But where will the goals come from ...

[Awin]

So is it moaning to quote statistics?

No but the constant pessimism is wearying...

All I'm saying is don't judge players based on how they played at previous clubs... Give them a chance!

[stainrodisalegend]

Need to look at the Chillean International setup versus the club setup to see why there's such a disparity. I'm sure 'Arry's on it as we speak!

Agree. Could be he is played as an out and out striker for Chile and as a winger/ number 10 for his clubs. Against that there are some players who turn it on for their country but don't deliver at club level, ala Heskey. Of all our signings I have the least idea of how or even where he will play. Hope Harry can get the best out of him.

[Hoopsmad]

I'm sure 'Arry's on it as we speak!

Been on it all morning probably..

[stainrodisalegend]

No but the constant pessimism is wearying...

All I'm saying is don't judge players based on how they played at previous clubs... Give them a chance!

Don't think anyone has written off a single signing (maybe a bit of fairly jokey negativity about Niko, but every other signing was greeted by huge enthusiasm). There is a difference between loyalty and blind faith. Past scoring records are hardly irrelevant - indeed, they are THE key factor in determining the value of attacking players. I have asked on multiple threads if someone can provide a realistic projection/ guesstimate of goals for each key scoring player in our team to get us up to the magical 40 goal mark - and have been met with deafening silence. But if you are convinced that Sandro - for example - will suddenly become a midfield goal machine then naturally I hope you are proved right. However, I'm just not entirely sure what such confidence would actually be based on?

[Nick]

So is it moaning to quote statistics?

Geng?

[Awin]

Don't think anyone has written off a single signing (maybe a bit of fairly jokey negativity about Niko, but every other signing was greeted by huge enthusiasm). There is a difference between loyalty and blind faith. Past scoring records are hardly irrelevant - indeed, they are THE key factor in determining the value of attacking players. I have asked on multiple threads if someone can provide a realistic projection/ guesstimate of goals for each key scoring player in our team to get us up to the magical 40 goal mark - and have been met with deafening silence. But if you are convinced that Sandro - for example - will suddenly become a midfield goal machine then naturally I hope you are proved right. However, I'm just not entirely sure what such confidence would actually be based on?

No but as pointed out it depends on what position these players have played in before for their previous teams and the formations those teams played with. I don't buy the "oh we didn't get Defoe or borini so we are relegated" twaddle.

I have already said realistically we were only ever going to play one up front and to cover that position we have 3 players. I am sure everyone at the club would have liked to get in another striker but whoever we would have bought would either be content with sitting on the bench or Charlie would have to get used to it really quickly. We have an embarrassment of talent in midfield and I'm sure they will be instructed to try and pick up the scraps.

Goal scoring is a team responsibility and no solely down to the one up top and in that respect we are much much stronger than last time around. We are talking about diakite, park, granero etc here after all...

All I suggest is before people reach for the Prozac they should give the team a chance.

[Awin]

Oh and as regards stats Diego Forlan scored 10 goals in 63 for United and went on to score 54 in 106 for Villarreal and 74 in 134 for atletico madrid.

[zeberdee]

Hmmmm. Sandro can't score goals (three in eighty one appearances for Spurs); Barton got three last year; Ned's two goals last year can't be called a tendency; caulker scored nine goals in five years, which is good for a CB, but he s not a goalscorer you can rely in; Fer seemingly averages a goal every ten games; Isla's only scored six goals in his career; Traore????

exactamundo, good to see common sense and logic aint quite dead yet. facts speak louder than words

also I recall posters last summer gushing how hoilett/swp/phillips would score for fun in the championship - none could hit a barn door in reality - things dont happen just cos you want them to

[stainrodisalegend]

No but as pointed out it depends on what position these players have played in before for their previous teams and the formations those teams played with. I don't buy the "oh we didn't get Defoe or borini so we are relegated" twaddle.

I have already said realistically we were only ever going to play one up front and to cover that position we have 3 players. I am sure everyone at the club would have liked to get in another striker but whoever we would have bought would either be content with sitting on the bench or Charlie would have to get used to it really quickly. We have an embarrassment of talent in midfield and I'm sure they will be instructed to try and pick up the scraps.

Goal scoring is a team responsibility and no solely down to the one up top and in that respect we are much much stronger than last time around. We are talking about diakite, park, granero etc here after all...

All I suggest is before people reach for the Prozac they should give the team a chance.

But you have produced absolutely no evidence as to why any of our players will suddenly start scoring more goals (eg because x player was forced into a more withdrawn role at y club). It might indeed be the case, but so might the reverse be true. All you are offering is hope, which is fine, but you haven't offered a single factual reason why our players will suddenly start scoring more than their career average. Yet you feel sufficiently sure of your ground to accuse others of talking "twaddle". Let us just hope your guesswork proves correct...

[dsqpr]

But you have produced absolutely no evidence as to why any of our players will suddenly start scoring more goals (eg because x player was forced into a more withdrawn role at y club). It might indeed be the case, but so might the reverse be true. All you are offering is hope, which is fine, but you haven't offered a single factual reason why our players will suddenly start scoring more than their career average. Yet you feel sufficiently sure of your ground to accuse others of talking "twaddle". Let us just hope your guesswork proves correct...

The OP is a fair question. However, there is nothing magical about 40 goals - we could score more and be relegated or score fewer and say up.

I think that if we get players forward we will score goals. I don't know who will score them, it all depends on who gets into the box most often but obviously with one striker on the pitch we are going to need more goals from midfield than we have had in recent seasons. I think we will get them if we push people forward, other posters don't. Fair enough, time will tell!

[nasser95]

Hmmmm. Sandro can't score goals (three in eighty one appearances for Spurs); Barton got three last year; Ned's two goals last year can't be called a tendency; caulker scored nine goals in five years, which is good for a CB, but he s not a goalscorer you can rely in; Fer seemingly averages a goal every ten games; Isla's only scored six goals in his career; Traore????

I'm saying they are capable of doing so. Also, you choose to ignore the players that have scored. Mutch got 7 in 26 starts last season. also, Caulker only really came to the for last season and scored 5 goals and this season has looked increasingly likely to score more for us. Fer got 3 last year for a poor side and got 12 in 47 for FC Twente, and you will recall his crossbar shot against sunderland. Kranjcar is a known goalscoring threat and hoilett is looking more and more dangerous. Phillips is still a good goalscorer and Ilsa scored in every season he was at Udinese, not scoring at Juventus because he was basically a sub for them. Ned always looks dangerous from corners. even traore got a couple last season. When I average the career goals per game of outfield 11 of ours, we could see scoring of up to 60 or so goals over this season if everyone plays to their potential (not saying they necessarily will). Point being that we are more than capable of scoring with everyone in this team, unlike last season where we looked devoid of goalscorers.

[Awin]

Charlie austin last season 21 goals in 33 appearances
Vargas was mostly played on the wing at Napoli and Valencia. In 2011 when played upfront by universidad de chile he scored 25 in 44.
Mutch scored 7 in 31 last year and finished Cardiff stop scorer.
Caulker scored 5 in 38 for Cardiff. Both were in a relegation team.
Kranjčar scored 4 in 13 at dynamo Kiev.
Matt Phillips scored 5 in 6 whilst on loan to Sheffield United and 11 in 67 in his last two seasons at Blackpool.
Joey scored 6 in 68 for us.

I don't think those figures are bad. Whilst not earth shattering all are capable of chipping in whilst supporting Charlie who has a frightening goal to game ratio.

No I can't guarantee safety but I personally believe we will have enough in the tank to finish higher up than 3 of crystal palace, burnley, Leicester, west brom, Sunderland, Stoke and hull.

[Buffalo]

Charlie austin last season 21 girls in 33 appearances

Where's Matty?

[Awin]

Edited that as soon as I realised... Wish I had left it now as it at least would have make a few posters smile.

[Hoop-du-Jour]

Where's Matty?

Renewing his B r a z z e r s subscription....