Why do we need a new striker?

[Jeffro]

Ha do dai bra

[I'MANRFOREVER]

We need a fox in the box who can put away everything taabs n co supply him

[Magic]

Simple question really, looking forward to some interesting responses...

We are top of the league, 5 points clear
Only Leeds and Watford have scored more then us
Helguson and Hulse are good target mens, bring others into play. Can score a few themselves
Mackie and Taarabt has scored 21 goals
Smith is a proven goalscorer finding his form
Vaagan Moen, yet unproven at this level, scored 15 in 25 games from midfield last season
We have Buzsaky coming back

Walker is a big loss. But let's not forget we had a 14-2 goaldifference before he came in.

Cardiff have Bellamy, Bothroyd, Chopra, Keogh and now Parkin but has only won 3 from their last 11 matches

I wouldnt say no to a new striker, but surely a defender should be the priority

[QPROslo]

oyvind leonhardsen

Jeffro, are you talking about the midfielder that scored 8 goals in 36 starts for Liverpool, and was a consistent player for Wimbledon (when they were in the Premiership), Aston Villa and Spurs?

[northkenexile]

fair point Frode - but do feel we need a more potent goal threat - however i do feel that both Hulse & Helguson have more to offer that they've done so far - also feel Walker is a massive loss - this guy was a loan player brought in to fill the gap made by Orr's injury who found himself keeping Orr out once he'd returned and we paid £500k for Orr and as you know our owners don't throw the money about - for Walker to keep Orr out once he'd recovered was amazing really - gonna miss his runs from deep - defo a star in the making - wish him all the best - hope he returns to us soon !

[Gerryhatrick]

Fair point Frode, but we need a striker and a defender because as a passionate fan I am uneasy at the way the team is currently playing. And somehow I believe that these two added elements will be the magic ingredient that will push us up another gear and make us unbeatable.
Yeah I know it sounds stupid, and it really is totally stupid. But this is what this club does to me. But there is so much history of disappointment and nearly getting there has caused me to think if we don't do it this time with being in this strong position, it might take another 6 years for us to recover. So I want reinforcements to make absolutely bloody sure we don't blow it.

[gator]

Hulse is hardly a goal machine is he ...couldnt hit a barn door at the moment
- Hulse is a proven goalscorer at this level. Agree about the barn door, but goals will come. Needs some confidence

Mackie has lost his form (but he can run around a lot apparently)
- So you are one of those who can't see what hee brings to the team then? Yes goals have dried up, but he's overall play is as good as it has been all season

Moen is unproven but scored quite a few in a pony league so jurys out till he's played a few (was he Warnock's pick?? )
- Yes he was NW pick. Him and Mick Jones has watched him loads of time

Tarbs we rely on WAY too much and if heaven forbid he gets an injury we will be in trouble
- So the argument is that we have to buy a replacement because he MAY get injured. Great

Buz...who knows if he will even be here after January
- Hardly played this season anyway

HH.. blows hot and cold and has been inconsistent his whole career but having a decent season so far
- Decent? Well he is just the main striker for a team thats top of the league, 5 points clear after 25 games. Very decent

Smith..actually think he would score a few more if Warnock played him in the middle
- Seems to be playing just fine, but you might be right. Who knows(Maybe NW)

Frode, you really are a glass half full optimistic person! :

[vblockranger]

Frode, you really are a glass half full optimistic person! :

lol

[SANDERSON8]

weareqpr12 why are you always moaning about Mackie his work rate is second to none.

Did you go to Norwich where whilst we did not perform well,the work ethic of the team
was brilliant and contrary to popular belief we certainly had Norwich on the ropes for
the last 10 mins.Can you here the Norwich sing i cant here a f*****g thing.

[The Godfather]

Really don't understand WeAreQPR12's obsession with criticising Jamie Mackie. He brings pace, aggression and work rate to the side and, whilst he hasn't been clinical in front of goal recently, has made a valuable contribution to our success so far this season. If he is playing as badly as you're claiming, WeAreQPR12, then why is Warnock playing him week in week out? And, out of interest, who would you replace him with? Are you suggesting that Leon Clarke or Hogan Ephraim would be more effective in the role?

[WeAreQPR12]

Godfather thank you for the post and a very good one it is.

Now 1st of all I am NOT saying drop Mackie for Hogan and Clarke. These 2 players are poor and haven't done anything to merit a 1st team place.
Hogan had a really great game against Boro but his formed dived and he has done nothing. Clarke is a player that bottles it and turning your back when the opposition shoot and score is unforgiveable.

I like to judge Mackie on current form. Most of the posters defending him keep talking about his 9 goals. Yes I was delighted with his form in the 1st month and he was scoring goals for fun. I don't expect him to score hatfuls but 1 goal in his last 17 games is quite a drop for an attacking player. Our attacking midfield will need to chip in if we are going to persist in playing non scoring target men.

I don't think he's sh it but I do think our fans overrate him.
Yes great work rate but against coventry he was clearly the worst player on the pitch.

Yes I missed the norwich game but thats 1 game and I have seen enough of him to judge him. Respectable posters that are both season ticket holders morris and swanley agree I have a point, so IMO its not random cr ap.

I actually am a big Tommy smith fan. Far better player and also clever player. With Buzz coming back and possible new signing I would say on current form Mackie's place is more under threat than smith and tarbs.

[stainrodisalegend]

WeAre has a point and I think it was clear from his posts that he is not advocating Hogan or Clarke. I'm more of fan of Mackie than he is but 1 goal in 17 is not good for an offensive player (and he is not strictly a winger, btw, he is meant to get into the box and become the second striker when the ball is coming in from the other side). Running around is great but those runs are not creating as many goals or goal scoring opportunities as earlier in the season, though in his defence I do think his form has picked up again the last few games. Jury is out I would say on whether he will return to scoring regularly (which I'd have thought should be at least one in four games each month, not merely relying on his stats from the start of the season).

[The Godfather]

Godfather thank you for the post and a very good one it is.

Now 1st of all I am NOT saying drop Mackie for Hogan and Clarke. These 2 players are poor and haven't done anything to merit a 1st team place.
Hogan had a really great game against Boro but his formed dived and he has done nothing. Clarke is a player that bottles it and turning your back when the opposition shoot and score is unforgiveable.

I like to judge Mackie on current form. Most of the posters defending him keep talking about his 9 goals. Yes I was delighted with his form in the 1st month and he was scoring goals for fun. I don't expect him to score hatfuls but 1 goal in his last 17 games is quite a drop for an attacking player. Our attacking midfield will need to chip in if we are going to persist in playing non scoring target men.

I don't think he's sh it but I do think our fans overrate him.
Yes great work rate but against coventry he was clearly the worst player on the pitch.

Yes I missed the norwich game but thats 1 game and I have seen enough of him to judge him. Respectable posters that are both season ticket holders morris and swanley agree I have a point, so IMO its not random cr ap.

I actually am a big Tommy smith fan. Far better player and also clever player. With Buzz coming back and possible new signing I would say on current form Mackie's place is more under threat than smith and tarbs.

I am not convinced that, in Warnock's preferred formation, Mackie's primary purpose is to score goals. Whilst I agree that he is most certainly an "attacking player", he is not being used as an "attacker" in the conventional sense. In my view, his role involves providing a constant threat down the right flank, chasing balls down and serving as a thorn in the opposition's side. This is something that he has carried out superbly over the course of the campaign. Every player has one or two "bad" games and it so happened that Mackie didn't produce his best performance against Coventry. Generally speaking, however, I've been impressed by him. For me, he has done well to score 9 goals given the position that he is playing in.

When it comes to our frontline, Mackie is not the problem. In fact, you have inadvertently highlighted the main issue, which is "non-scoring target men". Warnock has two options here: he can either keep picking Hulse or Helguson and play one of them into some goalscoring form. Or he can sign a new striker - trouble is that it could take some time for him to settle in, as we've seen with Hulse.

[WeAreQPR12]

I am not convinced that, in Warnock's preferred formation, Mackie's primary purpose is to score goals. Whilst I agree that he is most certainly an "attacking player", he is not being used as an "attacker" in the conventional sense. In my view, his role involves providing a constant threat down the right flank, chasing balls down and serving as a thorn in the opposition's side. This is something that he has carried out superbly over the course of the campaign. Every player has one or two "bad" games and it so happened that Mackie didn't produce his best performance against Coventry. Generally speaking, however, I've been impressed by him. For me, he has done well to score 9 goals given the position that he is playing in.

When it comes to our frontline, Mackie is not the problem. In fact, you have inadvertently highlighted the main issue, which is "non-scoring target men". Warnock has two options here: he can either keep picking Hulse or Helguson and play one of them into some goalscoring form. Or he can sign a new striker - trouble is that it could take some time for him to settle in, as we've seen with Hulse.

For me that style of play would work in a 4 4 2 system because he can afford to play out wide but in this 4 2 3 1, as stain has commented his role MUST be to get into the box.

Also our formation suits a player like walker who plays like a wing back and has the pace to cause problems out wide. Maybe thats why we might sign Clyne otherwise it changes the whole shape.

[Frode]

Frode, you really are a glass half full optimistic person! :

Well someone has to be