Correctly me if i'm wrong, but a striker has not scored a league goal since Martyn Waghorn (remember him) netted against Derby at The Valley on the 15th December, 11 league goals.
The fact that our midfielders have stepped up to the mark in the last couple of months have been a real redeeming feature. But as much as anyone wants to go on about the skills and promise of Dicko, and the workrate of Burton or Kandol, it is goals that are going to win us games and claw back that gap.
We need to a striker to find a rich vein of form pretty sharpish.
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You've only got to remember how many times midfielders, always seem to be on the end of pullbacks or following up - or especially in Bailey's case, come through from deep into forward positions.
It's all part of a cunning plan.
But seriously, our goals have come from these midfielders getting forward into positions where they are difficult to get picked up by defenders - and the striker(s) have made the runs to take defenders out of position.
Even so, people like Dicko are going to plunder a goal on a 1-on-1 or a follow up, sooner or later.
Like he did at Sheff Utd a few matches ago.
only nine league goals actually since that Derby game. So we have scored only 9 in ten games and none of them from strikers. A recipe for survival.
the flip side is two clean sheets in a row. At least by getting ourselves defensively correct we are giving ourselves a platform. Ward seems to be a good addition in that respect.
We just need it to turn at the other end now.
Dont worry, go on the OS sometime today, there will be a full blown match report on him no doubt.
"SEAGULLS"
What I would say is that Parky has set the team up to play very narrow. On Saturday, Soares had little impact playing wide and spent most of the game protecting and supporting Murty. Playing this narrow requires the full backs to push on when we are attacking which they really didn't do on Saturday until the last quarter of the game. Consequently the attackers were supplied mainly with balls up to heads for flick ons or two feet with the backs to goal. On the odd occasion we put crosses into the box they were either over or under hit. Dickson tried his best to create something out of nothing for much of the game. However as the game wore on, space started to open up in front of Barnsleys defence and the defenders tired and Dickson on a couple of occasions broke forward, one of his shots hit their No 4 who managed to deflect it over the bar from almost on the line.
Having seen the two strikers, I feel that Kandol is the weaker link, however it's also about the quality of the ball into them and that was lacking on Saturday. I'd like to see the full backs getting wide and whipping balls in from more advanced positions,then I think we'll see the strikers scoring.
It strikes me, we are missing exactly what Moo2 used to give us on the right coming forward, although the fact we are not conceding also proves why he's not in the side. ;o)
The creativity and unpredictability of players like Shelvey with his distribution and reading of the game, and Sam for his trickery and ability to take on a defender in dangerous areas for opponents are also missed, perhaps.
But these players are on the bench, so no doubt will get used if Parky considers the game demands it.
Meanwhile, the very solidity of the midfield now, takes away much of the pressure our defence was once under constantly defending on their own 18 yard line.
The 2 pacy front runners also means opposing defences try to deny them space to run, thus playing deeper - which enables us to play further up the park - and our midfielders within striking distance of a decent shot on goal.
I feel at long last, we're making noticeable steps forward.
Mmmmm...more hope than reality me thinks!
Seriously though, the point about Moo2 is a valid one, the problem is Parky has turned to his mate and experienced campaigner Murty who, defensively is pretty sound.
Its a balance and my take is that Parky has tried to stablise things by making us less vulnerable to attack by playing narrow in midfield. That has worked well except that unfortunately individual defensive errors have cost us points in games. That happens I'm afraid when players are playing with no confidence.
What is beginning to happen, is a growing confidence especially defensively. That came over loud and clear on Saturday with Hudson and the outstanding Ward at the heart of our defence. Some of the defensive improvement has been down to the way the midfield has been lined up with four across the middle and less width, other than Soares on occasions.
Up until the last two or three games, with the largely static Burton and or Gray up front, we have not carried any great offensive threat, the "out ball" has always seemed to be a punt up field for an almost impossible burst through the middle by either, or for them to somehow hold the ball up and players to get up to support from very deep positions.
With Racon now in the team, we have somebody who can link midfield play much better and playing two strikers they can play off one another.
To my way of thinking especially away from home, we sit too deep and cede too much territory but we are improving and will get better. On Saturday we were the team pressing hard at the end and that shows a change of mentality which bodes well for the run in.
But those 4 midfielders playing as a tight unit evidently denies opponents creative space, taking pressure off the defence and playing higher up the park.
We might have sacrificed a little flair - but we're looking solid and much stronger.
As the confidence gradually returns, then I'm sure we going to see players try more creativity.
We've got some good players, but needed to gel them into a team.
That's happening now.
Get the confidence issue right - and the results look after themselves.
Time is not on our side, so it seems - but there is still time enough.
I've been banging on about this for weeks.
although I am trying to stay optimistic, unless one of our strikers suddenly hits form then I can't see where the goals are going to come from to keep us up.
If not,were definitely F*****.
A lot more in hope!