What is Grady like?

Hi guys

Brighton fan here in peace. I was just wanting your views on Chris O Grady. Obviously Leicester are buying our talisman in Leo Ulloa and we've bought COG (apparently we were interested pre Ulloa's move). I was wondering what you all thought of him? What is his style like - does he score with his head? Does he move well with the ball or is he more of a set piece expert? Is he a grafter and does he hold up the ball well?

We are all concerned that we are light in the striking dept now that Leo is off and wondering whether COG will be able to do all the great things Leo did (head, defend, hold up).

Really appreciate your thoughts.

Wish you all the best for the season - one of my good childhood friends is from Barnsley so always check to see how you're getting on. Good luck and hopefully youll be back in the Champ in May 2015!

FKalinx

 

Average championship winger.

We played a lot of long balls to him last season as our midfield was awful. Might do better in a better team but time will tell. Always gives 100% though.

 

Very talented. Strongest player I've ever seen with back to goal. Good finisher with head and on ground. Great link up man. Only weakness is pace and not fantastic in the air.

Worth about 2m, we've let him go for a quarter of his value, which we always do and which is why we are now in league one. A great bit if business for you, appalling for us.

 

Has lots more skill than at first viewing. Close control is excellent.

We played him up front on his own a few times - he can handle that role, but imho needs someone at the side of him to share the work. Tended to drift wide last year - tactics or not, it was a waste as if you put him against a central defender and he'll win 9 out of 10. At times the previous season he was quite simply unplayable, so get him motivated, central with a strike partner and you have a v good striker there. Try and be clever and modern and that - waste of time.

 

Scored a good number of goals in a poor team. Very strong, works hard, lacks pace but give him service in the box and he's a good finisher. Decent shot on him with a few tricks in his box - which he uses again and again but people don't catch on to - reason unknown.

Has a somewhat annoying tendency to drift out on to the left wing, although we never quite agreed if this was his choice or the manager(s)!

 

Excellent. The best forward we have had in years. Brave, strong and determined a true talisman. As long as you don't start lumping long falls up to him he will be fine. The only note of caution I would give is that he does not operate particularly effectively as a lone striker (I'm not clear what formation you favour given you just kicked the ***** out of us at Oakwell). But he needs a forward partner to react with. Preferably one with good movement and pace to open up tine and space. You've got a real bargain.


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Give over. I can remember Barnsley players better with their back to goal, never mind the other players I've 'ever' seen.

He's worth about a million so we'll have sold him for about £350k. No brainer for Brighton who could probably sell him on tomorrow and double their money.

 

As good an anyone in the division with back to goal. Great at bringing others into the game and holding the ball up. Scores goals and works hard. I would say the team style would have to fit his to get the most our of him, but clearly proven up front in the Champ. I would say worth more than 0.5K rumoured you paid compared to the valuations of other strikers at this time including your Ulloa.

I can't help thinking though this may not be a good move for him given his and your style and the immediate 'put downs' rather than backing him from your fans on the forum.

 

He is very average...his touch at times can be very poor and his final ball needs some work,also dont let him take a penalty in big games. He is very composed in 1 on 1 situations, he will win a lot of headers for you. He does this turn on the ball which is pure genius almost Cruyff like. He will also give 100% for the cause. In a way im glad he is going but I will miss that turn on the ball!

 

He scored 15 Championship goals last season in a relegated side that barely created 15 chances throughout the season. That's more goals than any Brighton player and he finished the 12th highest scorer in the division. He did that for us, up front on his own, completely isolated, often marked by three opposition defenders as they had nothing else to do, what with no other Barnsley player bothering to wander in to the opponents half of the field. And goal scoring isn't really his strong point. Holding the ball up and bringing others in to play is what he does best. There are better goal scorers than O'Grady, but he'll get his fair share, there are more skilful players, but he's not without that either, however, I've seen few at Championship level who are as strong and can hold up the ball as well as O'Grady. He's even got his own turn named after him, which seems to work every time:

[video=youtube;vyDj6IVtuik]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyDj6IVtuik[/video]

 

Excellent striker, gives everything for the team, strong as an ox and, if giving service, a good finisher. Also a far more mature and personally disciplined man than Ulloa, who gave a master class in childish behaviour with a total lack of professionalism at Oakwell, which would've resulted in a deserved dismissal had we a competent referee in charge that day.

 

Strong, good in the air but also has a surprising amount of skill for a big man. Cracking finisher too.

Lack pace though.

 

Hugely hard working and professional. One of those players who is absolutely determined to get the best out of himself. Will always be the one taking prematch warm up the most seriously, and a real example to other players.

 

he's will never be a two million pound player because he's not quick enough,he's a half decent championship player at best and would have been far more suited to the third division where we now find ourselves.His goal scoring stats look good but I've never been convinced he's of the quality some make out.He'll probably spend a lot of the time on the bench next season

 

Hey chaps,

Really useful. Thank you very much.

How is your transfer activity going? Are you looking abroad or in the lower leagues? What are your hopes for the season?

FKalinx

 

Ha ha. I think we've got 7 experienced professionals (some not that experienced), two of which we're trying to sell. No 'keeper with a single professional game to his name. And kids. We can't fill the first 11 never mind the bench.

 

Is that due to finances or is it a strategic gameplan to clear the decks?

We're not sure what our strategy is as we got rid of a lot pre season and are taking our time to refill. There are also still big question marks over why Poyet and Garcia left, with many citing financial constraints.

 

Both. Every player out of contract this summer has gone, the vast majority released without any attempt to retain them. Out on their ear basically. And good riddance we all say. We then had four players on significant contracts. Luke Steele has gone to Panathinaikos, you've bought O'Grady, Cranie is in talks with Blackpool and we're trying to get shut of Kennedy however we can. This has opened up a huge amount of our budget available for wages. We're now all hoping we see significant transfer activity in the next few weeks. Some believe we will, some have their doubts, we'll have to see.

 

To be honest Ulloa's petulance and insistence at going down easily became aggravating towards the end, just trained in the Spanish way of doing things I presume, its what will make him successful in the Premier league however as he will win a lot of free kicks at that level and was a great player when on song. Sorry to nab a player off you for less than his worth, Ulloa is about the only player we have played real hard ball over and it looks like we have extorted a ludicrous fee with add ons for him, normally we get shafted when our players are sold! Good luck for the season.

 

Transfer activity? That's a laugh.
As for hopes for the new season, just staying in League 1 would do at this point.