Of course we should be trying to bring in better than Washington, Stockley and Aneke but it would be crazy not to have them as part of the squad with the potential to earn a place in the team. If we get bogged down just on the best 11, we will have the same issues as this season.
As others have said they don’t have the same wow factor as Yann & BWP or Taylor & Grant (albeit for only half a season) in our previous two promotions from this league. They need too many chances to convert for me and we definitely need a another 1st choice striker for the automatics.
Yann was a bit special though. He was already very experienced in France including their top league and, of course, in the Championship here. Not only did he go on to shine with Charlton back in the Championship (and finally Reading) but won promotion with Bournemouth and played in the Premier League with them.
He wasn't a Third Division player ..... and Powelly did brilliantly to persuade him to drop down a League and play for us. We'd be very fortunate to find another 'Kermorgant'.
I fully accept that about Yann but as a bare minimum we need to improve on the striking options at least someone in the Taylor/BWP mould (goal scoring ability not style obviously) if we want automatics. It’s down to TS and his SMT to find that gem.
Yesterday was torturous watching the front two squander chance after chance and then find ourselves defending a 1-0 lead with the introduction of Famewo last knockings 😤.
There's something quite Garry Nelsonish about Washington, both in the way he plays with brilliant movement and workrate, but also the slightly disappointing finishing. Indeed (one division down which is important to highlight) Wash and Stockley are quite similar to Nelson and Leaburn, two popular and well regarded players and a good partnership, but ultimately (for that level) not top drawer.
Karl Robinson was on Quest last night, and he clearly rates Stockley incidentally.
Good stuff @Callumcafc, it’s impressive to see when set out. my only mitigating point I think the majority have been at home games, where I think this season we have been a completely different side to when we are away.
Washington I think has had a good season and interesting hearing Karl Robinson last night on Quest say how every L1 manager was impressed when we signed Stockley, so he is clearly rated at this level.
Theres a nagging something, I don’t know what though, that is stopping me putting my full weight behind them as a pairing to take us forward.
Stay fit for a season and they will get us 35-40 goals between them, I genuinely believe that. However, I do think neither of them posses the true clinical, ruthlessness, killer instinct in finishing where players at this level before have had.
BWP, Rhodes, Taylor etc. all had that feeling when baring down on goal that it was going to be a goal. You just don’t really have that with Washington or Stockley.
Both complement each other well, both will score goals, but neither will finish top scorer in the league.
I’ll admit, I never watch any League One matches except ours, but if you were to pick a League One team of the 21st Century, Yann would very likely be in it. He was exceptionally good. Unrealistic to expect we could sign another one as good as him at this level.
In 2011/12 our strikers (BWP, Kermorgant, Hayes, N’Guessan, L Clarke, Haynes) scored 43 league goals between them.
In 2018/19 our strikers (Taylor, Grant, Vetokele, Ajose, Parker, B Clarke) scored 39 League goals between them.
In both those cases, the majority of goals were concentrated with two players. And, crucially, both those players stayed fit and available nearly all season (until we sold Grant).
Do I see Washington and Stockley, if fit, scoring 35 goals between them? Not sure but I don’t think it’s impossible in a good team. Can I see Aneke chipping in enough as a “super sub” that they can get 40 between them? Definitely, if he’s fit which is a big big if.
Aneke is the x-factor in this equation. He’s not as good as Yann, BWP, Taylor or Grant, but he’s better than the rest of those promotion squad strikers (except maybe Vetokele who was even less available than Chuks). If he can stay fit he is the type of striker who might pull a bit of magic out in a tight game that makes the difference, but I think we have to accept that his role is from the bench only. Any time he’s asked to consistently start matches he breaks down. The good thing is last season suggests he is more resistant to injuries when used as a sub AND will score goals off the bench (not all players are effective subs).
It means, though, that we need at least one more good striker so when one of the first choice pair are injured we don’t have to start Chuks.
Perhaps the bigger difference between those promotion winning sides, in an attacking sense, and this season’s team is in midfield. In 2011/12 our midfield contributed an additional 34(!) goals (Jacko top scoring with 12). In 2018/19 it was 20 (Aribo top scoring on 9), and I remember us only scoring 20 from midfield felt like a bit of a weakness that season. This season, so far, if you include players like CBT, Purrington, and DJ, it’s 13 with Purrington top scoring with 4. If you isolate the centre mids they have a pitiful 6 with Lee top scoring on 3. You can add one more to those totals if you want to be generous and include Clare’s single league goal (can’t recall where he was playing when he scored it).
Good stuff @Callumcafc, it’s impressive to see when set out. my only mitigating point I think the majority have been at home games, where I think this season we have been a completely different side to when we are away.
Washington I think has had a good season and interesting hearing Karl Robinson last night on Quest say how every L1 manager was impressed when we signed Stockley, so he is clearly rated at this level.
Theres a nagging something, I don’t know what though, that is stopping me putting my full weight behind them as a pairing to take us forward.
Stay fit for a season and they will get us 35-40 goals between them, I genuinely believe that. However, I do think neither of them posses the true clinical, ruthlessness, killer instinct in finishing where players at this level before have had.
BWP, Rhodes, Taylor etc. all had that feeling when baring down on goal that it was going to be a goal. You just don’t really have that with Washington or Stockley.
Both complement each other well, both will score goals, but neither will finish top scorer in the league.
BWP, was not as reliable a finisher as we sometime remember. He definitely missed some ones on ones, and had a bit of a goal drought mid season. He was more of a right place right time poacher and, as @Scoham pointed out, we created a lot more chances for him to sniff out a goal. I’m not sure he’d score so many in this current side. He also struggled stepping up a division in a way that Yann, Taylor and Grant did not.
To be fair though, he wasn’t the talisman of that team - that was clearly Yann. Who is it in our current side? Not sure we have one. Whether or not we can add someone over the summer or someone can step up next season might be the difference, and they don’t necessarily have to be a striker.
We had a similarly shite season to this in 96/97, then we signed Mendonca (and one or two others to be fair) and it all changed.
I’ll admit, I never watch any League One matches except ours, but if you were to pick a League One team of the 21st Century, Yann would very likely be in it. He was exceptionally good. Unrealistic to expect we could sign another one as good as him at this level.
In 2011/12 our strikers (BWP, Kermorgant, Hayes, N’Guessan, L Clarke, Haynes) scored 43 league goals between them.
In 2018/19 our strikers (Taylor, Grant, Vetokele, Ajose, Parker, B Clarke) scored 39 League goals between them.
In both those cases, the majority of goals were concentrated with two players. And, crucially, both those players stayed fit and available nearly all season (until we sold Grant).
Do I see Washington and Stockley, if fit, scoring 35 goals between them? Not sure but I don’t think it’s impossible in a good team. Can I see Aneke chipping in enough as a “super sub” that they can get 40 between them? Definitely, if he’s fit which is a big big if.
Aneke is the x-factor in this equation. He’s not as good as Yann, BWP, Taylor or Grant, but he’s better than the rest of those promotion squad strikers (except maybe Vetokele who was even less available than Chuks). If he can stay fit he is the type of striker who might pull a bit of magic out in a tight game that makes the difference, but I think we have to accept that his role is from the bench only. Any time he’s asked to consistently start matches he breaks down. The good thing is last season suggests he is more resistant to injuries when used as a sub AND will score goals off the bench (not all players are effective subs).
It means, though, that we need at least one more good striker so when one of the first choice pair are injured we don’t have to start Chuks.
Perhaps the bigger difference between those promotion winning sides, in an attacking sense, and this season’s team is in midfield. In 2011/12 our midfield contributed an additional 34(!) goals (Jacko top scoring with 12). In 2018/19 it was 20 (Aribo top scoring on 9), and I remember us only scoring 20 from midfield felt like a bit of a weakness that season. This season, so far, if you include players like CBT, Purrington, and DJ, it’s 13 with Purrington top scoring with 4. If you isolate the centre mids they have a pitiful 6 with Lee top scoring on 3. You can add one more to those totals if you want to be generous and include Clare’s single league goal (can’t recall where he was playing when he scored it).
The problem with that of course is the word 'IF'. It really depends on how big that 'IF' is.
I’ll admit, I never watch any League One matches except ours, but if you were to pick a League One team of the 21st Century, Yann would very likely be in it. He was exceptionally good. Unrealistic to expect we could sign another one as good as him at this level.
In 2011/12 our strikers (BWP, Kermorgant, Hayes, N’Guessan, L Clarke, Haynes) scored 43 league goals between them.
In 2018/19 our strikers (Taylor, Grant, Vetokele, Ajose, Parker, B Clarke) scored 39 League goals between them.
In both those cases, the majority of goals were concentrated with two players. And, crucially, both those players stayed fit and available nearly all season (until we sold Grant).
Do I see Washington and Stockley, if fit, scoring 35 goals between them? Not sure but I don’t think it’s impossible in a good team. Can I see Aneke chipping in enough as a “super sub” that they can get 40 between them? Definitely, if he’s fit which is a big big if.
Aneke is the x-factor in this equation. He’s not as good as Yann, BWP, Taylor or Grant, but he’s better than the rest of those promotion squad strikers (except maybe Vetokele who was even less available than Chuks). If he can stay fit he is the type of striker who might pull a bit of magic out in a tight game that makes the difference, but I think we have to accept that his role is from the bench only. Any time he’s asked to consistently start matches he breaks down. The good thing is last season suggests he is more resistant to injuries when used as a sub AND will score goals off the bench (not all players are effective subs).
It means, though, that we need at least one more good striker so when one of the first choice pair are injured we don’t have to start Chuks.
Perhaps the bigger difference between those promotion winning sides, in an attacking sense, and this season’s team is in midfield. In 2011/12 our midfield contributed an additional 34(!) goals (Jacko top scoring with 12). In 2018/19 it was 20 (Aribo top scoring on 9), and I remember us only scoring 20 from midfield felt like a bit of a weakness that season. This season, so far, if you include players like CBT, Purrington, and DJ, it’s 13 with Purrington top scoring with 4. If you isolate the centre mids they have a pitiful 6 with Lee top scoring on 3. You can add one more to those totals if you want to be generous and include Clare’s single league goal (can’t recall where he was playing when he scored it).
The problem with that of course is the word 'IF'. It really depends on how big that 'IF' is.
Always “ifs” in any situation, though. All we can expect is they plan and mitigate, as best they realistic can, for all reasonably foreseeable circumstances.
I’m sure whoever we sign will lead to the usual jizzfest over some pissy YouTube video before the inevitable Charltonising reduces said player to the dog and duck level that we’re at and we can then sock shuffle ourselves off as we rise to 12th in the table at some point .
Good stuff @Callumcafc, it’s impressive to see when set out. my only mitigating point I think the majority have been at home games, where I think this season we have been a completely different side to when we are away.
Washington I think has had a good season and interesting hearing Karl Robinson last night on Quest say how every L1 manager was impressed when we signed Stockley, so he is clearly rated at this level.
Theres a nagging something, I don’t know what though, that is stopping me putting my full weight behind them as a pairing to take us forward.
Stay fit for a season and they will get us 35-40 goals between them, I genuinely believe that. However, I do think neither of them posses the true clinical, ruthlessness, killer instinct in finishing where players at this level before have had.
BWP, Rhodes, Taylor etc. all had that feeling when baring down on goal that it was going to be a goal. You just don’t really have that with Washington or Stockley.
Both complement each other well, both will score goals, but neither will finish top scorer in the league.
agree with that + with Chucks weighing in with double figures from the bench, then that would do.
I don't know what people have been arguing about here to be honest. We need to be looking to sign a better striker in the summer but that should be a focus every single summer for every single team in the history of football. We always want better players. I honestly don't think there's a single person on here who would argue against bringing in a better goalscorer to do more goals. A big problem we've had this season though is back-ups not being good enough. In Washington and Stockley we have a possible partnership that can win you games. That's very important, because if we bring in a goalscorer we can play him alongside Stockley or Chuks. If that goalscorer gets injured, which he will because he plays for Charlton, we can play Washington and still statistically have a good chance of winning games. That's huge, and that's why renewing Washington's contract should be a priority. He's a proven goalscorer, albeit not a super prolific one, and has effective partnerships with the two other strikers he would play alongside. We need a striker. If we lose Washington we need two, and we'd be looking for a secondary striker to link up with Chuks and Stockley who can score at least 10 goals a season just to replace what we already have in Conor. Seems like a waste of time and money that, doesn't it?
For reference, players in this league who have scored around that many this season: Freddie Ladapo (11 goals) - £500,000 to Rotherham in 2019. Mo Eisa (11 goals) to MK Dons for an undsisclosed club record fee in 2021. Jephcott (9 goals) reportedly would have cost us in the region of £500,000+. It's a lot of money to spend on a player we'd have as a back-up to the other striker we have to drop money on
I don’t think anyone is saying don’t resign Washington but if he doesn’t resign for whatever reason you’d want at least one as good as and preferably one better. Also it’s not just about the new incumbents(s) being a back up for 10 goals a season it’s about using them freely as either impact subs or to give the regular starters a rest and challenging for one of the starting births.
If we are going to rely on Stockley & Washington (whom I’ve a lot of time for) as our main strike force, we won’t get automatic promotion imo, no matter who you have laying it on a plate behind them. Playoffs maybe but they’re always a lottery and best avoided.
We COULD get promoted with a Stockley/Washington strike force but it would need Aneke to be at his peak and scoring plenty off the bench and a much better rate of return from at least one midfielder in the goals department.
The question is whether the most efficient way forward is to try and improve on the main duo or accept they are decent but not exceptional and work on supporting with other forwards/midfielders.
I like them as a partnership, but I share the disappointments of many in that I don't think they haven't converted enough of their chances. That said, on the evidence of square pegs in round holes (notably our pseudo- wing-backs who are only wingers) and general lack of movement/guile in midfield (notably Lee and Gilbey on more than one occasion), I think we haven't been creating anywhere near as many chances as we should been with even the players we have now. The amount of hoofball I've seen this year is too high and we simply haven't played to our strengths anywhere near enough.
I would happily keep both of them, but we need one more to cover for Washington if he isn't fit. The things I like most about Washington is his intelligent runs/movement (something which I think is vastly underrated), general footballing brain and his energy for 90mins. If he could finish more consistently, he'd be a Championship player - but he brings enough to this side, particularly with a bit more brains/vision in midfield looking for him. Stockley works hard for the cause, defends well at set pieces and remains a handful, but we simply don't play to his strengths enough, due to the aforementioned wing-back issue. We never look to cross anywhere near enough (nor early enough) and he'd have more off his bonce if we did that. CBT, when fit, is the best one for that in the classical winger role, but needs backup as he can't do even 3/4 of a season playing like that as a WB.
With Chuks and another experienced, Washington-esque forward, it's enough to trouble most teams and cover for the inevitable injuries. If we get 30-35+ between the lot of them, it's not really an issue who gets them. We just need to play better, smarter football behind them - even with Stockley, L1 CBs eat op the long ball for breakfast. Pace, running and movement scares the shit out of most of them and Washington brings that, and that's why we see those better stats for the partnership.
I’ll admit, I never watch any League One matches except ours, but if you were to pick a League One team of the 21st Century, Yann would very likely be in it. He was exceptionally good. Unrealistic to expect we could sign another one as good as him at this level.
In 2011/12 our strikers (BWP, Kermorgant, Hayes, N’Guessan, L Clarke, Haynes) scored 43 league goals between them.
In 2018/19 our strikers (Taylor, Grant, Vetokele, Ajose, Parker, B Clarke) scored 39 League goals between them.
In both those cases, the majority of goals were concentrated with two players. And, crucially, both those players stayed fit and available nearly all season (until we sold Grant).
Do I see Washington and Stockley, if fit, scoring 35 goals between them? Not sure but I don’t think it’s impossible in a good team. Can I see Aneke chipping in enough as a “super sub” that they can get 40 between them? Definitely, if he’s fit which is a big big if.
Aneke is the x-factor in this equation. He’s not as good as Yann, BWP, Taylor or Grant, but he’s better than the rest of those promotion squad strikers (except maybe Vetokele who was even less available than Chuks). If he can stay fit he is the type of striker who might pull a bit of magic out in a tight game that makes the difference, but I think we have to accept that his role is from the bench only. Any time he’s asked to consistently start matches he breaks down. The good thing is last season suggests he is more resistant to injuries when used as a sub AND will score goals off the bench (not all players are effective subs).
It means, though, that we need at least one more good striker so when one of the first choice pair are injured we don’t have to start Chuks.
Perhaps the bigger difference between those promotion winning sides, in an attacking sense, and this season’s team is in midfield. In 2011/12 our midfield contributed an additional 34(!) goals (Jacko top scoring with 12). In 2018/19 it was 20 (Aribo top scoring on 9), and I remember us only scoring 20 from midfield felt like a bit of a weakness that season. This season, so far, if you include players like CBT, Purrington, and DJ, it’s 13 with Purrington top scoring with 4. If you isolate the centre mids they have a pitiful 6 with Lee top scoring on 3. You can add one more to those totals if you want to be generous and include Clare’s single league goal (can’t recall where he was playing when he scored it).
The problem with that of course is the word 'IF'. It really depends on how big that 'IF' is.
Always “ifs” in any situation, though. All we can expect is they plan and mitigate, as best they realistic can, for all reasonably foreseeable circumstances.
Agreed. In terms of strikers I think it is reasonable to forsee Aneke missing quite a few games and one of Stockley or Washington missing some. If the solution is fall back on something similar to Burstow and Leko, we will have our work cut out to go up.
I think this season has shown that we can't be reliant on players like Burstow to do anything more than come off the bench and stretch teams for 20-30mins and/or give the likes of Washington a break. They have their place, certainly, but they won't get us in the playoffs. Leko, sadly, doesn't even fit into this category for me - he has gone downhill this season and I don't think he can even do that role.
I think Washington and Stockley are an excellent partnership that is good enough to get us promoted IF they stay fit. They are unlikely to avoid injury for a whole season though, so we need backup. Aneke is unlikely to be fit enough to start many games, so I don't see him as a replacement for Stockley. We have no replacement for Washington. None of the young strikers are ready yet. Without Washington we struggle to win. We need to get Washington signed up asap and we need to backup for both.
However, as someone said earlier, the problem is the lack of firepower from midfield. To me, that is the bigger problem. I am hopeful that Fraser will start to create and score, and also that JFC returns close to where he was before his long-term injury. CBT looks promising in attacking positions, but we need to be set up right to exploit his skills (back to 4-4-2?). I can't see many goals coming from Gilbey, Morgan or DJ, or even Elliot Lee if we sign him.
Washington and Stockley, with decent back up, plus an improved midfield could produce lots of goals and lead a promotion push next year in my opinion.
As others have said they don’t have the same wow factor as Yann & BWP or Taylor & Grant (albeit for only half a season) in our previous two promotions from this league. They need too many chances to convert for me and we definitely need a another 1st choice striker for the automatics.
Yann was a bit special though. He was already very experienced in France including their top league and, of course, in the Championship here. Not only did he go on to shine with Charlton back in the Championship (and finally Reading) but won promotion with Bournemouth and played in the Premier League with them.
He wasn't a Third Division player ..... and Powelly did brilliantly to persuade him to drop down a League and play for us. We'd be very fortunate to find another 'Kermorgant'.
Good post but I do wonder if we have any scouts in France. I reckon that there must be candidates in Ligue 2 and National. What's our scouting network like in Europe as a whole?
As others have said they don’t have the same wow factor as Yann & BWP or Taylor & Grant (albeit for only half a season) in our previous two promotions from this league. They need too many chances to convert for me and we definitely need a another 1st choice striker for the automatics.
Yann was a bit special though. He was already very experienced in France including their top league and, of course, in the Championship here. Not only did he go on to shine with Charlton back in the Championship (and finally Reading) but won promotion with Bournemouth and played in the Premier League with them.
He wasn't a Third Division player ..... and Powelly did brilliantly to persuade him to drop down a League and play for us. We'd be very fortunate to find another 'Kermorgant'.
Good post but I do wonder if we have any scouts in France. I reckon that there must be candidates in Ligue 2 and National. What's our scouting network like in Europe as a whole?
Don't believe we can sign anyone from overseas post-Brexit.
Good stuff @Callumcafc, it’s impressive to see when set out. my only mitigating point I think the majority have been at home games, where I think this season we have been a completely different side to when we are away.
Washington I think has had a good season and interesting hearing Karl Robinson last night on Quest say how every L1 manager was impressed when we signed Stockley, so he is clearly rated at this level.
Theres a nagging something, I don’t know what though, that is stopping me putting my full weight behind them as a pairing to take us forward.
I am definitely with you. I think it's because during our last two promotions out of this league we had BWP and Yann, Taylor and Grant. These were strikers who would be decent enough options to start in the league above.
I don't have the same confidence about Stockley or Washington who I think are both bench players at best at the next level. However we're not there yet and these two are proving they are good enough to be a part of a promotion team in the here and now.
If there is a Taylor or Yann available in the summer, someone that we are confident can grow into a very good player at the next level, then we should be all over that at the right price. We have to remember both of those players were available on free transfers - plucking someone like that from a rival could cost seven figures in today's game.
I also think we should be sitting down with Washington now and getting a two year deal in front of him ASAP, he will be a crucial cog in the 4-5 man strikeforce that does win promotion and if we did get up, he wouldn't be the worst option for depth in the Championship.
As others have said they don’t have the same wow factor as Yann & BWP or Taylor & Grant (albeit for only half a season) in our previous two promotions from this league. They need too many chances to convert for me and we definitely need a another 1st choice striker for the automatics.
Yann was a bit special though. He was already very experienced in France including their top league and, of course, in the Championship here. Not only did he go on to shine with Charlton back in the Championship (and finally Reading) but won promotion with Bournemouth and played in the Premier League with them.
He wasn't a Third Division player ..... and Powelly did brilliantly to persuade him to drop down a League and play for us. We'd be very fortunate to find another 'Kermorgant'.
Good post but I do wonder if we have any scouts in France. I reckon that there must be candidates in Ligue 2 and National. What's our scouting network like in Europe as a whole?
Don't believe we can sign anyone from overseas post-Brexit.
Points based system with a player needing 15 points to be able to qualify for a permit. Very unlikely that someone willing to come to a League One side would qualify for 15 points.
"It is when you go lower down the bands that things get trickier. Take Greece. The 2004 European champions are ranked 53rd in the world by Fifa, meaning a player could be ever-present as an international for two years but still earn only two points towards a GBE (Governing Body Endorsement). The Greek Superliga is a band 4 competition. That means you get six points for being selected for a match in the past year and a maximum of six points more based on your appearance record. That means you are one short of qualifying for a GBE if you don’t play in Europe.
Apply the same situation to a Lithuanian in the Norwegian League and the chances of reaching 15 points are as slim as Brann winning the Champions League (which would get you 10 points).
So, on the surface, the new rules appear to meet the original objectives of the FA and the Premier League. The FA will get fewer imports of ordinary players, leaving room for neglected English talent to develop. The Premier League will still be able to bring in big names and, indeed, it is hard to find many examples of top-flight players who would have seen their transfers cancelled under the new regulations.
It is likely, though, that clubs in the EFL will feel an effect and particularly those in the Championship, such as Brentford or Norwich City, who have built models around acquiring talented players from obscure places. Bryan Mbeumo, the Brentford forward who is one of the best players in the Championship, came from the French second division with only limited first-team appearances and youth international caps. He would not have got a permit, as would have been the case with the Norwich striker Teemu Pukki as Finland fall outside the Fifa top 50 and his former club, Brøndby, compete in the Danish league, a band 5 competition."
#stockleyneedsapartner was my manta in the summer and decided not to buy a season ticket. I now try to find out the team as earlier as possible and it was the reason I gave the Oxford home game a miss when I believe Jayden, Conor and Chuks were all missing. Unlike many on hear I can't slag the players off when I'm at the ground because of my time in kids football as well as knowing some of the Cafc players dad's over recent years. Not my style and I'm a supporters when at the ground and leave the inquest to once the large lady sings and I'm home. These guys get paid to play football and I would've given my right arm to be a top class keeper.
Both Stockley and Washington are probably just decent League 1 players but we win more games when they play in a two up front. Of course they will miss chances if they didn't they would be at a mid table League 1 club you Donuts. Chuks of last season will be fine; not sure his problem at the moment as his issue before was what might happen to him.
I was spot on last season with 7th but always felt it was 8th with a fit squad this season and as low as 18th if the main players were injured at the same time.
Stockley is so important for set pieces just like the 'Doorman' big Ryan Inniss who unfortunately will play less games than last season when he only managed 13.
Today’s game has done nothing to change my opinion. We can get promoted if one of them is first choice, but not both. I’m still torn whether it’s Washington or Stockley. It’ll probably depend on who we can sign as our main man and which of Washington or Stockley best compliments that player’s skills.
Comments
Karl Robinson was on Quest last night, and he clearly rates Stockley incidentally.
BWP, Rhodes, Taylor etc. all had that feeling when baring down on goal that it was going to be a goal. You just don’t really have that with Washington or Stockley.
Both complement each other well, both will score goals, but neither will finish top scorer in the league.
In 2011/12 our strikers (BWP, Kermorgant, Hayes, N’Guessan, L Clarke, Haynes) scored 43 league goals between them.
In 2018/19 our strikers (Taylor, Grant, Vetokele, Ajose, Parker, B Clarke) scored 39 League goals between them.
Aneke is the x-factor in this equation. He’s not as good as Yann, BWP, Taylor or Grant, but he’s better than the rest of those promotion squad strikers (except maybe Vetokele who was even less available than Chuks). If he can stay fit he is the type of striker who might pull a bit of magic out in a tight game that makes the difference, but I think we have to accept that his role is from the bench only. Any time he’s asked to consistently start matches he breaks down. The good thing is last season suggests he is more resistant to injuries when used as a sub AND will score goals off the bench (not all players are effective subs).
It means, though, that we need at least one more good striker so when one of the first choice pair are injured we don’t have to start Chuks.
To be fair though, he wasn’t the talisman of that team - that was clearly Yann. Who is it in our current side? Not sure we have one. Whether or not we can add someone over the summer or someone can step up next season might be the difference, and they don’t necessarily have to be a striker.
We had a similarly shite season to this in 96/97, then we signed Mendonca (and one or two others to be fair) and it all changed.
big problem seems to be keeping them fit
I don’t think anyone is saying don’t resign Washington but if he doesn’t resign for whatever reason you’d want at least one as good as and preferably one better. Also it’s not just about the new incumbents(s) being a back up for 10 goals a season it’s about using them freely as either impact subs or to give the regular starters a rest and challenging for one of the starting births.
If we are going to rely on Stockley & Washington (whom I’ve a lot of time for) as our main strike force, we won’t get automatic promotion imo, no matter who you have laying it on a plate behind them. Playoffs maybe but they’re always a lottery and best avoided.
The question is whether the most efficient way forward is to try and improve on the main duo or accept they are decent but not exceptional and work on supporting with other forwards/midfielders.
I would happily keep both of them, but we need one more to cover for Washington if he isn't fit. The things I like most about Washington is his intelligent runs/movement (something which I think is vastly underrated), general footballing brain and his energy for 90mins. If he could finish more consistently, he'd be a Championship player - but he brings enough to this side, particularly with a bit more brains/vision in midfield looking for him. Stockley works hard for the cause, defends well at set pieces and remains a handful, but we simply don't play to his strengths enough, due to the aforementioned wing-back issue. We never look to cross anywhere near enough (nor early enough) and he'd have more off his bonce if we did that. CBT, when fit, is the best one for that in the classical winger role, but needs backup as he can't do even 3/4 of a season playing like that as a WB.
With Chuks and another experienced, Washington-esque forward, it's enough to trouble most teams and cover for the inevitable injuries. If we get 30-35+ between the lot of them, it's not really an issue who gets them. We just need to play better, smarter football behind them - even with Stockley, L1 CBs eat op the long ball for breakfast. Pace, running and movement scares the shit out of most of them and Washington brings that, and that's why we see those better stats for the partnership.
However, as someone said earlier, the problem is the lack of firepower from midfield. To me, that is the bigger problem. I am hopeful that Fraser will start to create and score, and also that JFC returns close to where he was before his long-term injury. CBT looks promising in attacking positions, but we need to be set up right to exploit his skills (back to 4-4-2?). I can't see many goals coming from Gilbey, Morgan or DJ, or even Elliot Lee if we sign him.
Washington and Stockley, with decent back up, plus an improved midfield could produce lots of goals and lead a promotion push next year in my opinion.
I reckon that there must be candidates in Ligue 2 and National.
What's our scouting network like in Europe as a whole?
I don't have the same confidence about Stockley or Washington who I think are both bench players at best at the next level. However we're not there yet and these two are proving they are good enough to be a part of a promotion team in the here and now.
If there is a Taylor or Yann available in the summer, someone that we are confident can grow into a very good player at the next level, then we should be all over that at the right price. We have to remember both of those players were available on free transfers - plucking someone like that from a rival could cost seven figures in today's game.
I also think we should be sitting down with Washington now and getting a two year deal in front of him ASAP, he will be a crucial cog in the 4-5 man strikeforce that does win promotion and if we did get up, he wouldn't be the worst option for depth in the Championship.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/dec/28/football-and-brexit-a-guide-to-the-new-rules
"It is when you go lower down the bands that things get trickier. Take Greece. The 2004 European champions are ranked 53rd in the world by Fifa, meaning a player could be ever-present as an international for two years but still earn only two points towards a GBE (Governing Body Endorsement). The Greek Superliga is a band 4 competition. That means you get six points for being selected for a match in the past year and a maximum of six points more based on your appearance record. That means you are one short of qualifying for a GBE if you don’t play in Europe.
So, on the surface, the new rules appear to meet the original objectives of the FA and the Premier League. The FA will get fewer imports of ordinary players, leaving room for neglected English talent to develop. The Premier League will still be able to bring in big names and, indeed, it is hard to find many examples of top-flight players who would have seen their transfers cancelled under the new regulations.
It is likely, though, that clubs in the EFL will feel an effect and particularly those in the Championship, such as Brentford or Norwich City, who have built models around acquiring talented players from obscure places. Bryan Mbeumo, the Brentford forward who is one of the best players in the Championship, came from the French second division with only limited first-team appearances and youth international caps. He would not have got a permit, as would have been the case with the Norwich striker Teemu Pukki as Finland fall outside the Fifa top 50 and his former club, Brøndby, compete in the Danish league, a band 5 competition."
Both Stockley and Washington are probably just decent League 1 players but we win more games when they play in a two up front. Of course they will miss chances if they didn't they would be at a mid table League 1 club you Donuts. Chuks of last season will be fine; not sure his problem at the moment as his issue before was what might happen to him.
I was spot on last season with 7th but always felt it was 8th with a fit squad this season and as low as 18th if the main players were injured at the same time.
Stockley is so important for set pieces just like the 'Doorman' big Ryan Inniss who unfortunately will play less games than last season when he only managed 13.
First game lost under Jacko where both Stockley and Washington have started.