When fit - who should partner Hearn?

I think all of those strikers are quite good enough so long as they d'ont spend all game watching the ball soar over their heads!
Its  pretty unfair to slag any of them off when you consider the utter tripe service they have been given, until we start trying to play through teams instead of over them its difficult to assess them in order of ability, as Barralad says we need to get behind teams and you d'ont do that by launching the ball 50 yards down the centre of the field!

Quoted from petethemariner

I think all of those strikers are quite good enough so long as they d'ont spend all game watching the ball soar over their heads!
Its  pretty unfair to slag any of them off when you consider the utter tripe service they have been given, until we start trying to play through teams instead of over them its difficult to assess them in order of ability, as Barralad says we need to get behind teams and you d'ont do that by launching the ball 50 yards down the centre of the field!

would you put that down to our tactics of using the frontmen of target men, lack of composure from centre halfs or just general bad play?

At the moment he would be better partnered by any of the following. Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble or Grubb.

Quoted from HungryHaddock

would you put that down to our tactics of using the frontmen of target men, lack of composure from centre halfs or just general bad play?

Think they must have been told by the management duo to play it  this way and lets by honest its
easier to lump it rather than play something requiring more technical ability, worryingly i have to blame the managers and sadly  i don't see these tactics changing any time soon.

i could see the tactics possibly working better if we had a pacy forward ie hearn but not with someone like cook or pearson with elding

Quoted from barralad

Where is the pace?

Colbeck I suppose.

Quoted from barralad

Where, if we are lucky enough to get behind the defender, is the player who can cross the ball into dangerous areas with any consistency?

I'd hope the managers will be working on his crossing (and set pieces).
Al least Thomas has shown he can get forward and put a ball into the box for us to score.
I hope Soares can too (but obviously we need to hit the right areas before it's even possible)

But tbh was also thinking of ball through the middle/down the channels.
If that's an option (and not convinced it is but at least it's higher tempo) then suppose it's got to be either Pearson, Elding or Southwell.
Not saying they're "quick" but they can all make runs and at least have the ability to find space and put in the effort to make it more effective than Saturday.

Not saying we've got the best toolbox but if you were the manager with the players we've got, what would you do ?

Quoted from 1600

Colbeck I suppose.


I'd hope the managers will be working on his crossing (and set pieces).
Al least Thomas has shown he can get forward and put a ball into the box for us to score.
I hope Soares can too (but obviously we need to hit the right areas before it's even possible)

But tbh was also thinking of ball through the middle/down the channels.
If that's an option (and not convinced it is but at least it's higher tempo) then suppose it's got to be either Pearson, Elding or Southwell.
Not saying they're "quick" but they can all make runs and at least have the ability to find space and put in the effort to make it more effective than Saturday.

Not saying we've got the best toolbox but if you were the manager with the players we've got, what would you do ?

I'm actually starting to wonder whether I've lost all perspective after Saturday. I do know that I've never been more fed up leaving B.P. than I was on Saturday and that takes some doing in 40 + years. As you know I didn't see any of the pre-season games so have only the three league games to comment on. I have seen nothing from Pearson (the G variety) to suggest that he has the pace. Indeed if he had any semblance of pace we'd have won comfortably at Southport. We know Elding will run all day even if he isn't the fastest and Southwell appears to have the pace (only a good tackle on him at the end on Saturday prevented him getting on the end of a nicely threaded pass) If we accept it as a possibility then attention has to turn to who is going to provide the ammunition. I believe Artus and Soares are both wasted out wide. The jury's out for me full stop on Soares but we know Frankie can play a decent pass.

Quoted from barralad

I believe Artus and Soares are both wasted out wide.

I agree.
Obviously the managers are looking at a left winger but in the meantime, it's hard to know what to do.
Some people including myself have suggested the possibility of more advanced full backs though I'm not personally convinced the underlying problems are down to formations or even personnel.