The striker situation

[MangoMagic01]

JAMES MILNER ALL DAY LONG FOR ME.
Perfect stop gap. Runs all day, intelligent, 2 footed, really good finisher, good in the air and team player. He'd make space for merlin, Nasri etc with his movement. Can't see went no one else has thought of it. Stop laughing and think about it!!!!

great player and great pro but thick as pig shit. his decsion making, vital up front, is terrible. makes up for it with sheer effort but not sharp enough for me.
i'd drag in david villa, if only to piss the media off.

Henry on a free just so Wenger explodes.

I would love to have Henry at this club! Henry and Lampard, could you imagine..

 

[MangoMagic01]

Its obvious we HAVE to buy/loan a new striker in January. In my opinion, we should look at:
Jay Rodriguez - Relatively young, fast, versitile, can finish and English.
Saido Berahinho: Same reasons as Jay Rod, and both would be eligible to play in the Champions League if needed.
Bony
Lacazette - Young French striker, fast and can finish. In fact his goal scoring record is amongst the best in Europe.
Podolski
Jermaine Defoe (100% on a 5 month loan only).
Balotelli
David Villa
Higuain
Álvaro Morata

Lacazette all day! He won't come cheap though.. Has all the qualities to be a superstar in England

 

[Shirley]

Makes sense to stick with Pozo. He hasn't done too bad, but for a brilliant save and a timely header from Morgan he could've had a couple of goals in his two appearances. The experience will do him no harm and he'll get better as the players learn to trust him.

My opinion also, with 4 of the next 5 games at home it is worth giving Pozo a run even if not 90 minutes each game.
By the time the Everton game comes around on 10 Jan hopefully the injuries will have cleared up, if not then the club will know what to do.

 

[bitsmith]

Daily Mail is running a story Milner is getting prepared for the role. Unless they just read the forum and made a story.

 

[MillionDollarDream]

Said this on twitter today but I honestly can't see Lyon throwing away their title hopes and selling us Lacazette in January or any time really. They will at least make champions league next season and he will be there to lead the charge until the rest of their youth steps up, because since Gomis and Briand left... He's really all they have upfront.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

I suppose it depends on how we envision the role and who we're playing against. If we were playing the Rags then Pozo would have a field day, but playing packed defences that camp on the edge of their own penalty area really doesn't do the lad any favours. If Pozo plays then we need to set up to help him; Navas needs to play, and possibly Kolarov too, to give him the kind of service he can convert. Try and get in behind, low crosses into dangerous areas.

I can see the merit of using Milner up there; if Dirk Kuyt can be played as a lone striker then James Milner should be able to do it. He'll run all day, drag the defence around and press constantly. I'm unsure about his suitability to convert chances but we have goals in midfield.

Talk of Yaya is extremely fanciful. He won't run the channels, press (something which Pozo has done very well, especially putting the keeper under pressure) or make the kind of dummy runs that open up space. Besides, his passing is needed in the middle of the park. If we're desperate for a goal then Yaya up in a two with Pozo would maybe make sense in a pinch.

Then we have the false-9 option of Siva or Nasri. They're both very mobile, intelligent and have excellent close control, and could bring the rest of the team into play. Even though Silva has played the role before I would favour Nasri personally. He's a better finisher for one thing, and we'll need Silva on the ball making passes.

 

[ws01]

I know Villa is unlikely but he'd be perfect if we could get him.

 

[Matt the Giant]

I know Villa is unlikely but he'd be perfect if we could get him.

Absolutely, but as I just said in the transfer forum, if he is unattainable (which wouldn't surprise me) and we still need a short term emergency signing, how about Jermain Defoe until the end of the season? He's got the experience, a good finisher, is homegrown and his tenure in Toronto suggests he's still in pretty good shape. I think the way he plays would make him rather suitable for us.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

I know Villa is unlikely but he'd be perfect if we could get him.

Villa didn't exactly set the world on fire in Melbourne and made a swift exit so how match fit and sharp enough would he be for the premier league? It might take him a month to get up to any decent playing level. So I'd give that one a miss, why can't we get Lopez back who'd be far more of a goal threat than Pozo? If not I'd go all out for Benteke rather than Boney for age reasons and saving us pissing money away on a stop gap signing.

 

[coleridge]

I was wondering about Lopez. Seems more effective than Pozo at the moment.

Pozo looks class but he'll have to wait. MP said as much.

Pellers also said [I think it was that Mail piece] that he was thinking of Nasri, Silva or Milner, and had asked Patrick about anyone else from the EDS. No indication of a buy/loan in January. Why bother when all three senior strikers are due back around then?

With respect, I think that many posters are getting way ahead of themselves. MP is a calm and calculating chap. He's not unduly worried and neither should we be. He's not a panic buy kinda guy, is he?