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There are plenty of threads about the need for strikers and I do agree we need to strengthen but in my opinion (and I expect to be in the minority) defenders are the priority.
Regardless of what you think about any of our defenders (I've read the threads about Orr and Hill and neither appears to be everyones favourites at the mo) or what you might think of Gorkss or even Borrowdale these guys look likely to make up the defence against Burnley. Connolly will return but with Hall rumoured to injured yet again we lack quality, competition and depth.
The loss of Walker will be felt instantly especially against a higher quality of opposition in Blackburn and the speed and skill of Chris Eagles when we face Burnley. Borrowdale has never been given IMO a fair opportunity to prove one way or another. From the moment he was signed he was a target for the boo boys and has come in and out of the squad ever since. Gorkss IMO gets away with making mistakes which if made by Hall, Borrowdale, Hill or Orr they would get crucified for. His slip against Cardiff, his mistake against Bristol City yesterday and his lack of anything to challenge Graham for the first against Watford have hardly been mentioned. Orr is solid enough but nowhere near as good either defensively or offensively as Walker (but neither is any other defender in this division) and his pace along with the others is a worry. Hill looked better at centre back but sluggish and could do with the weekend off. Unfortunately unless Warnock uses Parker or recalls Leigertwood or even plays Rowlands or Mahon at the back that isn't likely to happen. The best Hill can hope for is that a youth player is called up and Hill can sit on the bench at Ewood.
With Stewart sold, Ramage injured and now Walker departed we have 5 senior defenders in the squad. Of course we can play a Parker or a Leigertwood in the defence but in terms of actual defenders we have just 5 (one of which is suspended until after the Burnley game).
In contrast we do have a number of attacking players including two who will no doubt start against Blackburn (Tofas and Vaagen Moen) as well as rumoured to believe we shall soon see the return of Cook and Buzsaky. Add those 4 to Mackie, Smith, Ephraim, Taraabt, Hulse, Helguson, Agyemang, Clarke, German and we AT LEAST have players who can play in the attacking positions. Who are natural in those positions and between them have scored goals. Yes HH has really only scored penalities and Hulse has scored 1 tap in but they are fit and deep down they can score goals the difference is we can't say the same about the numbers of defenders or those who can defend. Do we really want Mackie to play the rest of the season at right back? Do we really want to have to resort to playing none defenders in defensive positions?
It's already been said on here but "strikers win matches, defences win championships" and I believe this to be true. We have kept 13 clean sheets and picked up 31 points in those matches but in the 12 matches where we have conceded at least one goal we've accumulated just 17 points.
If you don't concede you are guaranteed a point. If you don't score you don't automatically not gain points and if you do score you aren't guaranteed to win any points. Of course goals change matches and goals will win matches but conceding goals (and quite frankly some stupid ones at that) and then having to equalise rather than looking for a win are the difference right now (IMO) between being 5 points clear and being 10 or even 15 points clear - yesterday two points dropped, against Norwich one point dropped (plus Norwich would have two points fewer), arguably two points dropped against Watford - reckless collisions against both Pompey and Burnley both leading to penalties.
We need pace, we need quality and we need competition.
Regardless of what you think about any of our defenders (I've read the threads about Orr and Hill and neither appears to be everyones favourites at the mo) or what you might think of Gorkss or even Borrowdale these guys look likely to make up the defence against Burnley. Connolly will return but with Hall rumoured to injured yet again we lack quality, competition and depth.
The loss of Walker will be felt instantly especially against a higher quality of opposition in Blackburn and the speed and skill of Chris Eagles when we face Burnley. Borrowdale has never been given IMO a fair opportunity to prove one way or another. From the moment he was signed he was a target for the boo boys and has come in and out of the squad ever since. Gorkss IMO gets away with making mistakes which if made by Hall, Borrowdale, Hill or Orr they would get crucified for. His slip against Cardiff, his mistake against Bristol City yesterday and his lack of anything to challenge Graham for the first against Watford have hardly been mentioned. Orr is solid enough but nowhere near as good either defensively or offensively as Walker (but neither is any other defender in this division) and his pace along with the others is a worry. Hill looked better at centre back but sluggish and could do with the weekend off. Unfortunately unless Warnock uses Parker or recalls Leigertwood or even plays Rowlands or Mahon at the back that isn't likely to happen. The best Hill can hope for is that a youth player is called up and Hill can sit on the bench at Ewood.
With Stewart sold, Ramage injured and now Walker departed we have 5 senior defenders in the squad. Of course we can play a Parker or a Leigertwood in the defence but in terms of actual defenders we have just 5 (one of which is suspended until after the Burnley game).
In contrast we do have a number of attacking players including two who will no doubt start against Blackburn (Tofas and Vaagen Moen) as well as rumoured to believe we shall soon see the return of Cook and Buzsaky. Add those 4 to Mackie, Smith, Ephraim, Taraabt, Hulse, Helguson, Agyemang, Clarke, German and we AT LEAST have players who can play in the attacking positions. Who are natural in those positions and between them have scored goals. Yes HH has really only scored penalities and Hulse has scored 1 tap in but they are fit and deep down they can score goals the difference is we can't say the same about the numbers of defenders or those who can defend. Do we really want Mackie to play the rest of the season at right back? Do we really want to have to resort to playing none defenders in defensive positions?
It's already been said on here but "strikers win matches, defences win championships" and I believe this to be true. We have kept 13 clean sheets and picked up 31 points in those matches but in the 12 matches where we have conceded at least one goal we've accumulated just 17 points.
If you don't concede you are guaranteed a point. If you don't score you don't automatically not gain points and if you do score you aren't guaranteed to win any points. Of course goals change matches and goals will win matches but conceding goals (and quite frankly some stupid ones at that) and then having to equalise rather than looking for a win are the difference right now (IMO) between being 5 points clear and being 10 or even 15 points clear - yesterday two points dropped, against Norwich one point dropped (plus Norwich would have two points fewer), arguably two points dropped against Watford - reckless collisions against both Pompey and Burnley both leading to penalties.
We need pace, we need quality and we need competition.
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