Forwards

[BCFCGav]

Struggling this season aren’t they? Really good set of options on paper but just not happening for any of them. 
 

Bell is anonymous when on the pitch of late, and Conway is really struggling to find his killer instinct from last season. Mehmeti can also really struggle to get into games. You’d be forgiven for not realising when Weimann has come on!

I’d say Sykes and Cornick are the the ones whose levels have more or less held from last season, and I’d be giving Cornick a start on Sunday.

I wonder - does Wells bring out the best from those around him? I think we miss him more than some realise.

[Full nelson]

Strikers in January are at a premium and I think we're stuck with what we have for the season. Hope they find form.

Edited November 29, 2023 by Full nelson

[ProfitInMyPocket]

Too many passive midfielders too. I think that's more of a problem than the strikers.

Knight, James, TGH, Williams all bring something to the team but no forward drive.

The amount of times one of the Armstrong's or that Alcaraz span our midfield and drove forward shows the difference.

 

[IAmNick]

Whoever is up front just looks so isolated to me game after game.

[And Its Smith]

We have a lot of players who can play up front but not enough quality. Quantity over quality. 

[Silvio Dante]

14 minutes ago, BCFCGav said:

 

I wonder - does Wells bring out the best from those around him? I think we miss him more than some realise.

[GrahamC]

I know the adage that the longer you’re not in the team the better you are, but we are definitely missing Wells.

He might not be prolific these days but his movement & awareness is still better than anyone else we have.

Hope he’s back soon & someone else (Conway, Bell, Weimann) can go on a scoring run.

[Balloon dOr]

Unless there’s a realistic target out there on city’s transfer radar who can play up top on his own, I’d be looking to change the system to play Conway in a pair. His best form came from playing alongside Wells, and whether or not that was down to Wells in part, Conway is a real asset (now or as  a future nest egg enhancer ) and we should be shaping the front line to his strengths.

Play him alongside Cornick (or even Weimann) until Wells comes back from injury, whilst looking to bring in someone else to compliment Conway in the next window if feasible. 

[Davefevs]

Just now, GrahamC said:

I know the adage that the longer you’re not in the team the better you are, but we are definitely missing Wells.

He might not be prolific these days but his movement & awareness is still better than anyone else we have.

Hope he’s back soon & someone else (Conway, Bell, Weimann) can go on a scoring run.

He’s a very good co-commentator, understands the game very well.

[GrahamC]

Just now, Davefevs said:

He’s a very good co-commentator, understands the game very well.

Played it a long time & a smart bloke, that’s a decent combination.

[Edgy Red]

Our forward options aren't good enough and i really hope Manning is brutal moving forward. 

As good as Weimann and Wells have been, we need to move them on and try to recruit better. Sadly Sam Bell isn't the answer at the moment either.

With a couple of decent forward additions in January, i really do think we could push for the top 10

[Reefer Madness]

I don't agree they are a really good set of forwards on paper.

 

Mehmeti: 1 in 4 ratio last 12 months.  Almost all in the league below

Wells: 1 in 5 since he signed 4 years ago

Bell: 3 in 24 last year

Conway: Less than 1 in 3 last year.

Weimann: 6 goals in the last 50 apps

Cornick: 2 goals last year

 

I'm not saying they are all bad players, but there is nothing much to suggest we were going to find goals easy to come by.

[cityexile]

Isolated at times, could do with more creativity behind them…but tonight for all that we created chances. Good chances.

We missed them all. Need one of our forwards to hit a bit of form desperately as sadly there are about 22 sets of fans in this league who see the solution as ‘buy a 20 a season striker in January’. Not that easy and what is letting us down at the moment.

[Graham76]

Weimann's performances have been piss poor for some time now. Would rather see Yeboah give a chance tbh.  . 

[robin_unreliant]

6 minutes ago, IAmNick said:

Whoever is up front just looks so isolated to me game after game.

It's more about taking their chances for me. Maybe they lack support but we've still got in plenty of great positions and failed to make them count. No coincidence that strikers are our weakness as good ones cost and City can't or won't spend what is required to get in the quality.

[BCFC31]

This conway up top on his own is absolutely usless and is clearly a flawed tactic we need to either go out and sign a specialist lone forward or put two up top. Doesn't help with conway bang out of form he keeps getting caught flat footed and just looks a yard or 2 off the pace he's probably frustrated aswell because he just isn't in the games atall! the lansdowns HAVE to back manning financially because manning can't and will not be able to do alot with a squad of players assembled by pearson over 3 years to play a certain way. different players do different things for as long as this club close the cheque book then we won't get anywhere you brought your man in Lansdown now let's so you back him.

Edited November 29, 2023 by BCFC31

[BCFC Rich]

Conway will get goals. Should have done better with the chances today, but he's a good finisher + even the very best strikers have periods without scoring. He's in the right places and his hold-up play was much better today. Personally, I think the opposite of the general consensus here - I think he's our best finisher and you play him no matter what (unless we sign someone), when he gets a goal he'll go on a run of scoring them. 

If we replicated our first half performance in the second half I think we would have been fine today. When we start playing longer/looking for the Hollywood pass we just end up isolating whoever is upfront. 

[BCFC31]

22 minutes ago, ProfitInMyPocket said:

Too many passive midfielders too. I think that's more of a problem than the strikers.

Knight, James, TGH, Williams all bring something to the team but no forward drive.

The amount of times one of the Armstrong's or that Alcaraz span our midfield and drove forward shows the difference.

 

Spot on the midfield are never thinking " I know I'm going to take this ball on the turn and drive forward to drive the team up the pitch it's all extremely slow and sideways no penetrative passing again we need that type of midfielder you can try and coach that into players like williams and James etc all you want but they need the mindset and quality to execute it. Scott what exactly that sort of player I get every player has his price but to take that sort of quality out the side and not replace it then say you want top 6 is bonkers.

Edited November 29, 2023 by BCFC31

[petehinton]

Have to find a way to go 2 up top. Knight has been closest to the striker at all times in each of Manning’s games so far. I’d love to see Conway & Cornick up top together. 
 

I think Liam will have seen enough to realise we need to be 2 up top moving forward. 

[GrahamC]

11 minutes ago, Reefer Madness said:

I don't agree they are a really good set of forwards on paper.

 

Mehmeti: 1 in 4 ratio last 12 months.  Almost all in the league below

Wells: 1 in 5 since he signed 4 years ago

Bell: 3 in 24 last year

Conway: Less than 1 in 3 last year.

Weimann: 6 goals in the last 50 apps

Cornick: 2 goals last year

 

I'm not saying they are all bad players, but there is nothing much to suggest we were going to find goals easy to come by.

You have picked the worst possible stats in every case there.

Conway scored 9 in 25 starts & 9 sub appearances in the league last season, that seems pretty good to me for a 20 year old.

54 of Wells appearances for us have been as a substitute, so his minutes to goals puts him around a goal every 3.5 games, again fine.

How many games did Bell start as a striker last season? He only started 14 in total. He scored 4 in his first 11 this season but is definitely in a drought.

This has been covered before Weimann has rarely played as a striker for us, just regularly in one season.

Cornick has been a sub a lot too.

It will cost a lot to bring in a proven forward in January, I’d rather persevere with Conway & hope Wells is back soon.

Mehmeti is a winger.

Edited November 29, 2023 by GrahamC

[Reefer Madness]

12 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

You have picked the worst possible stats in every case there.

Conway scored 9 in 25 starts & 9 sub appearances in the league last season, that seems pretty good to me for a 20 year old.

54 of Wells appearances for us have been as a substitute, so his minutes to goals puts him around a goal every 3.5 games, again fine.

How many games did Bell start as a striker last season? He only started 14 in total. He scored 4 in his first 11 this season but is definitely in a drought.

This has been covered before Weimann has rarely played as a striker for us, just regularly in one season.

Cornick has been a sub a lot too.

It will cost a lot to bring in a proven forward in January, I’d rather persevere with Conway & hope Wells is back soon.

Mehmeti is a winger.

I don't see what age or number of sub appearances has to do with it. Or even position. I'm not saying they are bad players, I'm saying the goals are not there.

It's fine if you want to delude yourself that the forward line is really good though.

Edited November 29, 2023 by Reefer Madness

[JoeAman08]

Few of us got stick on here about saying we needed forwards in the summer. Was happy with the central 2 in Wells and Conway. Conway been real poor and while I think Wells improves us, it won’t be to competing in the top 10 type levels. 
 

Sykes I really like. Can score and is creative. Can also beat a man with his agility and has a few tricks. You’d want better long term but they cost and he is the last one needing replaced imo. 
 

Mehmeti it just isn’t happening for. Think the ability is there but unfortunately it might be the size and athleticism that holds him back at this level. Maybe centrally(behind the striker)he can do something but that would last chance. Might be games he can get at a less athletic rb but they are a bit rare nowadays. 
 

Weimann older and been through plenty of injuries was always going to slow down. Never been that good technically and now that he has lost a step the level seems too much. Good servant but luckily we can let him walk at seasons end. Not sure he is a capable squad player anymore and another year not going to help his case. 
 

Cornick is what he is. Happy to chuck him on off the bench but that’s about it. Bit of a waste but you need experience too. 
 

Bell I just don’t see it. He isn’t pacy for the league. He looks pacy because we are so slow. Good finisher but can’t go past anyone and can’t cross. Lower league player imo. 
 

Yeboah has real pace. Works hard but team raw and doesn’t look technically very good. Like to see him as an impact sub some more but has a lot of work to do to be a future player at this level. You could say loan but I’d probably play him over one or two mentioned above. See if he develops here. 
 

Benarous may have ended up being similar to Mehmeti. Ability but smaller than you like and not super quick. More aggressive than Mehmeti though. Not sure we can expect much after the injuries he has had

All in all, we need to hit the forward line hard over the next few windows. Hated seeing players like Whittaker and Philogene go for relatively low fees when we had the funds to compete for their signatures. Not even sure wages would have been a big problem on them two. Maybe higher earners but not sure structure breaking. 

[Better Red]

Sykes should always start in a front three.

Mistake for me tonight playing at left w.back Could not impact the game.

Best player all season and we need him in the opposition’s penalty box.

Bell not good enough to have a stating place and Mehmeti not much better.

Wells will help when back and Conway plays better when Wells on the pitch.

Conway, Sykes and Wells together and we will look a better team.

[bbew]

21 minutes ago, BCFC31 said:

This conway up top on his own is absolutely usless and is clearly a flawed tactic we need to either go out and sign a specialist lone forward or put two up top. Doesn't help with conway bang out of form he keeps getting caught flat footed and just looks a yard or 2 off the pace he's probably frustrated aswell because he just isn't in the games atall! the lansdowns HAVE to back manning financially because manning can't and will not be able to do alot with a squad of players assembled by pearson over 3 years to play a certain way. different players do different things for as long as this club close the cheque book then we won't get anywhere you brought your man in Lansdown now let's so you back him.

Would you be saying the same if he has scored the chances he should have in the last two games?

[Edgy Red]

13 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

You have picked the worst possible stats in every case there.

Conway scored 9 in 25 starts & 9 sub appearances in the league last season, that seems pretty good to me for a 20 year old.

54 of Wells appearances for us have been as a substitute, so his minutes to goals puts him around a goal every 3.5 games, again fine.

How many games did Bell start as a striker last season? He only started 14 in total. He scored 4 in his first 11 this season but is definitely in a drought.

This has been covered before Weimann has rarely played as a striker for us, just regularly in one season.

Cornick has been a sub a lot too.

It will cost a lot to bring in a proven forward in January, I’d rather persevere with Conway & hope Wells is back soon.

Mehmeti is a winger.

I applaud your positivity, but sadly our current forwards aren't good enough.

If that team tonight had Semenyo and Kodjia in it, then we would have got something.

I fully appreciate that quality forwards cost a lot of money, but we are lacking at the top end of the pitch.

[GrahamC]

Just now, Reefer Madness said:

I don't see what age or number of sub appearances has to do with it. Or even position. I'm not saying they are bad, I'm saying the goals are not there.

It's fine if you want to delude yourself that the forward line is really good though.

So when Nahki Wells comes on as a sub at Watford under Holden when we are 5- 0 down in a 6-0 defeat with only 4 minutes to go, you can’t see how that is completely different to him playing a full game?

You don’t think the fact that Conway scored more goals in the Championship last season than anyone of his age apart from a kid who was on loan from Man U is impressive?

Ok then.

[Top Robin]

43 minutes ago, Full nelson said:

Strikers in January are at a premium and I think we're stuck with what we have for the season. Hope they find form.

If any one can pick out a gem from the lower leagues it's Manning

[cidercity1987]

Play Conway in his best position and we will be motoring. In the absence of any decent attacking midfielder he needs to be drifting off into that space to feed the wide players/striker in front of him.

[BLRed]

League one loans beckon for Conway and bell IMO. We’re too reliant on academy products that simply don’t have the experience or quality currently when needed in a league that is already extremely competitive and high in quality. They need to go away and fine tune their trade as their current inability is costing us.

 

tin hat firmly on

[BCFC31]

6 minutes ago, bbew said:

Would you be saying the same if he has scored the chances he should have in the last two games?

That's kinda my point he hasn't scored those chances as he hence why I say he is bang out of form.

Edited November 29, 2023 by BCFC31