Ok So we need a striker

just in case cornflake turns out to be a waste of money... who would u go for in jan?

I still don't think the strikers the problem. It's hard to ask a striker to score if he's not getting the ball in the box. Our striker is being asked to hold a ball until help arrives, and invariably it never does. Wingers should be the priority.

But to answer the question - audacious loan bid for Javier Hernandez? He wants to leave United...

Red614 wrote:I still don't think the strikers the problem. It's hard to ask a striker to score if he's not getting the ball in the box. Our striker is being asked to hold a ball until help arrives, and invariably it never does. Wingers should be the priority.

But to answer the question - audacious loan bid for Javier Hernandez? He wants to leave United...

You kidding? lol

In open play our attacking strategy takes form in two ways. 

1. Long ball up the field to a front man - our strikers are too short and weak for the target man role
2. Our full backs attempt to whip ball into the box from out wide - again our current strikers are not short and get picked off way to easily. How many times did we whip the ball into the box on saturday - how many times did one our forwards win a header? Zero. 

Definitely need some strikers who fit malky's style - it's all well and good having decent wingers to whip a good ball in but it's largely pointless unless we have a forward capable of winning balls in the air.

do we have the ability to move the ball along the ground

nope.

(Disclaimer - All stats from FourFourTwo)

In total, we had 19 crosses into the box. 4 were successful.

If you break it down to crosses per player -

7 came from
Whitts
5 came from Theohile
2 came from Taylor

Guess how many came from our wingers? 1 each. Two, in total, from our wingers. If that doesn't scream 'they aren't good enough' then nothing will. All of Whittingham's crosses came from the right wing, indicating he's being forced out of position to offer support instead of getting into or near the box, damaging our attack. It doesn't matter how big or small your striker is - if he ends up in the box on his own he's going to have two centrebacks on him that are going to make his job impossible. Van Persie is backed up by Rooney right behind him, which drags defenders out of position and provides him an opportunity to win headers. Odemwingie should have that with Whitts, but all too often Whitts is being forced wide to support the build up.

In summary, you're right that our crossing statistics aren't great. They're pretty much 25% success rate which is by no means awful but shows room for improvement. The problem looking at the stats is the crosses are being made by the wrong people, in turn completely isolating Odemwingie. If our left and right wings could distribute the ball well without the need for back up then more people would be in the box, and more crosses would find a red/yellow shirt.

An even better table - Attempted passes to Odemwingie.

http://www.fourfourtwo.com/statszone/share?i=0GwTr

Not one anywhere near the box.

red, your footy brains are better than mine, but would pose this question are whitts and tc being forced out wide because of a crowded midfield?

http://www.fourfourtwo.com/statszone/share?i=0KsKv

Whitts pass map v Villa. He has a high energy role that sees him all over the pitch. His attacking play is funneled to the wings however which considering the wingers and fullbacks are both trying to cover that area makes little sense. He should be in that area just in front of the penalty box, and he wasn't there at all against Villa. I reckon if he gave less support to the wings then he would be in that pocket that could link Odemwingie in very well. But he's stuck covering others right now.

okay then red we need a winger. ince? maybe not, but certainly a guy with a bit of pedigree

I'd love Ince, he's been in great form so far and he's exactly the winger we need. He can deliver a great cross and he likes to get into the box given the chance. He can score too, 6 in his last ten games.

must admit so do i. have mentioned him several times, but would you be tempted to play 4-4-2 with him?