Strikers

[The Flying Scotsman]

OK so I've been on holiday since the start of the season and therefore haven't seen us play yet and didn't bother going to any pre-season games either.

In any division in order to be successful you generally have to have a striker who can put the ball in the net or at least have the goals shared between a couple.

Do we have this? or once players have settled in etc, could we have this?

Looking at the current squad list our strikers listed are Scott Spencer, Blair Sturrock, Harry Crawford, Barry Corr and Matt Patterson - so what are fans thoughts on them and do we have the firepower to get the goals needed and if not do we have a midfielder/winger capable of chipping in with a few?

 

[palexander]

We need to start consistantly creating chances first before anyone can be judged I think.

Corr has looked like a decent acquisition at this level - strong, good link up play and works very hard - BUT, he has missed 3-4 pretty guilt edged chances now which is what he will ultimately be judged on.

Sturrock has shown some decent link play, but is a bit lightweight. Shinned a goal (just!) from 2 yards on his debut.

Paterson looks like he *could* get goals with service, but at the same time was largely unimpressive Saturday in not showing the desire or work rate needed. Case in point in the 1st half where Sturrock (i think) put a peach of a ball in and Paterson had an open goal from 2 yards and couldnt outmuscle his defender to nod it in. Didnt look like he wanted to hurt himself to get a goal, which worries me.

Spencer I just dont rate at all, flatters to deceive and I've not seen enough of Crawford to comment.

 

[TravellingBlue]

Before we all shoot the strikers and hound them out the club (as I see this thread turning into a 15 page witch hunt) lets get a grip.

Corr, good pro, hold up man
Sturrock, good pro, hold up man
Spencer, youngster, needs time, looks good on the ball, will score goals
Paterson, youngster, needs time, looks good on the ball, will score goals
Crawford, even younger, needs game time, probably on loan

There we go, lets give them a bit of time and see what happens, if we could duplicate the enthusiasm and fire that we saw against Bristol City a few times this season then I will be a happy chappy!

 

[Shrimper]

Spencer can be our top goal-scorer, without a shadow of a doubt, but he needs the service to do so. He isn't getting it currently, but once he does I fully expect him to score more consistently.

 

[MattLloyd]

Spencer can be our top goal-scorer, without a shadow of a doubt, but he needs the service to do so. He isn't getting it currently, but once he does I fully expect him to score more consistently.

I think Spencer and Paterson offer our best bet as goal scorers, however, there's no way under the sun that Luggy will play the two of them together up front when his son and Corr are fit!!

 

[Beefy]

We could have had Drogba and Tevez up front on Saturday and wouldn't have scored with the service they got. It was pathetic.

 

[MattLloyd]

We could have had Drogba and Tevez up front on Saturday and wouldn't have scored with the service they got. It was pathetic.

+ 1 :clap:

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

My view.

Blair Sturrock, very good touch, vision, I see him more as a play maker not a center forward, which is exactly what he plays as, he can hold it up, and has looked a yard quicker than a lot of opposition players, not going to score many I don't think. He strikes me as a player who will pop up with decisive goals and be in the right place at the right time (like the Stockport game)

Barry Corr, very similiar to Sturrock but much more direct when passing, wing a lot in the air and holds the ball up, I can see him scoring 10.

Patterson, I rate him, although I find myself being very frustrated in the lolopy way that he runs. He will score a fair amount this season, I do think he has a lot of class and he wasn't at Sarfhumptton, and the fans didn't rate him for no reason.

Spencer, he is a very good player, and will win us games this year with goals, if he is played upfront. If he is played on the wing, he will win us games with crosses. I think we need to play him upfront and on both wings swapping him about a lot. He is hard to defend against, as he has very high work rate and pops up with a header on goal, or he can finish 1 on 1 with the keeper. I just can't see what else he can do to get in the side, he can cross, he can take players on, he doesn't stop running and chasing opposition players down, he has scored 4 or 5 in 6 starts (all different types of goals as well) his positioning is very good. It is very hard to get into the game if you are brought on with 25 minutes to go, but he can also do that also, now if you are a good impact sub then surely with 90 minutes on the pitch you will be a very good player?

He has proved that he can do it and not only that, he wants to play for us, and is very keen to repay the fans for the support.

SCREEEECHHHHHH!

Crawford, is very young and very inexperienced, he needs to go out on loan to a non league side, he will score a fair amount of goals, and I do believe he will turn into a very good player!

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Haven't been to any games due to money, but I'd like to see Corr & Paterson if we play 2 up top, or Corr, Paterson & Spencer if we play 3 upfront.

If we could pick up a striker with a few more goals on his cv it'd be a bonus.

 

[GBJ]

Paterson looks like he *could* get goals with service, but at the same time was largely unimpressive Saturday in not showing the desire or work rate needed. Case in point in the 1st half where Sturrock (i think) put a peach of a ball in and Paterson had an open goal from 2 yards and couldnt outmuscle his defender to nod it in. Didnt look like he wanted to hurt himself to get a goal, which worries me.

This moment summed it up for me. You could put any fan in that position, and they'd have busted their bollocks to make contact with that ball, but as you said, Paterson just didn't fancy it.

We could have had Drogba and Tevez up front on Saturday and wouldn't have scored with the service they got. It was pathetic.

Again, totally infuriating, but I reckon it's because the midfield aren't that good. Easton looks frustratiing (i.e. he'll have 1 good game in 5) plus I think he's got a very limited passing range. And Grant, as good as he is as a midfield general, is hardly a creative player.

IMO we've got strikers that could score goals, but for that to happen they need a top-notch creative midfielder in the Sawyer-mould, to supply them

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

This moment summed it up for me. You could put any fan in that position, and they'd have busted their bollocks to make contact with that ball, but as you said, Paterson just didn't fancy it.



Again, totally infuriating, but I reckon it's because the midfield aren't that good. Easton looks frustratiing (i.e. he'll have 1 good game in 5) plus I think he's got a very limited passing range. And Grant, as good as he is as a midfield general, is hardly a creative player.

IMO we've got strikers that could score goals, but for that to happen they need a top-notch creative midfielder in the Sawyer-mould, to supply them

Really?
I'm completely the opposite to that (mad how two people can have completely the opposite view), I think Easton looks like he has got a really good passing range and has shown this in a few of the friendlies and in the games I have seen so far, Bristol City and Aldershot.

I think we have got a lot to see yet from this side. I personally think Easton and Grant are the two best center midfielders in the division.

it is very frustrating at the moment, because as a fan, I can see that the team need to gel, but with my players hat on, why can't you get a cross in if you get paid X amount a week and play full time?

Players have bad games.

Up the Blue!

 

[Smiffy]

No, we don't have a 20 goal striker on the books...​

The strikers we do have need the service on a plate.​

+​

We do not have the service from midfield to deliver the "on a plate" chances for the strikers.​

+​

We do not have anyone capable of creating chances for themselves.​

=​

A very difficult season ahead, unless better quality arrives.​

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

No, we don't have a 20 goal striker on the books...​

The strikers we do have need the service on a plate.​

+​

We do not have the service from midfield to deliver the "on a plate" chances for the strikers.​

+​

We do not have anyone capable of creating chances for themselves.​

=​

A very difficult season ahead, unless better quality arrives.​

Blimey, get the bottle of Jack out.

The good thing about this is that neither do 90% of the teams in this league.

We will see how good we really are in a few games time.

We do have a lot of creativity in this side, and I genuinely believe that this season wont be as hard as some of us are predicting.

 

[Beefy]

Again, totally infuriating, but I reckon it's because the midfield aren't that good. Easton looks frustratiing (i.e. he'll have 1 good game in 5) plus I think he's got a very limited passing range. And Grant, as good as he is as a midfield general, is hardly a creative player.

IMO we've got strikers that could score goals, but for that to happen they need a top-notch creative midfielder in the Sawyer-mould, to supply them

I think you're possibly being harsh on Easton, but the balance of the midfield is definitely all wrong. Neither Easton nor Grant look equiped to drive the team forward from the middle and I don't think either Zaaboub or Soares are really wingers. Neither looked comfortable hugging the sideline. Zaaboub looks like a creative central-midfield player, to me.

Either way until the midfield settles down and starts to create chances then it doesn't matter who is up front.

 

[GBJ]

Really?
I'm completely the opposite to that (mad how two people can have completely the opposite view), I think Easton looks like he has got a really good passing range and has shown this in a few of the friendlies and in the games I have seen so far, Bristol City and Aldershot.

Yup I don't think he's got much in his locker. Don't get me wrong, he's not crap, but he's nothing special. He definitly strikes me as the type of player that will perform brilliantly one week, but then go missing for 3 or 4. From what i've seen of him, which is 3 games, he is quick to get the ball out wide, which I like, but that seems about it. Definitly a poor mans Maher IMO. But of course, I hope he proves me wrong and goes on to be brilliant this season.

it is very frustrating at the moment, because as a fan, I can see that the team need to gel, but with my players hat on, why can't you get a cross in if you get paid X amount a week and play full time?

Yes, this has been my point since Saturday. I buy the idea that the team needs to gel etc, but some players don't look like they can do the basics. As FBM said, obviously you don't get to this level without being able to do it, (which is correct) but continually making basic schoolboy errors doesn't do you any good



Up the Blue![/QUOTE]

 

[Smiffy]

Blimey, get the bottle of Jack out.

The good thing about this is that neither do 90% of the teams in this league.

We will see how good we really are in a few games time.

We do have a lot of creativity in this side, and I genuinely believe that this season wont be as hard as some of us are predicting.

Just saying it how I see it Dave.

You are right, not many teams will have the answer to that equation, but that is the difference between a decent side and a poor side.

The fact is, until we find another Gower, Bailey, Eastwood etc, we are probably going to struggle.

 

[GBJ]

We do have a lot of creativity in this side,

LOL where do you get that from?

 

[GBJ]

I think you're possibly being harsh on Easton,

Maybe, maybe not. Guess we'll see soon enough

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

LOL where do you get that from?

The goals against Bristol City, the passing football we have played in the games I've seen and the long ball when needed, and the descent results in the friendlies against Derby and West Ham.
I also am willing to be very positive because of the complete new side.

I just think the players we have on a whole are a better 'team' than we have had for the last season.
We have exactly the players that are needed to be successfull in this league, non league stars, unknown players, old experienced players and a few already existing Southend players it is all exactly what everyone has been calling for since we where relegated. We have that now. We just need to give the poor guys a chance, after all, they caught the SUFC bug didn't they....? ;)

 

[number11]

For what it's worth, at the moment I think Corr has the most about him, for this division. Wins a lot in the air and unlike Revell directs his flick ons and knock downs nicely. I do though think he needs someone playing close (both upfront and from midfield) to him to pick up the knock downs and flicks. Sadly, where he has been good placing his headers in build up play, when in front of goal he seems to panic a bit and has had a few chances but failed to hit the target.

All the rest.......pretty interchangeable to me. Patterson......just doesn't run or move like a footballer but could have something about him......Sturrock.....seems more comfortable with back to goal....Spencer......always looks lively and committed, if lacking ability. Think if I had a choice in a 4-4-2 Id like to see Corr and Spencer playing alongside each other as they seem the best 'fit' at the moment.