STFC Transfer Rumours

[Reg Smeeton]

And I still disagree 100%.

You say "virtually every team that get's out of this division has one player who scores 20+ goals in a season"

of course the argument hinges on a definition of "virtually every".... I'd interpret that as meaning around 90%.  Not the case.

[Peter Venkman]

It is my opinion and I am sticking to it.

IMO we need a striker who can score 20+ goals in a season, if not 2 of them.

[Audrey]

I get what Reg is saying. What if said 20 goal striker gets injured and the rest of the squad struggle to chip in. Putting all your goals in one basket is risky.

The chances of getting 2 at our level without paying for them is slight.

[Legends-Lounge]

I get what Reg is saying. What if said 20 goal striker gets injured and the rest of the squad struggle to chip in. Putting all your goals in one basket is risky.

The chances of getting 2 at our level without paying for them is slight.

What if you don’t have one or two 20 goal strikers in your squad and rely on attacking midfielders and wing backs to get you the goals, only they don’t click or get injured?

I see both sides of the coin in this debate, however, i’m with PV. Though in both instances you’d need an attacking midfield rather than a defensive one. Then there is the formation you prefer to play with said players assuming you can get them.

[Peter Venkman]

I get what Reg is saying. What if said 20 goal striker gets injured and the rest of the squad struggle to chip in. Putting all your goals in one basket is risky.

The chances of getting 2 at our level without paying for them is slight.

But thats not what I am saying is it?

I am saying that almost every team that does well in this league has at least one striker who can bag 20+ league goals in a season, we don't have one IMO at the club and I "think" we need one.

[Kinky Tom]

I think something most will agree on is that having a regular goalscorer is desirable regardless of previous statistics.

Looking around the current squad you'd imagine that Richards could get around 15, Doughty and Taylor may get 5-8 each, maybe up to a dozen for Doughty is he is on pen duty, Alzate could be around those figures, not the dozen perhaps mind, based on what we saw a week ago.  If Adebayo and Twine get to double figures that would represent a decent return.  I make that 50-60 between 6 players, all conjecture of course.

Accy won the league with 76 scored.  Previously Portsmouth scored 79, both conceding around a goal a game, hopefully our defence will be a huge improvement on our 65 conceded last term and we can find an extra 20ish goals from the rest of the squad to sustain a challenge on the top 3.  Hopefully we can get a CB to be a threat from set pieces.

[Peter Venkman]

I think something most will agree on is that having a regular goalscorer is desirable regardless of previous statistics.

Looking around the current squad you'd imagine that Richards could get around 15, Doughty and Taylor may get 5-8 each, maybe up to a dozen for Doughty is he is on pen duty, Alzate could be around those figures, not the dozen perhaps mind, based on what we saw a week ago.  If Adebayo and Twine get to double figures that would represent a decent return.  I make that 50-60 between 6 players, all conjecture of course.

Accy won the league with 76 scored.  Previously Portsmouth scored 79, both conceding around a goal a game, hopefully our defence will be a huge improvement on our 65 conceded last term and we can find an extra 20ish goals from the rest of the squad to sustain a challenge on the top 3.  Hopefully we can get a CB to be a threat from set pieces.

Absolutely.

[Reg Smeeton]

I think something most will agree on is that having a regular goalscorer is desirable regardless of previous statistics.

Looking around the current squad you'd imagine that Richards could get around 15, Doughty and Taylor may get 5-8 each, maybe up to a dozen for Doughty is he is on pen duty, Alzate could be around those figures, not the dozen perhaps mind, based on what we saw a week ago.  If Adebayo and Twine get to double figures that would represent a decent return.  I make that 50-60 between 6 players, all conjecture of course.

Accy won the league with 76 scored.  Previously Portsmouth scored 79, both conceding around a goal a game, hopefully our defence will be a huge improvement on our 65 conceded last term and we can find an extra 20ish goals from the rest of the squad to sustain a challenge on the top 3.  Hopefully we can get a CB to be a threat from set pieces.

Pompey being a classic example; won the league.... leading scorer Kai Naismith, a wide midfielder with 13, next Gary Roberts who we know, with 10.

[Batch]

I get what Reg is saying. What if said 20 goal striker gets injured and the rest of the squad struggle to chip in. Putting all your goals in one basket is risky.

The chances of getting 2 at our level without paying for them is slight.

unfortunately there will always be key players we can't afford adequet cover for.

ideally you'd have both a striker and a squad capable of goals.

I get it's a balancing act on budget, spunking a lot of it on a striker is a risk.

[Reg Smeeton]

unfortunately there will always be key players we can't afford adequet cover for.

ideally you'd have both a striker and a squad capable of goals.

I get it's a balancing act on budget, spunking a lot of it on a striker is a risk.

As things stand with a week to go, the midfield looks like it could be strong enough for Div 4, which is good, the defence, looks like it's a wing and a prayer job and without Richards, we lack a goalscorer.  If you're looking for an auto slot, it's not convincing, if you're looking at a PO slot, perhaps. Last season we weren't far off, but you do need that bit of good running with injuries etc.  We should have enough to stay up, if MD and TD can give us a decent % of games.

[FreddySTFC!]

As things stand with a week to go, the midfield looks like it could be strong enough for Div 4, which is good, the defence, looks like it's a wing and a prayer job and without Richards, we lack a goalscorer.  If you're looking for an auto slot, it's not convincing, if you're looking at a PO slot, perhaps. Last season we weren't far off, but you do need that bit of good running with injuries etc.  We should have enough to stay up, if MD and TD can give us a decent % of games.

So, for a bit of 'fun' now that the last official pre-season fixture has been played & the bulk of the recruitment has been done what position do you think we will finish in Reg?

[Peter Venkman]

we lack a goalscorer.

So you have just agreed with me then, thanks.

[Reg Smeeton]

So you have just agreed with me then, thanks.

"without Richards, we lack a goalscorer"  that is his function in the team.  It's entirely possible PB won't pick him anyway, perhaps preferring MAF, who isn't a goalscorer.

Returning to the goalscorer discussion.... 14/15 would be a decent example.... Flitcroft got Bury up.  Burton won the league, leading scorer Lucas Akins with 10.  The other STFC came second, leading scorer James Collins 15... Flitters' mob had Daniel Narfdiello on 10.

When Burton went straight through Div 3 to the Championship the next season Akins was again their leading scorer with 12, he took the pens.

[Reg Smeeton]

So, for a bit of 'fun' now that the last official pre-season fixture has been played & the bulk of the recruitment has been done what position do you think we will finish in Reg?

Still too early to say.... the uncertainty over the central defence does that. If Conroy and Lancashire can provide a majority of games, we could with the quality in midfield do OK.  If they break down again early doors, we could be in trouble.

PB looks like the sort of manager who likes to be hard to beat, doesn't mind draws. I can see him using MAF as a focal point, then look to get a few out of Anderson, Woolery if he comes back and MD.  Matty Taylor should still get a few free kick goals.

[FreddySTFC!]

Still too early to say.... the uncertainty over the central defence does that. If Conroy and Lancashire can provide a majority of games, we could with the quality in midfield do OK.  If they break down again early doors, we could be in trouble.

PB looks like the sort of manager who likes to be hard to beat, doesn't mind draws. I can see him using MAF as a focal point, then look to get a few out of Anderson, Woolery if he comes back and MD.  Matty Taylor should still get a few free kick goals.

That's all well & good but if you had to hazard a guess at where we'd finish based on the current circumstances what would you say? I'll help you out by going first & say 6th.