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Great performance today, for a really important win. But it is no surprise that our two goals came from defenders. I cannot remember a single shot from Frey or Armstrong and while both were influential, ultimately they are there to score goals. Both Willock and Chair had really good opportunities that they slashed at and skied it miles over the bar from close range. Again both had their moments, but in the end, balls in the back of the net speak loudest. We often talk about the elusive 20-goals-a-season striker but we aren't even close to having a 10-goals-a-season striker. Our top goalscorer this season is Chair with 5. That is pathetic.
This is the team that is going to keep us up and Marti is the man, but in the off-season job number 1 has to be to get a striker who can score goals.
We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers on 14:36 - Apr 16 by ParkRoyalR
All our forwards (and I include the 10's as they are forwards) have struggled for goals this season, excluding Frey but Dykes & Armstrong's stats are abysmal as are Willock's & Chair's (although a return to fitness Willock offered up a couple of tap-ins for Chair which improved his previously worst ratio of goals per minutes played of all our Forwards).
Reasons why is the million dollar question?
Other than usual knee-jerk posters I'd suggest Ainsworth's half-season in charge, Cifuentes getting to know the squad (and in my opinion over-rotating and not using his subs effectively eg Frey comes on & Smyth goes off etc) amongst other lesser factors (points deficit, league position etc)
Also think a key reason was using Chair & Willock as wide wingers which they are not rather than playing them closer together (where they are more effective) and both players and Dykes (who cant beat a man on the turn) were far more effective under Warburton's system using Wing-Backs as made the 10's (particularly Chair) less predictable and easy to mark and Dykes the opportunity to face and attack crosses cut-back from the bye-line by the likes of Wallace, Moses etc who could actually cross rather than aimlessly whack the ball as hard as possible while running at full speed,
Easy to say Dykes is rubbish, Willock is unfit / disinterested and Chair is tired / distracted but ultimately this comes down to our formation, tactics and this seasons Managers.
Play Chair left, Willock in the middle and Smyth (or Andersen) wide to protect Dunne and our attacking play would improve as would reverting to Cifuentes preferred 4-3-3 formation as post transfer window we now have 3 midfielders who can play in a 3 (Field / Colback / Hadeyn) which we could'nt pre-window with Dozzell and Colback injured or banned.
Smyth missing three sitters in the last two games - including an open goal - is nothing to do with the manager or tactics. He, like Dykes, Armstrong and Frey, just isn’t very good at scoring goals. It’s why we are where we are in the league. Hopefully, I’ll be able to eat these words when we beat PNE and these guys bag a few goals for us.
Scooters, Tunes, Trainers and QPR.
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We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers on 15:58 - Apr 17 with 1932 views
Smyth is actually the most frustrating player in the squad at the moment. Does the work, gets into good positions and almost always fluffs the final ball. That miss against Hull after he'd done the hard stuff was just absurd, had bags of time to adjust his position and both place and leather it and instead hits a beach ball shot any of us could have stopped.
We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers on 15:58 - Apr 17 by kensalriser
Smyth is actually the most frustrating player in the squad at the moment. Does the work, gets into good positions and almost always fluffs the final ball. That miss against Hull after he'd done the hard stuff was just absurd, had bags of time to adjust his position and both place and leather it and instead hits a beach ball shot any of us could have stopped.
Had far more time than he thought having rounded the keeper.
But by then Hull had two defenders on the line, inevitably they would have blocked his shot had he put his foot through the ball!
Smyth is a winger. He does great on the wing. He doesn't have much of a shot on him but he is fast, persistent and be disruptive and can put a cross in. That's his job and he does it as well as anyone in the squad. He isn't paid to be a finisher, which is good coz he aint much cop in that respect. But he is good at his main job, being a winger. We need to get a couple of proper strikers in who can take advantage of his strengths.
We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers on 00:00 - May 13 by DylanP
Smyth is a winger. He does great on the wing. He doesn't have much of a shot on him but he is fast, persistent and be disruptive and can put a cross in. That's his job and he does it as well as anyone in the squad. He isn't paid to be a finisher, which is good coz he aint much cop in that respect. But he is good at his main job, being a winger. We need to get a couple of proper strikers in who can take advantage of his strengths.
His strengths being whacking the ball aimlessly across the area as hard + fast as he can?
Like the lad alot, but needs to engage his brain more before releasing the ball as his end product needs a major improvement if he is to be a consistent player at this level.
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We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers on 16:07 - May 13 with 1211 views
We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers on 00:00 - May 13 by DylanP
Smyth is a winger. He does great on the wing. He doesn't have much of a shot on him but he is fast, persistent and be disruptive and can put a cross in. That's his job and he does it as well as anyone in the squad. He isn't paid to be a finisher, which is good coz he aint much cop in that respect. But he is good at his main job, being a winger. We need to get a couple of proper strikers in who can take advantage of his strengths.
One assist all season would cast some doubt on his doing "great" on the wing
We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers on 16:04 - May 13 by ParkRoyalR
His strengths being whacking the ball aimlessly across the area as hard + fast as he can?
Like the lad alot, but needs to engage his brain more before releasing the ball as his end product needs a major improvement if he is to be a consistent player at this level.
Not sure it is engaging brain as you say, its lack of talent imho.
Saying that he has 'added' on occasions when he has played.
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We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers on 08:07 - May 14 with 859 views
We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers on 16:07 - May 13 by Stainrod
One assist all season would cast some doubt on his doing "great" on the wing
Obviously his end product isn’t great but then he’s a sub for a mediocre Championship team for a reason. I think that stat is as much a damning indictment of the strikers as him and as an outlet getting us up the pitch and a better defensive option than the other wide players he’s a valuable squad player IMO as long as he’s content with that role which I suspect he is.
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We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers on 08:51 - May 14 with 774 views
We Just Dont Get Enough From Our Strikers on 16:04 - May 13 by ParkRoyalR
His strengths being whacking the ball aimlessly across the area as hard + fast as he can?
Like the lad alot, but needs to engage his brain more before releasing the ball as his end product needs a major improvement if he is to be a consistent player at this level.
I had real doubts that Smyth was a backward looking signing, but I think Cifuentes has made very good use of him as an impact winger since coming in. Terrible finisher and rushed crosses need to be worked on but he is fast and can really worry defenders with his pace, scored a couple of important goals coming in from wide areas. Improvement to final delivery and yes a very competent player at Championship level.