| Cooper on Strikers 14:19 - Apr 29 with 5883 views | 34dfgdf54 |
<<Everyone knows we haven’t had a striker all season. We had to find a way to get goals and to win games. We’ve done that this year enough to keep us in this play-off hunt. >>
Yes you have Steve.
Ayew - https://www.transfermarkt.co.u
The highest paid striker in league
Lowe - Who you brought in to be a striker. You said yourself. - “He’s been a winger and we’ve brought him in with a certain idea to build him."
Vik Gyokeres - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av
Whittaker - Expensive
Cullen - U23 goal machine. Decent goalscoring ratio at senior level too. [Post edited 29 Apr 2021 14:20]
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| Cooper on Strikers on 08:25 - May 4 with 1041 views | Dr_Parnassus |
Managed to get them.
Danny Graham pass completion for us was 77.4% and 78.2%.
Frustratingly Borini's stats drop off one season after ours but his pass completion as expected is incredible.
Every season in the mid 70's% and even creeping into the 80% mark. |  |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 09:10 - May 4 with 994 views | jack247 |
| Cooper on Strikers on 08:12 - May 4 by Dr_Parnassus |
Of course it is, its position specific.
Britton was a wide midfielder than came inside as a 20 year old. Put Britton center back and see if he has the same positional instincts. He won't.
Being a striker means you need specific movement and positional sense to that specific role, you don't just automatically get that because you are selected to play there. It takes years and is arguably the hardest part of being a striker.
He has missed a load of chances yes, as have others, but he was getting those chances in his natural position and making the natural positional for that position. It isn't just strikers that get chances to score, all positions do - but it doesn't mean that as a result they have strikers natural positioning sense. Not even some strikers do, which is half their problem.
Lots of our players are brought on in the same situation as Routledge, he is still the lowest outfield player in terms of pass completion for those with 15+ appearances. That's just this season, his passing decision making has always been awful and is a main reason many said they never want to see him wear the shirt again. He gives the ball away too much, certainly in the last 5 years.
I like him a lot, I think he's a very good little player. But pretending he's some lone striker that makes superb runs, holds the ball up and passes reliably is just weird.
Again, we disagree regarding Borini. The hustling, all energy striker you are describing there describes Cullen, however Cullen doesn't have the ability to have the ball played into his feet like Borini did, Cullen prefers it in front of him (ironically the only outfield player lower in pass % than Routledge on 64.4% is Cullen 56.6%).
I would guess Borini's pass completion would have been 75%+ which would have also tied in with Danny Graham's. I will see if i can look back. [Post edited 4 May 2021 8:36]
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Britton joined us in 2002 as a 20 year old. He played right wing until switching to holding midfield 5 years or so later. That doesn’t mean he could play centre back, but it’s a reasonable example that positional sense isn’t rigidly limited to one position. It’s also a reasonable assumption that a winger who makes intelligent enough runs to be played through on the keeper quite often, would have the nous to do the same as a false 9.
Regards Cullen/Borini, it’s much easier to have a high pass completion rate in a tiki taka style like we played under Rodgers than the more disjointed, defensive style we’ve got now. Your point about Cullen holding his arms up in frustration at the lack of support from midfield is a lot more valid in this team than it would have been 10 years ago. It’s also much easier to complete passes when you’ve got players like Sinclair and Dyer either side of you always wanting the ball and Britton behind you always making himself available for the simple pass. |  | | |
| Cooper on Strikers on 09:27 - May 4 with 983 views | Dr_Parnassus |
| Cooper on Strikers on 09:10 - May 4 by jack247 |
Britton joined us in 2002 as a 20 year old. He played right wing until switching to holding midfield 5 years or so later. That doesn’t mean he could play centre back, but it’s a reasonable example that positional sense isn’t rigidly limited to one position. It’s also a reasonable assumption that a winger who makes intelligent enough runs to be played through on the keeper quite often, would have the nous to do the same as a false 9.
Regards Cullen/Borini, it’s much easier to have a high pass completion rate in a tiki taka style like we played under Rodgers than the more disjointed, defensive style we’ve got now. Your point about Cullen holding his arms up in frustration at the lack of support from midfield is a lot more valid in this team than it would have been 10 years ago. It’s also much easier to complete passes when you’ve got players like Sinclair and Dyer either side of you always wanting the ball and Britton behind you always making himself available for the simple pass. |
I think your memory is flawed on this one. Britton came as a right midfielder complete with bright red boots on loan, but quickly became a right central midfield player under Flynn before switching to a holding role. No way on earth did he make the transition when he was 25/26 years old.
The following year (or year after) we had Forbes on one side and Robinson on the other and also had Brad Maylett to play out wide, with Trundle and Paul Conner up front.... Although Kenny Jackett shoved him on the wing for a season if memory serves. But he quickly played more professional games in a central role than a wide one.
But that still doesn't mean a winger will instinctively be able to make strikers instinctive runs that even some strikers struggle to do. I think its a ridiculous notion personally. You don't just have ''positioning'' as an attribute and be able to do that across any position, its specific to your position that you have developed over time by learning the position inside out.
Borini had that pass completion rate for every club he has played for regardless of position and team style, and he has had more than his fair share of teams including 3 years in a Sunderland team in the PL that obviously were not pass masters of the tiki taka variety. Borini was a striker who could keep the ball make no mistake.
He has a higher average pass completion rate as a striker than Danny Graham does by quite some distance for example.
As for it not being as easy in a side that doesn't have a great dominance of possession, that's largely because we don't have a natural striker and the ball comes back at us rather than sticking up front. I would wager our possession rate this season is lower than any other in the last 2 decades.
One of Brewster's issues last year was not being able to hold the ball up well, but was deadly in front of goal so we often retained possession through defenders backing off him when fed to him..
[Post edited 4 May 2021 9:54]
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| Cooper on Strikers on 10:15 - May 4 with 968 views | jack247 |
| Cooper on Strikers on 09:27 - May 4 by Dr_Parnassus |
I think your memory is flawed on this one. Britton came as a right midfielder complete with bright red boots on loan, but quickly became a right central midfield player under Flynn before switching to a holding role. No way on earth did he make the transition when he was 25/26 years old.
The following year (or year after) we had Forbes on one side and Robinson on the other and also had Brad Maylett to play out wide, with Trundle and Paul Conner up front.... Although Kenny Jackett shoved him on the wing for a season if memory serves. But he quickly played more professional games in a central role than a wide one.
But that still doesn't mean a winger will instinctively be able to make strikers instinctive runs that even some strikers struggle to do. I think its a ridiculous notion personally. You don't just have ''positioning'' as an attribute and be able to do that across any position, its specific to your position that you have developed over time by learning the position inside out.
Borini had that pass completion rate for every club he has played for regardless of position and team style, and he has had more than his fair share of teams including 3 years in a Sunderland team in the PL that obviously were not pass masters of the tiki taka variety. Borini was a striker who could keep the ball make no mistake.
He has a higher average pass completion rate as a striker than Danny Graham does by quite some distance for example.
As for it not being as easy in a side that doesn't have a great dominance of possession, that's largely because we don't have a natural striker and the ball comes back at us rather than sticking up front. I would wager our possession rate this season is lower than any other in the last 2 decades.
One of Brewster's issues last year was not being able to hold the ball up well, but was deadly in front of goal so we often retained possession through defenders backing off him when fed to him..
[Post edited 4 May 2021 9:54]
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He switched to the holding role (I think) as a result of a Bodde red card. Can’t remember if it was in that game or after due to suspension. Martinez played it in our first season at the Liberty. Britton, Martinez and Tate used to play triangles up the right side, even before we started the Swanselona type football.
I’m not suggesting every winger has good positional sense as a striker. I agree, that would be ridiculous. I’m just stating that Routledge does, as did Britton as a holding midfielder even though he was parachuted in there from his attack minded role.
Last but one paragraph I agree with. We retained possession in the final third much better in the Milwall and Wednesday games. Ayew and Lowes movement was more threatening and less desperate (i.e. less dropping back to deeper positions to battle for possession). For some reason, Routledge was then dropped to play Roberts in a position no one understood (though he came on when Ayew got injured).
I’m hoping we see that front three in the playoffs, it gives us more territory, more possession and we look more dangerous. The ball sticks. Routledge won’t last 90 minutes. Cullen or whoever doesn’t start from Naughton or Roberts depending how the game is going. | | | |
| Cooper on Strikers on 11:17 - May 4 with 947 views | Dr_Parnassus |
| Cooper on Strikers on 10:15 - May 4 by jack247 |
He switched to the holding role (I think) as a result of a Bodde red card. Can’t remember if it was in that game or after due to suspension. Martinez played it in our first season at the Liberty. Britton, Martinez and Tate used to play triangles up the right side, even before we started the Swanselona type football.
I’m not suggesting every winger has good positional sense as a striker. I agree, that would be ridiculous. I’m just stating that Routledge does, as did Britton as a holding midfielder even though he was parachuted in there from his attack minded role.
Last but one paragraph I agree with. We retained possession in the final third much better in the Milwall and Wednesday games. Ayew and Lowes movement was more threatening and less desperate (i.e. less dropping back to deeper positions to battle for possession). For some reason, Routledge was then dropped to play Roberts in a position no one understood (though he came on when Ayew got injured).
I’m hoping we see that front three in the playoffs, it gives us more territory, more possession and we look more dangerous. The ball sticks. Routledge won’t last 90 minutes. Cullen or whoever doesn’t start from Naughton or Roberts depending how the game is going. |
Based on what though? He's only played there maybe 3 or 4 times in his life hasn't he?
I have isolated the games he has played there this season. Millwall, Sheff Wed and QPR and have the following data:
217 minutes
Shots attempted 3
Shots on target 1
Pass completion 63.8%
So he averages about 1 shot per 90 mins (1.2 maybe), and has only got one on target out of the three games combined. Pass completion over those 3 games puts him rank bottom of the pile in terms of our overall season player by player %.
You can see from his heat map also that his movement and positional play is not that of a natural striker and does what Ayew often does and comes back to get the ball, except Routledge naturally drifts to the wing.
Here is an example from Millwall:-
In contrast to what a natural striker should be doing I have compared the QPR game and shown a direct comparison to Charlie Austin and his central striker movement to that of Routledge, who doesn't really seem to know what the position requires and finds himself all over the pitch, everywhere but up front ironically... which is why the ball never sticks there.
QPR (Charlie Austin bottom, Wayne Routledge top)
It's clear you don't agree, which is fine, but I can do no more to show my point than what I have with the above data. [Post edited 4 May 2021 11:28]
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| Cooper on Strikers on 11:49 - May 4 with 926 views | jack247 |
| Cooper on Strikers on 11:17 - May 4 by Dr_Parnassus |
Based on what though? He's only played there maybe 3 or 4 times in his life hasn't he?
I have isolated the games he has played there this season. Millwall, Sheff Wed and QPR and have the following data:
217 minutes
Shots attempted 3
Shots on target 1
Pass completion 63.8%
So he averages about 1 shot per 90 mins (1.2 maybe), and has only got one on target out of the three games combined. Pass completion over those 3 games puts him rank bottom of the pile in terms of our overall season player by player %.
You can see from his heat map also that his movement and positional play is not that of a natural striker and does what Ayew often does and comes back to get the ball, except Routledge naturally drifts to the wing.
Here is an example from Millwall:-
In contrast to what a natural striker should be doing I have compared the QPR game and shown a direct comparison to Charlie Austin and his central striker movement to that of Routledge, who doesn't really seem to know what the position requires and finds himself all over the pitch, everywhere but up front ironically... which is why the ball never sticks there.
QPR (Charlie Austin bottom, Wayne Routledge top)
It's clear you don't agree, which is fine, but I can do no more to show my point than what I have with the above data. [Post edited 4 May 2021 11:28]
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I think there are wires crossed now. I’m not suggesting Routledge is a natural striker. His finishing rules that out immediately. His final ball delivery as well, more when he has time to think about it than when he plays instinctively.
What I am saying is he has most of the attributes you refer to. His positional sense is very good in any of the forward positions, he can hold the ball up, bring others into play, drag defenders out of position. There won’t be any stats to evidence it, but Ayew and Lowe looked sharper with him between them.
So no, someone who can’t finish is never going to be a natural striker, especially at 36 when he’s never been able to do it. Cullen suits that description better.
What he does bring to the team, is more of the ball in the final third and more meaningful possession in threatening areas.
Potter played him in a similar role after he ripped up his contract extension clause, with McBurnie behind him. | | | |
| Cooper on Strikers on 11:57 - May 4 with 918 views | Dr_Parnassus |
| Cooper on Strikers on 11:49 - May 4 by jack247 |
I think there are wires crossed now. I’m not suggesting Routledge is a natural striker. His finishing rules that out immediately. His final ball delivery as well, more when he has time to think about it than when he plays instinctively.
What I am saying is he has most of the attributes you refer to. His positional sense is very good in any of the forward positions, he can hold the ball up, bring others into play, drag defenders out of position. There won’t be any stats to evidence it, but Ayew and Lowe looked sharper with him between them.
So no, someone who can’t finish is never going to be a natural striker, especially at 36 when he’s never been able to do it. Cullen suits that description better.
What he does bring to the team, is more of the ball in the final third and more meaningful possession in threatening areas.
Potter played him in a similar role after he ripped up his contract extension clause, with McBurnie behind him. |
Well my point is he doesn't have the natural movement and positioning of a striker required to play the role adequately, the heat map shows that in the games he plays there. He is all over the place, drifts too much out wide and generally spends most time where he shouldn't be.
It's not a coincidence that he barely gets a shot when he plays there. He would probably get more goal scoring chances playing on the wing where his natural movement and positioning actually creates opportunities for himself. As it stands it's clear he goes looking for it instead.
His pass competition is also abysmal when he plays there so while yet he can hold the ball up, he doesn't end up making the right decisions in order for us to keep it.
If I were to play Routledge now it would be in a more of a Hernandez role. Either out wide or a free role behind the attackers.
But anyway what this discussion started with is that the players we play in the makeshift striker role don't have the overall attributes to be able to do the role effectively in terms of linking play with the midfield witht hat back to goal and peel play.
Lowe is starting to do it and Ayew can do it but comes back too often. So when Cooper talks about not having a proper striker, he doesn't mean players that ''can'' play there, he means a player that is naturally capable of the roles required. | |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 12:08 - May 4 with 920 views | jack247 |
| Cooper on Strikers on 11:57 - May 4 by Dr_Parnassus |
Well my point is he doesn't have the natural movement and positioning of a striker required to play the role adequately, the heat map shows that in the games he plays there. He is all over the place, drifts too much out wide and generally spends most time where he shouldn't be.
It's not a coincidence that he barely gets a shot when he plays there. He would probably get more goal scoring chances playing on the wing where his natural movement and positioning actually creates opportunities for himself. As it stands it's clear he goes looking for it instead.
His pass competition is also abysmal when he plays there so while yet he can hold the ball up, he doesn't end up making the right decisions in order for us to keep it.
If I were to play Routledge now it would be in a more of a Hernandez role. Either out wide or a free role behind the attackers.
But anyway what this discussion started with is that the players we play in the makeshift striker role don't have the overall attributes to be able to do the role effectively in terms of linking play with the midfield witht hat back to goal and peel play.
Lowe is starting to do it and Ayew can do it but comes back too often. So when Cooper talks about not having a proper striker, he doesn't mean players that ''can'' play there, he means a player that is naturally capable of the roles required. |
We’ve brought maybe 12 players in this season. Excluding Gyokores who was the right type of player but didn’t work out, surely Cooper has to shoulder a fair bit of the blame for us ‘not having a striker’.
Cullen is a striker, no argument. I’m sure was as good for the first few months of the season as he is now. Michael Owen, Romario, Inzaghi, Robbie Fowler, Gary Lineker didn’t hold the ball up much either. | | | |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 12:38 - May 4 with 900 views | Dr_Parnassus |
| Cooper on Strikers on 12:08 - May 4 by jack247 |
We’ve brought maybe 12 players in this season. Excluding Gyokores who was the right type of player but didn’t work out, surely Cooper has to shoulder a fair bit of the blame for us ‘not having a striker’.
Cullen is a striker, no argument. I’m sure was as good for the first few months of the season as he is now. Michael Owen, Romario, Inzaghi, Robbie Fowler, Gary Lineker didn’t hold the ball up much either. |
Depends on what control he has over signings I suppose. For example I don't think it was his idea to get the ones in January. Builth above says he wanted certain payers but the board wouldn't pay, so unless we know the ins and outs it's hard to apportion blame.
Owen (Heskey), Romario (Edmundo), Inzaghi (Shevchenko), Fowler (Collymore) and Lineker (Waddle) are all examples of players that didn't play the lone striker role and fed off a striker partner.
Cullen is a striker yes, but he's not a lone striker - which again is why I compared him to Bellamy under Hughes, who had Hartson by him, or at Newcastle where he had Shearer by him or at Norwich where he had Huckerby with him. Someone like Bellamy would never be a lone striker. | |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 12:49 - May 4 with 901 views | jack247 |
| Cooper on Strikers on 12:38 - May 4 by Dr_Parnassus |
Depends on what control he has over signings I suppose. For example I don't think it was his idea to get the ones in January. Builth above says he wanted certain payers but the board wouldn't pay, so unless we know the ins and outs it's hard to apportion blame.
Owen (Heskey), Romario (Edmundo), Inzaghi (Shevchenko), Fowler (Collymore) and Lineker (Waddle) are all examples of players that didn't play the lone striker role and fed off a striker partner.
Cullen is a striker yes, but he's not a lone striker - which again is why I compared him to Bellamy under Hughes, who had Hartson by him, or at Newcastle where he had Shearer by him or at Norwich where he had Huckerby with him. Someone like Bellamy would never be a lone striker. |
So probably an inaccurate claim that we’ve got as far as we have without a striker then. Coopers background and likely part of what got him the job is working with young players. Nothing to stop him pairing Cullen with Ayew for example at the start of the season.
I’m pretty confident Liam Cullen will have a good career, whether teams ever revert to two up top or not. | | | |
| Cooper on Strikers on 12:53 - May 4 with 894 views | Dr_Parnassus |
| Cooper on Strikers on 12:49 - May 4 by jack247 |
So probably an inaccurate claim that we’ve got as far as we have without a striker then. Coopers background and likely part of what got him the job is working with young players. Nothing to stop him pairing Cullen with Ayew for example at the start of the season.
I’m pretty confident Liam Cullen will have a good career, whether teams ever revert to two up top or not. |
But now we have come full circle back to my initial post in terms of taking that literally is clearly not how it was intended.
He obviously meant we have not has a striker that can be relied upon week after week to play the lone striker role with the sufficient qualities all season. Unless you genuinely think he doesn't know Cullen is a striker. Come on.
Cullen I am sure will have a good career, but I can't imagine he will ever thrive as a sole striker. | |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 13:31 - May 4 with 890 views | jack247 |
| Cooper on Strikers on 12:53 - May 4 by Dr_Parnassus |
But now we have come full circle back to my initial post in terms of taking that literally is clearly not how it was intended.
He obviously meant we have not has a striker that can be relied upon week after week to play the lone striker role with the sufficient qualities all season. Unless you genuinely think he doesn't know Cullen is a striker. Come on.
Cullen I am sure will have a good career, but I can't imagine he will ever thrive as a sole striker. |
I don’t for a second think he doesn’t see Cullen as a striker.
I think he’s glossing over that to suit his agenda. ‘We haven’t had a striker all season’ sounds better than ‘well we’ve got Liam Cullen, but he’s better suited to a two and we’ve also got Andre Ayew who works best as a roaming forward but is actually a better striker than most of the clubs in the division have at their disposal’. | | | |
| Cooper on Strikers on 13:58 - May 4 with 876 views | Dr_Parnassus |
| Cooper on Strikers on 13:31 - May 4 by jack247 |
I don’t for a second think he doesn’t see Cullen as a striker.
I think he’s glossing over that to suit his agenda. ‘We haven’t had a striker all season’ sounds better than ‘well we’ve got Liam Cullen, but he’s better suited to a two and we’ve also got Andre Ayew who works best as a roaming forward but is actually a better striker than most of the clubs in the division have at their disposal’. |
Indeed...Because he is a striker.
So knowing that, it suggests that just by nature of being a striker clearly isn’t what he means.
There is no agenda there. We have had to play a winger up front because he is really the only one that can play the position adequately in the formation we play. The rest are prospects, Cullen and Whittaker should not be relied upon at this stage in their career to be starting strikers for a team pushing for promotion.
The fact people see them as realistic options for a starting berth shows exactly what Cooper was saying. Neither Whittaker or Cullen would even be in the picture when it comes to a starting spot at any of our rivals.
So next year the owners need to step up if possible and realise that this position needs addressing. We can then blood Cullen and Whittaker naturally. No more American off season loans, some actual attention paid to the position. It’s vital. | |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 20:43 - May 10 with 764 views | 9MilesHigh |
| Cooper on Strikers on 18:27 - May 3 by 9MilesHigh |
Effing Brexit.... but there will still be options.... just not as many
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"""The new rules will have two immediate consequences: the first, that players from the EU hoping to move to England will be treated in the same way as players from the rest of the world; the second, that those EU players will have no problem getting in, as long as their CVs are impressive enough.
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That’s not to say calculating the quality of a player’s career to date is not complicated. Lawyers are going to get a lot of work. In essence, however, the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) which is awarded by the FA and enables players, managers, coaches and other staff to qualify for work visas is about points. Those points are awarded according to where you have played previously, for how long and at what kind of level. Qualify for 15 of them and, in the men’s game, you’re in.
If you want to buy Karim Benzema, can afford him, and can persuade him the UK is better than Madrid, it is going to be easy. In fact, a player over the age of 21 from a country ranked within Fifa’s top 50, who has played 70% of their country’s matches over the previous 24 months will automatically get a GBE.
Similarly, if you play for a club in a band 1 league (the Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1) and appear on a teamsheet just the once, that is 12 points. Sit on the bench for a single Champions League group game and that is five more (should your club reach the final, those five points become 10, without you even having to be selected again).
Those topline figures send a clear signal: this settlement is designed to help English football continue to sign European names after Brexit.
It is when you go lower down the bands that things get trickier. Take Greece. The 2004 European champions are ranked 53rd in the world by Fifa, meaning a player could be ever-present as an international for two years but still earn only two points towards a GBE. The Greek Superliga is a band 4 competition. That means you get six points for being selected for a match in the past year and a maximum of six points more based on your appearance record. That means you are one short of qualifying for a GBE if you don’t play in Europe.
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Apply the same situation to a Lithuanian in the Norwegian League and the chances of reaching 15 points are as slim as Brann winning the Champions League (which would get you 10 points).
So, on the surface, the new rules appear to meet the original objectives of the FA and the Premier League. The FA will get fewer imports of ordinary players, leaving room for neglected English talent to develop. The Premier League will still be able to bring in big names and, indeed, it is hard to find many examples of top-flight players who would have seen their transfers cancelled under the new regulations.
It is likely, though, that clubs in the EFL will feel an effect and particularly those in the Championship, such as Brentford or Norwich City, who have built models around acquiring talented players from obscure places. Bryan Mbeumo, the Brentford forward who is one of the best players in the Championship, came from the French second division with only limited first-team appearances and youth international caps. He would not have got a permit, as would have been the case with the Norwich striker Teemu Pukki as Finland fall outside the Fifa top 50 and his former club, Brøndby, compete in the Danish league, a band 5 competition.""" |
Chief |  | | |
| Cooper on Strikers on 20:47 - May 10 with 762 views | Chief |
| Cooper on Strikers on 20:43 - May 10 by 9MilesHigh |
Chief |
Yup, so us as a championship side will have difficulty acquiring players who aren't full internationals and aren't playing in Europe's top leagues... |  |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 20:49 - May 10 with 757 views | 9MilesHigh |
| Cooper on Strikers on 20:47 - May 10 by Chief |
Yup, so us as a championship side will have difficulty acquiring players who aren't full internationals and aren't playing in Europe's top leagues... |
But nothing like as damning as your earlier iterations. | | | |
| Cooper on Strikers on 20:50 - May 10 with 759 views | Chief |
| Cooper on Strikers on 20:49 - May 10 by 9MilesHigh |
But nothing like as damning as your earlier iterations. |
Admittedly,
Although in reality it probably still will be unless we get promoted. | |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 17:08 - May 11 with 686 views | vetchonian |
| Cooper on Strikers on 12:49 - May 4 by jack247 |
So probably an inaccurate claim that we’ve got as far as we have without a striker then. Coopers background and likely part of what got him the job is working with young players. Nothing to stop him pairing Cullen with Ayew for example at the start of the season.
I’m pretty confident Liam Cullen will have a good career, whether teams ever revert to two up top or not. |
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/
Read this article from September...this was Coopers take on the striker situation or " an out and out no9" as he puts it....talks about Cullen but at this point the managment team didnt feel he was ready...then he got injured .
And yes we have still managed goals via our two front men...as pointed out ...in fact as Coopers said as the OP pointed out
<<Everyone knows we haven’t had a striker all season. We had to find a way to get goals and to win games. We’ve done that this year enough to keep us in this play-off hunt. >> | |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 10:35 - May 12 with 625 views | 9MilesHigh |
| Cooper on Strikers on 17:08 - May 11 by vetchonian |
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/
Read this article from September...this was Coopers take on the striker situation or " an out and out no9" as he puts it....talks about Cullen but at this point the managment team didnt feel he was ready...then he got injured .
And yes we have still managed goals via our two front men...as pointed out ...in fact as Coopers said as the OP pointed out
<<Everyone knows we haven’t had a striker all season. We had to find a way to get goals and to win games. We’ve done that this year enough to keep us in this play-off hunt. >> |
Here is our line up v Brum.
Where would this fabled Number 9 have got in exactly?
Cooper, as always, is full of scheißer. | | | |
| Cooper on Strikers on 11:16 - May 12 with 598 views | jack247 |
| Cooper on Strikers on 17:08 - May 11 by vetchonian |
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/
Read this article from September...this was Coopers take on the striker situation or " an out and out no9" as he puts it....talks about Cullen but at this point the managment team didnt feel he was ready...then he got injured .
And yes we have still managed goals via our two front men...as pointed out ...in fact as Coopers said as the OP pointed out
<<Everyone knows we haven’t had a striker all season. We had to find a way to get goals and to win games. We’ve done that this year enough to keep us in this play-off hunt. >> |
So how did Cullen manage to improve while injured? If he doesn’t start on Monday he’ll come on. He’s was no better or more experienced when he came back than he was in September.
It’s just Coopers way. He doesn’t deal with blame or criticism very well, so he lays foundations for excuses early.
If he genuinely wanted a #9, he should have been really forthright about that in the winter window. Whittaker and the two Americans, all attacking players but none of them centre forwards. Either he’s not getting his point across, or our owners are ignoring him. | | | |
| Cooper on Strikers on 11:43 - May 12 with 580 views | onehunglow |
| Cooper on Strikers on 11:16 - May 12 by jack247 |
So how did Cullen manage to improve while injured? If he doesn’t start on Monday he’ll come on. He’s was no better or more experienced when he came back than he was in September.
It’s just Coopers way. He doesn’t deal with blame or criticism very well, so he lays foundations for excuses early.
If he genuinely wanted a #9, he should have been really forthright about that in the winter window. Whittaker and the two Americans, all attacking players but none of them centre forwards. Either he’s not getting his point across, or our owners are ignoring him. |
Like it or not,I am with you 100% there.
Nuff said. | |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 12:37 - May 12 with 571 views | vetchonian |
| Cooper on Strikers on 11:16 - May 12 by jack247 |
So how did Cullen manage to improve while injured? If he doesn’t start on Monday he’ll come on. He’s was no better or more experienced when he came back than he was in September.
It’s just Coopers way. He doesn’t deal with blame or criticism very well, so he lays foundations for excuses early.
If he genuinely wanted a #9, he should have been really forthright about that in the winter window. Whittaker and the two Americans, all attacking players but none of them centre forwards. Either he’s not getting his point across, or our owners are ignoring him. |
Really! I understand that many do not rate/like Cooper...I have felt the same about managers in the past....
BUT those who are not his greatest fans grasp every thing to make him out to be wrong
You asked the question
"So how did Cullen manage to improve while injured?"
The article I posted was from Sept 19th and Coopers said
"Liam Cullen is one that we hope will break through. We're working hard with him and we like him, but it's a lot to expect of him."
Cullen then started to feature as a sub getting 25 minutes against Stevenage in the cup before starting againt Forest in the cup where he got injured after scoring 2 goals..Four months elapsed between Cooper stating they were working with him and by January they felt he was ready to be blooded in they also recognised that just throwing him in the deep end would be bad for his development.
I get it people dont like Cooper...yet he has got us to the play offs two seasons running.
Yes somteimes the football has been dull but go back and watch the videos of games we have also played some nice attacking football....what we have been lacking is clinical finishing.
I am not saying Cooper is perfect, a great manager but given the circumstances he is doing his job. Needs some better PR but really to say he was making exciuses in September!!!!
Read the OP again what Cooper actually says that without a recognised striker we have still managed to score the goals needed...maybe that missing ingredient would have got us the automatic slot....but oh no that s all down to Cooper...not the players or the opposition. Much was made of a "Players revolution" which brought about the formation change back to 4-3-3...it didnt work against Preston but did well at Millwall before going wrong against Wycombe and QPR...why didnt the players revolt on the pitch against QPR? Igonre Coopers instructions if they were deemed negative?
Cooper has lots to be criticsed about and I could list some of my gripes but these are founded on fact! | |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 14:35 - May 12 with 545 views | vetchonian |
| Cooper on Strikers on 10:35 - May 12 by 9MilesHigh |
Here is our line up v Brum.
Where would this fabled Number 9 have got in exactly?
Cooper, as always, is full of scheißer. |
Maybe just maybe then Cooper would have gone 4-3-3
or 4 -3-2-1
Flat back 4 Roberts/Naughton Rodon Geuhi Bidwell
Grimes Smith Gibbs White in midfield then Lowe the fabled No 9 and Ayew up front
Who knows . The question could/should be asked why Gyorkes wasnt suitable given he had been a target.....but was that Coopers or Andys? Then did he not fit in?
It is all about opinions and none of of will always agree..... I mean you dont rate a certain Icelandic international with a Premiership pedigree...whilst seasoned managers tend to disagree there.....Funny that international was not deemd by you to be "fit" or suitable to play for us yet a USA international from the MLS seems to have been badly treated for not starting more games! The guy had hardly played in 12 months.... | |
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| Cooper on Strikers on 16:57 - May 12 with 525 views | jack247 |
| Cooper on Strikers on 12:37 - May 12 by vetchonian |
Really! I understand that many do not rate/like Cooper...I have felt the same about managers in the past....
BUT those who are not his greatest fans grasp every thing to make him out to be wrong
You asked the question
"So how did Cullen manage to improve while injured?"
The article I posted was from Sept 19th and Coopers said
"Liam Cullen is one that we hope will break through. We're working hard with him and we like him, but it's a lot to expect of him."
Cullen then started to feature as a sub getting 25 minutes against Stevenage in the cup before starting againt Forest in the cup where he got injured after scoring 2 goals..Four months elapsed between Cooper stating they were working with him and by January they felt he was ready to be blooded in they also recognised that just throwing him in the deep end would be bad for his development.
I get it people dont like Cooper...yet he has got us to the play offs two seasons running.
Yes somteimes the football has been dull but go back and watch the videos of games we have also played some nice attacking football....what we have been lacking is clinical finishing.
I am not saying Cooper is perfect, a great manager but given the circumstances he is doing his job. Needs some better PR but really to say he was making exciuses in September!!!!
Read the OP again what Cooper actually says that without a recognised striker we have still managed to score the goals needed...maybe that missing ingredient would have got us the automatic slot....but oh no that s all down to Cooper...not the players or the opposition. Much was made of a "Players revolution" which brought about the formation change back to 4-3-3...it didnt work against Preston but did well at Millwall before going wrong against Wycombe and QPR...why didnt the players revolt on the pitch against QPR? Igonre Coopers instructions if they were deemed negative?
Cooper has lots to be criticsed about and I could list some of my gripes but these are founded on fact! |
Calm down.
I’ve said on here plenty of times that Cooper deserves credit for our results over the past two seasons. I’ve said that results wise, he’s done better than Martinez and Sousa. Only Rodgers, who is now one of the elite, matched him in the Championship.
He’s made excuses since he’s been here. He deflects any blame for bad performances (often onto the players). He said the other day it was a great achievement to even be in the playoffs. I doubt Thomas Frank has said anything like that. It’s defeatist and it’s part of his personality. You can ignore it if you like. He’ll do it again next season. Before September probably.
Those FA cup games featured the likes of Garrick, Byers, Cameron Evans, Oli Cooper. Routledge, before Cooper took him seriously as a starter and Dhanda. That’s what Championship teams do in the early rounds. We even gave Arriola and Freeman half an hour against Man City!
You’ve gone off on a tangent with the ‘players revolution’. I don’t for a minute think the players had a mutiny or don’t respect Cooper. This was about him moaning about not having a striker, when his forte is meant to be working with young players. | | | |
| Cooper on Strikers on 17:23 - May 12 with 516 views | vetchonian |
| Cooper on Strikers on 16:57 - May 12 by jack247 |
Calm down.
I’ve said on here plenty of times that Cooper deserves credit for our results over the past two seasons. I’ve said that results wise, he’s done better than Martinez and Sousa. Only Rodgers, who is now one of the elite, matched him in the Championship.
He’s made excuses since he’s been here. He deflects any blame for bad performances (often onto the players). He said the other day it was a great achievement to even be in the playoffs. I doubt Thomas Frank has said anything like that. It’s defeatist and it’s part of his personality. You can ignore it if you like. He’ll do it again next season. Before September probably.
Those FA cup games featured the likes of Garrick, Byers, Cameron Evans, Oli Cooper. Routledge, before Cooper took him seriously as a starter and Dhanda. That’s what Championship teams do in the early rounds. We even gave Arriola and Freeman half an hour against Man City!
You’ve gone off on a tangent with the ‘players revolution’. I don’t for a minute think the players had a mutiny or don’t respect Cooper. This was about him moaning about not having a striker, when his forte is meant to be working with young players. |
But that is my main point....from September until January I believe they had been working with Cullen...yes the cup was the place to "blood" him...He started against Forest another championship side had a great game scoring 2 only to be injured...I think had he not he would have featured more in the league from that point.
Cooper needs some coaching in handling the media..also I dont see the achievement statement as defeatist..possibly realisitc when comparing the squads of other teams ...rememebr the tables with squad value v position..Whislt Franck is rather arrogant Cooper is more understated and not thinking sometimes....and sometimes it is the players fault..once they cross the white line its in their hands...
In the op though Cooper says yes we have had no striker but we have still managed to get the goals.....sign of a "good " manager perhaps which is making the best of the resources availabe....that will open a hornets nest....squad good enough to get automatic but Copper etc....Its all about opinions | |
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