STRIKERS

I have lost count of how many forward players we have, but the question is How many of them are out and out Strikers, and have the qualities of a striker, or are the more attacking midfielders.
The new lads that have come in, are they any better than what you have. My answer would be no. Management refer to the stats of the player they have brought in. I could not see the lad from Villa playing as a striker in there team when they have a young lad called Kennan Davies, who is what I call a proper striker. RS seems to be going with small pacey forwards not goal poachers.

This leads me back to Asante. He has all the attributes. When he was at Birmingham City he came through the ranks, he had all the agents after him when he put 5 goals past Tottenham Hotspurs youth team. He was top scorer in every age group. Blues signed him up on professional forms. There were a lot of teams after his signature. Then the injuries started. When he was fit he went to Solihull was top scorer in both seasons, even though he only had half a season.
Before the last two forwards were signed, Asante went to see RS to see were his future lies, RS did hint that he still had a chance to play. What a load of rubbish. Couple of weeks ago he had his full training session with the squad and performed outstandingly, every one commented on his commitment and his ability, so what does RS then do put him back to train with the youth.

I will also mention this whilst I'm at it. Asante has been putting in extra training and asked Akhem Rose to join him. Asante fetches him into training most days. Wilkinson approaches Rose and makes a comment that since he has been training with Asante his fitness levels have gone down. Well Wilkinson perhaps if you involved both of these players in full training sesions then they would not have to train on there own. They are both being treated like shite.  

With regards to Sam Jones he has wanted out for some time, due to his treatment, same as Chris Clements and now it looks as if Asante is going the same way.

That is my rant over, I could go on further, but that will wait for the right moment.

I'd have liked to have seen what Asante could have done with a good run of games in a Town shirt..

Quoted from Bigdog

I'd have liked to have seen what Asante could have done with a good run of games in a Town shirt..

Me too Bigdog.

The lad from Villa is a defender.

Quoted from grimreaper

I have lost count of how many forward players we have, but the question is How many of them are out and out Strikers, and have the qualities of a striker, or are the more attacking midfielders.
The new lads that have come in, are they any better than what you have. My answer would be no. Management refer to the stats of the player they have brought in. I could not see the lad from Villa playing as a striker in there team when they have a young lad called Kennan Davies, who is what I call a proper striker. RS seems to be going with small pacey forwards not goal poachers.

This leads me back to Asante. He has all the attributes. When he was at Birmingham City he came through the ranks, he had all the agents after him when he put 5 goals past Tottenham Hotspurs youth team. He was top scorer in every age group. Blues signed him up on professional forms. There were a lot of teams after his signature. Then the injuries started. When he was fit he went to Solihull was top scorer in both seasons, even though he only had half a season.
Before the last two forwards were signed, Asante went to see RS to see were his future lies, RS did hint that he still had a chance to play. What a load of rubbish. Couple of weeks ago he had his full training session with the squad and performed outstandingly, every one commented on his commitment and his ability, so what does RS then do put him back to train with the youth.

I will also mention this whilst I'm at it. Asante has been putting in extra training and asked Akhem Rose to join him. Asante fetches him into training most days. Wilkinson approaches Rose and makes a comment that since he has been training with Asante his fitness levels have gone down. Well Wilkinson perhaps if you involved both of these players in full training sesions then they would not have to train on there own. They are both being treated like shite.  

With regards to Sam Jones he has wanted out for some time, due to his treatment, same as Chris Clements and now it looks as if Asante is going the same way.

That is my rant over, I could go on further, but that will wait for the right moment.

The lad from Villa is a centre half for a start so undermines your argument....i would say Vernam on my limited viewing to date offers far more than Vernon, Cardwell, Hooper ...havnt seen Wilkes in the flesh so will wait and Jackson again we all wait to see if he has something to offer or is a great signing 5 yrs ago... bit like Lee Peacock and Cheesey Chips Proudlock were.

Another reason to detest slade and wilkinson.

Slade over values experienced league players above non league and youth. He made an exception with Verman because he knew his potential from time at Coventry I believe. Dembele surprised him and he made him a regular without being able to coach and improve his end product.

His poor management of Asante, Osborne and Jones against his persistence with Vernon Woolford and Berrett shows his preference for steady chaps who don't rock the boat.

I understand that you are close to Asante,  but I can't for one minute believe the RS put him to train with the youths and alone for no reason. I'm sure Asante has a different view to what's gone on. My guess is somehow he's been disruptive and RS wants him away from the squad. The odd thing is that I haven't seen anything about this, normally a player who has been disruptive would be publicly announced that they've been disciplined, but I guess it's not a given.

It doesn't make any sense that a player would be putting extra effort and going the extra mile to force their way into the team and the manager reacts this way. That type of player is a manager's dream.

My guess is he's tried to push Clements and Asante out to move them on and free up some wages but Asante has dug his heels in.

Asante spent God knows how long back at Solihull on loan and achieved what?

Play the man , give him his chance.

Maybe we should have tried to sign Afolayan,age 21, the other prolific Solihull striker before he got too good?.
He has scored 26 goals in 38 maantches for Solihull.

West Ham have just signed him on a 3 and half year deal in the last transfer window.  Other Premiership and Championship clubs were watching him.  

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Asante spent God knows how long back at Solihull on loan and achieved what?

Paul Futcher was in Halifax reserves and achieved what? Amond achieved naff all at Morecambe, the same as Connell with whoever we signed him from.  

Just because a loan didn't work out doesn't mean he's shite.  From the few times I see him last season I would rate him higher than Jones, Dembele or Osborne.

Quoted from pen penfras

I understand that you are close to Asante,  but I can't for one minute believe the RS put him to train with the youths and alone for no reason. I'm sure Asante has a different view to what's gone on. My guess is somehow he's been disruptive and RS wants him away from the squad. The odd thing is that I haven't seen anything about this, normally a player who has been disruptive would be publicly announced that they've been disciplined, but I guess it's not a given.

It doesn't make any sense that a player would be putting extra effort and going the extra mile to force their way into the team and the manager reacts this way. That type of player is a manager's dream.

Anyone that knows Asante will tell you he is too quiet, he does not want to rock the boat as they say. He is positive about the time spent at Solihull. He went there to recover and get some match fitness this he did, however new manager wanted his own players. Asante is back at Grimsby. It is no good him sulking or being disruptive, he is working hard to keep himself fit so that if RS does give him a chance or the next manager he is ready. At the same time he has to be prepared to move on, and being fit is one of the major things. He is not the sort to throw a sickee.
Look at the pecking order of the strikers at Grimsby, you can't say that that does not breed unrest between them. Asante will continue to train hard.

Quoted from sam gy

The lad from Villa is a defender.

It does not matter Sam, Slade will not play him anyway.

Slade is an idiot with his transfer policy. He's signing league players no-one else wants and young loanees. It's what got us into non league last time and it's no surprise to me that it's not working this time either. We can't afford the better players and they go elsewhere. The board are also culpable for bringing in a manager that wants to do this. At the interview process, they surely ask what their plans are and we should have gone for someone who wanted to bring in players with a point to prove, on the up. Mind you, Slade was given the job wasn't he? He wasn't up against anyone else.

For me it doesn't matter that much which strikers we are playing until we start putting balls into the box from the side of the penalty area. Nearly all our balls into the box are being put in from half-way in the oppositions half - making it quite easy for the opposition to defend. If he instructed Dembele & DJ to hug the sidelines and attack the bye-line before putting a cross in then I'm convinced we would have more success.

Getting prolific goal scorers in Jan at our level is nigh on impossible unless you look at the lower leagues. If they are any good the league ones will be playing regularly.

The transfer window is horrible for players - if they don't get a loan move and aren't in the manager's plans, they're just left to rot for six months.

Of course, they can bust a gut and try get themselves back in the manager's plans, but we all know that some managers, Slade included, are stubborn buggers and have their favourites.

Slade hasn't given many players a chance in the first team. He wanted to play Osborne out of position, he dropped Jones as soon as he lost form, he hasn't given any minutes to the likes of Clements and Asante who, I'm sure, aren't any worse than what we've seen from Slade's signings.

He's ignored Cardwell and Hooper - his own signings - and just chased other targets.

My parents always taught me to finish my dinner before I could have any dessert. Slade should've been told to work harder with what he inherited. It would've fostered a better sense of unity. Let's be honest, we weren't short of numbers. We never have been since Bignot was let loose with a chequebook.

Fenty always claims he backs his managers with cash like it's something to be proud of, then highlights his £2m benign loans.

A bit of restraint all round, and a bit more effort to coach the talent you have (to stop this constant cycle of new players coming and going) will help the fans connect with the players and get behind them more.

Quoted from RichMariner

The transfer window is horrible for players - if they don't get a loan move and aren't in the manager's plans, they're just left to rot for six months.

Of course, they can bust a gut and try get themselves back in the manager's plans, but we all know that some managers, Slade included, are stubborn buggers and have their favourites.

Slade hasn't given many players a chance in the first team. He wanted to play Osborne out of position, he dropped Jones as soon as he lost form, he hasn't given any minutes to the likes of Clements and Asante who, I'm sure, aren't any worse than what we've seen from Slade's signings.

He's ignored Cardwell and Hooper - his own signings - and just chased other targets.

My parents always taught me to finish my dinner before I could have any dessert. Slade should've been told to work harder with what he inherited. It would've fostered a better sense of unity. Let's be honest, we weren't short of numbers. We never have been since Bignot was let loose with a chequebook.

Fenty always claims he backs his managers with cash like it's something to be proud of, then highlights his £2m benign loans.

A bit of restraint all round, and a bit more effort to coach the talent you have (to stop this constant cycle of new players coming and going) will help the fans connect with the players and get behind them more.

The most obvious question out of this whole situation is why the Bignot signings have been systematically culled from the club? If it's because they were on big deals & money that was outside the budget, then why were deals allowed by the board? And, after all of that, why couldn't the club be a bit, no, a lot more transparent with the fans?

Quoted from MuddyWaters

The most obvious question out of this whole situation is why the Bignot signings have been systematically culled from the club? If it's because they were on big deals & money that was outside the budget, then why were deals allowed by the board? And, after all of that, why couldn't the club be a bit, no, a lot more transparent with the fans?

Possibly, or maybe it's that they were "technically superior" but the attitude is a problem. I'd say Clements, Jones and Osborne could all be accused of having a bad attitude in one way or another.

Asante is definitely the forgotten man I have hardly ever seen him play after all the hype of him being the next Omar Bogle from Solihull it's been very disappointing. Don't think Slade thinks anything of any of our contacted strikers hence the number of loanees. D.J looks like he may need to go elsewhere don't think Slade has any faith in him. Must be an absolute pisser when you come to a club at our level and find eight strikers in the mix. Cardwell must feel an outcast as well. How the feck did we ever get in this state???

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

Asante is definitely the forgotten man I have hardly ever seen him play after all the hype of him being the next Omar Bogle from Solihull it's been very disappointing. Don't think Slade thinks anything of any of our contacted strikers hence the number of loanees. D.J looks like he may need to go elsewhere don't think Slade has any faith in him. Must be an absolute pisser when you come to a club at our level and find eight strikers in the mix. Cardwell must feel an outcast as well. How the feck did we ever get in this state???

How? I think we got over budget and in order to get rid of the higher earners, we had to shop in the bargain basement to force them away.

Quoted from pen penfras

Possibly, or maybe it's that they were "technically superior" but the attitude is a problem. I'd say Clements, Jones and Osborne could all be accused of having a bad attitude in one way or another.

Bad attitude or bad treatment by the manager.

I don’t really buy that Slade, for all his faults, has mistreated Jones, or dropped him when he had a dip in form.

He has been picked by Slade this season, more often than not.

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

My guess is he's tried to push Clements and Asante out to move them on and free up some wages but Asante has dug his heels in.

It's pretty obvious with the Asante situation that he is being punished for not agreeing with Slade over something. Slade obviously likes yes men, that's why he has persisted with his "favorite" players all season.  " Yes Men" that reminds me of another section of G.T.F.C.