I haven't said that at all. I've said it's not the midfield's fault Chris Wood has missed the most chances in the Premier League this season. I'd like us to sign a new right midfielder but that wouldn't guarantee Wood burying big chances.

Jesus Christ, then sorry but I've got better things to do with my time. I've not got time to mull this one over.

Wellsy1882 wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:13 pm

Toney

That's now 20mil+ unless they want Barnes and long in exchange

I'm one of Wood's biggest fans. He is a proven scorer at this level. But even I am running out of patience with him at the moment. Plus he doesn't look as fit as last season, don't know if it's just me but he doesn't seem as lean. Not sure the injury he picked up recently is a factor. He is desperately short of confidence.

I'm not really sure what else Vydra has to do to earn a solid run in the side.

FactualFrank wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 10, 2021 12:10 am

Jesus Christ, then sorry but I've got better things to do with my time. I've not got time to mull this one over.

Wellsy1882 wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:13 pm

Toney

Then we’d have Claret Toney

Against MK and Leeds, we have had around 30 shots (at least half of the on target) and scored 1.

It’s certainly a striker that we need.

I don't get it with Wood. The service to him has to be spot on for him to score. He lacks in almost every other department. He can't hold the ball, control the ball, he bows his head when he jumps. When Mumbongo came on, the difference was notable.
When I look at the possible transfer targets being suggested. It's the same as before the takeover. Spending 8-10m on championship players, if that is the case, what was the point of the takeover, its just created a debt that we didn't have before

I think we are going to have to sell Vydra in order to generate funds, plus create a space in the squad for a new striker, Wood and Barnes are badly out of form.

Nowt more certain than Factual Frank trying to defend Wood to the hilt.

The forwards are bang out of form in goal scoring terms, so much so another striker is probably needed.
But let's be honest any 2 up front together should be able to create and score their own goals.

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 10, 2021 8:21 am

Nowt more certain than Factual Frank trying to defend Wood to the hilt.

Frank’s had a bit of a nightmare on this thread hasn’t he?

Think he’s probably just afraid his real team might get done at Crawley later on today.

Think we can get by till summer with what we have. But then we certainly need to be looking at it. We may as well cash in on Vydra, and i wouldn't have a problem with Barnes moving on either.

When Wood is on form and confident he is top drawer. That INCLUDES his movement, hold up play and finishing. For whatever reason, probably confidence (maybe he really preferred playing in front of fans?) or fitness (?) he hasn’t been at level consistently this season. Some of the comments on here are ridiculous and absolutely clueless. Someone on the player ratings said he doesn’t know why people think he is a threat in the air - erm, over the past two seasons he scored the most headed goals in the league.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:08 am

When Wood is on form and confident he is top drawer. That INCLUDES his movement, hold up play and finishing. For whatever reason, probably confidence (maybe he really preferred playing in front of fans?) or fitness (?) he hasn’t been at level consistently this season. Some of the comments on here are ridiculous and absolutely clueless. Someone on the player ratings said he doesn’t know why people think he is a threat in the air - erm, over the past two seasons he scored the most headed goals in the league.

Chris Wood is good in the air when he can score from it. Not interested when it's on the halfway line. Although I don't blame the modern player from doing so with all the dementia links.

I’d keep Vydra but think Barnes is now past it. Barnes has been a good player for us though. Wood needs a rest.

Wood and Barnes are instinctive strikers.

There was a stat last year saying Barnes had never scored for us when having more than 2 touches. I presume that is still the case. They don't like time to think.

The lack of mobility and technical ability between Wood and Barnes is frightening

Having read this thread all the way through twice my conclusion is YES we do need a striker as I initially thought but also a right winger so we can take the spotlight off our left sided attack which we all know is our best side. We need a striker badly. 1) to give the others a kick up the arsenal and 2) to score more goals as this attack which goes back years now (Barnes and wood) clearly needs modernising

Always been a fan of the little and large combo. I’d keep wood and Jay as the large and keep vydra then bring in another pacey smaller striker, someone above mentioned Armstrong at rovers I think that is a good shout, only 23 and knows where the net is.

nyclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:08 am

That was a bit rude wasn’t it, I thought you made your point well
Wood should have 3 to 5 at a push more goals
So yes nothing different to previous years except he can’t take his chances at present for whatever reason.
His play besides goals is very poor.

I agree with KRBFC the technical ability and mobility is scarily bad. We must have the slowest strike force in league by some distance.

Even yesterday when wood did manage to find himself some space he tripped over the ball when it was a simple pass.

Right now I am struggling to see either them reach double digit goals this season. Striker has got to be on the list of priority’s.

claretandy wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 10, 2021 8:12 am

I think we are going to have to sell Vydra in order to generate funds, plus create a space in the squad for a new striker, Wood and Barnes are badly out of form.

We need a player like Vydra on the pitch, even if for the last half an hour, yesterday was a prime example.

A tall pacey striker would be welcome, but at what price? If that happened I'd like to see him play up front with Vydra.
Wood and Barnes can't go on forever, they've been brilliant but it needs freshening up.

Vyds showed his quality half a chance and he buried it. Let's give him a run at starting games

Woodleyclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:50 am

Vyds showed his quality half a chance and he buried it. Let's give him a run at starting games

Agreed. Guaranteed he would score more than the others given the same opportunity

He’d have to be on the pitch to do that... and unfortunately we all know he’ll be sat on his arse. And so would any new striker we talk to. And if they know that before they get here, they may not actually get here at all...

Somethingfishy wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:32 pm

It is not the players though is my point. Dyche will have to drastically change our style for our central midfielders to start contributing more goals. Creativity wise i don't think we are too bad..yes it could be better but when our strikers are missing the chances they are it becomes irrelevant.
I'd sadly let Vydra go IF it is true he wants away. Replace him though with a decent lower division replacement. Barnes is also looking a busted flush at the moment. I was never convinced he would score when he was put clean through. Wood is having one of those spells unfortunately but he will come good again.

Same re Barnes. Pre injury he would have taken the shot early and just blasted it low and hard past the keeper and not tried to go around him. Wood looks terrible at the moment, but I think he’ll come good again.

Wood looks woefully out of form.

He’s never been the best outside of the box and can look very ponderous with the ball at his feet but generally, give him a chance and he will score it.

At the moment that’s just not happening, a mixture of terrible finishing and some good saves and he looks shot. He needs taking out of the firing line for a short time.

Barnes looks to be on the slide. Pre injury he was poor and he’s yet to look anything like he did in 2019. Also the frustration with Barnes is we become very one dimensional when he’s in the team.

ABSOLUTELY-I have been banging on about a new striker since theSummer, as it provides competition if nothing else.The way we play its absolutely essential to have a clinical striker who takes his chances.Provne both times during promotion when often we were "Out -possessed". In the first year INGS/VOKES with Ings being explosive, and then two years GRAY/VOKES when Gray was incredible (28 goals) and chipped in with a number of assists

On current form Barnes would not be starting for any PL side, and I include WBA in this . Wood might just start at Leeds, WBA, and I am struggling to name many more.Claret fans think too much about the past and what has been achieved by players and think it can happen again. Just look at Charlie Austin he will never re-discover his form

If we are serious we can get Josh King on probably what we paid for Wood, 4 years ago. We might even get him on loan. I think he will move in this window. He is the ideal guy the way we are set up

Looking at our striker stats last week again it seems odd that Vydra doesn’t play regularly. His goals per minutes played is FAR superior to anyone else. And why do we still persist with Barnes? I’m sorry guys, just can’t understand him still getting a game.

Dyche obviously doesn’t ‘rate’ Vydra as a PL striker (too lightweight?) so:

Identify the best 5 strikers in the Championship and offer Vydra plus cash to each club and see what the response is.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:08 am

When Wood is on form and confident he is top drawer. That INCLUDES his movement, hold up play and finishing. For whatever reason, probably confidence (maybe he really preferred playing in front of fans?) or fitness (?) he hasn’t been at level consistently this season. Some of the comments on here are ridiculous and absolutely clueless. Someone on the player ratings said he doesn’t know why people think he is a threat in the air - erm, over the past two seasons he scored the most headed goals in the league.

That was me and I still maintain Wood has a head like a Sheriffs badge. His PL record reads scored 14 headed career goals, he's probably missed double that with guilt edged headed chances. There's at least 4 he's missed with his head this season alone.

Stats, stats and damn stats eh. I prefer to use my actual eyes