He may be the best we have but as people have said, he thrives on crosses into the box, something we do not do enough. We only have one quality crosser of the ball and that's Basey. So we can either sign two more wingers or sell Gray and buy someone more suited to our system.
And give it a bloody rest oooaahh. CURBISHLEY WANTED TO LEAVE. The fans have nothing to do with it. (And it's very enlightening to learn you weren't there for his last 2 seasons, too).
He scored plenty of goals for his previous clubs though, Weegie, including a fair number of headers.
So whether he jumps or not, he's proven over the years that if you give him a service, he'll score consistantly.
The question I and a few others are asking, is why we don't give him or, come to think of it, anybody else a reasonable service?
Which leads on to the next question - So why haven't we brought in the type of player that can supply the strikers......?
Wolves did it with Kightly, Sheff Utd did it with their player (name escapes me), etc.
I might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer - but surely it's obvious ....?
I don't think his record is that prolific, is it, though, Oggy? Inflated by the number of penalties.
I know what you mean re the service / wingers. We created loads of chances v Forest, but mainly through midfield. The way Parky has us set up doesn't really leave much scope for out and out wing play - even if the cross comes in, it's usually 1 of ours v 4 or 5 of theirs in the box! But I think he is trying to build a tight foundation from defence to midfield, which does make sense. We will need more options up front if we are going to have any chance...
[cite]Posted By: Weegie Addick[/cite]I don't think his record is that prolific, is it, though, Oggy? Inflated by the number of penalties.
Inflated by penalties, Weegie .....?
But so was the goalscoring record of Derek Hales, Clive Mendonca and young Darren Bent.
That was also their job to score penalties. And they were good at it.
Same with Andy Gray.
[cite]Posted By: Weegie Addick[/cite]
I know what you mean re the service / wingers. We created loads of chances v Forest, but mainly through midfield. The way Parky has us set up doesn't really leave much scope for out and out wing play - even if the cross comes in, it's usually 1 of ours v 4 or 5 of theirs in the box! But I think he is trying to build a tight foundation from defence to midfield, which does make sense. We will need more options up front if we are going to have any chance...
Agreed on that one. But Gray doesn't necessarily need the ball flighted in from wide to score. Although that would help.
Take his TV goal against Derby, for example.
Semedo pokes the ball on the floor into the box centrally; Gray under pressure from that lump Darren Powell climbing all over his back, shields the ball with his body, turns and lays the ball low across the keeper and inside the post.
Pure goalscorers goal. Great technique and composure.
That's what we are missing out on by not feeding him.
Think there is an issue with Gray getting into those positions with sufficient regularity though Oggy, and I'm not sure he's really mobile enough or alternativly strong enough to play as a succesful lone striker. Having said that, our midfield has not been brilliant at spotting, and finding runs by strikers since Reidy left. Hopefully this Spring lad might help with that.
I would contest the opinion that Gray is good at holding the ball up though - watch him, he so often seems to have the ball under control and then allows the defender to get a toe in and poke it away. Burton is far better at holding the ball up, and quicker and more aggressive, unfortunatly, he's making Super Kev look like Gerd Muller. We're caught between two stools a bit at the moment with our strikers if we're going to play 1 up front (which I think makes sense to get the best out of either Ambrose or Shelvey).
We could still do with someone coming in, regardless of letting Gray go or not, but specialist lone strikers aren't common place and are often pricey due to being in high demand.
And give it a bloody rest oooaahh. CURBISHLEY WANTED TO LEAVE. The fans have nothing to do with it. (And it's very enlightening to learn you weren't there for his last 2 seasons, too).
for the record i went to around 10 games in each of those seasons so i think i was around and anyway i think the board should have tried harder to keep curbishley for the last season he had remaining and maybe we 'd have had the cash windfall ..... i will bore on about him till it get's better cos it's the only thing keeping me going in these times of woe is remembering the good times ;-) thankyou alan and lennie
[cite]Posted By: Imissthepeanutman[/cite]Pretty damn sure that when we got Andy Gray he was voted as the second best Championship player behind Kevin Phillips.
Not sure by whom.
Think it was Four Four Two magazine.
Another case of right player wrong club I suspect. Not all northern Monkeys settle in London and there's no such thing as a dead cert in football transfers.
We haven't got the best out of him and I suspect never will but don't be surprised if we're moaning about how well he's doing at his next club in 12 months time.
I do think he's worth keeping if Parky thinks he fits his preferred system/style. If not then might as well get rid and get someone in who does.
[quote][cite]Posted By: Weegie Addick[/cite]I'm puzzled - where does this idea come from that he thrives on crosses into the box, since, as several have said, he never seems to jump??[/quote]
Since he's scored shit tons of goals in this league, all for clubs who play the crossing game, much like wolves do with big chris.
To be fair, there are a lot less goals from crosses in there than I remeber from the first time I saw this compilation. He's actually more of a goal poacher than anything else on that evidence.
[cite]Posted By: Exiled_Addick[/cite]He's actually more of a goal poacher than anything else on that evidence.
Yeah, some reason we try and use him as a target man. Pardew called him a link man to replace Todorov, not a creative passer or someone to play little one-two's like Todorov is either.
I've found Burton to do more outside the box, inside the box though Gray is a much better finisher.
so Gray deal is on or off so I'm glad that is cleared up. I'm rather rely on the Stoke Sentinel and the KM though than the Mirror. Can still see him leaving though for elsewhere. I'd be disappointed to see him go esp if we replace him with Pericard. Soares would be a good signing imo.
Comments
And give it a bloody rest oooaahh. CURBISHLEY WANTED TO LEAVE. The fans have nothing to do with it. (And it's very enlightening to learn you weren't there for his last 2 seasons, too).
So whether he jumps or not, he's proven over the years that if you give him a service, he'll score consistantly.
The question I and a few others are asking, is why we don't give him or, come to think of it, anybody else a reasonable service?
Which leads on to the next question - So why haven't we brought in the type of player that can supply the strikers......?
Wolves did it with Kightly, Sheff Utd did it with their player (name escapes me), etc.
I might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer - but surely it's obvious ....?
I know what you mean re the service / wingers. We created loads of chances v Forest, but mainly through midfield. The way Parky has us set up doesn't really leave much scope for out and out wing play - even if the cross comes in, it's usually 1 of ours v 4 or 5 of theirs in the box! But I think he is trying to build a tight foundation from defence to midfield, which does make sense. We will need more options up front if we are going to have any chance...
Inflated by penalties, Weegie .....?
But so was the goalscoring record of Derek Hales, Clive Mendonca and young Darren Bent.
That was also their job to score penalties. And they were good at it.
Same with Andy Gray.
Agreed on that one. But Gray doesn't necessarily need the ball flighted in from wide to score. Although that would help.
Take his TV goal against Derby, for example.
Semedo pokes the ball on the floor into the box centrally; Gray under pressure from that lump Darren Powell climbing all over his back, shields the ball with his body, turns and lays the ball low across the keeper and inside the post.
Pure goalscorers goal. Great technique and composure.
That's what we are missing out on by not feeding him.
I would contest the opinion that Gray is good at holding the ball up though - watch him, he so often seems to have the ball under control and then allows the defender to get a toe in and poke it away. Burton is far better at holding the ball up, and quicker and more aggressive, unfortunatly, he's making Super Kev look like Gerd Muller. We're caught between two stools a bit at the moment with our strikers if we're going to play 1 up front (which I think makes sense to get the best out of either Ambrose or Shelvey).
We could still do with someone coming in, regardless of letting Gray go or not, but specialist lone strikers aren't common place and are often pricey due to being in high demand.
He was always an honest hardworking player and didn't always get the recognition he deserved.
Wages would be a problem though unless he just wanted to play and therefore accepted less.
Where is Bartlett now?
Or am I getting confused.....?
;o)
for the record i went to around 10 games in each of those seasons so i think i was around and anyway i think the board should have tried harder to keep curbishley for the last season he had remaining and maybe we 'd have had the cash windfall ..... i will bore on about him till it get's better cos it's the only thing keeping me going in these times of woe is remembering the good times ;-) thankyou alan and lennie
;o)
Not sure by whom.
Tbh am always a bit unsure of players who have moved around clubs so much (M Bent comes to mind)
Think it was Four Four Two magazine.
Another case of right player wrong club I suspect. Not all northern Monkeys settle in London and there's no such thing as a dead cert in football transfers.
We haven't got the best out of him and I suspect never will but don't be surprised if we're moaning about how well he's doing at his next club in 12 months time.
I do think he's worth keeping if Parky thinks he fits his preferred system/style. If not then might as well get rid and get someone in who does.
Since he's scored shit tons of goals in this league, all for clubs who play the crossing game, much like wolves do with big chris.
To be fair, there are a lot less goals from crosses in there than I remeber from the first time I saw this compilation. He's actually more of a goal poacher than anything else on that evidence.
Yeah, some reason we try and use him as a target man. Pardew called him a link man to replace Todorov, not a creative passer or someone to play little one-two's like Todorov is either.
I've found Burton to do more outside the box, inside the box though Gray is a much better finisher.
Kent Messenger has Soares as a done deal and says the Gray move is off.
So let us see what the O/S does or does not reveal over the course of the day...