Just a striker...

[Sebastian Rooks]

I've been reading a lot of forums and a lot of reports today in reaction to last nights defeat and there are huge over reactions everywhere.

Yes we did capitulate last night but generally speaking the football has been 100% better than last season and lets be honest, if we had one prolific striker like the sides at the top have it would have made all the difference this season. Obviously Carroll has not done it and Suarez is probably better playing off a (prolific) front man.

So do you sack a manager for being 1 top striker short?

The stats show the chances have been there but haven't been converted and we've hit the bar and the post more than any other team in Europe ( apparently).

Arsenal wouldn't have been anywhere without Van Persie this season ( who has been putting away any sniff of even a half chance that he's got) same with Rooney at Utd and City with Aguero.

Yes others from midfield need to chip in as well but we really just need an Aldridge / Rush / Fowler / Owen / Torres ( anyone that is great at finishing!) and I think this is the first time in a long time we haven't had someone as prolific as our previous strikers.

Premier league Top scorers 2011 / 2012

1 Robin Van Persie Arsenal 26
2 Wayne Rooney Manchester United 20
3 Sergio Agüero Manchester City 17
4 Demba Ba Newcastle United 16
5 Yakubu Aiyegbeni Blackburn Rovers 14
6 Edin Dzeko Manchester City 13
7 Clint Dempsey Fulham 12
8 Emmanuel Adebayor Tottenham Hotspur 11
8 Mario Balotelli Manchester City 11

[colin85]

This is true. But we still bought ****e like Adam,downing,Henderson,Carroll.

[RichC]

we are desperate for not only a striker who can regularly put the ball in the back of the net but also the support cast around him to chip in with a few as well.

[Mattshark]

We are not just a striker short at all, we lack goals from midfield, we don't play a formation that suits many of our players. Sorry but this is nonsense and a weak excuse.

[Lecter]

we are desperate for not only a striker who can regularly put the ball in the back of the net but also the support cast around him to chip in with a few as well.

A striker for me is the most urgent

If we'd put away more of the numerous chances we've created we'd be more than half way there

[BootRoom]

We had £50 mil to spend on a striker and it was blown, so you can't spin the story into a tale of "only if".

[~LFCHistory~]

We need a striker for sure but what happens if that player gets injured ?? We'll be back to square one won't we ? All we really need is quality players both in midfield and attack who can chip in with goals like last season, ATM we don't have that for a variety of reasons not least the 80 million wasted on mediocre rubbish by Dalglish. Big summer ahead.

[JohnDoe]

There is no point in buying a striker when your manager refuses to play more than one in every away game and in every other big game.

We have Carroll and Suarez who have shown quite a good chemistry playing together, yet our manager insists on dropping Carroll even after good performances of scoring and setting up goals.

We don't need a striker, we need our manager to get more out of our current players, this squad is underachieving.

[Lecter]

We need a striker for sure but what happens if that player gets injured ?? We'll be back to square one won't we ?

You could ask that about ANY signing we make

IF we signed a top class winger and he gets injured we'd be back to Downing et al

Etc.........

The thing is to make improvements to the first team thats imperative

Yes its a squad game but the less you are relying on those "squad" players the better

[Lecter]

There is no point in buying a striker when your manager refuses to play more than one in every away game and in every other big game.

We have Carroll and Suarez who have shown quite a good chemistry playing together, yet our manager insists on dropping Carroll even after good performances of scoring and setting up goals.

We don't need a striker, we need our manager to get more out of our current players, this squad is underachieving.

Carroll should be playing I agree

Just not convinced that anyone else would get more out of him & Suarez

I have little faith in either player frankly

[Gibbo]

Carroll isn't good enough but I agree he should play.

[malg]

I'm not sure we are just short of 1 striker. I feel there are a few problems with in the team. But the fact that so much money has been spent, on what can only be described as average players makes the thought of Kenny, and who ever else has input to purchases a little scary for the window/s that lay ahead. We have not got the resources to keep making expensive mistakes.

[JohnDoe]

Carroll should be playing I agree

Just not convinced that anyone else would get more out of him & Suarez

I have little faith in either player frankly

You get more out of them just by playing them.

Carroll on the bench contributes nothing. We have won the last three PL games he's started, and lost the last four PL games he hasn't.

[cream]

A striker isn't going to stop us conceding goals, we need more than just a striker.

[Galb]

Carroll should be playing I agree

Just not convinced that anyone else would get more out of him & Suarez

I have little faith in either player frankly

One thinh about that though - before it all fell apart last night, I thought we looked much more creative up front. There is much more movement without Carroll, and much more quick one-touch football from our front players when he's not involved.

Unfortunately, we look on the verge of creating something without either the final ball coming off often enough or, when it does, looking like we have anyone reliable to finish it. So its all a bit pointless. But it does make me think Carroll's not the solution. Or even an improvement.