Justifying five first team squad strikers

[Knox_Harrington]

It looks like Crouch, Kuyt and Voronin will be here next year. I'm one for few changes this season. I'd like to see one more forward added, one wide player added and the book closed. Maybe a Kewell replacement.

 

But this situation may well be fluid, if the right players are there is it worth signing a number nine and a number seven, there's a few hypotheticals below that might, might, justify five strikers.

 

Does a European Cup win justify five strikers with the Super Cup and Japan in the shake up?

Does signing Owen justify five strikers?

Would signing Eto'o with the ANC in mind justify five strikers?

Can it be justified without any of the above?

[psl]

I'm one for few changes this season.

 

Really? You haven't mentioned it

[yellow jumper]

think voronin's exact role's unclear at this point too. any possibility he could offer cover for wide positions?

[Leo No.8]

It looks like Crouch, Kuyt and Voronin will be here next year. I'm one for few changes this season. I'd like to see one more forward added, one wide player added and the book closed. Maybe a Kewell replacement.

 

But this situation may well be fluid, if the right players are there is it worth signing a number nine and a number seven, there's a few hypotheticals below that might, might, justify five strikers.

 

Does a European Cup win justify five strikers with the Super Cup and Japan in the shake up?

Does signing Owen justify five strikers?

Would signing Eto'o with the ANC in mind justify five strikers?

Can it be justified without any of the above?

 

Exactly what I said in the Owen thread. At £9m Owen would be very cheap despite the injuries, and with Tevez's situation and indeed ownership likely to be up in the air come the summer you could possibly get a good deal on him too. There's your number 7 and your number 9.

 

I'm not sure Voronin will be used as an out and out striker as much by us as he is by Leverkusen, so without counting him as a fifth striker (you could count Garcia as a sixth if you went down that route) if Bellamy moves on (about which I've got mixed feelings) you've got Kuyt, Crouch, Owen and Tevez. A forward for every season, an option for whatever Rafa wants to do - they all offer completely different strengths and could all play together.

 

I like the sound of that quartet. You could probably get both those two for less than what an Eto'o or a Villa would cost.

Edited May 9, 2007 by Leo No.8

[McBain]

I think keeping 4 happy is near impossible. Nevermind 5

[fred milne]

If Bellamy moves on (about which I've got mixed feelings) you've got Kuyt, Crouch, Owen and Tevez. A forward for every season, an option for whatever Rafa wants to do - they all offer completely different strengths and could all play together.

 

I like the sound of that quartet. You could probably get both those two for less than what an Eto'o or a Villa would cost.

That quartet wouldn't really offer us the threat of pace in-behind when we are away from Anfield.

[Knox_Harrington]

think voronin's exact role's unclear at this point too. any possibility he could offer cover for wide positions?

You've got to go off where's he played up to this point. Upfront. Maybe deeper lying to a certain extent but he's a forward.

That quartet wouldn't really offer us the threat of pace in-behind when we are away from Anfield.

To be fair who pushes up against us even away from home? Fewer and fewer sides these days. Even United used a deep line against us.

[Leo No.8]

That quartet wouldn't really offer us the threat of pace in-behind when we are away from Anfield.

 

I still think Owen is quick enough to offer that to a certain extent (or he was before this last injury).

 

I'd prefer to see us bring in a couple of really quick wide men to allow us to break quicker away from home myself. Tevez would also help in that regard - he's very quick indeed with the ball at his feet.

[Magic8Ball]

I still think Owen is quick enough to offer that to a certain extent (or he was before this last injury).

 

I'd prefer to see us bring in a couple of really quick wide men to allow us to break quicker away from home myself. Tevez would also help in that regard - he's very quick indeed with the ball at his feet.

This is what I keep saying - not just about Tevez but that we need to be able to break more quickly when playing away from home as that's where the goals will come from

TBH if we got Owen we would need another quick striker too as I doubt Owen would be available all the time when we want him

[Guest Anders Honoré]

We already have five strikers of sorts with Garcia and Gerrard filling in there every so often.

 

Imo, it could be justifiable if we were to play with three up front on a more regular basis. Once you throw in Garcia, Kewell and Pennant to the pool of 'strikers' alongside Voronin, Crouch and Kuyt, then you would still be looking at two new signings up front probably being one too many andthat's not even including Gonzalez in the pool.

[fred milne]

To be fair who pushes up against us even away from home? Fewer and fewer sides these days. Even United used a deep line against us.

I thought your idea was to have a varied squad, which gives Rafa's as many tactical options as possible. Surely, a pacy striker is a key one of those options.

 

P.S. Judging by the TV highlights, Bellamy's pace gave Fulham a few problems on Saturday, as it has on other occasions this season (e.g. Wigan).

Edited May 9, 2007 by fred milne

[Knox_Harrington]

I thought your idea was to have a varied squad, which gives Rafa's as many tactical options as possible. Surely, a pacy striker is a key one of those options.

 

P.S. Judging by the TV highlights, Bellamy's pace gave Fulham a few problems on Saturday, as it has on other occasions this season (e.g. Wigan).

All fair points, but it has to be pace with real intelligence, Bellamy is an improvement on Cisse and Baros but even he has struggled to have a real impact, week in, week out (though that could be as much due to rotation). If Owen comes back with decent acceleration then genuine intelligence of movement will put him ahead of most pretty quickly - he's supposed to have shown that against Reading. Of course that's why Eto'o is far and away the main man for me and why if Henry can be signed he's got to be on the shortlist.

[yellow jumper]

TBH if we got Owen we would need another quick striker too as I doubt Owen would be available all the time when we want him

 

not only that, even if you do assume he's still quick enough to trouble defences behind, i don't think he links play as well as, or is as adroit at working the touchlines as the likes of eto'o, henry, torres, villa, or even bellamy.

 

This is what I keep saying - not just about Tevez but that we need to be able to break more quickly when playing away from home as that's where the goals will come from

 

which as you point out here is an area we need to look at improving.

 

beyond that, all the signs are that benitez wants a physical penalty area presence rather than a fox in the box. understandably since we look to feed so many crosses into that area.

[Gilps]

It'll largely depend on who is available. I know you think the number 7 can wait a year and I don't necessarilly disagree. I'm certainly with you on the keeping changes to a minimum.

 

But if the right player's available this summer with no guarntee he will be next, you've got to go for him if the money's there. Certainly Tevez's circumstances this summer are going to be pretty unique

[Mad_Fer_It]

eto'o and tevez!!!! hehe....

More realistically I think owen and tevez would be a hell of a coup, owen wouldnt need any bedding in at all, and Tevez has already played a year in the epl...

Guess we would have to sell bellamy... I know he isn't here yet, but Voronin seems to be getting in the way of signing good players...

[cymrococh]

Tevez should save us some settling in time as well.

[Gilps]

The problems caused by Kewell and Luis Garcia's absences coinciding tell me getting Voronin, Tevez and A N Winger in wouldn't be the worst plan, whatever's happening with pacy number 9.

[Herbie von Smalls]

it fills me with much dispair to read of owen being linked with a move back to LFC

[jimmylibel]

it fills me with much dispair to read of owen being linked with a move back to LFC

 

I think it's more a reaction to the possibility of the Mancs getting him.

[McBain]

it fills me with much dispair to read of owen being linked with a move back to LFC

 

When i get like that i stick on something like this

[psl]

it fills me with much dispair to read of owen being linked with a move back to LFC

 

The potential return of a goal scoring legend to the club fills you with 'despair'? Are you mad? The man scored God knows how many goals for the club and carried us in an attacking sense for several years. He could end up being England's all time leading goal scorer. Yes, there are questions about his continuing fitness but if he can be brought for £9m I think we should be in for him. Of course there are preferable options and I'm not saying he should be top of Rafa's list. However, to be filled with 'much despair' at the potential return of Michael Owen is at best ludicrous.

[Gilps]

Herbie, you despair of Owen, don't fancy Henry, weren't overly keen on Bellamy. Any pacy strikers out there who would satisfy the von Smalls criteria?

[fred milne]

it fills me with much dispair to read of owen being linked with a move back to LFC

I'd be amazed if Owen does come back but whatever despair you're feeling about Owen, double it, and that's how I felt when I read about Fowler coming back to LFC.

[Herbie von Smalls]

Herbie, you despair of Owen, don't fancy Henry, weren't overly keen on Bellamy. Any pacy strikers out there who would satisfy the von Smalls criteria?

record straight: i thought bellamy was a decent signing with the potential to add a welcome dimension to our attack. henry's a fantastic player at arsenal, but i've got reservations about how he'd cope as an 'equal' rather than the 'superstar' he is at his current club. owen's turned down the opportunity to sign with Rafa twice and that indicated to me that playing for england was more of a priority than winning trophies with LFC.

 

to answer your question, i'd welcome darren bent to the club.

 

I'd be amazed if Owen does come back but whatever despair you're feeling about Owen, double it, and that's how I felt when I read about Fowler coming back to LFC.

i was taken aback by Fowler's return, but knew we were getting a deadly finisher with a passion for the club, who would be a useful squad player and have a positive influence for the playing staff.

[Gilps]

Just messing mate.

 

Was starting to think your feelings for pacy strikers might match those for the cover starsof Heat magazine.

 

Wouldn't say no to Bent myself.