The signing of Bradley Wright-Phillips looks better with every week that passes. Desperate Plymouth Argyle practically had to beg us to take him for the £250,000 they needed to keep the Grim Reaper from the door. I think he has managed 8 in 15 or 16 appearances so far which is pretty much as good as it gets in modern day football (one in two). He has the ability to be a 20-goal a season striker if he gets a season long run in the side and that must be what we hope for next season.
The real challenge is to find a foil for him and someone who themselves will weigh in with 15-20 goals. Imagine a strike-partnership like we last saw with Flanagan and Hales (with apologies to Super Clive, Andy Hunt and Garry Nelson). That could be the key to promotion if we can get a quality centre-half and attacking midfielder.
The big question is, what else have we got?
Paul Benson - Poacher 32 - Squad Player
I am immediately inclined to say he should go. He doesn't look to have any particular strength but his goal-scoring ration isn't bad. I suspect he wouldn't cut the mustard in the Championship but he may be worth hanging on to as a squad player. At 32, he is not going to find a yard of pace or develop much further as a finisher.
Joe Anyinsah - Officially a midfielder 26 - Release
23 goals in 6 seasons tells you all you need to know. To be fair on Joe, he has held the ball up well, has a bit of pace and generally looked more of a threat than Benson. However, he appears to be injury prone and I think his record bears that out. Another Akpo Sodje unfortunately.
Bradley Wright-Phillips - Centre-forward 26 - Keep
BWP has the ability to become a firm Valley favourite and to really make his name at the Valley. he is an instinctive finisher and they don't come along too often.
Frank Nouble - Bustling runner 19 - Back to West Ham
Surprisingly young and has a touch of the Carlton Cole's about him. Not ready for the goal-scoring we need and our future must lie elsewhere. He hasn't looked anywhere as good as I was lead to believe.
Nathan Eccleston - Willo the Wisp striker 20 - Only visiting
Young Nate is surely only suffering a loan down south with us unfriendly Londoners out of duty to Liverpool. He appears to be living the Premier League dream and I wish him all the best. He is disappointed he hasn't played more, and so am I. He has pace, a bit of trickery and has shown an eye for goal. It's difficult in ten minute bursts but he gives it his all. Needs to make sure he's not the next Neil Mellor.
Tamer Tuna and Lewis Perkins - Both club 19 year-olds and deemed not ready yet. Tamer did see a bit of action at the end of last year when he scored his first professional goal but has been loaned out at Staines, Woking and Welling this season. He must be hoping for his chance next year. I haven't seen Perkins. make or break with us for both next season. If w bring in the calibre of players promised, then you have to think one or both will be released.
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Agree again!
ReplyDeleteBut it does illustrate the need to sign at least two strikers.
I accept the fears about Anyinsah's fitness: my own view is that he has looked far more effective than Benson and has shown real promise. He has often been the only player to battle effectively for 50/50 balls and actually take on the opposition on a 1 to 1 basis (e.g. he had a good game on these lines at Spurs if I recall). Therefore, the crunch as you rightly say is his fitness and that is for the club to fully assess (the same issue relates to Bessone in defence.
ReplyDeleteHear what you say about Bensosn but I think he will provide some cover. At the moment there is not much (unless we keep Anyinsah).
Of course, BWP is not without risks regarding his fitness record. We may have to anticipate him losing out on a reasonable number of games and not being able to see the hoped for 'long run'.
What we are crying out for is a heavier old fashioned kind of forward whci I assume the management think that Nouble might offer. I too have not been overexcited at that prospect but he has a few games to sharpen up prove we are both wrong.
We have had a whole host of strikers who have failed to do it for us, but have gone on to do it elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteThis means it is either our style of play is wrong for them, or more probably a lack of supply.
Not since Colin Powell have we had a decent crosser of a ball. Herein lies the solution to the problem.
We need to buy a new partner for Bradley I think. What we have are not good enough. It's that simple.
ReplyDeleteWe clearly need cover for the front two positions so keeping Benson might be worthwhile, and I've never been convinced that Anyinsah is a forward. Maybe he needs to play in the middle more, or maybe he should just go, I'm not 100% sure at this point.
After my Francis above Solly post went down like a lead balloon, I'm glad to read that most think Benson is worth retaining, albeit as a squad player. I think he tried too hard to impress when he first arrived & the fans seemed to take a very quick dislike to him (just like Mooney last season). Then he's been in & out the side through injury & suspension, but I still think he's a decent player.
ReplyDeleteAs Crowborough said we've signed numerous strikers with decent goal scoring records over the last few seasons, only to see them struggle. This points to the lack of creativity in our midfield, both down the middle & out wide.
I think Powell has realised this & has tried to change the way we play, even more so since the play offs were out of reach. I suspect he's using the remaining games to see who can play the type of football he's aiming for. For example, it's noticeable that Semedo has been getting further forward in recent games (I doubt we'd have found him at the far post to score against Orient previously).
Benson's attitude stinks, his ability in front of goal is adequate but he rarely breaks sweat, Saturday against Oldham was the first time I've seen him put in something like a "shift", he hasn't done enough and if he finds himself something he prefers then good riddance.
ReplyDeleteAnyinsah is too injury prone and doesn't score many, he works the hardest of the current crop of strikers, I'd keep him if he's cheap but only as backup.
BWP will surely get better offers, if Slater & Co are serious about promotion then they need to try to keep him cos at this level his goalscoring prowess is valuable. Whether Charlton will really get the chance I doubt.
We don't have any other strikers so a minimum of 2 proven 3rd div strikers will need to be acquired. Cody McDonald, currently on loan at Gillingham will be worth watching. I saw him a couple of seasons ago at Dartford, scoring for fun, so much so Norwich took him to the Championship, too early for Cody as it turned out, but having seen him up close there is no doubting his goalscoring credentials. Hopefully Tuner or A N Other from the youth ranks will burst thru over the summer.
Steve B - I wasn't really sure if you were being serious or not about Solly and Francis. I thought someone else might pick you up on it first. I actually have a little bit more sympathy for Francis than most but at present, Solly has to be first choice.
ReplyDeleteDave, I really do think Francis is a better defender than Solly.
ReplyDeleteI accept that his distribution leaves a lot to be desired at times & his crossing is inconsistent to say the least (I'm not making much of a case here). However, I think he has defended well on the whole & even when the rest of his game is struggling he never hides. I just think Solly will get found out defensively over a season & will be targeted by the opposition.
Now if Carl Jenkinson had committed himself for next season, there would be no need for this debate !
steveb-I will be surprised if Francis plays again this season and if we could move him on in the Summer, I suspect we might just do that. He made too many mistakes this year and got a longer run than his form deserved. Remember, he kept Jenkinson out of the side for a long time when he was making frequent costly errors.
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