Not enough goals within the squad

[bcfcnick]

With all the statisticians involved you’d think the recruitment team would look at making sure that the squad has enough goals in it. Unfortunately, it's lacking massively. So when the team don't have many shots on target and score so few it shouldn't be a shock.

Yes, City have been unlucky with injuries and it’s no coincidence that when Paterson and Weimann were playing we scored more freely.  I think Dean recognised there weren’t enough goals in midfield and playing these two addressed that issue.  It worked well but with these two inuries there are no other goal scorers to take their place from within the squad.  Without Paterson, Wiemann and Diedhiou playing that's a loss of about 30 goals a season ... add a few more if the most clinical striker, Wells, is stuck out wide.

A lot of the blame has to go to LJ and Mark Ashton in terms of recruiting a squad that lacks goals from all areas in the team – no Flint like centre back who can add a few  and no goal scoring wide players.  There is also the problem that the two main goal scoring strikers Wells and Diedhiou don’t play well together.  In fact Famara has only really linked well with Bobby Reid.  I think it's a bit harsh to blame DH for the problem as LJ had about 7 or 8 windows to resolve it and, in fairness, Dean has had a rushed one window and tried to solve the problem by successfully playing Paterson and Weimann in midfield.   That said the idea of bringing in experienced pros like Brunt and Martin probably came from Dean and they are both looking poor options.

The usual cited stat is 2 goals a game on average gives a good chance of promotion.  With the current potential goals in the squad and without Paterson and Weimann then City will not average even one goal a game.  

The likes of O’Dowda and Semenyo are unlikely to start adding significant goals to their game this season so the transfer window will be crucial.  Currently the potential goals from the defence, midfield,  wing backs / wide players are minimal and the most potent threat, Wells, is being played wide.  I think Dean has to start playing two of Wells, Diedhiou and Bell upfront and play Semenyo wide and tell him his role is to make assists.  That will take the pressure off him and he does have the pace and power to be a provider.          

Even the likes of Walsh and Williams returning will not really address the lack of goals in the team issue.   Recruitment in terms of goals in the squad has been negligent and it’s a basic mistake that Mark Ashton should answer for and either address it successfully in January or move on sharply.

Estimated goals per season from the squad players:-

Dan Bentley - 0

Zak Vyner 1

Taylor Moore - 1

Tomas Kalas - 2

Jack Hunt -2

Callum O'Dowda - 2.

Han-Noah Massengo - 0
Another hit and miss half as he moved the ball on quickly but was caught on the ball a bit too much. Withdrawn at the break.

Adam Nagy -  2

Tommy Rowe - 3

Chris Martin - 6

Nahki Wells - 12

Total   31

Antoine Semenyo - 3
Tyreeq Bakinson  3
Chris Brunt    1 (injured)
OpiEdwards    2
Sam Pearson    1
Zac Smith    1
Ryley Towler    1    
Liam Walsh    5 (injured)
Joe Williams    3 (injured)
Sam Bell    
Famara Diédhiou 12        Jamie Paterson  10 (injured)
Andreas Weimann 10 (injured_