We have scored 2 more goals than at the same point last season. Scoring isn't the issue. We have conceded 9 more than at the same point last season.
And with 10 of the 42 league goals coming from Lath and Coburn, it suggests too much emphasis is being placed by fans on getting this 'mythical striker' in, when so many of our goals in this system come from elsewhere.
Defensively I'm not actually too worried - I think we've just been very unfortunate with injuries to all of our senior backline (I think Rav, at a tender 19 years old, has probably been injured the least out of the lot) but hopefully with numbers returning, we can have a more settled run in towards the end of the season.
Something I love about the squad right now is its adaptability/fluidity - you could move a number of players around the team (i.e. Hackney further forward) and you just know it wouldn't be any weaker for it. Forss coming back into the fold is an absolute blessing and I'd trust him to fill any void left upfront (any further injury niggles remaining the only doubt), though I think we'd need at least 2 of the 3 (Forss, LL and Coburn) fit at all times to confidently see the season though, so that is the biggest risk for me, not the lack of trust in their ability... Obviously the club know their injury situations more than me and that should be in their planning.
'IF' (especially at this late stage - it needs to feel right, as I'd prefer we don't spend at all rather than panic) we chose to invest anywhere, I think the club may instead look at bringing in another player in the Rogers-type mould. Potentially cheaper and easier to get in January than an out and out striker. Questions remain over Jones' injury and the form of Greenwood/Silvera (and will Azaz settle as we hope also? Etc. etc...).
Hopefully the sale of Rogers can allow some ambition - Sorba Thomas stands out like a sore thumb each time we play against him. I could see Carrick and co. sorting his end product out no end. And Huddersfield are seemingly on a road to nowhere, so it could be an appealing move for him. More ambitious still (albeit less likely!), would be Callum O'Hare who I notice has his contract coming to an end in the summer. So potentially a lower fee, but maybe with McNair's (supposedly high) wages possibly freed up by the summer and leveraging the Rogers money somewhat, an attractive offer could be made now to yet another lad with Villa connections (longshot I realise!)?
Apologies for the long post!!!
