Tyreece Simpson would be the icing on the cake and I think he'd end up being our first choice striker. He's strong, quick, he can hold it up and take players on and he can lay chances on for others as well as finish. Good all-round, mobile player which is what we need up top.
Can’t see us having Stockley, Simpson, Aneke, and Leaburn fighting for one spot.
Is Aneke even considered for the starting spot? And looking at how he was used in pre-season by Garner and how we set up second half vs derby and against QPR in more of a 4-2-3-1, Garner might be planning on using Aneke behind one of the strikers more than as the 1 up front
I just don’t see room for another striker, especially considering how important it is to Ben Garner having two wingers and midfielders on the bench.
Assuming we start with the same team, we’d have to somehow fit Aneke, Simpson, JRS, Leaburn, DJ, Mcgrandles, and Payne on the bench. That’s before we add any defenders and a keeper.
But that's with no injuries, suspensions, loss of form or any other factors, and I reckon we won't have many weeks where everyone is fit and able to be selected. It would be foolhardy to say that's it, and then Stockley aggravates his back, Leaburn is out of form and Aneke is still not fully fit, suddenly you have to try and play with a winger as the striker, or start a game with Kanu up front alone. If you have the squad space and the budget, you should make sure you cover the gaps
Some players that arrive at a club know they are first and foremost squad players and others arrive even without guarantees of starting with the confidence that make them think they are un droppable. Any striker with goals in his past locker will undoubtedly be thinking that.
I cant see how they will attract a decent striker into the building if they aren't playing most weeks, and i cant see us paying top dollar for a backup.
A decent striker will look at Stockley, with his back problems last season and without the sort of goal record which makes him undroppable, and Aneke who only seems suited to being a supersub, and fancy their chances.
I cant see how they will attract a decent striker into the building if they aren't playing most weeks, and i cant see us paying top dollar for a backup.
A decent striker will look at Stockley, with his back problems last season and without the sort of goal record which makes him undroppable, and Aneke who only seems suited to being a supersub, and fancy their chances.
Footballers are weirdly confident people. Steve Sidwell truly thought he'd break through at Chelsea, Jenkinson thought he had a chance at Arsenal. Apart from maybe 38 year old goalkeepers every player who goes to a new club reckons they'll break into the team.
I cant see how they will attract a decent striker into the building if they aren't playing most weeks, and i cant see us paying top dollar for a backup.
A decent striker will look at Stockley, with his back problems last season and without the sort of goal record which makes him undroppable, and Aneke who only seems suited to being a supersub, and fancy their chances.
A decent striker will look at Stockley and think “you should be in midfield mate”.
I cant see how they will attract a decent striker into the building if they aren't playing most weeks, and i cant see us paying top dollar for a backup.
A decent striker will look at Stockley, with his back problems last season and without the sort of goal record which makes him undroppable, and Aneke who only seems suited to being a supersub, and fancy their chances.
Footballers are weirdly confident people. Steve Sidwell truly thought he'd break through at Chelsea, Jenkinson thought he had a chance at Arsenal. Apart from maybe 38 year old goalkeepers every player who goes to a new club reckons they'll break into the team.
Or they just say that because there's plenty of dosh on the table.
Tyreece Simpson would be the icing on the cake and I think he'd end up being our first choice striker. He's strong, quick, he can hold it up and take players on and he can lay chances on for others as well as finish. Good all-round, mobile player which is what we need up top.
Can’t see us having Stockley, Simpson, Aneke, and Leaburn fighting for one spot.
Aneke will be permacrocked and Leaburn will be used wide as much as through the middle
Which is why it was naive to resign Aneke. I just can’t see us paying Stockley, Simpson and Aneke when only one will play at a time.
I think we’re done for strikers.
Perhaps with hindsight.
Aneke was signed to play in 3-5-2 system. That's now changed. It seems we're not going to play that way this season.
And obviously his role was to be impact sub, a game changer, scoring late goals. Maybe he still will do that.
I don’t think he was signed for any one formation or manager. I wouldn’t say it’s a case of hindsight, you don’t have to be a soothsayer to predict he will spend the majority of his time in the treatment room.
It's pretty obvious he was signed to augment the gameplan in a twin striker formation. Jacko was wedded to 3-5-2.
Despite his injury record, he was brought back in because of his outstanding goal scoring return the previous season, in a team playing most matches with 2 central strikers: scoring 15 goals + 2 assissts in 11 starts, 27 sub appearances, (total 38 games).
This season the formation and set up is completely different, with just one central striker.
That wouldn't have been foreseen by Jacko and Gallen last January. And based on the previous seasons appearance record, they wouldn't have anticipated that Aneke would miss so many of the remaining games, even if soothsayers know better.
I cant see how they will attract a decent striker into the building if they aren't playing most weeks, and i cant see us paying top dollar for a backup.
A decent striker will look at Stockley, with his back problems last season and without the sort of goal record which makes him undroppable, and Aneke who only seems suited to being a supersub, and fancy their chances.
A decent striker will look at Stockley and think “you should be in midfield mate”.
Anyone who looks at Stockley and thinks that should be classed as criminally insane.
Of anyone I think DJ would actually make a good CM. Could be a poor man's Aribo and still be pretty good I reckon.
I cant see how they will attract a decent striker into the building if they aren't playing most weeks, and i cant see us paying top dollar for a backup.
A decent striker will look at Stockley, with his back problems last season and without the sort of goal record which makes him undroppable, and Aneke who only seems suited to being a supersub, and fancy their chances.
A decent striker will look at Stockley and think “you should be in midfield mate”.
A decent striker will look at Stockley & watch our matches and think " you should be in defence mate".
I cant see how they will attract a decent striker into the building if they aren't playing most weeks, and i cant see us paying top dollar for a backup.
A decent striker will look at Stockley, with his back problems last season and without the sort of goal record which makes him undroppable, and Aneke who only seems suited to being a supersub, and fancy their chances.
A decent striker will look at Stockley and think “you should be in midfield mate”.
A decent striker will look at Stockley & watch our matches and think " you should be in defence mate".
If Stockley plays in defence, who is going to score all the goals. Gotta keep your eye on the ball golfie. 😉
Thanks for the memories, Ben. The painful, awful memories.
I think we should henceforth refer to that Pratley-Watson midfield pairing as 'The Partnership that shall not be Named.' Like Voldemort.
Outrageously harsh on Pratters that. One of the best midfielders we’ve had in the last 15 years
Thought this reply was a joke at first, some are easily pleased. I would put Pratley in the bottom half…and the comment got 23 likes 🤣
That would go back to, what, the 2008/09 season? Some sad act will have to work out all the midfielders we've had in that 15 year period and then work out if he's bottom half or not. That sad act will be me. See you later.
Thanks for the memories, Ben. The painful, awful memories.
I think we should henceforth refer to that Pratley-Watson midfield pairing as 'The Partnership that shall not be Named.' Like Voldemort.
Outrageously harsh on Pratters that. One of the best midfielders we’ve had in the last 15 years
Thought this reply was a joke at first, some are easily pleased. I would put Pratley in the bottom half…and the comment got 23 likes 🤣
That would go back to, what, the 2008/09 season? Some sad act will have to work out all the midfielders we've had in that 15 year period and then work out if he's bottom half or not. That sad act will be me. See you later.
I was hoping someone would do this. Looking forward to the results.
Thanks for the memories, Ben. The painful, awful memories.
I think we should henceforth refer to that Pratley-Watson midfield pairing as 'The Partnership that shall not be Named.' Like Voldemort.
Outrageously harsh on Pratters that. One of the best midfielders we’ve had in the last 15 years
Thought this reply was a joke at first, some are easily pleased. I would put Pratley in the bottom half…and the comment got 23 likes 🤣
That would go back to, what, the 2008/09 season? Some sad act will have to work out all the midfielders we've had in that 15 year period and then work out if he's bottom half or not. That sad act will be me. See you later.
I was hoping someone would do this. Looking forward to the results.
I've been doing it for 5 minutes and I already wish I was dead. I'm remembering some stuff that no Charlton fan should ever willingly be exposed to again.
Jordan Cousins is a good over/under. Same virtues and vices as Pratley except younger and quicker. I'd actually put Pratley above him though, he was SO crap on the ball
The term “nouse” is the key for players like Pratley. his brain was mostly excellent in those dark arts. Someone who knew when to foul and how much to foul.
Some players just foul when s player gets away but it’s the ones who do it when they need to that are particularly eye catching for me - the ones who see the impending danger - not just pissed off for getting turned over
Pratley was obviously past his best when he joined us but decent enough at our level. The sort of player skilled in the dark arts that you need.
Pratley was already 33 when he joined us from Bolton; and had played most of his football in the Championship plus a few seasons in the Prem.
And then you also need to consider what Bowyer said at the time of signing Pratley ....... that he thought the team were a bit of a soft touch and he needed a ball winner in midfield, a physical presence to add bite and experience. And had a reputation for being a leader both on and off the pitch.
Pratley was obviously past his best when he joined us but decent enough at our level. The sort of player skilled in the dark arts that you need.
Pratley was already 33 when he joined us from Bolton; and had played most of his football in the Championship plus a few seasons in the Prem.
And then you also need to consider what Bowyer said at the time of signing Pratley ....... that he thought the team were a bit of a soft touch and he needed a ball winner in midfield, a physical presence to add bite and experience. And had a reputation for being a leader both on and off the pitch.
We got exactly what it said on the tin.
I still think he could have 'done a job for us' at certain points last season although Dobson has proved an able replacement.
Hard to be so dismissive of Pratley as he got us through the Doncaster semi final and a big contribution in the final v Sunderland. As he had energy and leadership, (alongside a dodgy transfer policy), we over relied on him being our "general" for too long.
It's too easy to disregard Pratley's presence and leadership qualities. When the ball playing snowflakes go missing, or when some oaf scores an own goal in the first few minutes of a play off final, you need someone with balls to step up to the plate. And fwiw he was a tidy footballer at his best.
Pratley was a very good player and leader for us but he left a season ago and he's not coming back (as a player anyway) so no need to discuss on this rumours thread.
Now, back to potential signings.
Simpson? Yes, please but think it will go to the wire as we wait for Ipswich to blink on the price.
Sarr? He's 29 now and isn't a left back but he's available on a free. Reading struggling to sign him so maybe there is a chance for us to nick him IF he drops his wage demands.
More likely that the LCH and LB will be one player, not two, and someone the vast majority of us, me included, haven't heard of.
It won’t be sarr as his wage demands will be far too high he was earning £15k a week at Huddersfield, I know this to be true as a guy I know knew him well
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The transfer rumours thread are a thing of the past! 👀
Despite his injury record, he was brought back in because of his outstanding goal scoring return the previous season, in a team playing most matches with 2 central strikers: scoring 15 goals + 2 assissts in 11 starts, 27 sub appearances, (total 38 games).
This season the formation and set up is completely different, with just one central striker.
That wouldn't have been foreseen by Jacko and Gallen last January. And based on the previous seasons appearance record, they wouldn't have anticipated that Aneke would miss so many of the remaining games, even if soothsayers know better.
Anyone who looks at Stockley and thinks that should be classed as criminally insane.
Of anyone I think DJ would actually make a good CM. Could be a poor man's Aribo and still be pretty good I reckon.
Gotta keep your eye on the ball golfie. 😉
his brain was mostly excellent in those dark arts. Someone who knew when to foul and how much to foul.
And then you also need to consider what Bowyer said at the time of signing Pratley ....... that he thought the team were a bit of a soft touch and he needed a ball winner in midfield, a physical presence to add bite and experience. And had a reputation for being a leader both on and off the pitch.
We got exactly what it said on the tin.
When the ball playing snowflakes go missing, or when some oaf scores an own goal in the first few minutes of a play off final, you need someone with balls to step up to the plate.
And fwiw he was a tidy footballer at his best.
Now, back to potential signings.
Simpson? Yes, please but think it will go to the wire as we wait for Ipswich to blink on the price.
Sarr? He's 29 now and isn't a left back but he's available on a free. Reading struggling to sign him so maybe there is a chance for us to nick him IF he drops his wage demands.
More likely that the LCH and LB will be one player, not two, and someone the vast majority of us, me included, haven't heard of.
No complaints from me.
he was earning £15k a week at Huddersfield, I know this to be true as a guy I know knew him well