Underwhelming seasons

[Gabriel]

Rs fans,

Written up some thoughts ahead of your game against Reading at the weekend - http://www.TheFootbalLab.co.uk/2016/...lming-seasons/

Looks like Hasselbaink has made you tough to beat - steady progress being made?

Cheers and good luck for the rest of the season.

[Ed the Ball]

not a bad write up pal. you describe polter as "lanky" he is not lanky, he is the BFG, big farkin german! we do need the strikers we have to start shaping up tho, also need better service.
things looking more stable for next season

[Gabriel]

not a bad write up pal. you describe polter as "lanky" he is not lanky, he is the BFG, big farkin german! we do need the strikers we have to start shaping up tho, also need better service.
things looking more stable for next season

Cheers Ed. Would you spend big on another striker this summer or focus on other areas? Most fans seem to think new full-backs are needed.

[nasser95]

Just have to say mate, Polter scored 14 goals last season alone in 29 matches so I don't think you got it quite right at the beginning. Good article otherwise and many fair points made. I think if we were going to invest in a striker, it would have to be a real pure goalscorer. We don't need build up players playing a one up front and I feel like the two we have now are quite focused on build up and not finishing as much. However the priority should be a full back with pace and crossing ability, preferably one who can play both right and left side. Someone like that gets rid of pressure on the winger to be the only delivery source and we've sorely lacked it. I think any other signings should really only be direct replacements to those we lose, the squad doesn't need to get too much bigger.

[Gabriel]

Just have to say mate, Polter scored 14 goals last season alone in 29 matches so I don't think you got it quite right at the beginning. Good article otherwise and many fair points made. I think if we were going to invest in a striker, it would have to be a real pure goalscorer. We don't need build up players playing a one up front and I feel like the two we have now are quite focused on build up and not finishing as much. However the priority should be a full back with pace and crossing ability, preferably one who can play both right and left side. Someone like that gets rid of pressure on the winger to be the only delivery source and we've sorely lacked it. I think any other signings should really only be direct replacements to those we lose, the squad doesn't need to get too much bigger.

Edited r.e. Polter. With the shortages at full-back, I'm surprised you let Darnell Furlong go out on loan. Was quite impressed with the bits I saw of him in the PL last season, hear he's doing well at Cambridge too.

[ArthurQPR_NYC]

Cheers Ed. Would you spend big on another striker this summer or focus on other areas? Most fans seem to think new full-backs are needed.

priority uno is the back 4 certainly. but striker is definitely on the shopping list, especially if we continue to not know what we have with Conor Washington. even if we did, Mackie is finished, and 2 strikers just isn't enough

[nasser95]

Edited r.e. Polter. With the shortages at full-back, I'm surprised you let Darnell Furlong go out on loan. Was quite impressed with the bits I saw of him in the PL last season, hear he's doing well at Cambridge too.

I think he lost alot of confidence after the Sanchez match. We couldn't throw him in at the deep end and I understand the decision to let him go. Get him doing well at Cambridge, bring back a player full of confidence hopefully for a long preseason.

[Shepherds Mush]

I think he lost alot of confidence after the Sanchez match. We couldn't throw him in at the deep end and I understand the decision to let him go. Get him doing well at Cambridge, bring back a player full of confidence hopefully for a long preseason.

Shame the same mantra of dropping someone after a difficult (not all bad) game was never applied to Caulker.

[nasser95]

Shame the same mantra of dropping someone after a difficult (not all bad) game was never applied to Caulker.

haha suppose it should, but I guess he was more established prior oddly.

[Gabriel]

priority uno is the back 4 certainly. but striker is definitely on the shopping list, especially if we continue to not know what we have with Conor Washington. even if we did, Mackie is finished, and 2 strikers just isn't enough

Problem is if you only play with 1 up top, it's hard to sign a prolific striker unless you can guarantee he'll start consistently. Wouldn't be surprised if Hasselbaink stuck with Polter as the main striker for his strength/work rate, at Burton he tended to pick Beavon for those reasons.

[nasser95]

Problem is if you only play with 1 up top, it's hard to sign a prolific striker unless you can guarantee he'll start consistently. Wouldn't be surprised if Hasselbaink stuck with Polter as the main striker for his strength/work rate, at Burton he tended to pick Beavon for those reasons.

Didn't realise that Beavon was the same. Maybe that's just his style? Solid at the back, hard working at the front. If we're going for consistent 1-0 results, I can see this working as long as the full back situation is sorted and we get one really good defensive mid.

[Gabriel]

Didn't realise that Beavon was the same. Maybe that's just his style? Solid at the back, hard working at the front. If we're going for consistent 1-0 results, I can see this working as long as the full back situation is sorted and we get one really good defensive mid.

He might not be as tall as Polter but hassles defences in a similar way. And agreed, teams at the top now have the kind of setup JFH wants, hardworking and tough to break down.