Striker signing anxiety

[MCB]

Well, Wilfred Bony is training with Newport County..

[Norfolkbee]

Also, it sounds like DC has put a lot of effort into squad unity and togetherness.

Of equal importance is only bringing in a player that won't cause issues. I'd be happy to wait. No rush, we're doing well.

Lose a couple of games and all this will start up a gain. Our decent start has given DC breathing space, but the issue needs settling sooner rather than later.

[Reckless]

It seems that DC has been looking for a unicorn.

Might be a bit awkward heading the ball if it is being considered as a target man.

[BeesKnees99]

The goals are going to dry up, maybe tonight, maybe soon, until we get a proper CF in. I can’t see the likes of Shaqinola scoring on a consistent basis, lest we forget Simeon’s first two goals were penalties.

I think it’s troubling, the length of time it’s taken (and is still taking!) to replace Akinde.

[BeeDeceived]

You'll never replace Akinde. When clubs/agents know you're in desperate need, the price goes up.

DC has said himself they've "been in for everyone", we should probably believe him. For whatever reason, they haven't come off yet. We'll wait and there's no window which is good, but I'm happy with the thought of Shaq and Akinola. Shaq bagged 20 goals in half a season last campaign and Akinola's got a great leap and is in good form, they'll be fine for now.

[Norfolkbee]

The next landmark in this ongoing saga will be the Leagues 1 and 2 transfer window when more unwanted players could come on to the market. Maybe DC has been after somebody, whose club is unwilling to let him go until they have their targeted replacement. In other words, it is rather like selling a house in a chain of buyers and sellers. Infuriatingly, all this is still over 2 weeks away and could drag on until the 11th hour, like when we signed Tarpey. If nothing happens by then, real questions should be asked - particularly by TK.

[Tuesds]

The goals are going to dry up, maybe tonight, maybe soon, until we get a proper CF in. I can’t see the likes of Shaqinola scoring on a consistent basis, lest we forget Simeon’s first two goals were penalties.

I think it’s troubling, the length of time it’s taken (and is still taking!) to replace Akinde.

Coulthirst is a 'proper' centre forward. He scored 12 league goals and 20 in all competitions last season despite only starting 4 games before Christmas. He can and will score goals at this level (he got double figures in a rubbish team in League 2).

What he's not is someone who is strong in the air nor particularly strong at playing with his back to goal and bringing other players into the game. That's what we don't have in the squad and that's what Currie is rightly after as an option for certain matches/scenarios, although I agree it's taking a disconcertingly long time.

But it's not about replacing Akinde. If we put all our hopes on replacing Akinde we will come a cropper. He is a one-off whose strengths we tailored our game to.

Funnily enough, despite looking the part he didn't particularly play the role Currie is looking to fill - Gash played alongside him as more of the target man/back-to-goal striker for much of the time, with Akinde looking to get onto balls over the top, crosses into the box etc. He was brilliant at it because he was simply stronger and quicker than everyone he came up against, while being a good finisher with it.

Allen set the team up to play to Akinde's strengths, which was the right thing to do because we had a special striker with the ability to score 30 goals a season. We won't have that this season, but Currie is trying to set us up in a way in which we won't need it, e.g. with a 'number 10' playing behind a single striker (Taylor at present plus perhaps Vilhete an option there?) and two attacking wide players (Mason-Clarke & Akinola/Elito/Sparkes/Vilhete/Walker) who will need to get goals.

Whether it will work or not remains to be seen, but while I hope we will add the option of a more traditional big lad up front, that's what he'll probably be - an option - and not a focal point carrying the burden of the team's prospects on his shoulders.

[BeesKnees99]

The goals are going to dry up, maybe tonight, maybe soon, until we get a proper CF in. I can’t see the likes of Shaqinola scoring on a consistent basis, lest we forget Simeon’s first two goals were penalties.

I think it’s troubling, the length of time it’s taken (and is still taking!) to replace Akinde.

Coulthirst is a 'proper' centre forward. He scored 12 league goals and 20 in all competitions last season despite only starting 4 games before Christmas. He can and will score goals at this level (he got double figures in a rubbish team in League 2).

What he's not is someone who is strong in the air nor particularly strong at playing with his back to goal and bringing other players into the game. That's what we don't have in the squad and that's what Currie is rightly after as an option for certain matches/scenarios, although I agree it's taking a disconcertingly long time.

But it's not about replacing Akinde. If we put all our hopes on replacing Akinde we will come a cropper. He is a one-off whose strengths we tailored our game to.

Funnily enough, despite looking the part he didn't particularly play the role Currie is looking to fill - Gash played alongside him as more of the target man/back-to-goal striker for much of the time, with Akinde looking to get onto balls over the top, crosses into the box etc. He was brilliant at it because he was simply stronger and quicker than everyone he came up against, while being a good finisher with it.

Allen set the team up to play to Akinde's strengths, which was the right thing to do because we had a special striker with the ability to score 30 goals a season. We won't have that this season, but Currie is trying to set us up in a way in which we won't need it, e.g. with a 'number 10' playing behind a single striker (Taylor at present plus perhaps Vilhete an option there?) and two attacking wide players (Mason-Clarke & Akinola/Elito/Sparkes/Vilhete/Walker) who will need to get goals.

Whether it will work or not remains to be seen, but while I hope we will add the option of a more traditional big lad up front, that's what he'll probably be - an option - and not a focal point carrying the burden of the team's prospects on his shoulders.

Fair point Tuesds.

I suppose much of it does come down to good service.

We saw that Akinola can show composure in front of goal, after that delightful JT through ball at Notts.

Shaq is quite good at digging out shots from nowhere, and is probably our most clinical forward.

Just hoping the pair will stay fit.

You’re right to mention our other forwards/wingers who definitely need to chip in more than they did last season. This would take the pressure off our strikers.

[hoofer2]

The goals are going to dry up, maybe tonight, maybe soon, until we get a proper CF in. I can’t see the likes of Shaqinola scoring on a consistent basis, lest we forget Simeon’s first two goals were penalties.

I think it’s troubling, the length of time it’s taken (and is still taking!) to replace Akinde.

Shaq got 20 last year and would have scored more if he played in more games. The midfielders and centre halfs need to chip in with more goals. Else we will yet again be dependent on one player for all goals.

Santos / Reynolds need to score headers from corners. EMC, Taylor's need to be getting 5 to 10 each per season.

[Norfolkbee]

This thread began way back at the start of July with people calling for the signing of a striker. Various names were bandied about - some good and some .....errr .... not so good. When decent looking options have ended up elsewhere, the response has quite often been: "Perhaps we were never interested in him." This is fair enough, but it does pose the question "if not, why not?" particularly now that we are 3 going on 4 games into the season with nothing apparently on the horizon. Personally, I will be the first to congratulate DC if he pulls off a top signing in the next week or so, but you can't help wondering why he didn't get his business done pre-season. Any future signing will need to be pretty special to justify the wait. The worrying thing is that we end up with either nobody or someone we could've signed in July.

[barnetpete]

real questions should be asked - particularly by TK.

Interesting you should think it is down to Darren's negotiating skills that we haven't yet signed a striker. From reading through the lines of many of Darren's interviews he has spoken to and been close to signing a number of forwards, but agents will always be touting their players about this time of year and an extra £1/200 per week that other clubs maybe willing to pay because they are in a league above or have more spare cash about in their budget may do enough to secure the services of a player. (I know if i had a job offer £5/10K extra over a year would make me think about where to go).

We have to remember that DC is being restricted no doubt by the huge squad he has inherited squeezing the amount available.

I'm not saying TK should be offering DC more money than he is for the budget but I trust Darren to wait for the right guy and in the mean time get the best out of the squad he has available.

So far he has signed two players who both add real quality to the first team. The keeper has arguably already won us 5 points and Dunne is turning into a fans favorite already, albeit we will loose him from suspension from time to time, but i'll take that as he is the enforcer.

[Roy57]

Agree with in part with Norfolkbee post.
DC said we'll before the end of last season he knew he wanted a striker and the club was already looking and this was in hand. So we are talking close to 5 months. And surely this is not acceptable if the club are telling supporters the aim for this season is promotion. As mentioned DC has stated the club has been in for more than one player but it did not work out. The question must be why ? What was the reason we failed to get these players. Was it wages ?
Signing on fee ? Or some other reason. Cannot see the club or probably any club admitting the reason potential signings have not materialised. But it is not good. But the players and DC have started the season superbly. And playing good football most of the time as well. So top marks for this.
I did not see anything in his post to suggest us not signing anybody was down to DC's negotiating skills.

[Norfolkbee]

There is also the fact that we have shed both Tarpey and Harrison, who were almost certainly top earners, and brought in nobody to replace them. This would lead to the conclusion that there is money there, so other factors must be involved. I should imagine that Barnet are capable of at least matching most clubs in the National League when it comes to playing budgets.

[BeeDeceived]

There is also the fact that we have shed both Tarpey and Harrison, who were almost certainly top earners, and brought in nobody to replace them. This would lead to the conclusion that there is money there, so other factors must be involved. I should imagine that Barnet are capable of at least matching most clubs in the National League when it comes to playing budgets.

You’d be surprised. McCallum’s apparently on £2,500 a week at Solihull. We’re never matching that at this level.

[Norfolkbee]

There is also the fact that we have shed both Tarpey and Harrison, who were almost certainly top earners, and brought in nobody to replace them. This would lead to the conclusion that there is money there, so other factors must be involved. I should imagine that Barnet are capable of at least matching most clubs in the National League when it comes to playing budgets.

You’d be surprised. McCallum’s apparently on £2,500 a week at Solihull. We’re never matching that at this level.

Tonight proved that we need to match that if that's what it takes. Not doing so is a false economy.