Gray's record in his last 3 seasons in the Championship: 41 goals in 88 games (0.47 per game) Deeney's record in his last 3 seasons in the Championship: 64 goals in 126 games (0.51 per game) Combined: 105 goals in 214 games (0.49 per game) These worrying stats point to exactly why the bookies have us odds on for relegation.
I think Deeney has something to offer this year, link up has always been a strong part of his game even if he’s weak in other areas. Gray can barely control a football so I can’t see how he fits at all.
If they were to play, and that is not certain at all, then those stats are excellent: 1 goal every 2 games, that is better than most and means both would score in excess of 20 goals in the season.
Gray needs to be the main striker with the others in team playing to his strengths. In behind, running through to finish first time.
Bet365 are offering 20/1 in Gray to be leading scorer this season. That’s like being given a license to print money
While I posted this tongue-in-cheek, the stats are the stats and we should see what happens when the season actually starts. If both do play they will both need to regain confidence, Gray in particular. Deeney is aging but his all round game has improved since last we were at this level. My point is the narrative that these two are worthless individuals sure to guide us to League One is a nonsense.
Not saying they could perform to the stats you state, but you have combined them incorrectly. If they are both playing you need to add the numbers together, not combine them as if they were one player. So it would be nearly a goal per game - 0.98.
Dwight Gayle has time and time again proven that he isn’t up to the standard of playing in the Prem. He is an amazing striker for the Championship though Andre Gray has similar stats to Gayle in the Premier League and has also, believe it or not, scored 23 league goals in a Championship season with Burnley, so I wouldn’t shrug away the idea that Gray could perform well this season
I don't follow Gayle's career that closely, but has he shown any evidence of decline this season? He's also banged them in at Championship level a lot more recently than Gray, God knows if the Gray that banged so many goals for Burnley in the Championship is still there. In any case, I doubt we'll be playing to his strengths much this season, I suspect he'll either play mainly out wide, or on the rare occasion that Ivic shuffles the pack and plays a 3-5-2
Damn, I thought the same. Betting the house on it and the sale has almost gone through. But telling everyone shortens the odds. Thanks !!
Because they scored goals in the Championship 5+ years ago? I suppose it's easy to ignore the reality of the present and desperately try and find comfort in the distant, irrelevant past. Watford fans absolutely love it. If you want to ignore the important differences between when they scored all these goals and now (like, you know, the fact Deeney is now 32 with a bad knee and none of the attacking movement he used to have, and the fact that Gray has completely lost the pace he once had and seems to have somehow regressed even further as a technical footballer) then yes, it's nonsense to think they're absolutely nowhere near good enough and ludicrous to persist with for yet another season. Ellington banged them in in the Championship for Wigan and West Brom. Let's get him back in to finish off the dream team.
The stats are irrelevant as they are different players to what they were. Luther and Ross Jenkins stats were good in the past but are they the players to get us promoted now? (maybe worth a go actually)
Deeney wont be here, doesnt fit in with the new coaches playing style which seems to be fast counter attacks from what I can tell.
Both are well past their best now, so the stats are pretty meaningless. Deneny's round game has certainly improved since we were last at this level. What narrative? I doubt even the most pessimistic of posters on here thinks we'll be in any real danger of getting relegated again. The question to be asking is will they be good enough to get us promoted again? That's the important thing. Our current version of Deeney being worse than the one who helped get us promoted could suggest not.
5 years ago Deeney, Gray 4 years, so not 5+ but whatever fits your narrative. I was just presenting the facts as they are. The Prem can make good Championship players look poor. It's entirely possible they will do well in the Championship, to reject that possibility out of hand is frankly absurd.
Well it being 4 and 5 years really doesn't change anything, does it? That length of time in football is a long time. I'm rejecting the possibility based on what I see on the pitch from them and the points I made in my previous post. As others have said, people are hilariously underestimating the Championship. Players like Deeney and Gray who are no longer in their primes and have both regressed as footballers are not going to suddenly be new players at this level.
Absolutely correct . In fact I recall the midfielder ,Hogg, getting the furthest forward the quickest and heading the ball back for the late arriving Deeney . What a goal !
Zola wanted to keep things quiet and didn't want Palace getting a look at how we played. Can't quite remember, but I don't think the plan worked
