Kirsten Otchere

[RichardGearman]

Right lads, I know it's pre-season, but he's scoring against increasing standards of opposition (3 in 4 at time of posting).

 

I am seeing really positive signs that he has the physicality, movement and instincts to become a top level bags man. He is consistently finding himself in goalscoring positions and giving himself the maximum opportunity to score. He is constantly on the move, looking to link the play with the AMs. He also has an extremely encouraging habit of not wandering away from position, staying between the posts and not getting drawn into a press that means when the ball is turned over, he's not out on the wing like Patson Daka constantly found himself in over the past 4 years.

 

Feet on the ground of course, but if we have to start league one with him up front, I would be okay with that.

Edited 2 hours ago by RichardGearman
Mispelled name

[Chelmofox]

In the right place at the right time - this is a natural skill, and his header was good. His stats at PL2 level were very good, and on a par with anyone we could get on loan from the big 6. I think he will score goals.

 

It depends if the manager wants more of a leader up top, or if he wants to have the ability to play a false 9 which involves dropping deep etc and providing link up play. I think that will be a stretch for him, but then it was for Daka as well.

 

I think we will see reinforcements in this area and he becomes a rotation option.

[slymunn]

1 minute ago, Chelmofox said:

In the right place at the right time - this is a natural skill, and his header was good. His stats at PL2 level were very good, and on a par with anyone we could get on loan from the big 6. I think he will score goals.

 

It depends if the manager wants more of a leader up top, or if he wants to have the ability to play a false 9 which involves dropping deep etc and providing link up play. I think that will be a stretch for him, but then it was for Daka as well.

 

I think we will see reinforcements in this area and he becomes a rotation option.

Chaplin can play the false 9 if needed. But I do agree that we need another forward in during this window.

[dmayne7]

Still looks very raw and a little clumsy at times, but the nature of his goals are a massive positive sign. Can't teach the instinct and all that.

 

At the moment, I'm seeing him as a 12 in 40 kind of striker which is solid enough if there are lots of other sources of goals, and we can still get another more senior striker in

[RichardGearman]

3 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

In the right place at the right time - this is a natural skill, and his header was good. His stats at PL2 level were very good, and on a par with anyone we could get on loan from the big 6. I think he will score goals.

 

It depends if the manager wants more of a leader up top, or if he wants to have the ability to play a false 9 which involves dropping deep etc and providing link up play. I think that will be a stretch for him, but then it was for Daka as well.

 

I think we will see reinforcements in this area and he becomes a rotation option.

I think the way we are setting up, the False 9 would hinder our goalscoring opportunities. I don't think we need a player to overcomplicate that position, operate as a poacher, link when we need to and be in the right place for the final ball. He is taking on that instruction really well.

[Richard]

I was more impressed with Opoku against Burton, surprised he wasn't given the opportunity

[ALC Fox]

Really, really early days.

 

But he's got a deflection, a tap-in and a header. He's in the right places, is in good form and has a knack for scoring. I get the feeling he just wants goals and isn't out for a highlights reel.

 

At this point he's surely first choice now. We're just over two weeks from that start of the season. That window to bring in someone more experienced before the first game is shrinking day by day but even if someone is brought in, they won't have much time to train with the squad, form relationships, etc.

 

So it's his to lose at the moment and he's currently passing every test he's been given.

 

For his development, having someone ahead of him may be better for him over the course of the entire season, just so there's not as much pressure on his young shoulders. But he looks good.

 

I'm trying not to go over the top but I've got high hopes.

[AKCJ]

The header was very good. Had to quickly react off the deflection and realise he couldn't get power on it so just guided it neatly into the corner. A proper striker's goal and very easy to cock up.

[RichardGearman]

5 minutes ago, ALC Fox said:

Really, really early days.

 

But he's got a deflection, a tap-in and a header. He's in the right places, is in good form and has a knack for scoring. I get the feeling he just wants goals and isn't out for a highlights reel.

 

At this point he's surely first choice now. We're just over two weeks from that start of the season. That window to bring in someone more experienced before the first game is shrinking day by day but even if someone is brought in, they won't have much time to train with the squad, form relationships, etc.

 

So it's his to lose at the moment and he's currently passing every test he's been given.

 

For his development, having someone ahead of him may be better for him over the course of the entire season, just so there's not as much pressure on his young shoulders. But he looks good.

 

I'm trying not to go over the top but I've got high hopes.

Agree on this. It's a shame Danny Ings failed the medical because that would've been great to have mentor for him. But with a lack of new english poaching strikers in this country, kirstin is standing out, looks like a player who has been produced in spite of an academy system addicted to producing number 10s. (I think this is why Jake Evans is not being considered for Centre Forward but thats for another thread).

[Saxondale]

Feel like he’s bound to feature in one way or another because a) we lack other options, b)  League 1 is about the level you’d want to blood him in at, and c) he’s clearly worth a punt, especially with some pre-season confidence.

[RichardGearman]

2 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

The header was very good. Had to quickly react off the deflection and realise he couldn't get power on it so just guided it neatly into the corner. A proper striker's goal and very easy to cock up.

I would say Daka would've cocked that up because he wouldn't have been in position for the header. I can't remember the last time he entered the six yard box.

[AKCJ]

5 minutes ago, RichardGearman said:

I would say Daka would've cocked that up because he wouldn't have been in position for the header. I can't remember the last time he entered the six yard box.

Even if he was he'd have snatched at the header by trying to put power on it.

[Ric Flair]

Early days but he just keeps stepping up.

 

Bagsman for the U16s, U18s and then 2nd half of last season for U21s he was top class and scored regularly.

 

Now for the 1st team in pre-season he's doing the same but with minimal fuss.

 

Still no idea if he's good enough but he's certainly not struggling to make an impact.

[GrobyLCFC31]

Feed the Otch and he will score 

 

Would love nothing more than to be supporting a local number 9!

Seems to be able to link the game well and has good off the ball movement too, 

I think Russ will like the fact that he seems to be good at staying up against and pinning the CB’s giving space in between the lines for Alves, Chaplin, Braybrooke etc. 

[LVFox]

Just seems to have a knack for being in the right place, which is quite a skill.

 

Don’t think he’s the 20 goal a season striker we could do with this season, but has definitely worked his way up to a solid 2nd choice, and I’d even expect him to start at Notts County.

 

A new signing, Otchere, Opoku, Evans and Hutchinson is pretty good depth.

[RichardGearman]

Just now, LVFox said:

Just seems to have a knack for being in the right place, which is quite a skill.

 

Don’t think he’s the 20 goal a season striker we could do with this season, but has definitely worked his way up to a solid 2nd choice, and I’d even expect him to start at Notts County.

 

A new signing, Otchere, Opoku, Evans and Hutchinson is pretty good depth.

I don't think Opoku, Evans or Hutchinson are ready. Expecting Opoku to be sold, Evans and Hutchinson to be loaned once we have recruits.

[coolhandfox]

Very raw. I think people are jumping far too early to draw conclusions.

 

For me, we need a couple of strikers to come in. One should be an experienced player, ideally around the 28-year-old mark, who can support and guide the younger lads. The other should be someone aged 22–25 with real potential, someone who has already shown promise in League One and can be developed into an asset.

 

I'd then keep one of Otchere, Evans or Opoku as the third-choice striker and loan the other two out so they can get regular football and continue their development. It's also worth bearing in mind that Evans can play in other positions.

 

At the moment, we're potentially heading into the season with Otchere, who has never played senior football, Evans, who has just 364 League One minutes, and Opoku, who has only 1,522 senior minutes under his belt.

 

If we go into the season with a strike force of Otchere, Evans and Opoku, we're in trouble. It would suggest we've learned nothing from last season about just how important experienced and reliable strikers are.

[RedSoxUK]

Better then Kane

[RichardGearman]

2 hours ago, coolhandfox said:

Very raw. I think people are jumping far too early to draw conclusions.

 

For me, we need a couple of strikers to come in. One should be an experienced player, ideally around the 28-year-old mark, who can support and guide the younger lads. The other should be someone aged 22–25 with real potential, someone who has already shown promise in League One and can be developed into an asset.

 

I'd then keep one of Otchere, Evans or Opoku as the third-choice striker and loan the other two out so they can get regular football and continue their development. It's also worth bearing in mind that Evans can play in other positions.

 

At the moment, we're potentially heading into the season with Otchere, who has never played senior football, Evans, who has just 364 League One minutes, and Opoku, who has only 1,522 senior minutes under his belt.

 

If we go into the season with a strike force of Otchere, Evans and Opoku, we're in trouble. It would suggest we've learned nothing from last season about just how important experienced and reliable strikers are.

I take all of your points on this and agree, we need re-enforcements and prioritising experience and gems we can grow in value to sell on. Unfortunately, the priority is to sell our 4 centre backs and thus that is an area we need to address once that has been sorted. So, realistically, we may only be able to get signings in on deadline day in attack. There is also the sale of the club, which may force an embargo during this window if it were to progress quickly, or that the ownership will be reluctant to pay transfer fees when they're organising an exit. This is why I feel a sense of relief we seem to have produced an orthodox number 9. But yeah, not disagreeing with you on what we need.

[Finnegan]

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

How do you pronounce his name?

 

Ott Cherry ?

[Lesta Legend]

If the news yesterday didn't make it clear, we likely won't spend a lot if any on a top quality striker. The club relied on what they had last year. I'd imagine will play a lot next season with a loan or a mysterious good free that hasn't been snapped up and wants to play league one football. 

 

It's probably unfair to build him up and put undue pressure on him. But I get it, we're desperate for the youth to step up as we can't rely on the incompetents to get it right. 

[ParkerPen]

16 minutes ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

How do you pronounce his name?

 

Ott Cherry ?

Fanshaw

[Patrick]

15 minutes ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

How do you pronounce his name?

 

Ott Cherry ?

The surname Otchere is pronounced OH-cheh-reh (phonetically: oh-ch-eh-reh).

Pronunciation Breakdown

• Oh: Sounds like the English word "oh".

• cheh: Sounds like "che" in "chess".

• reh: Sounds like "reh" with a soft, slightly tapped or rolled 'r'.

[SB87_LCFC]

Imo pre-season is a real indicator that we will go with a strong youth based squad which for someone like Otchere, this is a chance for him to make a name for himself. Personally I have been impressed with his overall game, although with every respect, the two donkeys who pretended to play up top for us last season, I think we would have happily taken anyone instead of them (Marti even had Vestergaard up there at the end of his tenure!)

 

The level as someone has already said is possibly where best to have him hit the ground running and if you have Chaplin, Alves and for arguments sake Mavididi (I suspect he goes on deadline day) to provide, his movement and willingness to vary his game by coming short or running in behind could make for a good formula.

 

A lot of what we say and feel will of course be circumstantial, but I think what we have seen from him gives us some hope he will provide a lot for us, but at just 19, we have to allow the kid to grow as a player,the only way we do that is by playing him. 

 

To score consistently at senior level albeit during pre-season and the manner of goals being what some might feel their dead nan could score, we have to give the kid props. 

 

Having someone up there with him to learn off would be ideal, but our situation may mean he has to do a lot of learning as he goes