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Post by holysmokes66 on Dec 2, 2021 11:25:43 GMT
Ter Horst and Embury were both prolific Isthmian strikers (Ter Horst via Hull U23s), neither of whom managed the step up, so experimenting with lower league strikers hasn't paid dividends so far. Yes, you are right of course but that doesn't mean it will always fail. Jamie Vardy (currently 2nd top scorer in the Prem with 9 goals) and Michail Antonio (6 goals, 3 assists and 5th top scorer in the Prem) are probably two quick examples of when it does work well, both who played below our current league and worked their way up.
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Post by Nick on Dec 2, 2021 11:28:14 GMT
Fair point BUT can you point to any time in their careers when they have been successful in the art of scoring goals. It beats me how some players manage to earn ther wages, transferring from one club to another season after season, not having achieved anything. It's a weird one because two stats that are readily available and I certainly look up when we sign a striker are Appearances and Goals. Those stats at our level also come without a context - actual minutes played, how they were implemented in the teams they played for, etc. If we were a prem side signing Danny Ings, we'd know a bit more about him than stats on a web page. When you're signing someone like Barham or Grant it's a completely different story. It's funny because we don't do it with any other player (except perhaps clean sheets with goalkeepers?). Rarely are assist stats available or accurate in non-league and data broken down is near impossible to find. We don't know how many tackles George made in the 2017 season, and if the clean sheets he got were because of a particularly good goalkeeper for instance. Goals are a particularly harsh stat because they rely so much on you a) playing games and b) the team around you giving you the ball in the right areas. If Barham or Grant scored 4 or 3, the perspective would change but at the moment, it's not looking likely to do so. Yep, I see what you mean, trying to research players previous goal scoring history is not easy. Something that does strike me is the number of clubs that some players sign for and then move on in no time at all. Jack Barham is a classic case in point. Try Chelmsford, Heybridge Swifts, Pheonix Sports, Tilbury, Thurrock, Greenwich, Barnet, Bromley, Welling, Dorking, Dartford and now Stones. 12 clubs over 7 seasons, I am not sure what that tells you. He did score some goals at Heybridge and Dorking though, but overall nothing to write home about. Reece Grant over a similar time period has been with Braintree, Aldershot, Dagenham, Ebbsfleet and now Stones, so just 5 clubs. His goals per appearances ratio seem a lot stronger, so on paper at least he looks the better prospect. Whatever, Hak needs to recruit another striker if and when he can. Somebody who can put them away like Joan Luque would be a big help.
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Post by 61666 on Dec 2, 2021 11:42:09 GMT
With Luque in the side, for me it doesn't matter so much as long as others are scoring goals here and there, but were Corne and Luque both out, the best we can hope for would be 0-0 at the moment!
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Post by edos78 on Dec 2, 2021 20:27:29 GMT
With Luque in the side, for me it doesn't matter so much as long as others are scoring goals here and there, but were Corne and Luque both out, the best we can hope for would be 0-0 at the moment! that’s a big gamble though as the last 2 months have shown At this stage I’d move Barham, Grant and Pavey on and look to bring a striker in form in, someone like Jeffers, Seager, Faal or even get McClure back
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Post by pigbag on Dec 3, 2021 10:17:35 GMT
With a surplus of centre backs Raph Brown may find himself warming the bench. Why not try him at number 9? He is good with his head, not bad with his feet and the quickest player in our squad. He would at least give the opposition a problem.
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Post by headstone on Dec 3, 2021 10:20:18 GMT
Cos it never works. Remember Tony Paris?
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Post by pigbag on Dec 3, 2021 16:13:54 GMT
I know it was a joke but it would make more sense than George playing there. Raph did not volunteer for the penalty shoot out so perhaps that is am indication that striker is not his position.
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Post by swampy on Dec 3, 2021 16:32:28 GMT
Ricky Miller and Dover have parted ways.
What's everyone's thoughts on him joining our squad?
Certainly the striker of a few seasons ago would be an addition but would his off field issues disrupt the team spirit within the squad and be another Adam Burchill.
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Post by pigbag on Dec 3, 2021 16:42:39 GMT
Millar has once played 90 min this season and that was the first game. He has not been in the squad for over a month. Must be some reason Alfie is preferred, perhaps he is injured.
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Post by Stonethecrow on Dec 3, 2021 16:56:32 GMT
Ricky Miller is a complete and total busted flush. His career in football finished quite a few seasons ago, since when he has just been collecting his wages for being named in the squad. Absolutely NO for the Stones, don't even go there.
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Post by holysmokes66 on Dec 3, 2021 17:03:50 GMT
Ricky Miller and Dover have parted ways. What's everyone's thoughts on him joining our squad? Certainly the striker of a few seasons ago would be an addition but would his off field issues disrupt the team spirit within the squad and be another Adam Burchill. He's 32 and his goal scoring record is atrocious in the league over the last few years - 5 goals in 78 league appearances. Probably one best left well alone at this point. Which means we'll almost certainly be signing him soon.
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Post by Harry on Dec 3, 2021 17:05:15 GMT
Given his off the field record and decline on the field, there is no way Hak would look at the Miller Man. If Dover was an escape route, then it didnt work out. 'Injured' almost all season, he was meant to be getting back to training this week, when the club announced the termination of his contract by mutual consent. Hak can cross this one off his list, the search goes on !
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Post by 61666 on Dec 4, 2021 8:45:25 GMT
Can't help wondering if our striker problem is down to poor service as much as anything. Christy Patterson is a hard working winger, with decent pace, but can't score for toffee. Joan Luque on the other hand, does the same, except he has an excellent eye for goal and my feeling is he sets up his own chances most of the time too. For whatever reason, our crosses are too high, too deep or too easy for the central defenders and keeper to gobble up. We seem to cause defences more problems when we keep the ball on the ground. Now that midfield is getting back to full strength, perhaps things will improve, but whoever we play up front, what always makes a difference, at any level, seems to be pace and the awareness to find space to exploit that. Roarie Deacon has the nous, but rarely gets the service. Apart from Luque, not sure who else fits the bill in our squad and wouldn't like to see his role changed anyway. Maybe, just maybe, playing more attacking sides like Dartford, Dorking and Ebbsfleet might suit us now players are coming back, because sides like Billericay, who start off with the sole intent of 'parking the bus' easily blunt our style of play? Would love to see Grant, Barham and Pattisson scoring goals, but they just don't look like they are ever going to frighten defences at our level.
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Post by deadly on Dec 4, 2021 11:48:09 GMT
Grant maybe our best bet but he's done nothing yet and got it all to prove. Barham and Pattison can't head the ball anyhow. All those crosses, free kicks and corners with a big, fat zero end result. Could the delivery be better, for sure, but would it make any difference, I doubt it. Up front we are not good enough, so little movement, so little creativity, not enough power, nothing in the air, not enough threat and poor finishing. Too often we seem short of bodies in and around the box but that has to be how the team is set up to play and tactics. We seem to need between 5 and 10 chances to put one away most of the time. As for Joan Luque he is a bit of a one man show, with nearly all his goals he has created them himself, without much help from others. Please Hak find another striker for Christmas. This must read like a bit of a rant but I honestly rate the team right from the keeper, through the defence, midfield and wide players up front. But managing without a proper striker or two is holding us back.
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Post by sword65 on Dec 4, 2021 12:41:12 GMT
Grant maybe our best bet but he's done nothing yet and got it all to prove. Barham and Pattison can't head the ball anyhow. All those crosses, free kicks and corners with a big, fat zero end result. Could the delivery be better, for sure, but would it make any difference, I doubt it. Up front we are not good enough, so little movement, so little creativity, not enough power, nothing in the air, not enough threat and poor finishing. Too often we seem short of bodies in and around the box but that has to be how the team is set up to play and tactics. We seem to need between 5 and 10 chances to put one away most of the time. As for Joan Luque he is a bit of a one man show, with nearly all his goals he has created them himself, without much help from others. Please Hak find another striker for Christmas. This must read like a bit of a rant but I honestly rate the team right from the keeper, through the defence, midfield and wide players up front. But managing without a proper striker or two is holding us back. Maidstone and every other team in the world wants a new striker for Xmas
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