Lets be having you....Anymore through the door?

[MichaelDebeve]

We could do with a striker, but it's not one where we need to get one in for the sake of it. I'd only take a loan if they are gonna be of the right quality to play most games and have an impact. Otherwise id rather keep the windfall to invest in the summer.

Striker is the standout but its a tricky balance.

Do you get a 'stop gap' to come in on loan to fill the gap with injuries and support Coburn and Lath until both fully fit.

or do you potentially go for an 'Archer' style loan, that will essentially relegate both strikers on the books to the bench for the next 3/4 months.

 

[Glover_elbow]

A, decent striker and i think this squad is more balanced and potentially better than last year's and we would easily make the top 6. Without a new striker we will bumble along below the playoffs

 

[atypical_boro]

Striker is the standout but its a tricky balance.

Do you get a 'stop gap' to come in on loan to fill the gap with injuries and support Coburn and Lath until both fully fit.

or do you potentially go for an 'Archer' style loan, that will essentially relegate both strikers on the books to the bench for the next 3/4 months.

I think if we COULD get an Archer type, we'd be daft not to. Especially if minimal financial risk.

 

[MickaelDebevePhenomenal]

Striker is the standout but its a tricky balance.

Do you get a 'stop gap' to come in on loan to fill the gap with injuries and support Coburn and Lath until both fully fit.

or do you potentially go for an 'Archer' style loan, that will essentially relegate both strikers on the books to the bench for the next 3/4 months.

I may be wrong but unless there is a dramatic change, I don't think there is a "archer" type loan out there at the moment.

If there was I'm pretty sure Ipswich would have gone and got them, as they are clamming for a striker and have plenty of money. The only other type of deal I think we could do is a Barlaser type one, where we see the player being a part of the squad next season, so could go and get them now, if finance allows.

 

[Nero]

Think it’s clear we’re short for a centre forward. Whether we get a deal done is another matter.

 

[Muttley]

I think if we COULD get an Archer type, we'd be daft not to. Especially if minimal financial risk.

~This

Personally, I can't see anyone that has been linked who is remotely of the quality of Archer. Of course it is to be hoped that we have someone on the radar but at the moment I don't expect anyone else incoming.

 

[festa5]

A proper centre forward is definitely needed. It affects everything else, particularly giving the 3 behind a bit more space to play in.

That said I think the mindset of the club is a bit different these days. Can't see us signing someone for the sake of it and can't see us bringing someone in on a long term permanent deal as I think they really rate Lath and won't want to block Coburns development next season.

Any permanent would have to be someone so good, or with such potential, we couldn't turn down the chance to sign. Seems unlikely you get someone like that in January.

So maybe a loan, but I don't think we'll want to be paying too much out for one given its unlikely we're going up.

 

[atypical_boro]

~This

Personally, I can't see anyone that has been linked who is remotely of the quality of Archer. Of course it is to be hoped that we have someone on the radar but at the moment I don't expect anyone else incoming.

Whilst I agree, I actually had no idea how good Archer was this time last year (despite being at Preston for that humping in 2022).

 

[TeaCider]

We need a striker.

Neither Coburn or Latte Lath have been good enough this season and both are blighted by injuries.

We're incredibly short up top.

I don't think we'll sign one though, very much hope we do.

 

[Nano]

Had that same discussion with a few mates over the weekend.

I was slated for that same opinion.

I think a few fans have elevated Rogers due to the Villa interest. Decent player for us dont get me wrong, but he is in the mix with everyone else vying for that position, certainly not head and shoulders above anyone.

He is showing a bit more consistency now though which needs to be recognised.

This is exactly why all the talk of "without the injuries we'd be comfortably in the playoffs or challenging for the autos" is not true. Yes, we've had lots of players injured but we don't have anyone that is clearly better than their back-up. We've got a good squad in the sense that everyone has good cover but we don't have a 1st 11 that is good enough to be adding 20 points to our tally. Without the injuries we'd have picked up a few extra points here and there because there would have been less fatigue but we've not missed any star player because we don't really have any.

We should be signing anyone, in any position, that is better than what we have. I'm hoping that is what we've done with Azaz and Thomas and that they have been signed because they are going to be permanent starters and not just to do a job for a few months. It's pointless signing a striker that isn't clearly better than Coburn or Lath so whoever we sign has to be a 1st choice signing and ideally a permanent. Expensive loans means having to replace them in the summer and if we don't get promoted then it's money down the drain.

 

[Ian Bairds Ears]

I want us to go for a lower league hot shot..
I like those punts...the vardy....bowen....lower league legend that we can take a punt in who is quick aggressive and knows where the onion bag is...
There you go keiran...there's your working parameters....you have 24 hours

 

[MichaelDebeve]

This is exactly why all the talk of "without the injuries we'd be comfortably in the playoffs or challenging for the autos" is not true. Yes, we've had lots of players injured but we don't have anyone that is clearly better than their back-up. We've got a good squad in the sense that everyone has good cover but we don't have a 1st 11 that is good enough to be adding 20 points to our tally. Without the injuries we'd have picked up a few extra points here and there because there would have been less fatigue but we've not missed any star player because we don't really have any.

We should be signing anyone, in any position, that is better than what we have. I'm hoping that is what we've done with Azaz and Thomas and that they have been signed because they are going to be permanent starters and not just to do a job for a few months. It's pointless signing a striker that isn't clearly better than Coburn or Lath so whoever we sign has to be a 1st choice signing and ideally a permanent. Expensive loans means having to replace them in the summer and if we don't get promoted then it's money down the drain.

Gold Star for that post

 

[Lottowyn]

I think that Lenihan missing most of this season has been and still is a big blow to Boro. I remain unconvinced with Clarke and hope that I am wrong believing he is a bit of a liability.
But as has been said, our priority must be in obtaining a good striker to have a chance of promotion this season.

 

[Bruce]

I think a few fans have elevated Rogers due to the Villa interest. Decent player for us dont get me wrong, but he is in the mix with everyone else vying for that position, certainly not head and shoulders above anyone.

He is showing a bit more consistency now though which needs to be recognised.

Since he came back into the team against Preston he's been arguably our best player. 11 league games, 2 goals and 5 assists. Aaron Ramsey in his 11 league games for us only started 8 and had 3 goals and 3 assists and got sold for £15m in the summer. Rogers has played 13 games in two months and shown no signs of falling over.

Nothing is guaranteed in football but on his current rate of improvement I would expect him to have a bigger impact on the remainder of the season than Ramsey did when joined us. He has already matched Ramsey's 11 games over his last 11 games.

He is already good enough that he will leave a large hole to fill.

edit.
Answering in the wrong thread but there you go.

We need a striker. Jones is out for long enough that we need Forss on the right. The other two can't stay fit. Either a short-term loan as a patch or someone to develop. My left-field suggestion was Bamford on loan but then he started scoring goals again.

Not really anyone compelling in the lower leagues to develop or available on loan from the Premier. At this rate, we might have to give Hoppe or Kavanagh a go.

 

[Murphy04]

If Rogers is going, as seems likely, I'd like to see us bring a striker in. I don't know who but I trust the recruitment team lot more than I used to so hopefully, they have some Irons in the fire.

I think Azaz was brought in with Rogers going in mind.

 

[uncle_rico]

I think Azaz was signed knowing there was serious interest in Rogers, so if/when he goes i dont think we'll be rushing to replace him
We seem well stocked everywhere else so a striker perhaps but im not so sure. MC may just be looking at Greenwood, Coburn, Forss and eventually ELL and feel he has enough there.

Coburn, Lath and Forss are all injury prone and we cannot rely on any of their fitness. We'll find ourselves in a situation where we are having to play Crooks or Silvera up front. Us getting a good striker in, who will get us 10 goals between now and the end of the season, is the difference between us finishing in the play offs and mid-table in my opinion.

 

[Simply red]

IF we do sell Rogers for £15m , we should have a top European striker lined up .
If not , money will be tight , but I would like to see us bring Harvey Knibbs and Femi Azeez in from Reading , with Hoppe / Gilbert to them .

 

[Ipad1977]

This is exactly why all the talk of "without the injuries we'd be comfortably in the playoffs or challenging for the autos" is not true. Yes, we've had lots of players injured but we don't have anyone that is clearly better than their back-up. We've got a good squad in the sense that everyone has good cover but we don't have a 1st 11 that is good enough to be adding 20 points to our tally. Without the injuries we'd have picked up a few extra points here and there because there would have been less fatigue but we've not missed any star player because we don't really have any.

We should be signing anyone, in any position, that is better than what we have. I'm hoping that is what we've done with Azaz and Thomas and that they have been signed because they are going to be permanent starters and not just to do a job for a few months. It's pointless signing a striker that isn't clearly better than Coburn or Lath so whoever we sign has to be a 1st choice signing and ideally a permanent. Expensive loans means having to replace them in the summer and if we don't get promoted then it's money down the drain.

Whilst I agree with a good chunk of this post, I do think we'd have been comfortably in the playoffs if we hadn't had this injury crisis. The side showed what they could actually do once they all gelled and quite aside from the fatigue point, no one can convince me that McGree for example wouldn't have done better than Greenwood off the boil or Silvera when creating/coming in off the left/supporting whoever we had up front.

No, we wouldn't have 20 more points IMHO, therefore neither would we be up around the autos; Ipswich have been nothing short of a revelation and whilst normally 1 of the 3 who comes down hits a wall, they've all been strong this year. But 10 points better off, with a GD in the teens sounds pretty accurate to me which would have us 5 clear of the Baggies in sort of a halfway position between the Ex-Prem 3/Ipswich and the Best of the Rest.

Outside the Playoffs, a sometimes too inconsistent Coventry and the deckchairs would head up the chasing pack, 7 points behind. That would to me represent comfortably in the playoffs, at least for the time being.

It's all ifs and buts anyway. Still think we need another striker in any case as the majority of this season we haven't had both of Coburn/Lath fit, which is what we require.

 

[VestasBoro]

Coburn, Lath and Forss are all injury prone and we cannot rely on any of their fitness. We'll find ourselves in a situation where we are having to play Crooks or Silvera up front. Us getting a good striker in, who will get us 10 goals between now and the end of the season, is the difference between us finishing in the play offs and mid-table in my opinion.

I agree 100%. I'd love us to go out and get a proper no9, someone to get on the end of the good work and the creativity of McGree, Hackney, Jones, Forss etc...

We're still in with a shout of the play offs and we've been battered be injuries and international call ups this season. I think with players returning, one more striker could be the final piece for us. Not a winger or a no10, a striker.

There are 51 points left to play for - albeit we have some tricky games, and if we can get 30 that'll be fantastic.


Rose tinted glasses league prediction...

 

[Nano]

Whilst I agree with a good chunk of this post, I do think we'd have been comfortably in the playoffs if we hadn't had this injury crisis. The side showed what they could actually do once they all gelled and quite aside from the fatigue point, no one can convince me that McGree for example wouldn't have done better than Greenwood off the boil or Silvera when creating/coming in off the left/supporting whoever we had up front.

No, we wouldn't have 20 more points IMHO, therefore neither would we be up around the autos; Ipswich have been nothing short of a revelation and whilst normally 1 of the 3 who comes down hits a wall, they've all been strong this year. But 10 points better off, with a GD in the teens sounds pretty accurate to me which would have us 5 clear of the Baggies in sort of a halfway position between the Ex-Prem 3/Ipswich and the Best of the Rest.

Outside the Playoffs, a sometimes too inconsistent Coventry and the deckchairs would head up the chasing pack, 7 points behind. That would to me represent comfortably in the playoffs, at least for the time being.

It's all ifs and buts anyway. Still think we need another striker in any case as the majority of this season we haven't had both of Coburn/Lath fit, which is what we require.

It all sounds good but I don't see it. It's alright saying McGree would have replaced Greenwood during his patchy form but McGree is also patchy so would he have scored the goals that Greenwood did in his good form or are we assuming we always pick the right players at the right time? In all likelihood we would have had inconsistent results out of them both.

Lath has scored goals when he's been fit but he wasn't first choice when Coburn was fit so if they were both fit we might not have even had Laths goals anyway. Silvera is irrelevant because if everyone was fit he would barely get any minutes.

In my view we don't have a good enough squad to be much higher than we are. Marginally higher but not high enough to be comfortably anything. The majority of our squad is a 7/10 and 7/10 is good enough to win often but it will get beat regularly as well and that's what we are seeing. When we had Akpom last season we could have a 7/10 and still win because we had a 10/10 in the team. That's missing this season and none of the injured players are that.

There are 51 points left to play for - albeit we have some tricky games, and if we can get 30 that'll be fantastic.

That would get us to 70 points. We're on course for 66 so I could see us improving to 70 but Coventry in 6th are on course for 71 which means 70 wouldn't be enough. If any of the other 5 or 6 teams chasing have a decent run then 71 might not be enough either. Last year it was a particularly low year with only 69 needed. The 5 previous seasons were 75, 77, 70, 74 and 75. We need to have a very good run and hope nobody else does, which is probably unlikely. Maybe WBA can implode to mean there are 2 spots up for grabs.

I think Goal Difference is often a better sign than points of how good a team is and year our GD is +1. When you are a good team, like we were last season, your good days are winning by 2+ regularly and your bad days are losing by 1. Other than the odd result we're winning or losing by 1 most weeks. We need to be far better at both ends of the pitch.