The Striker Conundrum

[saint in Den Haag]

I have been intrigued by the striker search all pre-season and not just us but with other clubs too. Given this is not player specific or a transfer rumour, thought a new thread could add value to discuss (call it a saga if it helps). Not claiming this is 100% fact so please do suggest edits to what I have put below.

facts: what do we know

• lost Broja & Long - Ralph wants a replacement (infers it’s just 1)
• lots of other clubs need 1 too: Man U, Chelsea, Newcastle, Wham (is Scamacca it?), wolves (based on ramos links), Everton (based on Broja links) anyone else?
• Bid on Delap - A young high potential player but willing to pay £20m +. Man C said he is not for sale and 1 they want to keep, since loaned out to Stoke supports this message
• Broja - strong interest from other clubs, Chelsea claim not for sale. Been on bench and substitute for last few minutes. No outlets clear on situation.

rumours / guess work

• Broja - who knows, either he fell out of love with us or he wants to come back
• we don’t want loans if we can’t buy at the end
• Ramos - very recent rumour & competing with Newcastle & Wolves
• Che and Armstrong could be for sale / loan
• Firm interest in a premier league experienced striker - Iheanhacho rumour 
• early rumour with Kaladjzic - Man U interest has died down 
• dembele was loosely linked. 

 

My thoughts

• Given our willingness to spend big on Delap, are we looking at another Mara and so a teenager with a high potential but not guaranteed
• or given the Che rumours, it’s a mid 20’s instant hit the ground replacement.
• I do worry about the scatter gun approach of Man U, Chelsea & Newcastle. Man U are desperate and could end up going for someone at our level. Chelsea’s attempts dictate Broja’s 1st team chances. Newcastle have not got a Ekitike replacement yet and would be looking where we are.
• What type of forward are we even after? Someone to play as a 1 by themselves with the 5 at back formation or part of a 2 and someone comfortable at being either a 9 or a 10.

[skintsaint]

Conundrums and Sagas....the forum stepped up this week.

Reckon we will go big on a striker, either the Stuttgart or Benfica fellas. They seem to fit the profile of a bigger stronger type centre forward.

Think that's enough up top if Che doesn't go. Keeping playing the 4222 or the variant of it and we should be in a decent position by then.

Edited 18 August, 2022 by skintsaint

[aintforever]

I think we will go big but it will probably go down to deadline day.

The guys we seem to target tend to be one the big clubs have their eye on but don't take a chance on, thus anyone we are after will probably hold out until the last minute in the hope they get that big move.

[SNSUN]

9 years ago today we signed Osvaldo. I'd take someone as talented but less of a nutbag.

 

IMO we need 4 strikers. We have Adams, Armstrong and Mara currently unless you consider Redmond and Walcott as options upfront, or promoting Ballard. Ergo we need one striker and I have no doubt we'll bring one in. I do however think we will see Adams or AA and I think that would be a mistake. I can't see us bringing in two strikers. 

[saint in Den Haag]

I also wander if we are happy to wait on Delap for next summer and did not worry too much about the bid rejection and subsequent loan to Stoke.

Out of interest - how many youth / academy strikers break into the 1st team and become a regular for the top teams? 

It’s such a critical position that the top teams will pay loads to ensure goals are guaranteed and the top teams want a proven striker. So I can only think of Owen, Rooney, Sterling, Fowler that were given a chance and took it and became the main striker. Maybe Rashford and Greenwood at Man U, but for very different reasons both of them have their stock falling / non existent. So unless Delap is due to become world class I feel he is always going to end up somewhere else eventually. City will always spend big to buy goals. (am sure I have missed some other obvious young striker who broke the 1st team of a top team) 

[Turkish]

MLG had a new login then

[SonicBoom]

I certainly wouldn't want Iheanacho. Doesn't seem to have made any sort of impression anywhere and I'm not sure he's better than anything we have so what's the point. 

I also see someone said we might "go big" on a striker. Bear in mind 25 mill for a striker is not really "going big". It is for us though I guess. 

[Saint Garrett]

Given we generally don't put stuff in the public eye, my guess would be that Benfica have put it out there about Ramos, because they're trying to riase the price with Newcastle and Wolves interested, or we've stuck it in the public eye whilst we try and get a deal done elsewhere.

[saint in Den Haag]

If you are referring to me Turkish, then I can happily assure you I am not MLG.

Reading this forum has been part of my daily life for far too long. Think I made 1 post back in the day that maybe the Dutch Poortvliet experiment could work… then quickly realised the error of my ways and never posted again  

if I do continue to post now I can assure you I am not ITK and never will be and I also will never reply to a post and correct the author. Or pretend to be a Super fan from Africa. Plus I will make spelling, grammar errors and I am sure I will be corrected by some. 

[Patches O Houlihan]

On 19/08/2022 at 00:30, saint in Den Haag said:

I also wander if we are happy to wait on Delap for next summer and did not worry too much about the bid rejection and subsequent loan to Stoke.

Out of interest - how many youth / academy strikers break into the 1st team and become a regular for the top teams? 

It’s such a critical position that the top teams will pay loads to ensure goals are guaranteed and the top teams want a proven striker. So I can only think of Owen, Rooney, Sterling, Fowler that were given a chance and took it and became the main striker. Maybe Rashford and Greenwood at Man U, but for very different reasons both of them have their stock falling / non existent. So unless Delap is due to become world class I feel he is always going to end up somewhere else eventually. City will always spend big to buy goals. (am sure I have missed some other obvious young striker who broke the 1st team of a top team) 

Kane