Strikers Striking

[Red to the world]

Basically they don't do they ?

narrow win today if we are honest against a lowly side - less shots on target and less corners than Pool - ...........?

[bh_red]

personally felt both players played VERY well today,

Byfield ran his backside off and personally felt he should have gone off over trundle as he was starting to tire late on, only really had one chance which he miss hit

Trundle - BEST PERFORMANCE FOR A BIT - alot of people complain about his lack of goals, but he is a constant creative influance which he was today, helped having a player alongside him with Carle's ability, felt he was a constant threat today and some clever play helped win the corner for the goal.

that said if we can get a "fox in the box" then GREAT if not, then hopefully the return of Brooker will help our forward line.

after many many months, still looking forward to seeing a partnership of Trundle and Brooker with Byfield as our super sub and a genuine quality midfielder in Carle, I'd not be gutted if we don't sign a striker.

[Alex_BCFC]

personally felt both players played VERY well today,

Byfield ran his backside off and personally felt he should have gone off over trundle as he was starting to tire late on, only really had one chance which he miss hit

Trundle - BEST PERFORMANCE FOR A BIT - alot of people complain about his lack of goals, but he is a constant creative influance which he was today, helped having a player alongside him with Carle's ability, felt he was a constant threat today and some clever play helped win the corner for the goal.

that said if we can get a "fox in the box" then GREAT if not, then hopefully the return of Brooker will help our forward line.

after many many months, still looking forward to seeing a partnership of Trundle and Brooker with Byfield as our super sub and a genuine quality midfielder in Carle, I'd not be gutted if we don't sign a striker.

I watched a different game to you. Trundle was awful first half and despite improving 2nd half, he just simply isn't going to score for us. A great shame but the truth.

Byfield worked hard but also offered little in terms of goal threat.

We still desperately need a striker on the evidence of today and previous games.

[Parfitt]

Personally i think that byfield is working hard but is never in the right place at the right time and trundle just needs some goals to start him off hopefully

[rossjonesuk]

Byfield chased everything down and really tried to get on the scoresheet - something he normally only does when he comes on as sub!! Good to see he can play that way for a full 90mins and not just the last 15.

Trundle was woeful. He created a few opportunities and I suppose it can be argued that with a lack of attacking creativity in the team he is forced to drop and do that job; and he did provide a few good patches of creative attacking play. But as for someone who is going to improve our abysmal +2 goal difference - WE NEED A STRIKER!

[Mike]

Yea we need a striker who will bang the goals in for sure. Trundle and Byfield are both the wrong side of 30, and Showmuni is good but we do need another striker or two to join the club. Its a shame Johnson didn't go for Blake who went to Wolves as he always seemed a threat for Plymouth. Hopefully we can pick someone up but I suppose at the end of the day if we win every game 1 nil I'd take it as thats all you need to win a game...

[windmillhillred]

Byfield's work-rate was astonishing today. He was fantastic, just without the final product. Few decent touched from Trunds but he got into the box a couple of times without threatening - his attempt at a deft chip in the second half a case in point. Should have just hammered it.

[Portishead Red]

personally felt both players played VERY well today,

Byfield ran his backside off and personally felt he should have gone off over trundle as he was starting to tire late on, only really had one chance which he miss hit

Trundle - BEST PERFORMANCE FOR A BIT - alot of people complain about his lack of goals, but he is a constant creative influance which he was today, helped having a player alongside him with Carle's ability, felt he was a constant threat today and some clever play helped win the corner for the goal.

that said if we can get a "fox in the box" then GREAT if not, then hopefully the return of Brooker will help our forward line.

after many many months, still looking forward to seeing a partnership of Trundle and Brooker with Byfield as our super sub and a genuine quality midfielder in Carle, I'd not be gutted if we don't sign a striker.

What game did you go to? It wasn't the one at Ashton Gate!

[bh_red]

What game did you go to? It wasn't the one at Ashton Gate!

so you feel that trundle was poor? Byfield didn't run his backside off and Carle didn't look quality?

it's EASY to have a pop at someone's view, but it's even easier to explain why you disagree?

[22A]

I've been considering our "lack of firepower". Early in the season at home City scored two against QPR and again v Scunny. On their travels, three goals were sscored at Coventry (who were top at the time) and at Norwich.

Either the Autumn & Winter conditions don't serve our tactics, in which case the Spring will see City scoring freely again or;

having taken the division by storm, the others have studied us and devised ways of stopping City scoring. If that is the case, it's not new strikers required, but new tactics.

[Red Head]

Byfield, socks off today, ran the channels all day long, just a bit tired when he did get a chance, albeit on his left. Felt we defended a little too deep in the 2nd half. Who was the number 11 for bpool? Ran the game in the 2nd half? Joint top and still are strikers aren't scoring, top when they do!

[Nibor]

I thought they both did fairly well today without standing out. Byfield chased everything centrally and Trundle did a great deal of work wide (particularly on the right wing given that Carle drifted alot). I think Sproule's absence highlighted our lack of pace in the forward line and had we been able to break quickly in the second half we may not have been under anywhere near as much pressure.

[Gaffer]

Neither striker was outstanding today, but both had adequate performances.

I thought without sproule, we were a little short of pace and that direct edge to our game. However, we did play some good stuff on the ball, and with that proven striker we would have got another goal which would have given us a comfortable win. Byfield is a good player, and midfield 5 of Elliott, LJ, Carle, Sproule and McIndoe is our best way to go.

Still, i'd try and add someone like Sharp if possibe...

[collier]

Well what I don't understand is carle?? isnt he an attacking midfielder who prefers to play in the middle of the park?? I thought he played well today but you could see that he spent most of the game in the middle of the park and at one stage LJ was on the right wing with carle in the middle. Why have Murray on the bench if you don't deem him good enough to play, in front of someone who doesnt naturally play in that position? Carle has played 2 games now and none in his favoured position. Not a criticism mind was just wondering if GJ is just using Carle to fill positions while other player either come back from suspension or get back in form.

[East End Jase]

Seems to me trundle seems to think hes a winger never anyone in the box on a break!

[mcbcfc]

While I don't think we can complain about Trundles commitment it's 19 games since he scored. Lets face it with only 14 goals between our 3 main strikers its not good enough. Just to put it into perspective Bradley Orr has the same number of goals as Trundle and Enoch and goal machine Fontaine is just one behind. Despite being 2nd we are in need of at least one ideally two strikers if this club harbours premiership ambition.

[mozo]

Only Elliott and Byfield have scored more than Scott Murray...

...worrying, but if we don't nab a tasty goalscorer, I'm all for sticking with Trunds and Byfield and seeing if they can make it work.

[simonwheeler]

SORRY, but, after weeks of waiting for Trundle to come good even I have lost patience - He is getting money for old rope? If you compare the work rate of Byfield (Absolutely out on his feet 10 minutes from time), Carle (Who clearly is still not match fit), McIndoe (Tried to run both wings in Sproules absence), Johnson (Who had an excellent game), etc. etc. then just WHAT did Trundle produce - The answer is NOTHING.

I am not being controversial and am Red through and through, but I feel that it is time we stop waiting for that bit of promised magic? Yes we know he is capable - He showed it against S****horpe at home and I am not doubting that he appears to be popular with the rest of the team and GJ/KM (If the hugs that were freely handed out when he was brought off today are anything to go by), but, at the end of the day we are now 29 games into the season and the payback from to all intents and purposes our main striker is THREE goals!!!! It is'nt as though he is creating chances for others either?

I'm sorry I stand to be shot down - But my patience has finally run out with LT. He is NOT Championship standard, has not got the pace required at this level and personally I feel that the rest of the team may well find him frustrating to play with as they never know where he is going to be to receive the ball.

GJ has done a magnificent job as have the players to get us to where most of us could not have dreamt of at the start of the season, but, in Lee he has boobed and I feel it is about time that we cut our losses and stop hoping for the magician to wave his wand? He clearly he has the skills - He shows it every time he warms up, but, sadly he doesnt carry it through to the game.

We cannot carry the "Show pony" any longer

THERE YOU ARE I HAVE GOT IT OFF MY CHEST - NOW GO ON LT PROVE ME WRONG

[westex red]

How can we knock our squad, today we got 3 points, every player played their part, we all moan about a new striker, come on we have Trundle, Byfield, Noble and Enoch, all good strikers that just need some sort of service. What we actually need is tactics that give them the oppertunity to score the goals!

All of the gaffers new signings have been very good, and the team spirit is the best since the Alan Dicks era, in fact better.

For some reason the volume of support at home games is quite poor, with very little singing and hardly any songs!

I could hear the Blackpool Fans more than our own today!

[simonwheeler]

This is NOT a knock on the squad. I purposdely praised GJ and the rest of the lads. I just feel LT is not pulling his weight, scoring the goals, creating the chances? Nothing would make me feel happier if he scores 20 goals between now and the end of the season and i have to eat MASSIVE humble pie?

Its just at present I have a view that the guy is not up to Championship standard and at present unlike the other 10 that GJ puts out does not deserve his shirt and I am getting extremely frustrated that there are those amongst us who seem to think that just because he has a large price tag round his neck we should continue to look at his contribution to what has been a magnificent TEAM effort through "Rose tinted glasses". I have not got a problem or begrudge the big salary that he picks up, the Bentley. etc. etc IF he is producing, but, he isnt ........

[madmax]

In my eyes, a striker is there to score. Trundle was average and Byfield played some good stuff, but in the end, we need to score more goals and kill off games and our current strike force just don't seem to be able to do it.

I was disappointed Showunmi wasn't on the bench as he could have had an influence being a big man and all...but I was told he wasn't in the right frame of mind....bull...he's a pro and should be part of it.

My reckoning, he's off.

Anyways, we need a goalscorer, so lets welcome our new £2.3m record signing Leroy Lita.

MM

[old_man_terry]

SORRY, but, after weeks of waiting for Trundle to come good even I have lost patience - He is getting money for old rope? If you compare the work rate of Byfield (Absolutely out on his feet 10 minutes from time), Carle (Who clearly is still not match fit), McIndoe (Tried to run both wings in Sproules absence), Johnson (Who had an excellent game), etc. etc. then just WHAT did Trundle produce - The answer is NOTHING.

I am not being controversial and am Red through and through, but I feel that it is time we stop waiting for that bit of promised magic? Yes we know he is capable - He showed it against S****horpe at home and I am not doubting that he appears to be popular with the rest of the team and GJ/KM (If the hugs that were freely handed out when he was brought off today are anything to go by), but, at the end of the day we are now 29 games into the season and the payback from to all intents and purposes our main striker is THREE goals!!!! It is'nt as though he is creating chances for others either?

I'm sorry I stand to be shot down - But my patience has finally run out with LT. He is NOT Championship standard, has not got the pace required at this level and personally I feel that the rest of the team may well find him frustrating to play with as they never know where he is going to be to receive the ball.

GJ has done a magnificent job as have the players to get us to where most of us could not have dreamt of at the start of the season, but, in Lee he has boobed and I feel it is about time that we cut our losses and stop hoping for the magician to wave his wand? He clearly he has the skills - He shows it every time he warms up, but, sadly he doesnt carry it through to the game.

We cannot carry the "Show pony" any longer

THERE YOU ARE I HAVE GOT IT OFF MY CHEST - NOW GO ON LT PROVE ME WRONG

totally crock of shite, he was involved in alot of our creative chances though alot of times he had to drift out wide, you mention his "skills" however you failed to mention those "skills" won us the corner from nothing which Elliott then scored from.

as some a group of us were saying at the game today, he'll do 5/6 good things, then one bad thing, and that's what will end up being remembered, he's just getting the same treatment has Johnson has got for the last 18months

[crusader]

I'd rather see lots of our players scoring goals, it breeds confidence than an out and out striker scoring them all.

I remember Wigan gaining promotion to the Championship and again to the Premiership winning most of their games 1-0.

I don't particularly like 1-0 score lines because in recent years we've conceded in the last 10, it makes me very nervous!!

[Lee F]

Byfield's work-rate was astonishing today. He was fantastic, just without the final product. Few decent touched from Trunds but he got into the box a couple of times without threatening - his attempt at a deft chip in the second half a case in point. Should have just hammered it.

Obviously you can comment with authority on the subject of how to finish because you are yourself a most prolific striker and score every week for a professional team. If the deft chip had gone in would your post have said

Few decent touched from Trunds but he got into the box a couple and looked really threatening - his goal with a deft chip in the second half was world class

Why was Byfield ASTONISHING but not score yet Trundle was just ok in the context of your post! Why are you knocking players after a win?

Doom and Gloom why??????

[Lee F]

Byfield's work-rate was astonishing today. He was fantastic, just without the final product. Few decent touched from Trunds but he got into the box a couple of times without threatening - his attempt at a deft chip in the second half a case in point. Should have just hammered it.

Obviously you can comment with authority on the subject of how to finish because you are yourself a most prolific striker and score every week for a professional team. If the deft chip had gone in would your post have said

Few decent touched from Trunds but he got into the box a couple and looked really threatening - his goal with a deft chip in the second half was world class

Why was Byfield ASTONISHING but not score yet Trundle was just ok in the context of your post! Why are you knocking players after a win?

Doom and Gloom why??????

[bransonmo]

Looking ahead, we have Brooker back soon ?

Cheltenham have 3 games in 7 days starting tuesday. We can see or listen to the third match, its against the Sag in 9 days time. Brooker has lasted 80 minutes and with another 3 matches under his belt he should be ready to come home.

I would like to see Brooker up front with Byfield running off him, their styles indicate to me that could work. Gillespie has scored 3 goals running off of Brooker in his 2 starts with Cheltenham.

In any event, we will have a solid holding forward with all round capabilities. GJ has always rated him, hence the patience and the extended contract until 2009. I hope he succeeds for us.

[cityfan]

You are all criticising the strikers, but I don't think that's the problem.

How many chances did Byfield and Trundle miss yesterday?

I think we should be looking at the supply to the forwards and is it good enough to give them the opportunity to put the ball in the back of the net? Answer ....NO!

Elliott is clearly an outstanding player at this level. But Johnson and Carle, if he is to become a permanent team fixture need to priovide the supply to the strikers, as do Mcindoe and Sproule. If Sproule can increase and imprcve his supply that will make a big difference. In his last home game for us he did that fantastically. Mcindoe seems a permanent fixture in the side, no questions, as are Orr and Johnson, but I think these are three players that can be rotated with others. Mcindoe seems tired and jaded to me so a rest would be fine. If Johnson isn't creating for the forwards playing alongside Elliott then leave in Carle for a 4-4-2 formation.

Mcindoe - Murrays can step in for a while as can Wilson.

Johnson - Can be rested for Carle or Noble (although he hasn't been great). But why not give aggy a shout?

Orr - Well politics aside, I just don't understand why Keogh isn't rotated with him. Fantastic work rate, better passing and supply, quicker to the tackle.

I thought yesterday we looked totally disjointed and the substitutions seemed strange to me as well

[Ixion]

SORRY, but, after weeks of waiting for Trundle to come good even I have lost patience - He is getting money for old rope? If you compare the work rate of Byfield (Absolutely out on his feet 10 minutes from time), Carle (Who clearly is still not match fit), McIndoe (Tried to run both wings in Sproules absence), Johnson (Who had an excellent game), etc. etc. then just WHAT did Trundle produce - The answer is NOTHING.

I am not being controversial and am Red through and through, but I feel that it is time we stop waiting for that bit of promised magic? Yes we know he is capable - He showed it against S****horpe at home and I am not doubting that he appears to be popular with the rest of the team and GJ/KM (If the hugs that were freely handed out when he was brought off today are anything to go by), but, at the end of the day we are now 29 games into the season and the payback from to all intents and purposes our main striker is THREE goals!!!! It is'nt as though he is creating chances for others either?

I'm sorry I stand to be shot down - But my patience has finally run out with LT. He is NOT Championship standard, has not got the pace required at this level and personally I feel that the rest of the team may well find him frustrating to play with as they never know where he is going to be to receive the ball.

GJ has done a magnificent job as have the players to get us to where most of us could not have dreamt of at the start of the season, but, in Lee he has boobed and I feel it is about time that we cut our losses and stop hoping for the magician to wave his wand? He clearly he has the skills - He shows it every time he warms up, but, sadly he doesnt carry it through to the game.

We cannot carry the "Show pony" any longer

THERE YOU ARE I HAVE GOT IT OFF MY CHEST - NOW GO ON LT PROVE ME WRONG

Fair enough, that’s your opinion Simon but take into account how Trunds confidence as a striker must surely be affecting his performance now, even allowing for the few chances per game that he actually receives.

He does contribute a huge amount to the team even though, at the moment, that effort is not being converted into goals and yes, I agree, it is a poor return if we simply look at the chances he’s converted this season. Hopefully, with Brooker back here and match fit/sharp we’ll see the pair of them teamed up and we’ll have a transformed strikeforce.

I’m convinced GJ wouldn’t have anyone on the teamsheet if he felt that their contribution wasn’t up to scratch with other squad members vying for the same position. We’re now equal top (yet again) of the CCC on points and this is a fantastic achievement for a newly promoted side that arguably, haven’t yet hit top gear for a sustained period.

[old_man_terry]

I'd rather see lots of our players scoring goals, it breeds confidence than an out and out striker scoring them all.

I remember Wigan gaining promotion to the Championship and again to the Premiership winning most of their games 1-0.

I don't particularly like 1-0 score lines because in recent years we've conceded in the last 10, it makes me very nervous!!

our promotion last season was built on 1-0 wins home and away

[MATT BCFC]

The thing with Trundle is yes he did have quite a good game but he never really looked like scoring. He only seems to be able to score wonder goals he really needs to start scoring the ugly goals.