We've tried every option we have up front - Now for the kids

[davejohnno1]

Crouch started the season as our front man and was the best part of absolutely useless and was replaced by KJ.

KJ came in, had two very decent games followed by 3 shit ones and after Norwich at home I was advocating trying Arnatovic through the middle.

We tried Arnie through the middle at Fulham and that didn't work either as he wanted to be here there and everywhere and after that, during the international break, I suggested merit in playing Walters up front and flanking him with Assaidi and Arnie.

Well we did just that yesterday and that didn't work either. Walters was every bit as hopeless as the two before him, arguably even worse. He ran like he had a piano strapped to his back, barely made an aerial challenge difficult for their centre halves all game, struggled to run the channels and was unceremoniously subbed when he let another simple pass run through his feet in into the keepers arms.

KJ came on and whilst we were more lively for 10 minutes, Bowen and Eddie were soon bollocking him for not challenging for headers, not running and basically standing around like he hadn't got a care in the world.

Given that we have pretty much tried everything, surely one of the youngsters, Waring or Alabi, can't do any worse than the useless wankers we currently have plying their trade masquerading as centre forwards.

Crouch is finished, Walters is absolutely toss and KJ is a mixture of can't be arsed and wank. The 3 of them are the best part of absolutely useless and surely a raw, enthusiastic youngster can't do any worse than those 3. They just can't!

I don't really know where we go from here but with no goal threat and no heart or energy in midfield, there is only one way this current Stoke City team is heading.

[scfcwebby]

Oct 20, 2013 13:13:28 GMT davejohnno1 said:

Crouch started the season as our front man and was the best part of absolutely useless and was replaced by KJ.

KJ came in, had two very decent games followed by 3 shit ones and after Norwich at home I was advocating trying Arnatovic through the middle.

We tried Arnie through the middle at Fulham and that didn't work either as he wanted to be here there and everywhere and after that, during the international break, I suggested merit in playing Walters up front and flanking him with Assaidi and Arnie.

Well we did just that yesterday and that didn't work either. Walters was every bit as hopeless as the two before him, arguably even worse. He ran like he had a piano strapped to his back, barely made an aerial challenge difficult for their centre halves all game, struggled to run the channels and was unceremoniously subbed when he let another simple pass run through his feet in into the keepers arms.

KJ came on and whilst we were more lively for 10 minutes, Bowen and Eddie were soon bollocking him for not challenging for headers, not running and basically standing around like he hadn't got a care in the world.

Given that we have pretty much tried everything, surely one of the youngsters, Waring or Alabi, can't do any worse than the useless wankers we currently have plying their trade masquerading as centre forwards.

Crouch is finished, Walters is absolutely toss and KJ is a mixture of can't be arsed and wank. The 3 of them are the best part of absolutely useless and surely a raw, enthusiastic youngster can't do any worse than those 3. They just can't!

I don't really know where we go from here but with no goal threat and no heart or energy in midfield, there is only one way this current Stoke City team is heading.

I mentioned Alabi on the formation thread mate, I don't know what we have got to lose? We aren't scoring now so why not play a wildcard and give it a go, if we don't score we are no worse off that when we started. Why do we seem to be the only club that will not put any faith into a promising youngster?

[werrington]

If Hughes threw one in then it would smack of desperation and we are nowhere near that Dave

That's not saying put one on the bench though

[maninasuitcase]

Oct 20, 2013 13:16:33 GMT scfcwebby said:

Oct 20, 2013 13:13:28 GMT davejohnno1 said:

Crouch started the season as our front man and was the best part of absolutely useless and was replaced by KJ.

KJ came in, had two very decent games followed by 3 shit ones and after Norwich at home I was advocating trying Arnatovic through the middle.

We tried Arnie through the middle at Fulham and that didn't work either as he wanted to be here there and everywhere and after that, during the international break, I suggested merit in playing Walters up front and flanking him with Assaidi and Arnie.

Well we did just that yesterday and that didn't work either. Walters was every bit as hopeless as the two before him, arguably even worse. He ran like he had a piano strapped to his back, barely made an aerial challenge difficult for their centre halves all game, struggled to run the channels and was unceremoniously subbed when he let another simple pass run through his feet in into the keepers arms.

KJ came on and whilst we were more lively for 10 minutes, Bowen and Eddie were soon bollocking him for not challenging for headers, not running and basically standing around like he hadn't got a care in the world.

Given that we have pretty much tried everything, surely one of the youngsters, Waring or Alabi, can't do any worse than the useless wankers we currently have plying their trade masquerading as centre forwards.

Crouch is finished, Walters is absolutely toss and KJ is a mixture of can't be arsed and wank. The 3 of them are the best part of absolutely useless and surely a raw, enthusiastic youngster can't do any worse than those 3. They just can't!

I don't really know where we go from here but with no goal threat and no heart or energy in midfield, there is only one way this current Stoke City team is heading.

I mentioned Alabi on the formation thread mate, I don't know what we have got to lose? We aren't scoring now so why not play a wildcard and give it a go, if we don't score we are no worse off that when we started. Why do we seem to be the only club that will not put any faith into a promising youngster?

I said Alabi a while back and got promptly laughed at.
He surely can't be any worse can he?

[Jamo on the wing]

And only £20m in fees between them.

It's depressing at just how ineffectual they all are for a mixture of reasons ranging from lack of ability to lack of desire and application.

Turning to the kids is a pretty radical and desperate idea but you have to ask the question, can they be any worse than we've seen from these senior professionals?

It would be a very bold move from Hughes or any other manager in these circumstances.

[davejohnno1]

Oct 20, 2013 13:18:47 GMT werrington said:

If Hughes threw one in then it would smack of desperation and we are nowhere near that Dave

That's not saying put one on the bench though

We look pretty desperate to me Wezza, particularly in the final 3rd of the pitch where we carry absolutely no threat whatsoever.

[Jamo on the wing]

Oct 20, 2013 13:26:50 GMT davejohnno1 said:

Oct 20, 2013 13:18:47 GMT werrington said:

If Hughes threw one in then it would smack of desperation and we are nowhere near that Dave

That's not saying put one on the bench though

We look pretty desperate to me Wezza, particularly in the final 3rd of the pitch where we carry absolutely no threat whatsoever.

The problem is that you can play all the good football you want in your own half and in front of the opposition.

The cutting edge comes from being able to play the ball into the striker and it sticking so midfielders can make runs in behind him.

All that happens is the ball keeps coming back after wank centre forward play.

[unknown182]

If it's goals we're looking for i would give Waring a go before Alabi. But I think Alabi would bully opposition defenses more than KJ or Crouch

[redwhite]

I'd rather make use of Crouch and KJ. I know they've been pretty shit on the whole, but they can score goals and I don't see how playing someone who scored 1 in 9 for Scunthorpe is a good idea. From what I've heard he does have potential but at the moment he's surely just a poor man's Jones?

[Bombus]

Brekken hasn't been tried yet

[bayernoatcake]

Alabi has to be on the bench against Brum as a minimum for me. Personally I'd start him with Crouch in that game but to not try him in the League Cup is negligible with the situation we find ourselves in imo.

[banburypotter]

Two strikers, two wingers, a defensive midfielder, and an attacking midfielder, and a bit of confidence in each players ability would be a start. We seem to be flooding the midfield, with a disregard for everything else, because we are worried about being overrun in that department.
If we keep the faith with the keeper, and back 4,which does not appear to be at fault, and get the middle and front players to have a bit of self belief, we may just get somewhere

[Trouserdog]

Another desperation thread.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Alabi

Have a read of that- Brian Laws describes him as the new John Gayle. What a recommendation eh?

There's just no evidence that the kid is anywhere near ready. All he is, is the best player in an absolutely terrible team (our Under 21s). We could make things a LOT worse by throwing in somebody who is just nowhere near the required standard.

[bayernoatcake]

Oct 20, 2013 13:43:59 GMT Trouserdog said:

Another desperation thread.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Alabi

Have a read of that- Brian Laws describes him as the new John Gayle. What a recommendation eh?

There's just no evidence that the kid is anywhere near ready. All he is, is the best player in an absolutely terrible team (our Under 21s). We could make things a LOT worse by throwing in somebody who is just nowhere near the required standard.

How could it get worse? Walters might as well not have been on yesterday, I can't see how it can get worse than that. We're in desperation street when it comes to strikers imo. For now I'd give KJ another go but if he does his usual than Shea and Alabi become valid options in my head. It's that desperate.

[trigger]

Still amazed we let Jerome go out on loan and the club are 100% to blame and they'll reap the rewards when they lose countless millions with relegation.

Pathetic, niave, amateurish etc etc

[Trouserdog]

Oct 20, 2013 13:48:36 GMT bayernoatcake said:

Oct 20, 2013 13:43:59 GMT Trouserdog said:

Another desperation thread.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Alabi

Have a read of that- Brian Laws describes him as the new John Gayle. What a recommendation eh?

There's just no evidence that the kid is anywhere near ready. All he is, is the best player in an absolutely terrible team (our Under 21s). We could make things a LOT worse by throwing in somebody who is just nowhere near the required standard.

How could it get worse? Walters might as well not have been on yesterday, I can't see how it can get worse than that. We're in desperation street when it comes to strikers imo. For now I'd give KJ another go but if he does his usual than Shea and Alabi become valid options in my head. It's that desperate.

Is it heck.

Tweak the system to 4-2-3-1 or even go 4-4-2, give Jones a run of games until January and just accept that we'll get some blinders and probably plenty of stinkers along the way. If he's on from, KJ can make the 4-3-3 system work too- we've seen evidence of that already. It's not guesswork or blind faith, we know that it can happen.

We're not going to score many but as long as we can binary our way along until January, things will be sorted out in the transfer window. Sticking shea or Alabi up front now is just suicidal.

People need to think about what they're saying, but at the moment it just seems like a mass panic has enveloped the message board and all kinds of crap is being spouted as a result.

[bunnyscfc]

I seriously cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would want Peter Crouch anywhere near the pitch.

[Pugsley]

For a club like Stoke City not to have at least one youngster on the bench is nothing short of criminal.

The short sighted approach of the previous regime is hurting us big time, just like I've been saying for years.

[bayernoatcake]

Oct 20, 2013 20:28:23 GMT Trouserdog said:

Oct 20, 2013 13:48:36 GMT bayernoatcake said:

How could it get worse? Walters might as well not have been on yesterday, I can't see how it can get worse than that. We're in desperation street when it comes to strikers imo. For now I'd give KJ another go but if he does his usual than Shea and Alabi become valid options in my head. It's that desperate.

Is it heck.

Tweak the system to 4-2-3-1 or even go 4-4-2, give Jones a run of games until January and just accept that we'll get some blinders and probably plenty of stinkers along the way. If he's on from, KJ can make the 4-3-3 system work too- we've seen evidence of that already. It's not guesswork or blind faith, we know that it can happen.

We're not going to score many but as long as we can binary our way along until January, things will be sorted out in the transfer window. Sticking shea or Alabi up front now is just suicidal.

People need to think about what they're saying, but at the moment it just seems like a mass panic has enveloped the message board and all kinds of crap is being spouted as a result.

I'd give Jones a run but I don't like it and find that in itself pretty desperate because he simply doesn't deserve it. I just don't see the point in persevering with a bloke who we know is pretty poor and won't do what we need from the man up front to do. And even though our general play improved when he came on yesterday, I still thought he was pretty dreadful. Now seems like the perfect time to me to test someone like Alabi out, I really don't think there is anything we could lose such is the level of performance that we've had from our strikers in the past two years. If this was just a mini blip I'd agree but it isn't. This is systematic failure over a long time from our strikers. I don't see why we should stick with them. And like I said for me playing KJ is desperation.

[geoff321]

If we can get 8 points when scoring just 4 goals, imagine the position when the goals start going in.

[Deleted]

The scouts and recruitment department at this club need a rocket up their arses.

Not even in November and we're talking about chucking kids in that have failed at Scunthorpe?

Seriously?

[bayernoatcake]

Oct 20, 2013 20:49:48 GMT theonlooker said:

The scouts and recruitment department at this club need a rocket up their arses.

Not even in November and we're talking about chucking kids in that have failed at Scunthorpe?

Seriously?

He failed? They loved him at Scunthorpe!

[Deleted]

Oct 20, 2013 20:51:27 GMT bayernoatcake said:

Oct 20, 2013 20:49:48 GMT theonlooker said:

The scouts and recruitment department at this club need a rocket up their arses.

Not even in November and we're talking about chucking kids in that have failed at Scunthorpe?

Seriously?

He failed? They loved him at Scunthorpe!

We need goals Bayern. 1 in 9 at Scunthorpe as they got relegated to the fourth tier.

He's not the answer.

I dare say this is why they loved him, no doubt after his one and only goal for them...

[Deleted]

Jones up top with Pennant on the right. Whip balls into the box.

I imagine that would help.

[Pugsley]

Oct 20, 2013 20:49:48 GMT theonlooker said:

The scouts and recruitment department at this club need a rocket up their arses.

Not even in November and we're talking about chucking kids in that have failed at Scunthorpe?

Seriously?

Too late now mate. It should have been addressed years ago but was neglected.

[Deleted]

Oct 20, 2013 21:00:33 GMT Pugsley said:

Oct 20, 2013 20:49:48 GMT theonlooker said:

The scouts and recruitment department at this club need a rocket up their arses.

Not even in November and we're talking about chucking kids in that have failed at Scunthorpe?

Seriously?

Too late now mate. It should have been addressed years ago but was neglected.

Token post mate. Rhetoric or whatever you want to call it.

God i'm depressed.

[Trouserdog]

Oct 20, 2013 20:37:02 GMT bayernoatcake said:

Oct 20, 2013 20:28:23 GMT Trouserdog said:

Is it heck.

Tweak the system to 4-2-3-1 or even go 4-4-2, give Jones a run of games until January and just accept that we'll get some blinders and probably plenty of stinkers along the way. If he's on from, KJ can make the 4-3-3 system work too- we've seen evidence of that already. It's not guesswork or blind faith, we know that it can happen.

We're not going to score many but as long as we can binary our way along until January, things will be sorted out in the transfer window. Sticking shea or Alabi up front now is just suicidal.

People need to think about what they're saying, but at the moment it just seems like a mass panic has enveloped the message board and all kinds of crap is being spouted as a result.

I'd give Jones a run but I don't like it and find that in itself pretty desperate because he simply doesn't deserve it. I just don't see the point in persevering with a bloke who we know is pretty poor and won't do what we need from the man up front to do. And even though our general play improved when he came on yesterday, I still thought he was pretty dreadful. Now seems like the perfect time to me to test someone like Alabi out, I really don't think there is anything we could lose such is the level of performance that we've had from our strikers in the past two years. If this was just a mini blip I'd agree but it isn't. This is systematic failure over a long time from our strikers. I don't see why we should stick with them. And like I said for me playing KJ is desperation.

Yet there's far more evidence that KJ has got it in his locker than a kid who has played 9 games for Scunthorpe.

There's a time and a place for blooding Alabi; perhaps after we've seen how he does in the Championship, and we can bring him in without the crowd getting restless and writing him off when he makes the sort of fuck ups that 18-year-old kids inevitably make.

Playing Jones isn't desperate, it's just the best of a bad bunch of options. The man has done it for us in the past, started the seaosn well, but had a couple of bad games. To start talking about throwing youth teamers in at this stage is just absolutely ludicrous. It's like Chris kamara 1998 stuff- trialists, youth teamers, tramps who were wandering past...the old "It can't get any worse" DID get worse...much,much worse.

We have to keep our heads and stay calm, not start throwing people into the team based on nothing more than blind faith. You've watched him more than anyone and even you've said on numerous occasions that he's not good enough. I've seen him play one game and I agree. Why the sudden clamour for his inclusion?

[bayernoatcake]

Oct 20, 2013 20:52:37 GMT theonlooker said:

Oct 20, 2013 20:51:27 GMT bayernoatcake said:

He failed? They loved him at Scunthorpe!

We need goals Bayern. 1 in 9 at Scunthorpe as they got relegated to the fourth tier.

He's not the answer.

I dare say this is why they loved him, no doubt after his one and only goal for them...

He was used mainly as a sub. I really don't think playing him against Brum is that daft of an idea. If he does well then we can build from it. If he doesn't he goes back to the U-21's. We need a striker. The only options we have that haven't been tested are him, Waring and I don't mind the Shea idea either. Not trying it just seems like giving up to me.

[Deleted]

Oct 20, 2013 21:04:43 GMT Trouserdog said:

Oct 20, 2013 20:37:02 GMT bayernoatcake said:

I'd give Jones a run but I don't like it and find that in itself pretty desperate because he simply doesn't deserve it. I just don't see the point in persevering with a bloke who we know is pretty poor and won't do what we need from the man up front to do. And even though our general play improved when he came on yesterday, I still thought he was pretty dreadful. Now seems like the perfect time to me to test someone like Alabi out, I really don't think there is anything we could lose such is the level of performance that we've had from our strikers in the past two years. If this was just a mini blip I'd agree but it isn't. This is systematic failure over a long time from our strikers. I don't see why we should stick with them. And like I said for me playing KJ is desperation.

Yet there's far more evidence that KJ has got it in his locker than a kid who has played 9 games for Scunthorpe.

There's a time and a place for blooding Alabi; perhaps after we've seen how he does in the Championship, and we can bring him in without the crowd getting restless and writing him off when he makes the sort of fuck ups that 18-year-old kids inevitably make.

Playing Jones isn't desperate, it's just the best of a bad bunch of options. The man has done it for us in the past, started the seaosn well, but had a couple of bad games. To start talking about throwing youth teamers in at this stage is just absolutely ludicrous. It's like Chris kamara 1998 stuff- trialists, youth teamers, tramps who were wandering past...the old "It can't get any worse" DID get worse...much,much worse.

We have to keep our heads and stay calm, not start throwing people into the team based on nothing more than blind faith. You've watched him more than anyone and even you've said on numerous occasions that he's not good enough. I've seen him play one game and I agree. Why the sudden clamour for his inclusion?

Brilliant

[Deleted]

Oct 20, 2013 21:05:33 GMT bayernoatcake said:

Oct 20, 2013 20:52:37 GMT theonlooker said:

We need goals Bayern. 1 in 9 at Scunthorpe as they got relegated to the fourth tier.

He's not the answer.

I dare say this is why they loved him, no doubt after his one and only goal for them...

He was used mainly as a sub. I really don't think playing him against Brum is that daft of an idea. If he does well then we can build from it. If he doesn't he goes back to the U-21's. We need a striker. The only options we have that haven't been tested are him, Waring and I don't mind the Shea idea either. Not trying it just seems like giving up to me.

Brum fair enough, there might be an argument to say it's a reasonable step up from Scunthorpe to see if he can handle it (although i'd rather see him at League One level for a season first..), give him game time after the game is won (snigger).

Chucking him in at Premiership level is blatant negligence that could completely wreck his career.