Do we have a world class forward?

[JGL07]

The confusion on this thread is about the meaning of the term ‘forward’. City have plenty of forwards but very few central strikers on the books.

In the dim and distant past there were full backs, half backs and forwards. Then there were defenders midfielders and strikers.

City have effectively been playing without a striker for the best part of two to three seasons. There was only Agüero prior to this season and he was largely out injured for some time. It doesn’t seem to have done them much harm.

Torres seemed to be on the way to become a striker until he suffered a long term injury and then was transferred. Many had great hopes for Delap but we have seen nothing of him through injury.

If City do acquire a striker, it will have to be the right type of player. No one wants to see a Wilfried Bony type or even a Romolu Lukaku type player. Harry Kane would have ticked the boxes but at 28, the fee asked by Spurs was way too high. Harland has a realistic buy out clause but the wages required may be a problem.

Julian Alvarez may prove to be the answer but apparently not until next season.

 

[Blue and true]

To be a world class forward you need to have pace, strength, finishing ability and a football brain/situational awareness. The final ingredient is hard work. In reply to the original question, NO we don't and it will probably prove crucial.

Our current forward line, or players who sometime play there, are powder puff. How as a club we have let this perpetuate is astonishing neglect. It's not as if there's even a shortage of forwards to be found. Even that Broja that Southampton had, who's not had a sniff at Chelsea, is better as a target man than any target man we have and he bloody Armenian FFS

I think we've allowed it to perpetuate because there's an argument to be made that we haven't needed one in the last few years. We have world class defenders, we have world midfielders, and that has, taking a simplistic view, negated the need for a genuine world class goalscorer. And as I alluded to earlier, that's not going to be sustainable indefinitely.

I tend to agree they are powder puff. They each have their requisite qualities but yesterday we needed one of them to aggressively grab the game by the scruff of the neck and win it for us; I never felt they would.

Another hypothetical worth pondering is that all of our attackers would improve immeseaurably as footballers if they were working with a world class goalscorer.

 

[blueparrot]

He would get laughed out the room if he did!

Pretty sure he sees himself in midfield.

 

[blueparrot]

To be a world class forward you need to have pace, strength, finishing ability and a football brain/situational awareness. The final ingredient is hard work. In reply to the original question, NO we don't and it will probably prove crucial.

Our current forward line, or players who sometime play there, are powder puff. How as a club we have let this perpetuate is astonishing neglect. It's not as if there's even a shortage of forwards to be found. Even that Broja that Southampton had, who's not had a sniff at Chelsea, is better as a target man than any target man we have and he bloody Armenian FFS

When will it prove crucial. No signs yet. Why are you talking about target men? We haven’t been for years and won’t be a target man team anytime soon.

 

[mackenzie]

I think we've allowed it to perpetuate because there's an argument to be made that we haven't needed one in the last few years. We have world class defenders, we have world midfielders, and that has, taking a simplistic view, negated the need for a genuine world class goalscorer. And as I alluded to earlier, that's not going to be sustainable indefinitely.

I tend to agree they are powder puff. They each have their requisite qualities but yesterday we needed one of them to aggressively grab the game by the scruff of the neck and win it for us; I never felt they would.

Another hypothetical worth pondering is that all of our attackers would improve immeseaurably as footballers if they were working with a world class goalscorer.

It's a strange one isn't it, because (occasionally) we have had some over the years (not forwards) who HAVE grabbed the game by the "scruff of the neck" and got us over the line. Kompany for example, and also LaPorte (cup final). Also YaYa and Rodri.

 

[MadchesterCity]

Pretty sure he sees himself in midfield.

I agree, he is playing in a front 3 but he certainly isn’t a world class forward and I’m sure he certainly doesn’t think he is

 

[MadchesterCity]

Hah a poll where nobody has voted

 

[CatMan]

When will it prove crucial. No signs yet. Why are you talking about target men? We haven’t been for years and won’t be a target man team anytime soon.

Kane is not a target man but a genuine central striker who is an immensely good footballer and would improve our team no end. It's not so much about being a target man it's more about finding players who can get shots off and have a belief that they are going to get into areas to score goals. I'd go as far to say that Laporte has more of a natural striker's brain than any of our supposed forwards do.

 

[MadchesterCity]

Perhaps the question is unfair, we don’t have a world class forward when it comes to finishing, but we do have some forward players with world class attributes

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

No.
We seem to be doing alright though.