Striker

If a striker in the Liam Hearn category became available between now and January what's the maximum fee we would be prepared to pay do we  think?
I feel with the better Gates the Mcatee fee and he who shall not be named paid off we should be able to  pay a six figure sum and that being said do we have any potential names?
Personally I think we have a good strong squad but we are light in that forward area we are creating the chances we just need that finisher.

I never thought it was so much about money, more us being a gamble. Suspect many thought we’d struggle this season and likely go straight back down. There’s also been a lot of volatility generally on top of that. Clearly not the case any longer. Reckon we’ll land one sooner rather than later.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

If a striker in the Liam Hearn category became available between now and January what's the maximum fee we would be prepared to pay do we  think?
I feel with the better Gates the Mcatee fee and he who shall not be named paid off we should be able to  pay a six figure sum and that being said do we have any potential names?
Personally I think we have a good strong squad but we are light in that forward area we are creating the chances we just need that finisher.

I think we still need a physical alternative for Taylor for whenever he’s unavailable or out of form (some would say he’s already out of form, though I’d personally argue that he is not). Rarely are those physical types also prolific, Haaland the obvious exception at the top level right now, so that’s probably not the player you’re talking about.

If we’re talking about someone more directly in the Hearn mould, then Macauley Langstaff at Notts County is the obvious one. The NLN’s top scorer last season at Gateshead, and in Haaland-esque form himself this season in the NL - 16 in 14 games so far.

What would he cost? He’s 25, has two and an half years left on his contract, and isn’t coming off the back of a serious injury. Given what Birmingham were prepared to pay for Tshimanga, you’d have to imagine it would be well north of £1m.

Would we pay that? No, we would not, or more accurately could not.

More likely, we’d have to take a punt on a regional league player. Luke Charman, who was prolific for Darlo last season, couldn’t do it for Rochdale and is now back at that level with Fylde.

Nick Haughton is currently the top scorer in the NLN, and we were linked with him in the summer. He is 28 though, so if that interest was true, and remains, we’d not be looking to pay big bucks for him.

I definitely think we’ll strengthen in this area in January, but I’m not sure it will be an upcoming a Hearn or Bogle type. Let’s not forget that Podge did alright dropping down a level.

Langstaff will go to someone like Peterborough…

Can definitely see us in for Haughton, obvious replacement for McAtee.

Quoted from 140381

Langstaff will go to someone like Peterborough…

Can definitely see us in for Haughton, obvious replacement for McAtee.

Seems a big step up at 28, but he looks a tidy player. Nice finish from 65 yards at 0:30s in this video here.

https://youtu.be/i_t14U4jptc

I think we will have to wait until January, and I can't see us paying big bucks for anyone. Think it more likely to be a Taylor type than a Hearn type. We have someone in Orsi who was a hotshot in the league below and he's struggled to make an impact in the EFL with Harrogate or ourselves so far.

I do wonder what we would do if Taylor got crocked, because we don't really have anyone who could play that role and we would probably have to change the way we play.

Depending on where Crawley are come Jan maybe a cheeky bid for Dominic Telford. Last season's top goal scorer perhaps an offer for a loan with the option to buy if he finds his form again.

I think this season, rightly or wrongly has been more about consolidation and safety over pushing the boat out and gambling over a marquee signing. The team are performing well, albeit without an out and out striker, and goals are still being scored.

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

I think this season, rightly or wrongly has been more about consolidation and safety over pushing the boat out and gambling over a marquee signing. The team are performing well, albeit without an out and out striker, and goals are still being scored.

Hursty has never been one for marquee signings anyway. He prefers to build a squad with a hard working bunch of lads who don't have massive egos. Omar is perhaps the only exception to this rule.

In January, I think finding a Taylor backup will be the priority, there aren't any positions on the pitch that stand out as we're short. But without Taylor, we have to change the way we play, he's fundamental to us. By January, McAtee will be fit and hopefully firing again, so a big name striker probably wouldn't even fit into the make up of the side, nor would we want one because they may disrupt it.

Other than that we have Simmonds and Keirnan going back, so perhaps another winger. I can't foresee a busy January.

My pal plays for Bradford PA and says Haughton is the best player in the Conference North. He's not a striker though and he has had a crack at the football league before and ended up back in the Conference North.

Thing with Haughton, he might be handy in a team winning most weeks in NLN, but it’s a big ask to then come into a L2 team where you won’t have half as many chances, far less space and far more physical defenders. Can’t see it myself.

I’m not sure what’ll happen with Pepple as I get the impression Hurst isn’t mad keen on him, almost like he’d been foisted on us as part of the McAtee deal. There’ll be other loan options further up the pyramid, Josh Kayode, for example, apparently not tearing up trees at MK Dons, might end up getting recalled and shuffled into L2 for a more consistent run out. Who knows.  

I thought Hurst had tried to sign Haughton during summer?

If true and he sees something in him, then he’s usually right.

Otherwise I agree it’s a heck of a jump.

Think any signing in January up top will likely be someone who can play off Taylor, in preparation for us losing McAtee in the summer. Haughton fits that bill, keep an eye on Scott Pollock at Boston if his form continues too.

Quoted from Surrey97

Think any signing in January up top will likely be someone who can play off Taylor, in preparation for us losing McAtee in the summer. Haughton fits that bill, keep an eye on Scott Pollock at Boston if his form continues too.

But we can’t be looking for someone to play off Taylor per se. He’s been excellent so far this season no doubt, fairly clear he’d never have needed drop to the NL last season if it weren’t for his injuries. I was a bit worried about being 34 and having been out of the League for a year whether he’d be able to hack it but he’s been one of our best performers, he’s crucial. But, he’ll be 35 next season, he may be worth another contract but we’ll need a replacement for him as well as McAtee in the summer.

We need to find the next version of Taylor, hopefully as part of January work, but his swansong may be how he dovetails with McAtee again, from when McAtee is fit again.

Being fit again isn't a given guarantee of reliving past success , though !!

McAtee may have defenders going for hard shoulder tackles as soon as he is back on the pitch.

On the very good side, his mobility and all round pressing game, if rekindled again, should once again bring pace up front, and gaps for the other players to utilise.

Taylor, especially, will have someone hunting his knockdowns. Maybe some early sub runouts before a full game start.

Would you want to see a fit McAtee coming on with 25 to go and you're tiring ??.

I think we will have a new striker in January. In the transfer window we were the new kids and, according to most were going back down. We have now shown what a good side we are, just under the play off places and to get promoted this season.

We are a proven club on the up with a fantastic home and away fan base. I think all these factors will encourage a new recruit whom I expect Hurst to find. Hurst has a good record of bringing in quality players whom other managers pass over.

We do need cover for Taylor and McAtee is only ours till the end of the season so a replacement in the wings would be ideal. As for a fee then it would have to be under £500k for us to consider; on the other hand Jason did say, a few months ago, raising money wasn't a problem.

Taylor is a very good forward but never a goalscorer. Of all the forwards we've had in recent years for my money Hearn and Mcatee have been the most exciting to watch .Hearn though just seemed a more natural goalscorer pace power and strength .Were a strong side I just think a forward of that ilk make the difference in wether or not we make the play offs and possibly promotion.
I  know people will point out we did it last season without one but the sheer volume of crosses going across the opposition six yard box or shots being spilled with nobody to tap home is frustrating.

Hurst has a knack of finding rough diamonds and getting them to play and excel. It will be someone we've never heared of with  fairly average stats that will come in and do the business. It's what Hurst does.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Taylor is a very good forward but never a goalscorer. Of all the forwards we've had in recent years for my money Hearn and Mcatee have been the most exciting to watch .Hearn though just seemed a more natural goalscorer pace power and strength .Were a strong side I just think a forward of that ilk make the difference in wether or not we make the play offs and possibly promotion.
I  know people will point out we did it last season without one but the sheer volume of crosses going across the opposition six yard box or shots being spilled with nobody to tap home is frustrating.

I maintain Hearn’s the most talented striker I’ve seen play for us. From September to March of that one season before he got injured, he was unplayable. He had more than pace, power and finishing, he had a hell of a lot of quality on the ball as well and was able to manufacture chances for himself where other strikers at that level simply would never have been able to do. If he’d partnered Lenny in the 14/15 season, I think we’d have gone up a year earlier. He was also the best one-on-one finisher I’ve seen us have, he never missed them.

Quoted from Mariner_09

I maintain Hearn’s the most talented striker I’ve seen play for us. From September to March of that one season before he got injured, he was unplayable. He had more than pace, power and finishing, he had a hell of a lot of quality on the ball as well and was able to manufacture chances for himself where other strikers at that level simply would never have been able to do. If he’d partnered Lenny in the 14/15 season, I think we’d have gone up a year earlier. He was also the best one-on-one finisher I’ve seen us have, he never missed them.

Ridiculous he never played more than a handful of games in league two. Should have played much higher for over a decade. I know he had problems in his early twenties and ended up in prison, for defending his disabled mate I understand.

Totally agree with the above comments and I will go further and say best striker we've had since Super Clive. What his signing and after him Bogle does suggest is those players are out there.I think I'm right in saying we paid fees for both?
We have 3 young loanees with 2 showing glimpses of quality but is it 1 goal scored between them in how many minutes? Kiernan has also been tried further forward without goals scored. The type of player I'm suggesting we need turns 1 point into 3 on a regular basis and if/when you do pay a fee should you get the right player you inevitably make good money in the event you sell on.

Quoted from ginnywings

I think we will have to wait until January, and I can't see us paying big bucks for anyone. Think it more likely to be a Taylor type than a Hearn type. We have someone in Orsi who was a hotshot in the league below and he's struggled to make an impact in the EFL with Harrogate or ourselves so far.

I do wonder what we would do if Taylor got crocked, because we don't really have anyone who could play that role and we would probably have to change the way we play.

Bit harsh, he's hardly had a kick for us so far.

Quoted from ginnywings

I think we will have to wait until January, and I can't see us paying big bucks for anyone. Think it more likely to be a Taylor type than a Hearn type. We have someone in Orsi who was a hotshot in the league below and he's struggled to make an impact in the EFL with Harrogate or ourselves so far.

I do wonder what we would do if Taylor got crocked, because we don't really have anyone who could play that role and we would probably have to change the way we play.

Bit harsh, he's hardly had a kick for us so far.

We need a new Taylor but I feel that kind of player tends to only emerge in their mid to late 20s. Livvo, Lump and to an extent Neil Woods all fulfilled that role very well. The reality is it will be someone who we may not have heard of and has maybe a 1 in 4/5 record so won't jump out to those who look at stats. It could well be a wiley old front man who has already had a couple of hundred L1/2 games. Don't ask me who but the betting will be is that he won't have been named on the Fishy!!! It probably won't be about a big transfer fee but instead offering a good 2/3 year contract on decent wages.

Well, the owners have said that the aim is to improve with every transfer window, and we know PH thinks one or two areas still need a bit of attention. It's almost certain that one of those areas is up front, so I expect we will go all out to bring in someone suitable in January.

Quoted from mimma

Hurst has a knack of finding rough diamonds and getting them to play and excel. It will be someone we've never heared of with  fairly average stats that will come in and do the business. It's what Hurst does.

Doesn’t he just - just have a look at the mainstay of our squad now. Not knowing what we know about Hurst’s forensic diligence when it comes to player acquisition, and not knowing his ability to turn a group of players into a “team”, I think it explains why we were so unfancied at the start of the season and continue to go under the radar.

As of this summer:

Max Crocombe - journeyman non-league reserve goalkeeper; mostly known for getting sent off for píssing during a game

Michee Efete - never played league football before, signed from Wealdstone

Luke Waterfall - awful in and relegated from League Two at his last attempt

Andy Smith - kid with a few games in non-league under his belt, couldn’t get a sniff at Salford last season

Anthony Glennon - not fancied by struggling Barrow

Harry Clifton - home town boy, relegated during his last attempt at League Two

Gav Holohan - not fancied as a League Two player by Hartlepool, sent back into non-league last season

Kieran Green - only ever played 2 games in the football league; most of his experience being below the National League

Alex Hunt - couldn’t get a regular game at relegated Oldham

Ryan Taylor - 34, non-prolific and had to drop out out of the football league to find a club last summer

JMD - non-league journeyman

Brendan Kiernan - allowed to go out on loan by another League Two Club

John McAtee - 4 goals in 50 EFL appearances

I could go on. But I honestly think this is the impression a lot of bookies, fans and even managers have, or rat least had.

What sounds like a squad full of ramshackle journeymen on paper is so different in reality it’s unreal. Have a watch of Mark Hughes’ interview from Saturday - the face and voice of someone genuinely quite surprised at how good we were, and relieved to sneak off with a point.

“Overachieving Grimsby”. No bad thing, either, I’m happy for us to stay underestimated for as long as possible.

Dallas is still at Solihull isn't he.....If they don't look like hitting the play offs by January could he be tempted away ?

To be fair, whilst we were a bigger fish in the conference pond and no doubt, for some teams we were seen as a potential scalp, as a group of fans I don’t believe any of us thought we were promotion contenders and even as extra time against County started I still don’t think people fancied us.

That has confused this season, we wouldn’t have been on anyone’s radar, and long May it continue…we’ll just keep going about our business and leave the hype to everyone else…

Quoted from Poojah

Seems a big step up at 28, but he looks a tidy player. Nice finish from 65 yards at 0:30s in this video here.

https://youtu.be/i_t14U4jptc

Reminds me of Jack Lester, the way he does direct turns with the ball at his feet, very hard to defend against those type of strikers.

Quoted from Poojah

Seems a big step up at 28, but he looks a tidy player. Nice finish from 65 yards at 0:30s in this video here.

https://youtu.be/i_t14U4jptc

Reminds me of Jack Lester, the way he does direct turns with the ball at his feet, very hard to defend against those type of strikers.

I really rat's Allan Connell has did most that first season in the conference. He scored some cracking goals.

I live so far away yet feel so close to this group of players, they give 110% every game and seem united. Last season was unreal and it wasn't until the play offs I really noticed it.. The last time it felt like this was the season we got promoted with PH. For me I honestly think play offs are achievable even without a new striker coming in.

Whoever it is, you can pretty much guarantee most of us won't have heard of him.

Agree with what was said about Liam Hearn, he was the best striker we've had since Reddy and would have gone on to much much higher things

I think Hearn would have scored a few at League 2 and perhaps could have done pretty well at League 1 level if he'd avoided injury. I don't think he had the pace to play any higher. As I say every time someone talks about him, he wasn't quick. He had good movement, very good close control and quick feet which often helped him get past defenders, but you didn't see him running away from many, even in Non-League.

That first season, it was remarkable how many he scored, given that it took him so many games to find the net for the first time!

Not a striker, more of an AMC but wondering if anyone knows anything about Scott Pollock at Boston? 21 years old and 7 goals already this season.

Quoted from 140381

Langstaff will go to someone like Peterborough…

Can definitely see us in for Haughton, obvious replacement for McAtee.

Quoted from moosey_club

Dallas is still at Solihull isn't he.....If they don't look like hitting the play offs by January could he be tempted away ?

Yeah, agreed no chance we'll sign Langstaff. We won't be taking any contracted players from the top sides in the National League. Even those at Solihull are seemingly too expensive now.

Quoted from fishboyUTM

Ridiculous he never played more than a handful of games in league two. Should have played much higher for over a decade. I know he had problems in his early twenties and ended up in prison, for defending his disabled mate I understand.

I didn't know that he had been inside. Without his injuries, I suspect he could've cut it at championship level.

Hearn was ridiculously exciting during that Oct-Mar period.

But of his 27 league goals that season, how many do you think he scored against a side that finished in the top half of the table that season?  

Just 3 goals.  Solo strikes against Wrexham, Southport and Forest Green.

Quoted from ginnywings

Well, the owners have said that the aim is to improve with every transfer window, and we know PH thinks one or two areas still need a bit of attention. It's almost certain that one of those areas is up front, so I expect we will go all out to bring in someone suitable in January.

On that basis, it's hard to argue against the fact that we are very well stocked in midfield and defence, so maybe PH has someone in mind to bring in next summer?  Maybe even January, depending on how our season is going.

Does anyone else think we already have the striker we need in Lewis Richardson?

As soon as he came on Saturday we instantly became more dynamic and got shots away often creating the chance himself with his quick feet and close control.

Think we should give him a regular start in the starting 11 till January before looking elsewhere

Quoted from Stew0_0

Does anyone else think we already have the striker we need in Lewis Richardson?

As soon as he came on Saturday we instantly became more dynamic and got shots away often creating the chance himself with his quick feet and close control.

Think we should give him a regular start in the starting 11 till January before looking elsewhere

It’s clear Richardson has bags of talent and great technical ability, but at 19 years of age and 5ft 9” he was always going to feel the more physical attributes of senior League Two defences. As such, his end product wasn’t always quite where it needed to be at times.

That all seemed to change on Saturday, like either the fear had disappeared or he had worked how to deal with it - or both. Bradford almost shít the bed on multiple occasions, and but for a brilliant fingertip save from the Bradford ‘keeper he could have won us the game.

If he can replicate that kind of performance over 90 basis on a consistent basis then he won’t be far off the first name on the team sheet.

Quoted from Stew0_0

Does anyone else think we already have the striker we need in Lewis Richardson?

As soon as he came on Saturday we instantly became more dynamic and got shots away often creating the chance himself with his quick feet and close control.

Think we should give him a regular start in the starting 11 till January before looking elsewhere

Who, assuming McAtee is on schedule, are you leaving out?

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Who, assuming McAtee is on schedule, are you leaving out?

Kiernan

The goal Waters scored tonight sums up what you get from a striker who knows where the net is.1 chance 1 goal qe need thus type of player urgently

Had to laugh, in a sense, at the town fan who called Humberside after Saturday’s match to say how we didn’t need a new striker as we’re scoring goals from all over the pitch. We’d just been held to a goalless draw at home and missed a hatful of chances that might’ve turned one point into three.

Either way, nowt doing while January and even then it’ll be 31 days of the usual.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

The goal Waters scored tonight sums up what you get from a striker who knows where the net is.1 chance 1 goal qe need thus type of player urgently

Is this the same Billy Waters who has scored fewer goals than Ryan Taylor this season?

Waters is not exactly prolific and whenever I saw him last season (and I saw quite a few Halifax games) he looked pretty average, even losing a foot race against Waterfall when Waters had a two metre head start.

We clearly need a more mobile, younger version of Taylor but that is very difficult to find.

If you gave every Town forward 46 games, injury free, in their preferred forward position, I would expect Orsi to score the most and Taylor possibly the least. However, I’d be confident that the team with Taylor in it would finish the highest out of all of them.

Quoted from Ashby mariner

I really rat's Allan Connell has did most that first season in the conference. He scored some cracking goals.

It’s a shame Hurst didn’t rate him , Hurst has never rated any natural finisher , he prefers a striker that can hold the ball near the corner flag for 90minutes

Yes.  It's often forgotten when he didn't sign Pádraig Amond who didn't score 37 goals to not help us to promotion.

Bogle, Hearn, even Cook for his first season...Ross Hannah was clinical at first.  

Quoted from grimps

It’s a shame Hurst didn’t rate him , Hurst has never rated any natural finisher , he prefers a striker that can hold the ball near the corner flag for 90minutes

Yeah, Podge's hold up skills were something to behold. Connell played 3 games for us after which he would go onto play only another 35 games for Havant & Waterlooville and Poole town. It was a short-term arrangement as we were had an injury crisis up top, and the reasons he didn't stick around were a) Connell wanted to be back down south and b) he was finished.

Think Taylor would be “less of a problem” if we played someone closer to him, but not trying to undertake the role McAtee provides, and a little surprised we haven’t seen Orsi start a game alongside him and even when Pebble has come on and played alongside we have looked, IMO, more dangerous.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Think Taylor would be “less of a problem” if we played someone closer to him, but not trying to undertake the role McAtee provides, and a little surprised we haven’t seen Orsi start a game alongside him and even when Pebble has come on and played alongside we have looked, IMO, more dangerous.

But when we've gone with two up top we've lost bite and energy in the middle.

3 in midfield and we more often than not tend to dominate teams.  I completely get though that we're isolated a lot of the time in attack.

Genuinely surprised we've not seen more of a 3-5-2  this season so we get the best of both worlds.  

Taylor is not the issue he is a very good player but he isn't a goalscorer and he is not st his best in the lone striker role.Its the players around him not getting close enough or getting I to the box to support and finish our limited attacks. Last night I thought we looked most likely to score from the Cropper bombs.

I'd have paid for Richardson by now.

Quoted from nightrider

I'd have paid for Richardson by now.

He’s probably not for sale.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Taylor is not the issue he is a very good player but he isn't a goalscorer and he is not st his best in the lone striker role.Its the players around him not getting close enough or getting I to the box to support and finish our limited attacks. Last night I thought we looked most likely to score from the Cropper bombs.

Taylor is pointless if he's as isolated as he was last night. He does have his limitations but he's acutely aware of them and plays around them as well as any player I've seen. You have to get midfielders lile Holohan and Clifton running beyond him, and wingers like Khan and Keirnan buzzing around him. If he's isolated, the ball will simply come back towards our goal.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Taylor is pointless if he's as isolated as he was last night. He does have his limitations but he's acutely aware of them and plays around them as well as any player I've seen. You have to get midfielders lile Holohan and Clifton running beyond him, and wingers like Khan and Keirnan buzzing around him. If he's isolated, the ball will simply come back towards our goal.

First half twenty five yards out in space with one player to beat, he pushed it down the left channel, ran after it like his legs were in treacle, crossed the ball which was cleared by the first man. Another time in space he hardly got his shot off, scuffed it with his right foot. Both were excellent opportunities in a tight game. Any decent striker at this level would have dropped his shoulder and got a shot off. These were game changing moments where our first choice striker could have lifted his team.

I've said it before, isolated or not, Taylor provides a small target as he more often than not backs into the centre half for a grapple rather than offer some lateral movement. If we had a striker that was sharp and sprinted off the centre half towards the ball or offered an outlet down the sides of centre halves, the target becomes bigger for a forward ball. Another option would be to play a false nine in between the lines with centre halves not knowing whether to follow him or not. We don't have to be predictable and play with a static target man all the time. Taylor is ok and he'll do a job, but he's missing that pace, sharpness and finishing we need to compete at the top end of the table. Elsewhere I'd say we've got enough, so I'd invest every bit of January transfer window money on a striker..

Quoted from Bigdog

First half twenty five yards out in space with one player to beat, he pushed it down the left channel, ran after it like his legs were in treacle, crossed the ball which was cleared by the first man. Another time in space he hardly got his shot off, scuffed it with his right foot. Both were excellent opportunities in a tight game. Any decent striker at this level would have dropped his shoulder and got a shot off. These were game changing moments where our first choice striker could have lifted his team.

I've said it before, isolated or not, Taylor provides a small target as he more often than not backs into the centre half for a grapple rather than offer some lateral movement. If we had a striker that was sharp and sprinted off the centre half towards the ball or offered an outlet down the sides of centre halves, the target becomes bigger for a forward ball. Another option would be to play a false nine in between the lines with centre halves not knowing whether to follow him or not. We don't have to be predictable and play with a static target man all the time. Taylor is ok and he'll do a job, but he's missing that pace, sharpness and finishing we need to compete at the top end of the table. Elsewhere I'd say we've got enough, so I'd invest every bit of January transfer window money on a striker..

The manager keeps telling us we need a striker so it’s not a mystery, is it? The fact that he signed four strikers in the transfer window and, barring Richardson, the fact that none have looked anything like nailing down a spot shows how difficult it is to find one.

We’ve had four windows under Hurst and he hasn’t found the prolific goal scorer you crave yet so I’m guessing he’s not trying hard enough for you?

Quoted from MuddyWaters

The manager keeps telling us we need a striker so it’s not a mystery, is it? The fact that he signed four strikers in the transfer window and, barring Richardson, the fact that none have looked anything like nailing down a spot shows how difficult it is to find one.

We’ve had four windows under Hurst and he hasn’t found the prolific goal scorer you crave yet so I’m guessing he’s not trying hard enough for you?

I'll give him five windows before I'll say he's not trying hard enough..

The one thing I will say is that PH doesn't seem to sign pacy forwards though.. and it's what defenders fear most..

I don’t know why people think Hurst should have a supernatural ability to find a 30 goal, fast, target man when the other 23 managers in L2 appear to be facing the same problems.

If you look at the L2 top scorers chart it’s a pretty dispiriting list, headed by an attacking midfielder and Andy Cook (last seen in the Blundell Park dressing room, sucking his thumb and being rocked to sleep by Mark Hughes).

Harry Clifton is 11th top scorer despite many on here spending early season moaning Harry couldn’t even finish a wänk. Taylor’s only one goal off appearing on the list himself.

If we had limitless cash, I’m not convinced I’d take any striker I’ve seen play against Town so far this season. Mandron maybe, but he’s not exactly prolific himself.

I know I sound like a broken record but the PL/Championship academies have spent the last few years pumping out false 9s and inverted wingers rather than strikers who can lead the line. That’s why there is a shortage.

Not seen any striker in this league that stand out let alone could stick in 20/30 goals this season.
All this bla bla bla about Hurst finding such a striker is so fukin boring.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

I don’t know why people think Hurst should have a supernatural ability to find a 30 goal, fast, target man when the other 23 managers in L2 appear to be facing the same problems.

If you look at the L2 top scorers chart it’s a pretty dispiriting list, headed by an attacking midfielder and Andy Cook (last seen in the Blundell Park dressing room, sucking his thumb and being rocked to sleep by Mark Hughes).

Harry Clifton is 11th top scorer despite many on here spending early season moaning Harry couldn’t even finish a wänk. Taylor’s only one goal off appearing on the list himself.

If we had limitless cash, I’m not convinced I’d take any striker I’ve seen play against Town so far this season. Mandron maybe, but he’s not exactly prolific himself.

I know I sound like a broken record but the PL/Championship academies have spent the last few years pumping out false 9s and inverted wingers rather than strikers who can lead the line. That’s why there is a shortage.

Also the issue that the standard formation is now 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 (with a McAtee esque player), so there are just fewer strikers around, notwithstanding if PL academics have been creating False 9’s. The old fashioned No9 has gone out of the game, Haaland is something of a throwback as well as a freak but most of the top sides don’t play with a proper striker anymore.

It does mean, if you can somehow find one, it will take you onto a different stratosphere because barely anyone else has one.

Reasonable debate about what we lack up front and the only two posts out of the whole thread that mention a 30 goal striker are the two posters moaning about posters demanding 30 goal strikers, which is zero in this thread. Talk about moaning for moaning's sake..

I felt for Taylor last night. Just didn’t have the time to implement anything on the game as he was using an OS map and a compass trying to find anyone remotely close to him

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

I felt for Taylor last night. Just didn’t have the time to implement anything on the game as he was using an OS map and a compass trying to find anyone remotely close to him

You’ve arrived at the most important bit. Only McAtee makes the first run. When a midfielder gets a pass off to Taylor, McAtee is on the run. Of this season’s crop only Richardson has got it, the rest are on their heels. It’s like we played around Tony Rees. Gilbert, Childs, Cunnington etc were on the move.

There will certainly be younger, more mobile players who can perform a similar role to Taylor, perhaps with a little more goal threat. Just not playing as low as League Two.

Taylor would start most games for me if fit, but it doesn't change the fact that we're lacking a plan 'B' up front. The fact we don't have anybody using the No. 9 shirt shows that the coaching staff know this as well.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

You’ve arrived at the most important bit. Only McAtee makes the first run. When a midfielder gets a pass off to Taylor, McAtee is on the run. Of this season’s crop only Richardson has got it, the rest are on their heels. It’s like we played around Tony Rees. Gilbert, Childs, Cunnington etc were on the move.

I always thought that Taylor was very much in that ilk too. Though, can we get Taylor some back heel coaching

Quoted from Maringer

There will certainly be younger, more mobile players who can perform a similar role to Taylor, perhaps with a little more goal threat. Just not playing as low as League Two.

Taylor would start most games for me if fit, but it doesn't change the fact that we're lacking a plan 'B' up front. The fact we don't have anybody using the No. 9 shirt shows that the coaching staff know this as well.

Very true. Oh for a Neil Woods ⚽️🥳😂

Quoted from MuddyWaters

You’ve arrived at the most important bit. Only McAtee makes the first run. When a midfielder gets a pass off to Taylor, McAtee is on the run. Of this season’s crop only Richardson has got it, the rest are on their heels. It’s like we played around Tony Rees. Gilbert, Childs, Cunnington etc were on the move.

Do you think the problem therefore is more the managers and coaches? We have quite a lot of forward and attacking midfielders who can surely be made aware of making such runs so that Taylor is not Isolated all the time.

The managers stock is rightly very high, but we have known about McAtee for some time and am surprised this problem of an isolated Taylor seems to keep recurring.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Do you think the problem therefore is more the managers and coaches? We have quite a lot of forward and attacking midfielders who can surely be made aware of making such runs so that Taylor is not Isolated all the time.

The managers stock is rightly very high, but we have known about McAtee for some time and am surprised this problem of an isolated Taylor seems to keep recurring.

It shouldn’t be too difficult for coaches, albeit coaches with defensive backgrounds, to coach movement off the ball. If we continue to play a system with Taylor as the pivot, it needs a lot of improvement.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Very true. Oh for a Neil Woods ⚽️🥳😂

With or without the icicle?

Dont get this love for Taylor at all.
Hes slow, cant hold the ball up for toffee
Cant win a header that much and when he does he gives a foul away.

I support whoever is on that pitch but its clear to see where we are failing.
None of the other strikers have had a run in the team yet but they get criticised.
Orsi or pepple given a run of games i think would be a huge improvement. they just need games.

Quoted from monkeyboy

Dont get this love for Taylor at all.
Hes slow, cant hold the ball up for toffee
Cant win a header that much and when he does he gives a foul away.

I support whoever is on that pitch but its clear to see where we are failing.
None of the other strikers have had a run in the team yet but they get criticised.
Orsi or pepple given a run of games i think would be a huge improvement. they just need games.

I’m a little confused by your obsession with Taylor to be honest. It’s virtually every post.

Pepple is as raw as sashimi and from what I have seen of Orsi, he requires a target man to play off. When both were given their opportunity against Salford they missed a few very presentable chances.

I don’t think anyone on here thinks we don’t need a Taylor replacement or alternative, both short and long term, but we will have to wait until Jan at the very earliest for that. And even then…

Quoted from monkeyboy

Dont get this love for Taylor at all.
Hes slow, cant hold the ball up for toffee
Cant win a header that much and when he does he gives a foul away.

I support whoever is on that pitch but its clear to see where we are failing.
None of the other strikers have had a run in the team yet but they get criticised.
Orsi or pepple given a run of games i think would be a huge improvement. they just need games.

Sorry can't agree mate.
Against Bradford he won every header and most of those were used as passes.
We have no other player who can do what he does.

Quoted from monkeyboy

Dont get this love for Taylor at all.
Hes slow, cant hold the ball up for toffee
Cant win a header that much and when he does he gives a foul away.

I support whoever is on that pitch but its clear to see where we are failing.
None of the other strikers have had a run in the team yet but they get criticised.
Orsi or pepple given a run of games i think would be a huge improvement. they just need games.

arent you the fool who started a thread mid game against colchester slagging off Taylor? 5 minutes later he shut you up and showed exactly why he's in the team

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

I’m a little confused by your obsession with Taylor to be honest. It’s virtually every post.

Pepple is as raw as sashimi and from what I have seen of Orsi, he requires a target man to play off. When both were given their opportunity against Salford they missed a few very presentable chances.

I don’t think anyone on here thinks we don’t need a Taylor replacement or alternative, both short and long term, but we will have to wait until Jan at the very earliest for that. And even then…

Im not against Taylor as such, just think we can do much better.  annoying how none of these other lads can get a run.
People have criticised them from small cameo appereances which i find silly.  they need gametime.

Quoted from Hagrid

arent you the fool who started a thread mid game against colchester slagging off Taylor? 5 minutes later he shut you up and showed exactly why he's in the team

It about opinions. calling names shows your maturity. cretin.

I'd love to know what you've seen to suggest Pepple could do much better than Taylor at the moment.

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

I'd love to know what you've seen to suggest Pepple could do much better than Taylor at the moment.

he's seen nothing, he's just obsessed with moaning about Taylor

Hurst said way before the transfer window ended he wanted a striker. For him to say that means he knew before the season started where we need improvement. So he must have tried and failed to bring in a number 9, hence the free shirt.

We have debated many times why players don't want to come here so we will have to be patient and wait till January and see what happens. Until McAtee is fit Hurst has to work with who he has got and while we think some should start, Richardson for example, we will have to rely on Hurst's judgement.

We are 3 points off the play offs after a third of the season, so it's still all to play for and we're not firing on all cylinders. Hurst hasn't done too bad so far and I'm sure many on here, at the start of the season, would not have predicted this.

Quoted from Hagrid

he's seen nothing, he's just obsessed with moaning about Taylor

Seems to me he just has an opinion on a particular player, doesn’t make him an idiot. I’m not a big fan of Clifton but recognise I’m in a very small minority but suppose most on here think I’m an idiot for having that view.

The ability, or lack of it, of players has always divided opinions that’s why some Managers buy certain players that others wouldn’t touch with a barge pole. Arguments every weekend in our local about the qualities of players it’s part of being a football fan.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Seems to me he just has an opinion on a particular player, doesn’t make him an idiot. I’m not a big fan of Clifton but recognise I’m in a very small minority but suppose most on here think I’m an idiot for having that view.

The ability, or lack of it, of players has always divided opinions that’s why some Managers buy certain players that others wouldn’t touch with a barge pole. Arguments every weekend in our local about the qualities of players it’s part of being a football fan.

McAtee comes to mind immediately. Scunny didn't rate him and Hursty did. The rest is history.

Quoted from DB

McAtee comes to mind immediately. Scunny didn't rate him and Hursty did. The rest is history.

Have a look at our squad - very few were fancied as League Two players at the time of their arrival; the vast majority were either signed while in non-league, signed from non-league or here when Hurst arrived (second time around).

Quoted from monkeyboy

Dont get this love for Taylor at all.
Hes slow, cant hold the ball up for toffee
Cant win a header that much and when he does he gives a foul away.

I support whoever is on that pitch but its clear to see where we are failing.
None of the other strikers have had a run in the team yet but they get criticised.
Orsi or pepple given a run of games i think would be a huge improvement. they just need games.

Pick up the phone and give Hursty a call. Let him know that you know a 25 goal a season striker within our budget and, if you don’t, tell him you’re a Class 1 coach who can either a. make Taylor quicker or b. coach the midfield runners to be better without the ball and get closer to Taylor’s lay offs.

Quoted from monkeyboy

It about opinions. calling names shows your maturity. cretin.

So, in your answer you call him a name too, doesn't show you as being too mature does it?