Could it really just be the strikers?

[morty]

Just read a comment by someone elsewhere, implying that the only real problem is the strikers.

Could it be so? For all the analysis of defence and midfield, is someone putting it in the onion bag the only thing we are really missing?

Could this be the answer?

http://www.givemesport.com/662484-norwich-city-eyeing-loan-deal-for-juventus-forward-simone-zaza-to-help-avoid-drop?autoplay=on&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Organic-Social&utm_campaign=Tribute-Pages-laika-III-1sted

 

[eatonparkboy]

I think it is encapsulated in the phrase "clinical goalscorer".

Yes if we could unearth another Chris Sutton we could spend our money on ground improvements instead (which apparently they are). But if we want a clinical striker who can hold up play as well and be willing even in the 89th minute to make a run into the corner to collect a long ball and be elusive at set pieces, we will have to pay an enormous sum.

The top strikers in the Prem convert at best 1 in 4. I doubt if our strikers are currently getting 4 chances a game. And we currently convert more goals from set pieces than other clubs so we do not create too many from open play.

I think we knew Jerome would not be prolific in this division and the other two had no history to fall back on so while the strikers are a fair target because invariably they get the adulation when someone else may have done the hard work, I think in our case it is definitely the sum of the parts for our poor performances.

 

[Personal Trainer]

I doubt we will ever unearth a Chris Sutton, who many of us used to watch playing in the back four in the Reserves before moving to striker. 

I think the money is being spent on Colney which apparently is no longer "fit for purpose". Mind you as AN explained, in terms of hours spent Colney is their workplace more than Carrow Road. 

 

[It's Character Forming]

I'm not convinced.  Look at the misses by Lukaku.  It was a bad miss by Jerome but how many chances did he and Lukaku both get ?  If he'd had the same number of chances as Lukaku, he'd probably have put at least one away.

 

[ZLF]

I really just dont think so.   All teams can benefit from a more clinical striker of course - but for me the fundamental issues with our form remains the defence;  

the fact is been shored up by moving the whole team back 10 yards with the bus and adopting a more negative approach to the game,  which is whats lead to the goals drying up rather than the attacking players becoming poor since the toon game.

 

[eatonparkboy]

I really just dont think so.   All teams can benefit from a more clinical striker of course - but for me the fundamental issues with our form remains the defence;  

the fact is been shored up by moving the whole team back 10 yards with the bus and adopting a more negative approach to the game,  which is whats lead to the goals drying up rather than the attacking players becoming poor since the toon game.

Spot on. We are invariably trying to play our good stuff in the wrong part of the pitch.

 

[Beauseant]

No. We don't create enough chances because we lack creativity and our attacking style is being dictated by the lowest common denominator, namely our glass defence.

 

[Killiecanary]

No. We don't create enough chances because we lack creativity and our attacking style is being dictated by the lowest common denominator, namely our glass defence.

playing devils advocate though  Beau, I would have thought am advanced midfield three of Redmond, Hoolahan and Brady ought to be creative enough?  Even with two parked in behind I am not sure that we lack creativity in that group.  I said in another thread for me the weakest area of the team is the striking  department where we know Cameron just has never been able to score goals at Prem level (reference Saturday's sitter - which was beautifully constructed for him by some lovely creativity ), Hopper has gone, MBokani still hasn't settled into here enough for a starting berth (although I quit like some of what I have seen) and Neither Grabban nor Lafferty are good enough for this standard. 

To stay in this league we need to be taking chances we do create, because there are times we ain't going to create many.  If we don't convert them then the pressure on the defence grows.. 

 

[morty]

Hearing you Killie. Alex Neil has said on a few occasions just how important that first goal is in a game, I think we need to be scoring it more often.

(Obviously I recognise that if the defence concedes it makes the point irrelevant)

 

[eatonparkboy]

Apparently Redmond creates at least two chances per game but has only had one assist all season which multiplying his appearances by two means we have missed a few. And also apparently, Brady has increased his stats from last season at Hull, also strugglers of course. And in fact is just about the only player who shoots anywhere near accurately.

 

[Din]

To be honest I don't think Mbokani has really been given a fair crack. He's only started 3 league games so far, and has impressed when he has been given the chance, even off the bench, yet Neil seems to prefer both Jerome and Grabban to him. I like both Jerome and Grabban's game but neither of them are ever going to be 'goalscorers' at this level, I think that Mbokani is the closest thing we have from that, just based on what I've seen.

The strikers are certainly the main problem for me. In Hoolahan, Brady, Redmond and Olsson we have 4 players who consistantly create chances each game. Admittedly not all of them are always on the pitch, but even so the fact that in 16 games our 3 main strikers have only managed 5 goals between them suggests that the problem is with the actual taking of the chances themselves. 

On the note of players not being given a fair chance, Mulumbu is another one that I think should be getting more game time. Tettey started the season well but has gradually dropped off, and we don't really have a consistent partner for him. O'Neil is good at retaining possession but isn't ever going to be an exceptional player, for example he's not someone who can ping 60 yard passes, or even get forward and chip in with a few goals. The defensive side of his game isn't fantastic either. Howson is probably our best all-round midfielder, but has been in poor form so far this season, although to be fair he has often been played out of position. I really like Dorrans and he started the season very well but Neil doesn't seem to fancy him recently for whatever reason. And Odjidja isn't even getting a look in despite looking good when given a chance.

 

[splutcho]

I agree with Din on Mbokani for sure. I've really liked the look of him and can't understand why he's not getting a game. 

On the main question, if I HAD to pin down one area that we're really struggling with, I guess strikers would be it, but in all honesty, I think we're just missing a bit of quality across the board.

 

[Canaryboy]

I've got a feeling Alex Neil wants Mbokani to work harder when we aren't in possession and that he'll feature more as he gets better at pressing defenders, he did this more in his last start (Chelsea) than I've seen him do it in earlier appearances, so I think Alex Neil is trying to mould him a bit at the minute and is telling him what he needs to do more of if he wants a place.

Just my instinct but I did notice how he didn't work too hard off the ball and how that had changed a bit against Chelsea. Both Jerome and Grabban put pressure on the defenders when not in possession whilst Mbokani is pretty immobile until we get the ball. That's my perception of why Mbokani hasn't nailed down that spot. 

If he adds that to his game then he'd surely be the closest thing we have to the 'complete striker' that Alex Neil keeps going on about.

 

[ZLF]

I agree on Mbokani;  he is a little too static for me,  both in terms of defending from the front and movement when we are in possession too.   Plenty to be hopeful about with him but at the moment I see him mainly as an impact sub as he has as many questions too.   

I would be looking to get him on every game at the moment - he wont improve or show he has improved by sitting on the bench and he is the best hope we have as as starting striker after Jerome & Grabban,   who remain a way ahead of the rest. 

 

[Lavanche]

In modern football striker isn't only player who should score and specialy in a tactics where there is two wingers and target player as a main striker. We have both.

Brady has scored only 1 and assisted only one. So by looking only the stats we all should blame Brady from attacking trio, but we all know he has done well on the field, but Jerome has been decent whole season also with keeping the ball, making the runs. His scoring record should be better, but outside of Everton miss there truly havent been too many good chances he has missed.

We cant blame Hoolahan either as he has been main man almost all of our victories. Redmond have had difficult season after start, but still he has scored 4 and is almost only effective winger choise on right side. Mayby there could be a bit more competition.

Also we very rarely change sides in the middle of the game. Defending against inverted winger after defending half game against full winger is always hard. Redmond also is exellent cutting in and we normaly have lot of room there to move as our line is so deep.

So I would also put the blame behind the attacking players and tactics. Specially our right side and box to box players. RBACKS delivery has been awful and no matter who plays there Redmond or Howson have been isolated most part of the game.

Box to box players hardly deliver anything creative during the game outside Howson's runs. Dorrans and O'Neal are supposed to be somewhat creative, but at the end Hoolahan has been only one to make purposeful combination plays and looking for second wave runs. Ofc he is the playmaker, but we have always second playmaker to support the attack so they need to get in to the game.

This lack of threat only goes bigger when we lack either Redmond or Hoolahan from the squad. Attack needs to play as a squad, now we seem to wait errors or miracle solo  goals from our better players. 

That said I'm quite  sure the leaking defence is what keeps AN to not giving more freedom for our midfielders and if we defend so deep we would need more counter attacking players in our best squad. Hoolahan and Brady are agile, but they are not that fast. Jerome/Grabbban and Redmond might suit the role, but they need one fast player with them to offer enough threat to make opposition to react and open those spaces. Jarvis ofc is a pocket rocket when he comes back and could be better option for that than Brady or Wes

Hard budle for AN to open, but in my opinion whe shouldnt be looking for a clinical striker. Our current ones are clinical enough, but players that can fulfil whatever AN asks from them tactically. As I said in other thread we have too many players from same mold and that makes us a bit dull and predictable

 

[Dubai Mark]

Continual tinkering with team really doesnt help :-(

 

[eatonparkboy]

Just noticed that Curtis Davies contract runs out this season and Hull might want to cash in on him. No idea of his value but he was on our list before.

 

[Killiecanary]

Just noticed that Curtis Davies contract runs out this season and Hull might want to cash in on him. No idea of his value but he was on our list before.

I'd take him.  A commanding leader of the back line is something we badly need...and he would fit the bill.  Hope his time in a rubbish hull team hasn't taken the edge off his form though?

 

[Dubai Mark]

Would be an excellent signing and probably within range for us.