Strikers

[steveo]

Did anyone else notice Freddy seemed a bit disinterested tonight, didnt even join in the goal celebrations? Is this the body language of a player who is leaving?

Alsoif Gray does hav a hamstring problem that could be 3/4 out. Goater probably isnt young enouh or fit enough to play 5 or 6 games so that only leaves Lawson and Eastwood.
More pressure to sign a striker.

 

[shrimptank]

I thought Freddy put in a hell of a lot of work last night...all with no luck. He's not getting any breaks at the moment, but his workrate is as high as it's ever been....didn't you see him closing the keeper down in stoppage time?

He seems to be coming deeper and playing a more "team" role than last year now, and as a consequence the team is reaping the rewards for this, if not Freddy personally. I dont think he looked disinteresteda at all, i think he is a striker who loves scoring goals, who is disappointed when it's not him sticking the ball away - aren't all strikers like that?? Part and parcel of being a good striker is having a little selfish streak in you and whatever anyone says, you always want to be the player sticking it away IMHO.

 

[steveo]

maybe ive got a jaundiced view at the mo, ive backed him to score for the last 3 games which has cost me about 55 quid so far, lol. Maybe Ill stop backing him and he might start scoring again.

 

[londonblue]

Have to say I agree with shimptank on this one, but I know you're not alone. I had the exact same discussion with my dad on the way out of the ground last night.

Maybe you should try and prove your theory by not putting any money on him for the next match, and see what you think of his performance then!

 

[steveo]

but i will be gutted if he scores and i aint on him, lol.

 

[londonblue]

Good point, you can't win now!

That's why I never put money on Southend matches.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (steveo @ Jan. 28 2006,09:22)]but i will be gutted if he scores and i aint on him, lol.

Get someone else to do it for you! That way you're technically not backing him yourself ...

WS
Jávea

 

[Andy_S]

Quote[/b] (steveo @ Jan. 28 2006,07:39)]Did anyone else notice Freddy seemed a bit disinterested tonight, didnt even join in the goal celebrations? Is this the body language of a player who is leaving?

Alsoif Gray does hav a hamstring problem that could be 3/4 out. Goater probably isnt young enouh or fit enough to play 5 or 6 games so that only leaves Lawson and Eastwood.
More pressure to sign a striker.

But we're signing Jevons aren't we steveo? So what are you worrying about?

Oh yeah, oops.

 

[steveo]

lol, yeah course we are, but I want to see him up fornt with Freddy as we push for promotion.

 

[Andy_S]

There's a difference between you wanting him and the club signing him though isn't there!?

 

[Hambone]

I thought he did not have his best game. Lost the ball a couple of times, a couple of his tricks did not come off, but he tried his heart out. Did not have the run of the ball, shame for him really. He will score soon though, he will find a purple patch at some point in this season and grab a few goals.

 

[loz]

the more i see Freddy play, the more i'm inclined to the idea that his best position isn't right up top. coming from deep gives him the chance to use some of his obvious talents- running at defenders, picking out through balls, shooting from range. Whether a squad like ours is suited for a different tactic is debatable (and i'd probably say it's not) but i think Freddy would benefit either from playing just behind a target man, or as one of the wide strikers in a 4-3-3. Playing in a two he often finds it difficult to get the ball in space, and his head can drop a bit.

 

[Southampton Shrimper]

The commentator on BBC Wiltshire said at the end of the game last night that Freddy had shown "why he is such a frustrating player to play with" because he was being a bit selfish with the ball. Is that a fair criticism? It doesn't seem so reading reports on here.

 

[Soton Blue]

Agree with loz. Whilst a comparison with Rooney was be over the top, he does like picking the ball up deep and running at them. When he does this he scares defences senseless.

 

[andrew_sthnd]

once again agree with the idea that eastwood needs to play deeper to use his best qualities. Another thing that strikes me is the fact that eastwood is a confidence player - if the goals arent going in, his head drops! All he needs is a lucky break and the goals will be flooding in again!

 

[shrimper4life]

Quote[/b] (Southampton Shrimper @ Jan. 28 2006,16:36)]The commentator on BBC Wiltshire said at the end of the game last night that Freddy had shown "why he is such a frustrating player to play with" because he was being a bit selfish with the ball. Is that a fair criticism? It doesn't seem so reading reports on here.

He was keeping the ball to himself a lot mainly cos he wants the goals. Sometimes he tries too hard to get a goal and it never comes off so he keeps the ball for longer like yesterday.

 

[Beefy]

Eastwood has looked at his best this season when he's been playing up with Goater imo. We all know that Eastwood likes to drop deep and sometimes he finds that difficult to do when he's up there with Wayne Gray because Wayne isn't a natural targetman. He has the physique to play that roll but he likes to work the channels and use his pace to get round defenders. Whilst we have done very well in the time that Eastwood and Gray have been up front together, theres still only been a handful of matches I've seen where they've looked like a real partnership (Swansea on Freddy's debut and Bristol Rovers in the LDV last season as well as Brentford the other week are ones that come to mind straight away).

IMO theres been nothnig wrong with Eastwood's work-rate lately, but if he doesn't score people seem quick to jump on him and say he's disinterested rather than look at the reasons why he hasn't been scoring.

 

[steveo]

Quote[/b] ] but if he doesn't score people seem quick to jump on him and say he's disinterested

I didnt make the disinterested comment due to his lack of goals, but he didnt celebrate the 2nd goal with the team, and there were at least 2 occassions where we broke away and he was jogging and not busting a gut to get in the box, as he was doing last season.

 

[silentshrimper]

He plays well anywhere upfront....I remember the yeovil game where he came on with 10 mins left and scored 2 from through balls, we should use him for his clinical finishing not playing deep.

 

[Guest]

Quote[/b] (steveo @ Jan. 28 2006,07:39)]Is this the body language of a player who is leaving?

Aaaargh! Stop the damn speculation about Freddy!