Clinical Finishing

The reason we never seem to be able to beat top 6 teams is "Clinical Finishing", by that I mean their abundance of it and our lack of it! So many times we outplay these teams, but cannot put the ball in the net, whereas they have one or two chances and bury them.

We manage to beat the lesser teams because they don't have clinical finishers either, and because overall as a team we have been just that little bit better than most of them in most other areas this season.

So come on "Mr Pozzo" I know it won't be cheap, but to make the next step up we really need to SPLASH OUT on a clinical finisher, or two would be nice.

 

Yes clinical finishing would be great.
Not sure what the objective of this thread is other than a 3rd thread running to note how many chances Gray misses despite scoring quite a few ?

 

The best measure we currently have for this type of thing is xG per goal. Pretty much all of our strikers have been about average in terms of luckiness/unluckiness or good/bad finishing.

 

We can just pop down to Clinical Finishers R Us and pick one up, or maybe two (three if there's an offer on).

 

Le Fondre?

 

I think we have a bigger problem with the final pass that should create a clear chance & that is where the "Top 6" edge it over us.
As a working example, cast your mind back to the Fulham away game...our real problem showcased throughout most of the 90 mins.

 

Every fan at any club naturally & automatically want a proven goal scorer.

Bare in mind outside the top 6 we are joint top scorers in the division, but also one off the worst GA in the top half & for me that is the core issue.

I think the defence being strengthened is a critical priority for us in the summer, than a one off expensive purchase of a goal scoring unicorn.

Goals are created from a good defence.

 

I agree. The defence has to be the priority. I think most of us would say we've been pretty solid defensively and Foster has been a stand out performer. But, that's the issue. Foster has had to be a stand out performer and we've still conceded 50 goals, which is a very high number for our position in the league.

It's easier to find and afford good defenders, than it is to get a good striker. Tighten up defensively and 1-1 draws become 1-0 wins. It makes a huge difference and is the smart way to approach it.

Sign a commanding central defender and add him to the pool of Cathcart, Kabasele & Mapps, move on Prodl, Britos plus Kaboul who has already gone, then salary is there for a new addition. We'd probably would need a good young player as well (Wilmott?), just for support as 4 central defenders is a bit light for an entire season.

 

+1 for instead spending on defence. Especially when we have so many young strikers (Cucho, Joao Pedro, Lukebakio, and that Serbian kid) on the books who could potentially make the step up in a year or so.

 

Are we after an ox in our own box?

 

I hear Grant Holt is available.

 

What about Vydra ?

 

Never heard of him.

 

Today is the 4th Happy Vydra Day

 

Why has every manager since Jokanovic failed to give Vydra a decent run in the team? He doesn't even make the bench under Gracia

 

The days of in house carpentry are long behind us.

 

Oh, that Vydra. The one we let go too soon, the clinical finisher ?

 

Would tear up this league.

 

The defence and wide positions are our issue.

All of our centre backs are Championship standard except Cathcart, Masina isn't looking great, and Janmaat and Femenia are good players but a little inconsistent. Hughes and Sema aren't good enough out wide.

Two centre backs, two wingers and a left back (as always) should be the priority in the summer. We could potentially have Deulofeu, Deeney, Gray, Success, Pereyra, Penaranda, Cucho and Lukebakio at our disposal next season. There's more than enough goals there with the right service.

 

I couldn't agree more. What we need is a stopper with a whopper, not a fox in the box.

 

Exactly.

An urban myth.

In truth, he has trouble dressing himself.

 

The annual TVOR “Fox-in-the-box” thread.

Love it.

 

There's a fair-sized choice of here...

 

We need a striker that won't come to our club no matter how much Gino threatens or ransoms family members.

Accept we are bargain bin and Troy for the next few years til the kids step up.

 

Brain farts from the likes of Deeney and Foster have been as much of a reason.

As has been needing at least 1 upgrade at CB.

But we already knew all this.

 

Obviously most of you don't agree, but I still think that it a clinical striker we lack when it comes to beating the top six especially, as I said in my opening post.

How many teams have we lost out to this season alone by not taking our chances when we have totally outplayed them in all other departments on the field, quite a few!!!

The main difference between top 6 sides and the rest is they have CLINICAL FINISHERS, that is why they usually get a result even when they have been outplayed on the day IMO!!!

 

SAD!

 

Young Bale seems to have detached the peg on which his shorts had been placed.

Clumsy.

 

Gino is never going to shell out for those.

Could we compromise on Finnish clinicians?

 

I agree with you , we have players able to score outstanding goals and long range efforts but we struggle with the simple tap ins (Deeney and Gray doing ok to be fair) , we also seem to struggle with the idea of crossing it in to the box, preferring to let Gerry or Bobby run it in . Problem however is you could buy an entire team for the cost of a 20 a year premier league striker.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/championship/top-scorers

 

That Danny Graham chap could be worth a punt...

 

And as for Bradley Dack, Steely Dan heaven;

"You go back, Dack, and do it again..."