All I want for Christmas is.......a striker!

[fulwoodshrimp]

Another good performance against Port Vale spoilt by only on thing- no goals for the shrimps. How many games this season have we played well but failed to score. This is becoming a worry and we desperately need a striker in the January window. Clearly the manager isn't going to play Charlie Brown for whatever reason and Marcus Dackers wins lots of aerial duels and works hard but doesn't seem to have any goals in him. Oh for a return of Stockton in his prime to recue the situation! I know this is unlikely to happen but we need a striker to gain us the points needed to avoid the dreaded relegation. Please can we spend the money from our cup runs in the January window to bring in someone who'll score some goals and rescue our season. Please Santa grant my wish and help us retain our league status.

[Billy bodger]

“Is the money won the Clubs, then if it is I hope the BoDs see that any money has to go to getting some new players in at the January transfer window, no ifs no buts, keep your fingers off it Jason”.

That was part of a post on a similar topic, but is relevant for this topic. I just hope as Fulwood shrimp says it brings in a goal scorer, a prolific one is preferable.

Where do we find one of those?????

[black morse]

Another good performance against Port Vale spoilt by only on thing- no goals for the shrimps. How many games this season have we played well but failed to score. This is becoming a worry and we desperately need a striker in the January window. Clearly the manager isn't going to play Charlie Brown for whatever reason and Marcus Dackers wins lots of aerial duels and works hard but doesn't seem to have any goals in him. Oh for a return of Stockton in his prime to recue the situation! I know this is unlikely to happen but we need a striker to gain us the points needed to avoid the dreaded relegation. Please can we spend the money from our cup runs in the January window to bring in someone who'll score some goals and rescue our season. Please Santa grant my wish and help us retain our league status.

Even Cole has only scored 2 in 12 games this year. He only seems to be prolific when he plays for us....and he wasn't that prolific in his last season with us.

[BerlinWaller]

Totally agree that we are toothless and that is holding us back. It is so frustrating because the defence and midfield are more than holding their own.

I would also love to have a GK able to come out and collect crosses and corners.

[jbc.shrimp]

On the issue of the G.K. I agree B.W. it used to be the case of the G.K. moving off his line to catch the ball. It seems nowadays they are expected to stay on the line in case they miss the catch and let the defence deal with getting rid of the ball. As for the front line. Playing a lone forward is not working and for me Markus Dackers can go back to Salford come Jan. And despite how well the rest of the team played yesterday if D.A. will not change his methods we are playing conference next season.

[Wild Bill]

Get Stockton back

[Angler1]

Totally agree, we will be relegated if we don't get a couple of strikers that know how to score. I would be happy to take cole back on loan he doesn't seem to starting games at the moment..

[Little Shrimp]

Agree that Dackers does a lot of great work but sadly has pretty much zero nose for goal.

Think it's worth remembering though that there's a lot more to playing CF than just goals. Yes, I agree we could do with another forward, we need someone who can still manage the physical/more general demands as well as chip in with a few more goals.

It's why the calls for Charlie Brown are getting very irritating now. It's daft to act like if we just transplant him into the team nothing will change other than him grabbing a few extra goals. We'll lose out in our ability to play more direct and get the ball up the pitch quicker, and probably in our ability to press teams (which has been one of our best assets this season).

I'm up for another CF, but we need one who ticks more boxes than just 'might get a couple more goals'. Also think we really need a bit more quality in attacking midfield/No10.

[Scouseport_Shrimp]

Agree that Dackers does a lot of great work but sadly has pretty much zero nose for goal.

Think it's worth remembering though that there's a lot more to playing CF than just goals. Yes, I agree we could do with another forward, we need someone who can still manage the physical/more general demands as well as chip in with a few more goals.

It's why the calls for Charlie Brown are getting very irritating now. It's daft to act like if we just transplant him into the team nothing will change other than him grabbing a few extra goals. We'll lose out in our ability to play more direct and get the ball up the pitch quicker, and probably in our ability to press teams (which has been one of our best assets this season).

I'm up for another CF, but we need one who ticks more boxes than just 'might get a couple more goals'. Also think we really need a bit more quality in attacking midfield/No10.

100% agree.

[Born again Bill]

If Dackers had been any good Salford wouldn’t have let him go on loan , his running can only be described as laboured ,backs away from tackles and for his height doesn’t always get to headers! . Could the trust not use the money raised in the crowdfunder to sponsor a forward in the January window (if trust members agree ) .

[black morse]

If Dackers had been any good Salford wouldn’t have let him go on loan , his running can only be described as laboured ,backs away from tackles and for his height doesn’t always get to headers! . Could the trust not use the money raised in the crowdfunder to sponsor a forward in the January window (if trust members agree ) .

The Trust money raised was in case needed if club went into administration or to set up a new phoenix club not to be spent on something Jason should be shelling out for. e-mail the Trust and see what they say.

[Born again Bill]

If Dackers had been any good Salford wouldn’t have let him go on loan , his running can only be described as laboured ,backs away from tackles and for his height doesn’t always get to headers! . Could the trust not use the money raised in the crowdfunder to sponsor a forward in the January window (if trust members agree ) .

The Trust money raised was in case needed if club went into administration or to set up a new phoenix club not to be spent on something Jason should be shelling out for. e-mail the Trust and see what they say.

I agree with what you say about Whitingham ! , but £26k or whatever it is won’t make a s*&£e of difference if we go into administration but it could help keep our league status !

[redrobo]

Pity Christmas comes in December and not in May when my ideal Christmas would be guaranteed EFL2 survival.

Talking to a former Director yesterday both of us commented on the superb atmosphere thanks to both sets of fans who got behind their respective clubs in full voice. And we agreed that a return to non league would not see on a regular basis such an atmosphere as we witnessed yesterday.

It was bloody excellent from the whistle and one of the best I've witnessed at the Maz for some time.

A return to the doldrums of non league would see a dramatic fall in away attendances with only a handful at the most possibly being able to replicate yesterdays atmosphere.

Every section of the ground including 'oldies' like myself joined in and it was something that I would miss.....

Of course if a certain owner and the EFL would just get the deal on the table sorted then just maybe our survival as an EFL club could be possible with the addition of a striker......or two....

[Redalert1970]

Wouldn't call the National League the doldrums Neil

Most of the top 8 have been league clubs in the past plus the likes of Aldershot, Hartlepool and Southend make it a very very tough league

Having a club to support is far more important than what league we are in

Current average crowd for the 8 league games is 3406 which is decent for a team who are struggling and haven't won a home league game

[sandgrown]

[quote="fulwoodshrimp"]Another good performance against Port Vale spoilt by only on thing- no goals for the shrimps. How many games this season have we played well but failed to score. This is becoming a worry and we desperately need a striker in the January window. Clearly the manager isn't going to play Charlie Brown for whatever reason and Marcus Dackers wins lots of aerial duels and works hard but doesn't seem to have any goals in him. Oh for a return of Stockton in his prime to recue the situation! I know this is unlikely to happen but we need a striker to gain us the points needed to avoid the dreaded relegation. Please can we spend the money from our cup runs in the January window to bring in someone who'll score some goals and rescue our season. Please Santa grant my wish and help us retain our league status.[/quote

Yes from me please Santa ! King Cole

[redrobo]

Doldrums in my post above is my word to describe 'despondency'.....very difficult to get out of once in it....

[lancaster shrimp]

Doldrums in my post above is my word to describe 'despondency'.....very difficult to get out of once in it....

Correct. If we went down. I don't think we'd ever come back up.

[Billy bodger]

For me the best we played as an attacking side was when Dackers was up front with Angol for 30 mins and Angol went off injured.
A lone striker has to get the ball in the net way more than Davies does, thou I would say our midfield don’t feed of him as well as I would like, So it’s hard for the lad who you can see is trying his best.
The next round of games before New Year has to produce 20+ points, bringing in a striker in January will only work if we change our game, teams know we’re are threat is and they are all doing a good job shutting us out.
It’s all about staying in the league and we have a good chance in the games before New a year where we can pick up a good number of points, but we got to get it in the net.

[Billy bodger]

Davies!!!??? What the hell

Just need a regular goal scorer and we would pick up many more points.

[Billy bodger]

20+ points in all so another 10+ required. I’m down under so just woke up Mon morning’ I’m not awake
yet

[Westgate Wanderer]

Like it or not we need to get Stockton back! We know and he knows he's only ever been any good in a morecambe shirt. Score the goals to keep us up and he's back to hero status.

[redrobo]

Maybe if DA was to change his tactics and play 2 up front for 90 minutes we may have a chance of winning some very tight games.....BUT does a leopard change its spots...

On Saturday and in other games at the Maz this season teams put us under pressure both from their strikers and their midfield players who collectively play a high line in numbers.

All too often we have a single player up top with little if any support in the penalty area from midfieled.

In addition we never appear to get in front of a goalkeeper which other teams always seem to do.

A new striker would be excellent ( Cole would be more than welcome from me) but he must have support from midfield and 'fingers crossed' a fellow striker.....

[Keith]

Agree that Dackers does a lot of great work but sadly has pretty much zero nose for goal...

...It's why the calls for Charlie Brown are getting very irritating now...

I'm up for another CF, but we need one who ticks more boxes than just 'might get a couple more goals'. Also think we really need a bit more quality in attacking midfield/No10.

Do you not think that Dakers with Brown might work? As you said, Dackers doesn't have the 'nose for goal'. Brown does, or at least, a lot more than anyone else at the moment. He'd perhaps have read the game and gambled that split second earlier to get on the cross v Port Vale. It wasn't that dissimilar to the goal Brown got in the League Trophy in terms of 'reacting' and gambling as to where the cross was going. Not only has Dackers not scored, I can't remember him even getting shots or headers on target. I don't think Hope is the answer, either. Tollitt in a more central role, pushing forwards? Regardless, it isn't working at the moment.

Hopefully Dackers gets a goal on Saturday, and his confidence soars, leading to him scoring regularly, but I'm not holding my breath!

[marky No.1]

Dackers -
Matches played all comps 18
Assists 2
Yellows 1
Goals 0
Minutes played 1200+

[Little Shrimp]

Do you not think that Dakers with Brown might work? As you said, Dackers doesn't have the 'nose for goal'. Brown does, or at least, a lot more than anyone else at the moment. He'd perhaps have read the game and gambled that split second earlier to get on the cross v Port Vale. It wasn't that dissimilar to the goal Brown got in the League Trophy in terms of 'reacting' and gambling as to where the cross was going. Not only has Dackers not scored, I can't remember him even getting shots or headers on target. I don't think Hope is the answer, either. Tollitt in a more central role, pushing forwards? Regardless, it isn't working at the moment.

Hopefully Dackers gets a goal on Saturday, and his confidence soars, leading to him scoring regularly, but I'm not holding my breath!

You've kind of missed the point in the first sentence. Put Brown up front in a two with Dackers - and you've then changed the whole team/system which is generally working very well.

Do you go 3-5-2, and lose out on playing our wingers/attacking midfielders like Tollitt/Edwards who carry a large part of our threat? Or do you go to 4-4-2, and lose a key man in central midfield, including one of our main danger men in Lewis/Tollitt/Edwards?

I don't think there's enough there to really make a case for either. You're asking Derek to change a system/formation which is generally operating well (and drop players who are performing for him) to accommodate a player who isn't match fit, is decent but nowhere near the level of guaranteed quality that is being made out, and likely will not be able to carry out the off ball/running work that'll be required of him (I imagine this is a key reason why he's been snubbed).

Saying 'just put two up top' is, as it always tends to be, a complete over-simplification of the situation.