Going Forward??

[Barry.C]

Despite our good form Adrian Clarke commentating on our last game said we had NO PACE up top and need to invest in a pacey striker. This we all more or less accept as obvious.

I thought Peterborough were quite good when I saw them and we beat them. They have shot up the table and are scoring goals for fun, now 14 goals in difference column. Mind you they list 7 strikers in their squad and Washington, Angol and Coulibaly have hit 21 goals between them in all formats, whereas Hunt, Mooney and Pigott have just notched up 11. We also only list 3 official strikers. Poor old Jason doesnt even get included in our official club stats at all, despite warming his bottom every week on the bench.

Burton list 6 strikers , 4 of whom have scored 15 goals between them. Wigan have 6 strikers and Gillingham 6. With the Gills though their midfielder, Dack, has hit 10, which is one more than 8 of our midfielders who have managed 9 goals.Poor old Coventry just have 4 strikers to call on and they have struggled to 25 goals between them ( 5 from 2 games from Jacob Murphy recently brought in on loan ).
The closest to us in striking terms is Walsall who also just rely on 3, who have notched up 17 goals between them.
Im still hoping at some stage in January we will swoop to get in all the strikers we have tabs on?:winking:

 

[spoons]

We have one of the better defences though, and 1 nil wins are good enough as Arsenal, proved a few years ago.
Brown has a philosophy of defending first and it has paid off so far.
In the main I am delighted with the quality of football we are playing.
Hunt has been out for a while but once fit he could be a major force for us in getting goals, he was good at Coventry, where we scored twice. Most pacy forwards of any ability are in the Championship or Premier league.:unsure:

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

Acquiring a pacey forward isn't just about scoring goals. It's also about the ability to relieve pressure. You take the Rochdale game, when 2-0 up. It would of been great to bring on some pace to provide an outlet to give Rochdale something to think about. Pumping the ball long to Mooney or Piggott isn't a great outlet ball. You defiantly need pace away from home to assist the counter attack too.

As many people have said, will there be anyone out there that's good enough, that we can actually afford. Anyone else will be a player that no one else wants, is that a player we really want.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

Acquiring a pacey forward isn't just about scoring goals. It's also about the ability to relieve pressure. You take the Rochdale game, when 2-0 up. It would of been great to bring on some pace to provide an outlet to give Rochdale something to think about. Pumping the ball long to Mooney or Piggott isn't a great outlet ball. You defiantly need pace away from home to assist the counter attack too.

As many people have said, will there be anyone out there that's good enough, that we can actually afford. Anyone else will be a player that no one else wants, is that a player we really want.

pace, power, ability to hold the ball up and also to score goals
not much to ask is it?
i would imagine that at our level someone with pace will be lacking a fair bit in the other areas

 

[RHB]

pace, power, ability to hold the ball up and also to score goals
not much to ask is it?
i would imagine that at our level someone with pace will be lacking a fair bit in the other areas

Cue Weston?

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

Cue Weston?

exactly, though we got him when we were in League 2 so you'd think an established League 1 team could get an upgrade

 

[RHB]

exactly, though we got him when we were in League 2 so you'd think an established League 1 team could get an upgrade

Like Windows 10 you mean?

 

[leeblue]

Have been saying for ages and ages...This squad is a pacy powerful forward away from the play offs....that's it in my opinion....One player

 

[Shrimperforlife]

Cue Weston?

Latter part of last year he came on and was immense with his pace against tired centre backs... The game against Stevenage proved that point...

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Latter part of last year he came on and was immense with his pace against tired centre backs... The game against Stevenage proved that point...

And Wembley :smile:

 

[Bkdside]

Have been saying for ages and ages...This squad is a pacy powerful forward away from the play offs....that's it in my opinion....One player

Ah right, let's get that sorted then. I'll give Wenger a call if you give Van Gal a call...sure they have both have kids of Pacy Powerful forwards going spare... That they have decided not to loan out to a championship or bigger League one side that can offer them more wages...they've both been waiting for Southend to ring and offer no wages contribution.

 

[* ORM *]

Ansah, Angell, Tilly, Benjamin - I'd argue with the exception of the seemingly injury prone Hunt we have nothing to compare to these four though Weston/Hurst are kind of in the ball park. The rest of the midfield and defence/GK compares well with the class of 91. You always felt a goal was coming in 91. I get the sense that at the moment we hope a goal is coming. Still time for things to click and if they do watch out L1

 

[rigsby]

Have been saying for ages and ages...This squad is a pacy powerful forward away from the play offs....that's it in my opinion....One player

So has PB and even uncle Ron. But of course they know that we can't afford one. With a fit Noel Hunt and McLaughlin's pace we would already be in the play offs so lets see over the next month. For a club with an income that is one of the lowest in this division we are going forward very nicely at the moment.

 

[Barry.C]

I dont think its about cost. As previously illustrated more than 2 strikers a week were signed on loan or unattached, during the past 7 weeks in our league. Its more about balance and attitude. If you want a ton of midfielders and defenders, thats the way you will go. A player could also be released to fund a replacement striker. Add in the fact that for nearly 3 years how come every other club with little cash in league 1 or 2 is somehow able to do it? They have not lashed out a fortune on some expensive signing. We are also told of the strikers we are keeping the famous TABs on, so is the intent their. Our track record at bringing in strikers is also fairly abysmal? Just to name a few, Barnard, Weston, Coulthirst, Cassidy, Hunt? will he manage 10 games a season?

 

[Jam_Man]

I dont think its about cost. As previously illustrated more than 2 strikers a week were signed on loan or unattached, during the past 7 weeks in our league. Its more about balance and attitude. If you want a ton of midfielders and defenders, thats the way you will go. A player could also be released to fund a replacement striker. Add in the fact that for nearly 3 years how come every other club with little cash in league 1 or 2 is somehow able to do it? They have not lashed out a fortune on some expensive signing. We are also told of the strikers we are keeping the famous TABs on, so is the intent their. Our track record at bringing in strikers is also fairly abysmal? Just to name a few, Barnard, Weston, Coulthirst, Cassidy, Hunt? will he manage 10 games a season?

Every other club in league 1 or 2 didnt manage to go out and find a pacy 20 goal a season striker though.

Last season in League Two we had one of the top scorers in the league , only 6 players scored more than Corr, so that means 17 teams didnt manage to find a goal scorer better than we did.

On top of that we had Piggot on 9 goals and he only played part of the season so goals per game he was better than most of the strikers in the league.

 

[rigsby]

I dont think its about cost. As previously illustrated more than 2 strikers a week were signed on loan or unattached, during the past 7 weeks in our league. Its more about balance and attitude. If you want a ton of midfielders and defenders, thats the way you will go. A player could also be released to fund a replacement striker. Add in the fact that for nearly 3 years how come every other club with little cash in league 1 or 2 is somehow able to do it? They have not lashed out a fortune on some expensive signing. We are also told of the strikers we are keeping the famous TABs on, so is the intent their. Our track record at bringing in strikers is also fairly abysmal? Just to name a few, Barnard, Weston, Coulthirst, Cassidy, Hunt? will he manage 10 games a season?

IT has every thing to do with cost. We could have sold Bentley to buy a striker but there's no Guarantee with any forward. Our keeper is a safer bet to gain us points than any striker. Blackpool splashed out for the much praise on here Redshaw who has won Blackpool 2 points so far this season and he did score in a 2-0 win over Crew.

We have brought in strikers that we have paid nothing for and on low wages but what do you expect from bargain bucket Weston. Some like the highly rated (at the time) Coulthirst and Cassidy have not performed but that is not down to Southend.

As for too many defenders and midfielders it has been that very strength that has got us up to 8th

 

[Barry.C]

Basically we have a great load of talent in midfield, more than you can shake a stick at. We are very satisfied given the comments made, that we have significant resources in defence. However we have the smallest available strike force in the league. That should be addressed going forward. We consistently choose to have less striking options than most sides. We delight in the competition that having talent in numbers in midfield and at the back. We seem incapable of generating the same level of competition upfront. I cant believe that its impossible to fund a loanee as other clubs have done in a far worse position than us financially.
As stated by 3 ex professional Southend Footballers the problem is pace upfront going forward as we do not have the pace to get behind defenders . I like Mooney but pace is not a weapon he possesses. If its all about money how come we are keeping tabs on strikers ready to pounce?

 

[leeblue]

Ah right, let's get that sorted then. I'll give Wenger a call if you give Van Gal a call...sure they have both have kids of Pacy Powerful forwards going spare... That they have decided not to loan out to a championship or bigger League one side that can offer them more wages...they've both been waiting for Southend to ring and offer no wages contribution.

Bit of a sarcastic reply. I didn't say we need some worldy to magically appear from the almighty premiershite, just someone with pace and power....is that something only available in the top flight? Read my original post and try not to answer like some smarmy ****

 

[Barry.C]

Milan Lalkovic 8 goals, Walsall , striker , second highest current goal scorer at club, free transfer. Bradshaw leading goal scorer 12, not sure he cost much,anything,

 

[Barry.C]

Rory Donnelly, current leading striker, Gillingham , released by Swansea, free