Gray

TEL

Like the Youga thread....I dont think this will be popular

I think Gray needed to hit the ground running with us, and has failed so far.....with Varney sticking to the left wing and looking very good....Gray has been sitting deeper...like he was playing just behind the centre forward.....but he is the centre forward!!!!.....a few times in the last three or four games, the crosses have come in and we have had only one player in the box, and invariably it hasnt been a forward and has usually overshot them...

Yes Gray holds the ball up well and he did lay on the first goal with his flicked header yesterday, but he doesnt look like a striker at the moment and if he is anything like Varney, he is going to need half a season to settle in...something we cant afford. Just my opinion, not looking for a bun fight.

northstandsteve

Tel I totally agree but I think we will get pelters,unfortunately we dont seem to have a out and out striker.Never in a month of sundays would i have paid £1.5 million for a 30 year old journeyman.I was impressed with his hold up play yesterday but we need goals.Varney runs the channels and is never goin to be a out and out striker.Gray has played for quite a few clubs over the years but never regularly in the top level and I think we have paid a million over the odds.For a six month period I would have taken Andy Cole.He could have done the job Mark Bright did for us when we went up.Our problem is we dont score enough goals and I dont see Gray as the answer to our problems.Watchin Stoke's goals from Friday night,how well Fuller done.Could or would Stoke have been in a position to turn £1.5 million for him.I think he would have been a better option.

rufusisadogsname

There´s a lot of luck when a striker joins a new club, you have to get the first goal soon, or else you make it hard for yourself. Baby Bent scored on his debut for us, and went on to get 4 out of 4. But, at Spuds, he didn´t score in 3 and was dropped.

Big Chris didn´t look as if he was going to be a reg. starter, but then got 2 against Sheff Wed, and went on a run for a few months. McCloud didn´t get lucky, and now he´s written off despite only starting 2 or 3 games in the league.

Same goes with Mendonca. Got the fans on his side by scoring early in his CAFC career, and now is a hero. Hunt took a while, and put up with abuse until becoming top scorer next season.

Hopefully Gray takes each game at a time. He´s experienced, and let´s hope he scores soon. For me, if he´s not doing well in the next couple of games, we bring back McCloud for a run. I liked the look of him and Luke against Blackpool. Pace scares defenders. Pardew has to play Gray, as he was the main signing in Jan. But, he also shelled out 1m for McCloud, who´s never been given a chance.

nth_london_addick

what the feck are you too on pelters for stating the blooming obvious on here you are joking;-)

Ledge

have to agree he hasn;t looked like scoring either. he has set up a fair few but we need goals. we needed a striker and not many moaned when we signed him but he needs a goal and quick. maybe we need to be a bit more direct as that was what he was used to at Burnley

jimmymelrose

[cite]Posted By: nth london addick[/cite]what the feck are you too on pelters for stating the blooming obvious on here you are joking;-)

What language is this?

jimmymelrose

[cite]Posted By: northstandsteve[/cite]For a six month period I would have taken Andy Cole..

Easy to be wise after the event but I've been thinking the same.

AFKABartram

looks like its starting to get to him a little bit, i think his performance has dipped a little in the last couple of games compared to when he first joined, so i think he is getting frustrated and losing a bit of confidence.

I certainly would of expected some return by now, and i think he desperately needs something soon to get the monkey off his back. He isn't creating chances though, which is worrying me most. Link play is still good though, but that's alone is not really enough.

Hopefully he'll get one off his shin up at Blackpool which will get him off and running.

BlackForestReds

He's had a hand (well a head) in two goals at least, but is he playing a bit deep as a target player, with Varney playing off him, and therefore he's not getting the chances himself?

Certainly Varney seems to be a better player since he joined, or is that because Varney is getting more opportunities now?

jimmymelrose

[cite]Posted By: AFKA Bartram[/cite]he desperately needs something soon to get the monkey off his back.

That explains it - imagine trying to concentarte with those claws digging in and all that gibberish in your ear. People and their pets - never ceases to amaze me.

Smokin Ice

Pards didnt bank on todorov long term injury and dickson was a big blow for us. i say if Rambo can make a comeback lets Killer back for the last 5 minutes in every game.

Alex Wright

[cite]Posted By: Ledge[/cite]have to agree he hasn;t looked like scoring either. he has set up a fair few but we need goals. we needed a striker and not many moaned when we signed him but he needs a goal and quick. maybe we need to be a bit more direct as that was what he was used to at Burnley

He set up one of Varneys goals aganst Palarse with a nice flick on and nearly did the same after five minutes yesterday. Also got a flick that let Ambrose in to score. I do think he spends too much time with his back to goal but he needs time to get a partnership going. As others have said, a goal would do him the world of good..

Oggy Red

Pard's said soon after Christmas, that we've been missing Toddy and needed to replace him.

So he went and bought Andy Gray.

Where and how does Pards play him?
Tactically, exactly as he used Toddy.

Did Toddy set the team on fire when he first played?
Well, judging by the slagging off he got on this board, I guess he didn't make much of an early impression either.

Andy Gray is no doubt playing to instructions, exactly as Pards tells him.

Varney's got the free role. Gray plays where Pards tells him.

bingaddick

[cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]He's had a hand (well a head) in two goals at least, but is he playing a bit deep as a target player, with Varney playing off him, and therefore he's not getting the chances himself?

Certainly Varney seems to be a better player since he joined, or is that because Varney is getting more opportunities now?

I think this is right. Gray should have scored against Stoke and didn't. He does need a goal but as Oggy says he is doing exactly what Pards wants. His head set up the first yesterday, if Shittu hadn't got in the way with the second, he could have got on the end of that. Goals will come for him. I understand why some may be doubting him but keep the faith I say.

matt896

hopefully will get on a nice run soon, and fire us up the leauge

Kap10

[cite]Posted By: jimmymelrose[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: northstandsteve[/cite]For a six month period I would have taken Andy Cole..

Easy to be wise after the event but I've been thinking the same.

I bet any hint of Cole joining us and we woul;d have been comparing to JFH and been vehemently against it.

BlackForestReds

Difference is that Cole would have been a loan signing, JFH was 100% ours.

matt896

[quote][cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]Difference is that Cole would have been a loan signing, JFH was 100% ours.[/quote]

and fu*king big waste of wages at that. should of been a defender the amounts of our shots he blocked with his big slow ass.

BlackForestReds

There's always a risk when you take on players past their prime - di Canio was excellent, JFH a waste of wages, although he came off the back of a decent season at Middlesboro, in hindsight I'd rather Walker or a kid from the reserves had played, but that's history. Bear in mind there were some around here who advocated signing Robbie Fowler when Liverpool released him...

charlton_carl

think he is a very good player. the link up play he brings to the side has allowed us to look a better side. i thought he had a great first half, and like the rest of the team had a poor second half.

This man has scored goals at this level for yrs but hasn't us, so maybe its down to the supply the bloke is getting

razil

Think I Iwelumo on for Ambrose at beginning of second half might have been a very good idea considering Watfords physical presence/height/game play?

Elthamaddick

Varney is better in the air than Iwelumo every day of the week

WSS

[cite]Posted By: KenTred[/cite]Iwelumo can't jump!

He can score though.

Still our joint top scorer despite not starting for a few games.

razil

not sure about that but he's big, has presence, and knocks people about and wins stuff in the air, er and he scores goals, well he did a little while back...

matt896

iwelumo is a donkey plain and simple got lucky with a few goals but varney and gray are both a lot better and are actually better at holding up the ball. varney is deff better in the air aswell.

razil

rubbish...

:P

WSS

[cite]Posted By: matt896[/cite]iwelumo is a donkey plain and simple got lucky with a few goals but varney and gray are both a lot better and are actually better at holding up the ball. varney is deff better in the air aswell.

"Got lucky"?? What like his turn and shot at Sheff Weds? His towering header at Bristol City and Southampton?

Every game Iwelumo has scored in, bar WBA away we have won.

Calling him a donkey is ridiculous.

matt896

varney is better in the air. gray is much better at holding the ball up and distributing the ball, also much better link up play. iwelumo is slow, and cant jump, and just seems to be slower at making decisions. also when ever he's on we just smash long balls at him which is stupid, cause he doesnt win enough headers, especially for his size.

matt896

[quote][cite]Posted By: KenTred[/cite]I think iwelumo's main problem is he cant judge the flight of a ball so he is always falling into the defenders without jumping giving away free kicks[/quote]

he's just not very good anymore.

golfaddick

How Razil can say that he knocks people about I just don't know.

Big Chris's biggest failing is that for a big man he just doesn't ruffle any feathers. Most centre halves he comes up against don't know they have been in game - not like our 2 when faced against the likes of Beattie, Henderson or Fuller for example.