2 strikers ?

[serpico]

"We are trying to bring in a recognised centre forward and if Sidibe is injured then we may need to bring in two," said Pulis.

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/7294996.stm

[FullerMagic]

Interesting.

It does sound that the Nugent deal's maybe more or less in the bag for next week(?), with another on the way if Mama's injury turns out to be serious.

Good to know Beast and Winkle have burned their bridges if they're not remotely thought of as good enough to step in.

[potter84]

Mama type player who would be ideal cover - all i can think of is Jason Roberts or Zamora

[FullerMagic]

Helguson?

Kuqi as cover?

[serpico]

Wonder if Pulis is regretting not taking Adebola now ?

[bayernoatcake]

I always thought Helguson would be the man to bridge the gad between the Icelanders and Pulis. Sadly it never happened, Helguson is a top player and can play a Mama role plus score goals!

[potter84]

Not Kuqi for me

[FullerMagic]

Looks like Helguson might play tonight v Sporting Lisbon as Megson's left loads of their squad at home.

tinyurl.com/2umhfy

But he doesn't appear to get near their Premier team. Maybe Megson could do Pulis a favour?

Comes to something when you end up playing your reserves in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup at a glamorous place like Sporting Lisbon because you can't afford relegation

The world's gone mad.

[serpico]

hebangsthedrums said:

Looks like Helguson might play tonight v Sporting Lisbon as Megson's left loads of their squad at home.

tinyurl.com/2umhfy

But he doesn't appear to get near their Premier team. Maybe Megson could do Pulis a favour?

Comes to something when you end up playing your reserves in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup at a glamorous place like Sporting Lisbon because you can't afford relegation

The world's gone mad.

What an odd decision.

[smokeyjoe]

serpico said:

"We are trying to bring in a recognised centre forward and if Sidibe is injured then we may need to bring in two," said Pulis

isn't Pulis forgetting his other two strikers - Parkin and Pericard

Seems like his strikeforce pairing would be Fuller and Mama, or Nugent and Mama

[FullerMagic]

I can't see him leaving Nugent or Fuller out if he thought they were both 100% fit.

And there's no way Nugent would come if he thought he'd spend significant time on a Championship bench, is there?

[Delapsthrow]

have you seen helguson,hes played shit tonight. not much better thab we have

[serpico]

delapsthrow said:

have you seen helguson,hes played shit tonight. not much better thab we have

He's a worker who's good in the air, would be a decent replacement for mama should this injury be long term.

[FullerMagic]

I suppose that's the problem we have with any striker we bring in now,they'll all be really lacking sharpness if they're so far out of the picture at their club to be available.

But Pulis was on record 3 years ago as being a massive fan of Helguson, and sounded desperate to buy him for Stoke.

Pulis targets Helguson deal
Friday 20 May 2005

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has made Heidar Helguson his number one summer transfer target, but fears the Potters will not be able to compete financially with the Watford striker's other suitors.

The Hornets are set to offload the Iceland international after he refused to extend his contract, sparking interest from a number of next season's Championship promotion hopefuls.

Pulis hopes that City's Icelandic owners will stretch the budget to sign their £600,000-rated compatriot, but knows the likes of Leeds United and Wolves will be able to offer more attractive salary packages.

"There is an Icelandic player available in the Championship who would be an absolute sensation at Stoke and I would love to sign him," he told The Sentinel.

"He would be better than what we've got and without doubt he'd be a massive favourite with our supporters because of his ability and commitment.

"But the unfortunate thing is whether we can afford him. That is the big question."

Pulis also confirmed he had spoken to Nils-Eric Johansson's agent about a possible deal for the defender who was released by Blackburn Rovers earlier in the week.

[wedgwood]

Nice to hear, as he surely don't rate Parkin and Pericard by saying this. Then it's logical to get two with Fuller likely to miss some games with suspension, and then only Cresswell and Gallagher are left. I'm not sure if he really rates Gally either.

[FullerMagic]

www.whydelilah.co.uk/news/It-could-be-two49427.aspx




It could be two

Tony Pulis is sizing up the chances of landing a second striker on loan to add to the possible signing of Portsmouth's David Nugent.

Pulis heads into tomorrow's crucial third versus second clash at Watford dogged by concerns over the fitness of Mama Sidibe following a minor hamstring injury.

And that could mean another swoop into the loan market for a muscular forward - even if he lures Nugent from his Pompey nightmare.

Nugent is continuing his return to fitness after a hernia operation, and Pulis today confirmed his interest in the England striker for the first time.

"We have made inquiries about Nugent," he disclosed. "But from now on I think the best thing to do is to talk to Portsmouth. If it's on, it's on. If it's not, it's not.

"We have people like Paul Gallagher on the bench who can create and score, but that final third will be important as the season goes on.

"We are trying to bring a recognised centre forward in if we can ... and if Mama is injured it might be two."

Sidibe, Stoke's matchwinner in the 1-0 victory at Norwich on Tuesday, is rated doubtful for tomorrow after limping off with a tweaked hamstring late on at Carrow Road.

"We've got the report on the scan and we will assess it," said Pulis, anxious to keep Watford guessing over his line-up.

"We won't take any chances with him because we can't afford that. He felt it at half-time and felt it again when he came off."

Leon Cort is more hopeful of reporting fit after he left the Norwich game prematurely with slight calf trouble.

Pulis bussed his squad to Hertfordshire yesterday lunchtime to ensure maximum rest ahead of their second long journey in a week.

Glenn Whelan returns from a two-match ban to replace Liam Lawrence as the 14-goal winger begins an identical suspension tomorrow.

Tomorrow's fixture will be dubbed by neutrals as a battle of the giants between two teams largely reliant on the long ball.

But Pulis philosophically observes: "It doesn't make any difference to me what others say.

"All I know is that we've scored more goals than anyone except West Brom, we have people like Ricardo Fuller who's a tremendous footballer, and also have players like Liam Lawrence and Andy Griffin, who are top, top players."

Stoke have sold out their allocation of 2,200 tickets for tomorrow's clash.

Match preview: Page 74

City Sentinel: Page 74

[bayernoatcake]

Another big striker-Helguson, Kuqi can anyone else think of some more? That Andy Bishop for Bury looks a big youth and bangs them in for fun for them-Rooney + cash deal maybe?

[ted1965]

I can’t believe people aren’t clamouring for the Beast or big Vince to be starting if Mamma can’t tomorrow, surely it’s time we unleashed Vincent on the Championship, he’s been well rested this term, had a little time in isolation for crimes against football ability but now is surely his time.

As for Parkin, well this is his time of the year, he proved that last season and now it’s time we saw the rampaging lean mean goal machine that is the beast carving his way through Watford’s defence tomorrow.

I honestly don’t understand the criticism these two top class forwards receive sometimes, after all one played for Juventus and was a rising star in the French youth ranks, now you can’t do either of those if you’re as bad as some seem to believe Vincent is.

Never mind the Cheltenham Gold Cup clash, the real clash will come in training today when John Denman Parkin goes head to head with Vincent Kuato Star P for the right to lead Stoke to victory over Watford tomorrow.

Actually of course in reality these two would be owned by the eccentric who loves to run no hopers in big races, while I pray to God our two no hopers are kept well away from a field of play from here till May.

[Deleted]

I have a gut feeling Nugent will be here next week. I am sure Tone and Peter will pull this one out the bag.

[chrispk76]

lets hope bothroyd is just 1 of 2 joining

[FullerMagic]

Helguson is not even on the bench for Bolton this afternoon.

Maybe available if Pulis wanted him?

[Deleted]

It was just a big fart....my gut feeling that is

[FullerMagic]

Cov local paper says they've tried and failed to loan Helguson, Eastwood and McSheffrey.

So if Pulis is looking for a targetman-type, maybe we'll have to gamble on a youngster who fits the bill as a promising targetman like that Czech bloke at Spurs who was mentioned?

Coventry City need help says Chris Coleman
Mar 17 2008
By Andy Turner

CHRIS COLEMAN is stepping up his bid to draft new players in to help Coventry City's increasingly nerve-wracking relegation battle.Although not quite panicking just yet, the Sky Blues boss admits his goal-shy attack needs help and he is going all out to get it before the loan deadline a week on Thursday.

But the task is proving somewhat frustrating after already failing to get Bolton's Icelandic international Heidar Helguson, who used to play for Coleman at Fulham, Freddy Eastwood from Wolves and Gary McSheffrey from Birmingham - the latter two City will attempt to buy in the summer.

All three are current squad members at their respective clubs and their managers won't let them out at this stage of the season, unlike a number of players at Premiership clubs that Coleman has been critical of because they would rather sit and take their wages without playing.

City have also been offered several players but they have not been up to the required standard, so the search goes on.