Another striker debate post.

Im still struggling to understand why we spent a million euros on thiam if Hecky wasn't confident he could slot straight into the team. I think five weeks on and hes got what 45min league action at most. He must wonder whats going on at times. Wouldn't we have been better going in for bogle or getting in early for ollie watkins with an offer.

Also i know mcburnie deal collapsed late but i think paddy madden at scunny might have done a job at our level or eoin doyle as a cheap loan for a season if we wanted a lanky type striker.
Just a couple of thoughts. Sensible comments appreciated you don.t have to agree.

 

Thiam has nearly scored as many goals as Bogle has in 16 championship games.

And he cost £1m quid.

 

Hecky said in an interview this week (can't remember if it was pre or post match) that he wont hang players out to dry and will only put them in the team when they're ready/up to scratch with the training methods/way he wants us to play.

We could have signed Bogle and the exact same thing happened. The few minutes I've seen him play he looks promising and gradually phasing him into the team seems fine to me.

When Hecky deems he's ready that's good enough for me.

 

What I will say about Thiam and you could include Stevie Mallan in this also, is that they're a long term investment, they're on 3 year deals. They won't be moving on in the summer (unless they break into the team and perform above predicted) and so there's little need to force them into a team that they might not necessarily fit into straight away.

A prime example of us taking our time with a player is Ryan Hedges. He was brought in back in January, had little game time up to the end of the season and now is a fairly regular first team-er. Come January both Thiam and Mallan could be first team regulars.

 

When you consider how long it took for Hourihane and Winnall to reach their best game with us, it's very early days with Mamadou. I firmly believe that once he is fit to our standards, and fully trained in the role Hecky wants him to occupy for us we will see a truly exceptional player. Notwithstanding his contract length, I think that holding on to him next Summer, or possibly even in January will become an issue.

 

He came in late, hadn't had a pre season with us, and is settling into a new country. He was never going to be thrown straight in.
His performance against Millwall was very encouraging.

 

There won't be an issue. If we get a decent offer we will sell.

 

Exactly.
Anyone can see that.
When they are ready - they will play.

My concern - as I've expressed 1000 times on here - but seeing that the issue has been raised again, is this:
The club put all their eggs in one basket with the signing of McBurnie.
When that didn't happen they had no plan B.

We now have been left with 2 small strikers in Bradshaw and Thiam and one slight striker in Ugbo.
We haven't managed to get hold of an old fashioned tall strong target man.
And that's going to limit Heckys striker options which could cost us dear.

Hecky says he likes to play 2 strikers - I don't think the strikers available to him will allow him to play that system.
I'd be very surprised come January if the club signed any other players - other than tall strong strikers.

And I would imagine Hammill and Barnes will be praying for that type of striker to be signed by the club - because their game would greatly improve if there was someone in the middle that could head the ball.

 

Tom Bradshaw has seven goals already, Nudger. Two were headers.

McBurnie isn't a target man.

 

How many times do you have to be told that McBurnie isnt a target man?

 

Well I've been told that numerous times on here.
But then again - Hecky says that McBurnie offers something different as he is a threat in the air.
So sorry - I've chosen to listen to Hecky on this one.

 

I've no idea if McBurnie is a target man or not. I've never seen him play. You may well be right. But being good in the air doesn't necessarily make you a target man type forward.

Winnall was excellent in the air, he scored a lot of goals with headers last season. He's as good a finisher with his head as I've seen play for us, and his ability to drift into the space between the two centre halves is unmatched in my time watching Barnsley. It also helped that we had Hourihane putting in such accurate crosses. But for all Winnall's ability in the air, you'd never describe him as a target man.

Best target man I've seen play for us is Trevor Aylott. He scored some goals with his head, the winner against Man City in the cup being the most memorable. But that didn't make him a target man, it was his ability to hold up the ball and bring his teammates into play that led us all to that description. Didn't matter if the ball was played up to his head or his chest or his feet, the ball would stick to him. He'd control it, fend off the opposition centre half and play the ball to Parker or Banks or Glavin. Paul Wilkinson was a close second in his ability to do this. McBurnie may be good at it too, I don't know, but it'll be his size and strength, his willingness to battle and his close control that will make him good at it rather than his ability in the air, which is a great string to your bow if you're a big bloke, but it's a different skill and doesn't always make you a good target man.

 

Better than Shipperly????

 

I was just wondering about that myself. Shipperley was a much more versatile player than Wilkinson, and obviously scored far more goals. But for playing the role of target man, laying the ball off and bringing others into play, I reckon Wilkinson just shades it. He seemed to be able to control a ball played into him at any height or angle, no matter how seemingly awkward. That skill was like gold dust when counter attacking. So many balls cleared out of defence or moved quickly forward were used purposefully that season, primarily by using Bullock and Marcelle as outlets, but also because of Wilkinson chasing things down, keeping the ball in play, and winning challenges he had no right to win. A tremendously effective player

 

Best target man I have seen play for us was Shipperley then Wilkinson and Big Trev, IMHO.

 

Good comments.

 

Big Trev was good. As were Shipps and Wilkinson as mentioned. I'd also throw Ashley Ward into the mix. Maybe not with his head, but once he'd trapped it on his chest or thigh there weren't many defenders could budge him.
Craig Davies wasn't too bad at it either, but not in the same class as above.