Do we still need a striker in to replace Norwood?

That's not true and different to what I've heard. I'm not happy your getting these non league players in... oh by the way I want to join Oldham in non league.

 

Yes.

 

Yeah, I get it too!

It would be madness to offer him a new deal, and if he's getting the security of a 3 year contract, closer to home, on anything close to what he was on here (or better money judging by Collins comments), he'd be daft not to take it, and we'd be daft to stop him.

 

But why would he then join a non league team?

I think it's as simple as, a club close to where he lives was willing to offer him a guaranteed 3 year deal, with a good wage, and considering he has to get 2 trains to Barnsley, he saw it as too good to be true. Neill Collins eluded to as much in his post match presser.

 

I don't think he looks anywhere near fit.

I believe he was injured when he came on loan, and only started once for us last season I think.

I'd certainly be starting him tonight I reckon, but I think Collins will go with Shaw and Dallas.

 

Yes, definitely. We need someone who will offer us what Norwood did, as some teams with big clogging centre backs will look to bully our strikers. Norwood stood up to them and gave it back. We need a striker to offer us that different option and shouldn’t let what was a freak result distract us from that. Port Vale had more shots than us and played us off the park for the first 25 minutes. After the first 20 minutes I don’t even reckon Harry Hopeful would have had us down to win 7-0. But we created better chances than them and our finishing was excellent. Not every game is going to work out that way.

It will likely have to be a loanee now though, unless we had a list of targets already drawn up for this eventuality, as we don’t want to be making a panic signing that we are stuck with.

 

No he didn’t. He started off by saying something about the details needing to remain secret. If Norwood had an offer of a longer contract, closer to home, that was too good to turn down, why not just say that? It’s a perfectly valid and uncontroversial reason to move clubs, so there would be no reason to keep that secret. When someone at a club says that details need to remain secret it is because there’s something they don’t want the fans knowing about.

I would have thought that moving clubs 2 days prior to the season starting and dropping from League One promotion contenders to a mid-table non-league club would be evidence enough that it’s a rushed deal. I know it’s a longer contract, but Norwood’s earned good money from the game and won’t be skint. And if a centre forward wouldn’t back himself to do well and earn a better contract somewhere at the end of the season he wouldn’t be a professional footballer, particularly after playing well last season, scoring the most goals in pre-season and being a likely starter in most games. If he wanted a longer deal his agent will have had the best part of a year to work on it, and I am sure Norwood could have got a better move than Oldham. It’s telling that he said he is gutted to be leaving. You’d normally hear something like that from someone who has been given a career move he couldn’t refuse, like Andersen.

Something happened to instigate this move and I would very much doubt it’s just the offer of a two year deal from a non-league club. That’s not to say the club is in the wrong or anything, but whatever happened it’s made our squad much weaker, as we will need a more physical striker most weeks.

 

But Norwood instigated the move. Collins says that. I really don't think it's as much of a conspiracy as many think (or dare I say hope). Collins has prefixed any transfer and contract extension chat so far with 'I can't go into too much detail', so that doesn't necessarily mean there's a big secret either. It really is as simple, in my opinion, as Oldham were interested, happy to give him a 3 year deal, and move him closer to home. He might not need the money, but neither does Jordan Henderson etc. It's not a move to enhance his career, it's a move to secure the next 3 years of his career.

 

none of our players ‘want’ to be at the club. It’s a job a better offer comes along and off they will go like we all would. Our club sets itself up as a stepping stone club so our players have even less than the normal desire to ‘be here’.

 

If there was the possibility of a target man type to offer a different option then I'd go for it. Then maybe loan out Marsh to get some minutes after his injury.

 

I’d be happy to resign Tedic. Like Toney he has something about him. Though that’s not to say it will ever come out. I assume Man City might want a higher level loan though.

 

Definitely need another striker for me. Shaw looked lost tonight, was barely involved. Dallas looked lively and Jalo and Marsh showed more in their short time on the pitch.
Maybe Shaw would benefit from a loan out if anyone will take him.

 

Shaw was a massive gamble at the time when we needed more bodies through the door. Unfortunately for him Norwood got fit, Cole was holding his own, Tedic buckled down, & we managed to get Watters through the door. Not only that but he simply isn’t good enough, that’s why the Scottish team weren’t playing him.

 

I’d be amazed if Shaw could regularly score or contribute meaningfully at L1 level. Love him to make me look like an idiot though.

 

Shaw and Dallas are 12 months off being ready to start, Jalo needs a new position he can't play as part of a front 2 but he is a great talent.
I'd love Marsh to do well but possibly pace and size may hold him back.
We need a 3rd striker to rotate with Cole and Watters in the shorter term for this season

 

On the evidence of tonight's game I'm less sure that we need another striker. Most strikers would struggle with poor service from out wide (Winfield and Cotter) or through the middle (Chapman). I feared we didn't have much depth to our squad and this evening confirmed it for me.

 

I really don't understand writing Shaw off. We haven't seen him much and on Saturday he contributed far more in 30 minutes than Watters did in 60.

 

Hard to judge if Shaw and dallas aren't ready on last nights show. The midfield was completely changed the service wasn't there. Shocked so many are suggesting tedic I thought he was poor and was surprised when duff dropped Norwood for him.

 

Quite bold claims based on very little evidence.

But assuming you're correct:

What would you do with Shaw and Dallas for the next year to get them ready?

What position would you switch the 17 year old Jalo to, bearing in mind his international manager thinks he is definitely a striker?

 

Dallas and Shaw would benefit from training with first team, substitute appearances and short league 2 loan spells.
Then give a stronger claim for a first team push.
Jalo could possibly be sensational in the current Styles role.
There are obviously some quality small strikers in the game but height and physical presence is generally a benefit to the majority of strikers.

Just thoughts based on not much.