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filbertway

Do we really need

By filbertway, in Leicester City Forum

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filbertway

filbertway

Posted
Posted

Do we really need two 20 goal a season strikers?

Everton didn't have one person score more than 12 goals in the league last season and they're in the champions league.

We have midfielders and defenders capable of chipping in with the goals, so if conners and de vries only get 25 between them, williams and hughes could get 10-15 between them, maybury will probaly get 5 goals, wiclox has showed he can score. The 3 centre backs are good in the air so could score a few from corners.

The defence is looking solid and i think we will get a few clean sheets this season and probably never concede more than two in a game. As long as we score more than the oposition on the day we get the 3 points.

Or maybe i'm way off with all that ive just said? :D

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Louise

Louise

Posted
Posted

Last season our defence was the 7th best in the league, with only those of Sunderland, Wigan, Reading, Stoke, Millwall and Burnley conceding less goals. Allowing for the fact that our defence now has less experience but more pace you could probably say we'll concede about as many this season as last (although this time more from set pieces and less from open play...).

While some would see 7th as a good position for us next season others wouldn't, you might have noticed though that none of the teams who ended up in the playoffs had a better defence than ours. The ones that did are either automatic promotion teams or dull mid-table teams, as we're unlikely to be the former unless we work on our attack we're going to end up as the latter.

While our defence last season was the 7th best in the league, our scoring record was the 16th (we scored the same amount as Leeds, and were better than Stoke, Burnley, Cardiff, Brighton, Gillingham, Forest and Rotherham).

All of the teams in the top 6 scored 66+ goals and there is no reason to think that it will be any different this season. Teams like Wolves also scored 66+ goals but their poor defence let them down. It would appear that 70 goals would be the best target to aim for if we're seriously thinking about the top 6. Last season we scored 49 goals in the league, so this season we need about 21 more.

This is all speculative of course. But I think of it like this:

(Taking for granted that about the same amount of goals will be needed this season. And that we're talking about spread out goals, not just winning 7-0 then losing 1-0 three times on the trot. And that our defence will be of at least equal quality of the season before...)

Midfield last season got us 16 goals, this year we won't have Nalis, Scowy or Gillespie (11 goals between them) but we will have Hughes for longer, and Sylla. To reach our target of 70 goals I'd say they'd need to score about 20 this coming season, which isn't really a target out of reach.

Defence last season got us 9 goals, gone now are Dabizas, Stewart and Heath (5 goals) but Maybury will be bound to score more and the new centre-backs certainly look more attacking. To reach our target of 70 I'd say they'd need to score about 15 goals as well which for them seem a little more difficult.

Our Strikers last season got us 21 goals, we're not really missing any big contributors this season (Benjamin with 2 goals is it), so a target of about 35 between them seems easy enough...That would require Dublin to still get about 5 while Connolly gets 20 and De Vries about 10.

(if you think the maths doesn't add up, we also had 3 own goals go in for us last season)

Of course if you score the goals it doesn't really matter which area of the pitch they come from, but I felt that the above was about realistic. The problem then comes in the fact that whereas I think the defence and midfield have pretty reachable targets, the strikers will have to be having a great season to get those scores, if Dublin gets injured, De Vries turns out to be really not that good, or Connolly goes through another one of his patches we're stuck.

So yes we do need another striker, perhaps not a 20-goal a season one (although that helps in the longer term) but perhaps one that can score a good 12 goals and offer the pace etc. that none of our other strikers have.

(now its late and I've rambled on and I doubt anyone has read all of this but oh well :P hopefully it'll make sense when I read it again in the morning)

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lookwhaticando

lookwhaticando

Posted
Posted

I read it all :P and it makes a lot of sense.

Our strikers are somewhat thin on the ground - we have two big slow moving guys, plus Conners and perhaps O'Grady, who's only just come thru into the first team - I think we need a youngish striker, in his early 20s with a ton of pace and an eye for goal.

That'll make Louise's numbers work for sure ;):smile:

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Deathside

Deathside

Posted
Posted
Do we really need two 20 goal a season strikers?

Everton didn't have one person score more than 12 goals in the league last season and they're in the champions league.

147596[/snapback]

In Le Championship any team which scores bucket loads of goals will do very well - Even with a shody defence

Last season 5 teams scored 70+

The top 4:

Sunderland (76)

Wigan (79)

Ipswich (85)

D**by (71)

And, the exception to the rule

Wolves (72)

Wolves really did have a season of two halves - First half they were worse than us, but their seond half was vastly improved

Anyway in answer to the original question - Maybe 2x 20 GPS strikers are not necessarily needed - but it would certainly help!

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

Louise's post makes perfect sense.

At this point in time, I'd be happy to see any goals!! I've forgotten what it's like to see City score!

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davieG

davieG

Posted
Posted
Last season our defence was the 7th best in the league, with only those of Sunderland, Wigan, Reading, Stoke, Millwall and Burnley conceding less goals. Allowing for the fact that our defence now has less experience but more pace you could probably say we'll concede about as many this season as last (although this time more from set pieces and less from open play...).

While some would see 7th as a good position for us next season others wouldn't, you might have noticed though that none of the teams who ended up in the playoffs had a better defence than ours. The ones that did are either automatic promotion teams or dull mid-table teams, as we're unlikely to be the former unless we work on our attack we're going to end up as the latter.

While our defence last season was the 7th best in the league, our scoring record was the 16th (we scored the same amount as Leeds, and were better than Stoke, Burnley, Cardiff, Brighton, Gillingham, Forest and Rotherham).

All of the teams in the top 6 scored 66+ goals and there is no reason to think that it will be any different this season. Teams like Wolves also scored 66+ goals but their poor defence let them down. It would appear that 70 goals would be the best target to aim for if we're seriously thinking about the top 6. Last season we scored 49 goals in the league, so this season we need about 21 more.

This is all speculative of course. But I think of it like this:

(Taking for granted that about the same amount of goals will be needed this season. And that we're talking about spread out goals, not just winning 7-0 then losing 1-0 three times on the trot. And that our defence will be of at least equal quality of the season before...)

Midfield last season got us 16 goals, this year we won't have Nalis, Scowy or Gillespie (11 goals between them) but we will have Hughes for longer, and Sylla. To reach our target of 70 goals I'd say they'd need to score about 20 this coming season, which isn't really a target out of reach.

Defence last season got us 9 goals, gone now are Dabizas, Stewart and Heath (5 goals) but Maybury will be bound to score more and the new centre-backs certainly look more attacking. To reach our target of 70 I'd say they'd need to score about 15 goals as well which for them seem a little more difficult.

Our Strikers last season got us 21 goals, we're not really missing any big contributors this season (Benjamin with 2 goals is it), so a target of about 35 between them seems easy enough...That would require Dublin to still get about 5 while Connolly gets 20 and De Vries about 10.

(if you think the maths doesn't add up, we also had 3 own goals go in for us last season)

Of course if you score the goals it doesn't really matter which area of the pitch they come from, but I felt that the above was about realistic. The problem then comes in the fact that whereas I think the defence and midfield have pretty reachable targets, the strikers will have to be having a great season to get those scores, if Dublin gets injured, De Vries turns out to be really not that good, or Connolly goes through another one of his patches we're stuck.

So yes we do need another striker, perhaps not a 20-goal a season one (although that helps in the longer term) but perhaps one that can score a good 12 goals and offer the pace etc. that none of our other strikers have.

(now its late and I've rambled on and I doubt anyone has read all of this but oh well  :P hopefully it'll make sense when I read it again in the morning)

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Good Effort Louise

B++ ;)

The question?

A 20+ goal a season striker would be good, but some one with different abilities (ie fast) to Connolly, MDV and Dublin to allow CL to change the game is the priority as this might also get the other 3 to score more goals.

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Thracian

Thracian

Posted
Posted
Good Effort Louise

B++  ;)

The question?

A 20+ goal a season striker would be good, but some one with different abilities (ie fast) to Connolly, MDV and Dublin to allow CL to change the game is the priority as this might also get the other 3 to score more goals.

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Some cracking posts on this thread, very thought provoking.

We certainly MIGHT be able to steal a play-off spot with few than 70 goals but CL should not lose sight of the need to entertain and fill the ground with spectators.

If Leicester City is going to be a force again it is not going to be on the back of sub 25,000 crowds. It is hard enough to generate real atmosphere in the Walkers without it being half full.

The theoretical statistics also fail to convey that we have a smaller first team squad this year therefore injuries will probably have greater significance and injuries to attackers could mean us doing our fighting at the other end of the table.

We need at least one fast forward and probably two and that is without acknowledging that Connelly might move.

There seems to be persistent rumour that he's on his way to Sunderland (where it's freezing cold and the wind seems to blow in your face both halves).

How many players will we need to replace him cos I'm not sure there's a 15-20 goals a season man who is not firmly attached just now?.

Unlike Leicester most clubs seem to sort their forwards out first because they're a scarcer commodity. We've been neglectful.

We need action and we need it now otherwise it will cost us dearly both in the chart and in the bank.

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filbertway

filbertway

Posted
  • Author
Posted

How many goals did west brom get the season they were promoted?

I agree we need another striker, but my point was mainly meant to be that even if its not a well known striker who is going to get us loads of goals, we still have players capable in other areas of the pitch to weigh in with goals.

I would like to see us have a fast striker with a bit of strength and time on his side. And why not, i would even like him to be able to score :)

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Katy

Katy

Posted
Posted

To be fair though, no matter what manager we've had in the past decade or so we have never had a twenty-odd goals per season striker, we've always had lads from midfield and even defence making up the goals as well as the strikers. The only ones who got near in the past ten years were Claridge and Cottee.

I cant remember the last time we had one of our players names in the top ten goal scorers chart at the end of the season.

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Ric Flair

Ric Flair

Posted
Posted
Dickov got 20 goals the season we got promoted ;)

147754[/snapback]

Only 17 in the league. But Deane got 13, Scowcroft got 10 and Benjamin got 9. Add Wrighty's 2 and you've got your 40 goals needed from strikers to be in the top 6 realistically.

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Louise

Louise

Posted
Posted
I read it all :P and it makes a lot of sense.

147640[/snapback]

Louise's post makes perfect sense.

147658[/snapback]

Good Effort Louise

B++  ;)

147659[/snapback]

Thanks :P:)

The theoretical statistics also fail to convey that we have a smaller first team squad this year therefore injuries will probably have greater significance and injuries to attackers could mean us doing our fighting at the other end of the table.

147679[/snapback]

Ah, you say that but...

At the start of last season we had three goalies (Walker, Pressman and Logan), seven defenders (Makin, Canero, Elliott, Keown, Dabizas, Stewart, Heath), seven midfielders (Gillespie, Williams, Nalis, Gudjonsson, Tiatto, Wilcox, Gemmill) and seven strikers (Morris, Benjamin, Dublin, Connolly, Blake, Wright, Scowcroft).

This season we have three goalies (Douglas, Henderson, Logan), seven defenders (Gilbert, Johansson, Gerrbrand, Stearman, Maybury, McCarthy, Sheehan), seven midfielders (Sylla, Gudjonsson, Kisnorbo, Williams, Hughes, Wilcox, Tiatto) and six strikers (De Vries, Connolly, Morris, Wright, O'Grady, Dublin). In fact if Levein gets the other striker he's been searching for not only will we have the same size squad as last season (24) but we'll also have the same amount of defenders, midfielders, strikers and goalies as well. You could probably argue that we're even better off this season as the quality of our back-up will be much better. In every position but striker that is, where I think it's about on a par with last season.

Which of course is our problem <_<

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shen

shen

Posted
Posted
Thanks  :P  :)

Ah, you say that but...

At the start of last season we had three goalies (Walker, Pressman and Logan), seven defenders (Makin, Canero, Elliott, Keown, Dabizas, Stewart, Heath), seven midfielders (Gillespie, Williams, Nalis, Gudjonsson, Tiatto, Wilcox, Gemmill) and seven strikers (Morris, Benjamin, Dublin, Connolly, Blake, Wright, Scowcroft).

This season we have three goalies (Douglas, Henderson, Logan), seven defenders (Gilbert, Johansson, Gerrbrand, Stearman, Maybury, McCarthy, Sheehan), seven midfielders (Sylla, Gudjonsson, Kisnorbo, Williams, Hughes, Wilcox, Tiatto) and six strikers (De Vries, Connolly, Morris, Wright, O'Grady, Dublin). In fact if Levein gets the other striker he's been searching for not only will we have the same size squad as last season (24) but we'll also have the same amount of defenders, midfielders, strikers and goalies as well. You could probably argue that we're even better off this season as the quality of our back-up will be much better. In every position but striker that is, where I think it's about on a par with last season.

Which of course is our problem  <_<

148144[/snapback]

We had Stearman, Sheehan and O'Grady at the start of last season too, even if they weren't in the first team, they were stille there. So I suppose if you're being pedantic, we're 4 players short on last seasons tally ;) (3 if Weso's counted in this season's squad as well).

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Jordan

Jordan

Posted
Posted

23 men in the squad? That was right there for anybody to figure out but for some reason we all had it in out heads that this season's squad is a lot thinner (I think 9 players were let go from the end of 2004/5 to now and seven brought in, so that may be a reason)! I even posted on "foxlog" not too long ago that the team is a bit thinner than last season's. (James Wesolowski is listed as a first-team player, so before his injury, we had the 24! I can see Tommy Wright being offloaded soon, though). Notice how everyone was reacting, though, when Gilbert, Hughes and Connolly picked up small injuries during preseason--it was as if we didn't have any cover.

Wow, this is all being explained rather well. Louise, do you mind posting a lot more often? :P

However, I think we could still use the extra forward because we can't bank on an automatic rise in production from Connolly and de Vries. Dublin's a good third choice (how often can he go 90 now?) or a substitute, but Wright is crap, Morris is always injured and O'Grady is inexperienced and I can see him being loaned out this season. The bodies are there up front but that doesn't mean there's depth.

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Louise

Louise

Posted
Posted
We had Stearman, Sheehan and O'Grady at the start of last season too, even if they weren't in the first team, they were stille there. So I suppose if you're being pedantic, we're 4 players short on last seasons tally ;) (3 if Weso's counted in this season's squad as well).

148159[/snapback]

My estimation of who is a first team player and who isn't was taken just from who had and has a permanent squad number at the start of each season (hence why Weso hasn't been included). You are right in saying that Stearman, Sheehan etc. were at the club at the start of last season however as they were not given a squad number it looked as though they were not in the manager's plans (which turned out to be the case as both had to wait until Micky had left before actually making an appearance). Who knows who Levein is going to give debuts to from the youth academy this season? Therefore I stand by what I said about the squad numbers this and last season.

Now who's pedantic ;)

Wow, this is all being explained rather well.  Louise, do you mind posting a lot more often? :P

148160[/snapback]

If you like ;):)

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