The January Striker Debate

Prefab
Hamish1973
Sunderpitt
Lozza80
Daz
Tommyplease
and anyone else… fill your boots. here’s hoping you continue this fantastic debate as to the implications of not signing a replacement striker in January, bar Gelhardt on loan.

Just imagine if we’d re-signed Simms
Or
What if LND didn’t get hit by the Prehab ‘don’t get injured’ curse. Or was it simply the fault of the manager having the gall to play him in a game of competitive football.
Or
What if we’d signed
Connor Wickham
Chris Martin
Any ****er on two legs

Let’s hear it…..

 

Cheers for the mention Nordic.

Would it be helpful if I set up a poll, for the Happy Clappers?

It could have a, 'everything in the garden is rosy' option, to a 'neglected allotment' and some others in between?

 

I selected "other". There should be a "yes but I don't blame the club" option.

Everyone with half a brain knows the lack of striker option is hurting us. Unfortunately, those who don't have the other half seem to think the club should have magicked a 6'0+, 10+ goal a season, low wage, readily available in January, Championship-level striker out of thin air.

 

I've gone other. We're going to miss the playoffs because of the following reasons:

1) no strikers
2) not replacing Evans
3) not signing experience in the summer and letting Alex Neil down
4) appointing a Boro fan as manager in the first place who threw the first game against them.
5) Gooch isn't a right back
6) O'Nien isn't a centre back/midfielder
7) Pritchard is leaving in January as his Mrs wants to move to London
8) Dan Neil has no heart
9) Michut is too small
10) Amad was ****e at Rangers.
11) the players were all ready to walk out because of Speakman

Oh and of course the "Mowbray slump" which always happens at every club and is definitely his fault despite no-one being able to explain why it happens.

I've probably missed some, I might come back and add more later.

 

Get it set up mate, look forward to seeing the replies,

 

Tbh not sure how to do it...care to help?

 

I’m more clueless than you mate ask
Nordic

 

Only Nodic or mods can change the poll, but there could be loads of options so it's probably best to just leave it . . . . 'cos there's a limit (of six, I think), too

 

I think this was going to be a completely new poll, it wouldn’t interfere with Nordics.

 

No option that states there is still 12 games to go and we are still in with a shout?

 

In the early 90’s Bob Murray didn’t understand the coming premier league, and thought it was ok to still be in division 2 as it was then. Now we are making the same error, due to fear of what happened when the chuckle bros ran us. Consolation is the cry, mid table is OK. No it isn’t,

If we are serious about a play off spot we need an out of contract number 9 to give us 70 mins a game. I think the current top table aren’t that bothered about going up so we won’t. They are , however, missing an opportunity that may not happen again. This is a poor championship and if we are stuck in it, next year will be harder and there is no guarantee our recruitment will do as well again.

With the Saudi blood money the mags will challenge if they don’t win anything and they might. If we aren’t in the premier league soon we risk losing more young fans from County Durham as we did in the 90’s.

Don’t get me wrong I think the current leadship is heading in the right direction, I do, however, question their pace. We weren’t ever in danger of relegation unless they were incompetent.

 

My own take on this is that club have committed to a model and won't be swayed. They'd rather sign players who fit that model than just anyone.
Maybe there was some naivety amongst Speakmann/KLD/Harvey in thinking that Simms would come back or that Stewart would be ok for the rest of the season, but I think slamming Speakmann for failing to replace Stewart at 2 days notice is very harsh - you don't replace what LND gives you without shelling out £20m.

On the face of it, we've had absolutely rotten luck with injuries (and other teams having their own crisis) but I'd rather have Gelhardt then fill the squad with no hopers like Chris MArtin, Andy carroll or Will Keane

 

I know I keep saying this , but not having at least 3 strikers in your team is daft, to have none at all is simply farcical

 

Just out of interest what else do you think the owners should do between now and the end of the season to change your view
Apart from getting a journeyman striker in of course

 

We did not sign a striker, the club made excuses, but it simply was not good enough.

The manager has just said 'we went into the match without the tools to win the game'
Also that 'if we had their striker , we would have won the game easily'
He is calling out Speakman, make no mistake, and rightly so
I really struggle to see how we did not sign at least one, ********* ridiculous
At any level, you need a striker

 

When KLD took over he said he had a 5 year plan to reach the premier league, and he was prepared for one or two hiccups.I guess that so far he is possibly ahead of his plan

 

Didn't Speakman say we were in for 5 strikers but couldn't get one over the line

Well apart from Geldhart obviously

 

They are doing most things right, and given we looked better with a centre back up front, use our much vaunted recruitment system to find a journeyman

 

Speakmans biggest mistake was Defoe. That was a terrible decision and plenty said that before he signed. LJ knew the craic. I would be very surprised, if in a club as well run as ours, he is not being challenged really hard on last minute strikers. God knows what Defoe cost and the impact on our FFP situation.

 

You seize opportunities, don’t wait for them,.