Yep, anyone who knows anything about the sport beyond watching it in the horizontal position on their sofa at home covered in wotsits crumbs knows he's by far and away our best striker and is the only one who has any chance of shining in the prem. The chance he fluffed on Friday where he tried to dink it over the defender was audacious and shows his confidence in his ability.
Win this and we turn the screw even more on the chasing teams. Draw it then at worst we finish the holiday weekend with the same gap over third as we had before Friday. We must not lose this.
As the Gray vs Success debate rolls on, the truth is we need to replace both of them with better strikers at the end of the season, particularly if we are promoted. Whether that actually happens is a different question.
From that it reads like Success is another Deeney. Strikers shouldn't be coming up to the half way line imo, they should be trying to get in behind. But each to their own. Everyone knows by now a hoofball up to Gray rarely sticks.
I'd agree with that. He is a frustrating player because I believe there is a footballer in there somewhere. He definitely needs to man up abit and stay on his feet though. The flick instead of the first time shot is baffling, can it be coached into him ? Xisco must see something in training otherwise Gray would be starting and he Gray did absolutely nothing when he came on to justify starting imo.
Success doesn't just do that, he does look to get in behind too. He sprung the offside trap against Birmingham and made forward runs on Friday. He's a hybrid of Gray and Deeney but unfortunately also combines their goal threat from open play.
It stated his ability to win & hold up the ball from a long clearance from the goalie, especially at a goal kick, gave us more options and so didn’t allow SW to simply decide to press our usual short routine every time. That’s exactly what a CF should be able to do in those situations. It did not say he was doing that in open play. Sorry, Leigh-Anne.
He was having a scan Saturday according to The Athletic. I'd be amazed if he starts. I posted this sentiment on the Wednesday thread but watching the highlights on Sky I did revise my opinion on Success. He did more than I credited him for so I apologise to him. I think he will start.
This game is huge in the psychological stakes. Win and we go 12 points clear of Swansea and Brentford. They will know they'd have to win both their games in hand AND still have to catch up Watford with two more wins just to get level over the final 6 matches. For me, if we win our next two, we of course won't be mathematically promoted, but we'd be probably only one victory from getting second place. The important thing is to keep on winning. Show no chink of weakness in our results. Give the chasing sides nothing to pin their hopes on. Win our next two, then in theory, we should be able to trot over the line fairly comfortably in the remaining 5 games.
This is why I don’t understand why we are worrying about the Brentford and Swansea games. Keep doing what we’re doing and they won’t matter
Sounds like potential ankle ligament damage if,as it looked, it's a twist. Could be out for at least 2 weeks if so.
JP out would be a massive set back for us, he offers us something very different to the rest when he plays centrally. Very clever player always finding space and helps us pin other teams back by giving us options and the ability to hold on to possession in the opposition 3rd The ball bounces off Gray 90% of the time, playing Deeney will completely change the way we play and nobody else wants that Hate to say it but we might actually be pinning out hopes of IS. The amount we paid for him and the time he has spent here, it might be about time that he shines and starts to pay some of that back Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If Deeney comes back before the end of the season, we had better be more or less promoted. We do still have Perica, and with JP possibly out for two games at minimum, he could also need to "man up" as HB1 said, and get among some goals.
Haha, a little harsh! He was great against Wolves and Huddersfield when he was playing upfront with Deulofeu too. But yes, few and far between...
Would strongly rather see neither start and JP up top, but it's churlish/reductive to suggest that Success in what he did yesterday is just 'another Deeney' - in part because he should be coming up to the half way line if it's part of the instructions the coach has given him to relieve pressure/provide another outlet from goal kicks, and he is actually capable of doing so. Deeney is a very different case, because he just does what he feels like whilst trying to have a fight with any opposition player nearby and compete to bounce the ball vaguely somewhere behind him off his head. Success is capable of bringing it down and controlling it in that position, thereby keeping possession, which is a useful asset. I remember at one point noting on the shoutbox what an amazing touch Chalobah had displayed to bring one of those balls down and kill it dead, only to have to correct myself having realised it was Isaac. The other difference between Success and Deeney in that role is that he is mobile/capable of movement, so he does make some contribution to occupying defenders, and the cost of being on the half way line that you (and anyone else, in reality) would be concerned by in Deeney's case is not present, because he can actually then physically also conjure himself not being on the half way line, and join the attack before it's long-finished.
Personally I don't understand the playing of an under-cooked Success whilst we are in the middle of a promotion chase.? You have to suspect its part of the club's ongoing review ready for the summer's transfer decisions, otherwise they could have either loaned him out or told him to get himself 100pct ready for August.? I'm generally sceptical of Success but after the last game I got the impression it's his initial movement that is slow. Almost like he needs to keep on the move more as then he's better placed to shift with some pace. From standstill he's miles off it. Gray for me tomorrow...
As Isaac's number 2 fan ( I only defer to you on this RC) even I was wavering with that 'audacious' attempt on Friday. But your argument is SO convincing that I'm still with you and remain on board the Success train as it comes to rest at the Riverside on Monday. Toot toot!
The thing with the little trick Success tried, if it comes off then the conversation is completely different and we’d all be raving about it, but there is a time and a place and that wasn’t it. If we were 4-0 up, or in a meaningless situation, or indeed even if he himself already had a few goals under his belt then by all means go ahead. It’s poor decision making and complete lack of awareness of the situation and that’s frustrating at his stage of his career now. It reminds me a little of that Lookman ‘chip’ penalty earlier on in the season. Fine in certain circumstances but that wasn’t it. We need ruthless efficiency from everyone right now, not show boating; it’s purely self indulgent.
I have. For work. Teeside chemical works. Lovely people. Night clubbing in Middlesbrough brilliant. Great place to visit. They called it smog back in the day. Edit: In reply to Mollyboo
I’m 50:50 on Success. Still hoping he comes good, preferably 45 minutes at a time. He’s coming back from long term injury and needs to get up to match speed. £12m investment cannot be ignored and Pedro probably out. (But an £18m investment, another matter...)
Great news!! Joao Pedro appears to be fit for this - could even be starting. He’s just posted his usual pre-game match video on his Instagram story, which he does only when he is included in the match lday squad.
Yeah I thought he was very good at holding the ball up and bringing others into play and relieving pressure, he is brilliant with his back to goal. Lacks composure in front of goal but he wouldn't be a Warford striker if he didn't.
