LJL

Quoted from Maringer

Well, I'm not statto enough to look into that, but LJL scored 18 goals in the Conference from 39 starts which is a ratio of 0.46 goals per start. Assuming 4-4-2 (which I realise isn't exactly accurate), this means that other strikers potentially had 59 starts between them (Pittman, Hannah, Palmer and Oates), scoring 24 goals at a ratio of 0.40 goals per start. Even if you consider that there were a few games where we didn't start with two up front, it is clear that our other strikers weren't scoring enough goals. With a target man leading the line and doing much of the running, you really expect that the strike partners will score a few more using the space created - it is very rare to see the bloke doing most of the work scoring most of the goals. This is why Akinde has been such a standout this season as he's led the line and scored 30 Conference goals as well (assuming you count the 11 penalties in his tally!).

It wouldn't surprise me to see a replacement who was a better targetman than LJL (specifically, better at linking up play as well as doing the hard work) or was a better finisher than LJL, but I tend to think we might struggle to find somebody who is better than him in both aspects of the game.

Hopefully, Hurst will prove me wrong!