Striking Options of the Top 6

[Frogfish]

If,
OUT : Kuyt, Bellamy, and Carroll
IN : Borini & Dempsey - we are still a striker short in my book, two if Dempsey doesn't arrive.

Last season we were short up front and we have been for some time. Morgan is too young to be considered anything other than a bit player getting the occasional game time this coming season.

Recently the Top 4/5 (bar us) have had at least 4 strikers in their armoury until, looking at their current personnel, this season it seems so far :

Chelsea (Torres, Sturridge and maybe Kakuta & Lukaku though they are for the future, not so much 2012/13 I feel). I expect to see one more coming in.

Arsenal (Giroud, Chamakh & Gervinho - I expect RvP to be gone before the season starts). Podolski can also play up front.

United (Rooney, Welbeck, Hernandez, Macheda and BeBe - I expect Berbatov to be off). I also wouldn't be too surprised to see either Macheda or Bebe leave and them buy another young striker, or buy a more mature replacement for Berbatov, or both, before the window closes.

Spurs (Dos Santos, Defoe - reportedly on his way, probably Adebayor will find his way there, and youngsters, they'll get in another but they are hardly well stocked and look desperate for replacements.

Citeh have Balotelli, Aguero, Tevez (expect him to stay), Adebayor (expect him to leave), Dzeko (expect him to leave), Santa Cruz (expect him to leave) - so they are in the market for one or two strikers.

Four strikers maybe not be integral to the first team but they are to a Top 4/5 squad over the course of a season. Spurs are in the worst situation but we also need to strengthen .... or Carroll stays in addition to Dempsey's arrival.

 

[Molbystwin]

If,
OUT : Kuyt, Bellamy, and Carroll
IN : Borini & Dempsey - we are still a striker short in my book, two if Dempsey doesn't arrive.

Last season we were short up front and we have been for some time. Morgan is too young to be considered anything other than a bit player getting the occasional game time this coming season.

Recently the Top 4/5 (bar us) have had at least 4 strikers in their armoury until, looking at their current personnel, this season it seems so far :

Chelsea (Torres, Sturridge and maybe Kakuta & Lukaku though they are for the future, not so much 2012/13 I feel). I expect to see one more coming in.

Arsenal (Giroud, Chamakh, Gervinho & Cazorla - I expect RvP to be gone before the season starts). Podolski can also play up front.

United (Rooney, Welbeck, Hernandez, Macheda and BeBe - I expect Berbatov to be off). I also wouldn't be too surprised to see either Macheda or Bebe leave and them buy another young striker, or buy a more mature replacement for Berbatov, or both, before the window closes.

Spurs (Dos Santos, Defoe - reportedly on his way, probably Adebayor will find his way there, and youngsters, they'll get in another but they are hardly well stocked and look desperate for replacements.

Citeh have Balotelli, Aguero, Tevez (expect him to stay), Adebayor (expect him to leave), Dzeko (expect him to leave), Santa Cruz (expect him to leave) - so they are in the market for one or two strikers.

Four strikers maybe not be integral to the first team but they are to a Top 4/5 squad over the course of a season. Spurs are in the worst situation but we also need to strengthen .... or Carroll stays in addition to Dempsey's arrival.

 

[Molbystwin]

whoever put my new avatar on .... well... I cant thank them enough its awesome thanks 🙂

On that happy thankyou note!

From where im sitting listing our opponents striking riches is just torture and reinforces in my mind at least that we are chances of getting back up there are between slim and sweet fuck all. I still cant get over the millions and millions weve thrown away especially last summer.... you cant really blame FSG but at the same time its seems ominous that while we seem to be sniffing round generally unfancied players and looking to offload and talking of loan deals the big boys are strengthening while we are cutting and trying to get on a better financial footing. You get the feeling it might be a pretty long wilderness, silly or not maybe we should cash in on Suarez who seems to spend more time in scandal than in the scoring charts.... Our best player by a fucking mile mind you but... maybe we could do with a real fresh start, it looks like we will be building slowly and he isnt going to stay long is he.... just a mad idea and a horrible thought but.... maybe...


As for the competition, Man U obviously didnt enjoy having their noisy neighbours pip them last year and look to be splashing out. Arsenal are going to be stronger IMO with the quality they are bringing in. City will be better having got into the winning habit with what is already a ludicrously strong squad. Chelsea have lost Drogba but Hazards come in and i have no doubt more class players will arrive there.....

Unless we can convince class players to arrive without CL on offer we will be chasing shadows and definitely it feels a bit limp to be bringing in Borini and maybe some fella from Swansea however good value they may or may not be...

What a fucking train crash last summer was, nobody but ourselves to blame i spose....

The top 3 are heavily odds on to do it again, we are not in the same league quality wise IMO, so we are hoping that Chelsea, Newcastle and Spurs all have a nightmare and we play right at the top of our abilities and somehow get that last 4th spot...

Its possible but highly unlikely, it also makes me a little concerned regarding our clear focus on gathering new sponsorships, we are becoming less and less attractive as time goes on it seems.

 

[Hansern]

Without turning this into a top 4 debate, but I think City, Utd and Chelsea will be the top 3.

Arsenal, Newcastle, Spurs and hopefully ourselves will fight it out for 4th.

We definetly need a new striker. Maybe also a winger/forward

 

[Molbystwin]

You reckon Hansern?? Cazorla, Giroud and Podolski are good quality players.... unknowns in this league i grant you but.... Arsenal romped home last season and will finish top 4.

Regardless we do need a striker and the fact that weve been looking to offload Carroll while at the same time keeping hold of the insipid genius of Downing is just scary.... we need better frowards for sure.

I Still cant get over the fact we signed Downing, even ignoring the fee..... I truly cant.....Zero Goals and Zero assists last season.... thats almost impossible..... how the fuck do you not do anything for a whole fucking season??? HOW and WHY we arent booting that useless fucking cunt out i do not understand..... the mind boggles..... we are paying Fiorentina to take Aquilani of the books just how much is Downing on??? is there no way we couldnt just cut out losses on him now instead of having to suffer him in a red shirt ever again.

 

[Frogfish]

Without turning this into a Downing thread - zero assists can't be laid at his doorstep, our forwards missed many great crosses just aching to be put away.

 

[Hansern]

I think Arsenal will miss RVP badly.
Giroud and Podolski are good players, but they have one goodgoalscoring season each in the German and French league. They'll have to hit the ground running. If they do, Arsenal could easily get 3rd.

But I think Chelsea will be the stronger team and Torres will sadly have a good season.

 

[RedZeppelin III]

didn't united already sign that young striker you mention ? the lad from crewe ? .

I guess it depends on the formation teams are going to play, united and city will probably have 2 up front but seems us , chelsea and maybe arsenal will be playing with a front 3 and only one main striker . Seems these days the front lads are more expected to be "forwards" , decent on the ball and able to play creative football rather than be out and out strikers . I do miss the days of 2 proper strikers up front or one proper striker with a number 10 style player with him. You wonder how the likes of Shearer , Les ferdinand , Ian wright , even fowler would get on if playing today .

 

[Fabio]

didn't united already sign that young striker you mention ? the lad from crewe ? .

I guess it depends on the formation teams are going to play, united and city will probably have 2 up front but seems us , chelsea and maybe arsenal will be playing with a front 3 and only one main striker . Seems these days the front lads are more expected to be "forwards" , decent on the ball and able to play creative football rather than be out and out strikers . I do miss the days of 2 proper strikers up front or one proper striker with a number 10 style player with him. You wonder how the likes of Shearer , Les ferdinand , Ian wright , even fowler would get on if playing today .

Nick Powell is a midfielder I think

 

[gene hughes]

There's no such thing as the Top 6.

When we decline even further will we start talking about the top 11? Top 16?

 

[Fabio]

There's no such thing as the Top 6.

When we decline even further will we start talking about the top 11? Top 16?

In 5 years i can't wait to break in to the top 23