A Drake but no ducks. Home v Plymouth Sat 7 Jan 15-00.

[GhostoftheBok]

I'm not sure scoring against Barrow, Salford and Leeds U21, as Bod has, adds much to the crux of the conversation. As I said the other day about Dion's lack of goals against any top-10 opponents (barring the Sunderland outlier), it's not those that win the biggest games - as our players showed yesterday.

For the record though, Bod's league goals this season have come against Lincoln, who were 14th; Burton, 24th; and Barnsley, 4th – a defensive howler, although I was glad Jon Dadi was awake to it. And as with Dion, I'm glad whenever he scores, and I like him – but like you, I wonder if any of our strikers are clinical enough to win the crucial games. Sadly, yesterday didn't do much to ease that worry. I would love to be wrong about it.

Nlundulu is statically more profligate than Charles and gets dispossessed more often than Bodvarsson. So that's nice.

His 4 goals came against lower opposition. His two assists were a nice one against us and an assist that was just a simple lay-off before an absolute peach of a finish from about 25 yards from his mate.

In games where they get more than 3 shots per game Charles out-scores Nlundulu 2 to 1. In games where they only get one shot Charles has scored one goal (Lincoln) and Nlundulu nil.

You know, just in case people wanted cheering up.

[DJBlu]

I'm not sure scoring against Barrow, Salford and Leeds U21, as Bod has, adds much to the crux of the conversation. As I said the other day about Dion's lack of goals against any top-10 opponents (barring the Sunderland outlier), it's not those that win the biggest games - as our players showed yesterday.

For the record though, Bod's league goals this season have come against Lincoln, who were 14th; Burton, 24th; and Barnsley, 4th – a defensive howler, although I was glad Jon Dadi was awake to it. And as with Dion, I'm glad whenever he scores, and I like him – but like you, I wonder if any of our strikers are clinical enough to win the crucial games. Sadly, yesterday didn't do much to ease that worry. I would love to be wrong about it.

Nlundulu is statically more profligate than Charles and gets dispossessed more often than Bodvarsson. So that's nice.

His 4 goals came against lower opposition. His two assists were a nice one against us and an assist that was just a simple lay-off before an absolute peach of a finish from about 25 yards from his mate.

In games where they get more than 3 shots per game Charles out-scores Nlundulu 2 to 1. In games where they only get one shot Charles has scored one goal (Lincoln) and Nlundulu nil.

You know, just in case people wanted cheering up.

We've had a striker from Southampton before that was written off before he came to us and did alright.

[GhostoftheBok]

We've had a striker from Southampton before that was written off before he came to us and did alright.

Oh, I'm not writing him off. I think he's a good signing. Those stats seemed relevant, though. He might need the kettle's help at times

[BWFC_Insane]

On Nlundulu - I do think its a strange signing. And its one I assume is being made with a view in the summer of making it permanent because Evatt really rates the lad. (Or Markham does).

Because as a short term loan to propel us towards the play offs (and beyond because obvs winning the play offs has to be the aim) it doesn't really make a lot of sense. Young target man with pace is good. But a bit raw. Not banging goals in yet and learning his trade doesn't really sound like a player who significantly improves on what we have. Might be a Baka upgrade but if Baka is sticking round then.....I don't see him improving on Bodvarrsson who lets face it were he a 25 goal a season man wouldn't be in league one (the only part of his game that is suspect is his ability to score a bagful).

Not that I'd write him off or oppose the deal. Strikers are hard to get. And perhaps Big Dan is on the cusp of exploding. He certainly has time on his side and what I know of him he has the attributes you'd want. I doubt frankly there is a striking solution in January that is a massive upgrade on the options we have now in terms of goals and return that we can afford or attract.

I hope though that we bring in at least one more attacking sort - ideally a number 10 with the potential of more goals in them or more assists at least. We'd then have a plethora of strikers to feed and you'd hope something would eventually work more consistently.

[Worthy4England]

On Nlundulu - I do think its a strange signing. And its one I assume is being made with a view in the summer of making it permanent because Evatt really rates the lad. (Or Markham does).

Because as a short term loan to propel us towards the play offs (and beyond because obvs winning the play offs has to be the aim) it doesn't really make a lot of sense. Young target man with pace is good. But a bit raw. Not banging goals in yet and learning his trade doesn't really sound like a player who significantly improves on what we have. Might be a Baka upgrade but if Baka is sticking round then.....I don't see him improving on Bodvarrsson who lets face it were he a 25 goal a season man wouldn't be in league one (the only part of his game that is suspect is his ability to score a bagful).

Not that I'd write him off or oppose the deal. Strikers are hard to get. And perhaps Big Dan is on the cusp of exploding. He certainly has time on his side and what I know of him he has the attributes you'd want. I doubt frankly there is a striking solution in January that is a massive upgrade on the options we have now in terms of goals and return that we can afford or attract.

I hope though that we bring in at least one more attacking sort - ideally a number 10 with the potential of more goals in them or more assists at least. We'd then have a plethora of strikers to feed and you'd hope something would eventually work more consistently.

Does seem a bit of a strange one, unless someone thinks we can make a return on him somewhere down the line. I'm not too worried if he doesn't score them himself, but creates unmissables for our other strikers or shedloads of space for our new 10 to run into It doesn't sound like he's currently the 25 goal a season bod you're after...Then again, Rotherham scored 4 less than us last season...

[TANGODANCER]

I hope though that we bring in at least one more attacking sort - ideally a number 10 with the potential of more goals in them or more assists at least. We'd then have a plethora of strikers to feed and you'd hope something would eventually work more consistently.

We're not going to become Barcelona overnight, ever. At the risk of pessimism, should we attain promotion, not going back down is the realism over the pipe-dream. What we once achieved was done in a more prosperous age with a lot less millionaire players and grasping agents and the cost of living generally manageable . It isn't so today, as the once prosperous clubs who went to the wall will attain. Right now we're doing fine and if we manage a top six, well, hope springs eternal, and that's from a lifetime member of the rose-tinted glasses society. The days of wine and roses have become half-of-mild and a dandelion or, in the extremity, put the kettle on.

Come on you whites...

[BWFC_Insane]

On Nlundulu - I do think its a strange signing. And its one I assume is being made with a view in the summer of making it permanent because Evatt really rates the lad. (Or Markham does).

Because as a short term loan to propel us towards the play offs (and beyond because obvs winning the play offs has to be the aim) it doesn't really make a lot of sense. Young target man with pace is good. But a bit raw. Not banging goals in yet and learning his trade doesn't really sound like a player who significantly improves on what we have. Might be a Baka upgrade but if Baka is sticking round then.....I don't see him improving on Bodvarrsson who lets face it were he a 25 goal a season man wouldn't be in league one (the only part of his game that is suspect is his ability to score a bagful).

Not that I'd write him off or oppose the deal. Strikers are hard to get. And perhaps Big Dan is on the cusp of exploding. He certainly has time on his side and what I know of him he has the attributes you'd want. I doubt frankly there is a striking solution in January that is a massive upgrade on the options we have now in terms of goals and return that we can afford or attract.

I hope though that we bring in at least one more attacking sort - ideally a number 10 with the potential of more goals in them or more assists at least. We'd then have a plethora of strikers to feed and you'd hope something would eventually work more consistently.

Does seem a bit of a strange one, unless someone thinks we can make a return on him somewhere down the line. I'm not too worried if he doesn't score them himself, but creates unmissables for our other strikers or shedloads of space for our new 10 to run into It doesn't sound like he's currently the 25 goal a season bod you're after...Then again, Rotherham scored 4 less than us last season...

Yeah and again the logic of a big lad who can make it stick but also has pace over the top works for me as we are starting to look like a team who will never be long ball but can and will go direct more often. Its just dependent on how ready he is to either create or score a few.

There are for me two types who would instantly improve us - either a Michael Ricketts sort or a Gudjohnsen sort. One who scores everything another who can create those chances either for themselves or others in the final third. As Ghost says its quality basically in and around the box. Quality to create and find space (by beating a man etc) or to take chances others don't.

Both of those types are what everyone else wants and tend to cost money unless you can find one on the cusp of exploding into life.

[boltonboris]

Well, I'm gutted we didn't win that. Did enough to win it twice over. Profligate in front of goal again.

Williams had an ok start at LB. Looked a little 'safe' sometimes, but pretty pleased that he got a decent amount of minutes. Beck played very well when he came on and really caused them problems down the left.

Bod, Bradley, Johnston and Kachunga all guilty of missing gilt-edged chances

But, if that's the standard, then it's looking good for another good run!!

[jmjhb]

I'm not sure scoring against Barrow, Salford and Leeds U21, as Bod has, adds much to the crux of the conversation. As I said the other day about Dion's lack of goals against any top-10 opponents (barring the Sunderland outlier), it's not those that win the biggest games - as our players showed yesterday.

For the record though, Bod's league goals this season have come against Lincoln, who were 14th; Burton, 24th; and Barnsley, 4th – a defensive howler, although I was glad Jon Dadi was awake to it. And as with Dion, I'm glad whenever he scores, and I like him – but like you, I wonder if any of our strikers are clinical enough to win the crucial games. Sadly, yesterday didn't do much to ease that worry. I would love to be wrong about it.

Nlundulu is statically more profligate than Charles and gets dispossessed more often than Bodvarsson. So that's nice.

His 4 goals came against lower opposition. His two assists were a nice one against us and an assist that was just a simple lay-off before an absolute peach of a finish from about 25 yards from his mate.

In games where they get more than 3 shots per game Charles out-scores Nlundulu 2 to 1. In games where they only get one shot Charles has scored one goal (Lincoln) and Nlundulu nil.

You know, just in case people wanted cheering up.

This doesn't fill me with optimism. I hope I'm proven completely wrong and you'll all laugh at this post in a few months' time.

[GhostoftheBok]

Beck played very well when he came on and really caused them problems down the left.

I was thrilled with and for Beck. There's a lot in how a player reacts to challenges. He came on and gave Evatt a reason to pick him. Positive attacking play and excellent work rate.

He could easily have seen Williams being brought straight in as a slight and sulked. Not a bit of it.

[Worthy4England]

Beck played very well when he came on and really caused them problems down the left.

I was thrilled with and for Beck. There's a lot in how a player reacts to challenges. He came on and gave Evatt a reason to pick him. Positive attacking play and excellent work rate.

He could easily have seen Williams being brought straight in as a slight and sulked. Not a bit of it.

Certainly the right attitude and an excellent cameo. That said, had he done the "slight and sulked" bit, I'd have carted him off down the A580 myself on the grounds he didn't have the right attitude. Not enough tail to wag the dog at the moment

[irie Cee Bee]

We keep referring to that 25 goal striker that we need which makes our other striker signings in L1 underwhelming. Please enlighten me as to who they are and their value.

[Prufrock]

We keep referring to that 25 goal striker that we need which makes our other striker signings in L1 underwhelming. Please enlighten me as to who they are and their value.

There are 5 players this season in double figures already who would seem to have a decent shout of getting somewhere north of 20:

Colby Bishop - undisclosed fee from Accrington so you'd expect roughly what we paid for Charles

Conor Chaplin - ~£750k

Victor Adebayejo - free

Sam Nombe - undisclosed from MK Dons to newly promoted Exeter after a number of underwhelming loans. Can't have been much.

Jonson Clarke-Harris - undisclosed but unwanted at Coventry so again you'd guess in the low hundreds of Ks

Aaron Collins - free

Obviously they'd all cost more than that now, but that's the sort of player you're looking for (and who presumably we hoped we were getting with Charles). They exist, but there are obviously no guarantees. With the chances we create though it's not a fanciful pipe dream to hope we might be able to identify one. Hopefully it's the new lad.

[Worthy4England]

We keep referring to that 25 goal striker that we need which makes our other striker signings in L1 underwhelming. Please enlighten me as to who they are and their value.

Aaron Collins looks likely - £600k according to Transfermkt!

[Prufrock]

He looked a good player at Forest Green. Versatile too. No doubt we could make a wing back out of him!

[GhostoftheBok]

Alas...

My pick of the lesser lights would be Aaron Collins. Played with Tutte at Morcambe and with Sheehan at Newport, another Welshman, good finisher, tall (again, another I feel the internet has wrong on height), creative and technically sound. Can play in midfield or anywhere across the front three. Doesn't have the raw pace or physicality I would like, but would add cutting edge.

[Bruce Rioja]

We keep referring to that 25 goal striker that we need which makes our other striker signings in L1 underwhelming. Please enlighten me as to who they are and their value.

Aaron Collins looks likely - £600k according to Transfermkt!

' manager Barton valued him at £5 million for the upcoming January transfer window'. Really, Joey?!

[Worthy4England]

We keep referring to that 25 goal striker that we need which makes our other striker signings in L1 underwhelming. Please enlighten me as to who they are and their value.

Aaron Collins looks likely - £600k according to Transfermkt!

' manager Barton valued him at £5 million for the upcoming January transfer window'. Really, Joey?!

In fairness, we managed to unload Big Gaz for £6m...

[Bruce Rioja]

In fairness, we managed to unload Big Gaz for £6m...

True, but then we're not managed by a desperate Colin Wanker!

[DJBlu]

[quote= Yours might be fun...

LOL, 'use the source Luke...'
[/quote]

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Three there for you buddy.