This "DKD is not a striker" idea

He might not be six feet tall with the number nine on his back but he's a proper striker in my book. My definition of a striker is a player who scores a sackful of goals every season and gets into scoring positions, on either foot, regularly. Of course he has the odd quiet game, but he's got that ability to pop up out of nowhere and get you a goal.

He's not a winger, he's not a midfielder. He's our best striker and will hopefully complement DMcG very well this season. I can see the pair of them racking up over 30 goals between them this season, injuries permitting of course.

 

When is a striker not a striker?
Is Salah a striker or a right winger for example.?

 

By that logic, Neil Redfearn was a striker.

 

Except when he’s selected to play on the wing or from midfield?

The fact he is playing as a striker doesn’t make it his best or natural position - it just means we don’t have anyone better to do the job.

If we were to agree he was one, then there wouldn’t be another candidate for this particular accolade so I can’t argue against

Now this I do agree with. They will both at times play as a ‘nine’, neither have been this for prolonged periods of their careers (DKD isn’t a kid remember) - but both will do a good job there.

But it’s a stretch to call DKD a centre forward, and a bigger stretch to go in with a fella pushing forty as our only taller, physical presence up top.

 

Up until yesterday, the official website had him down as a midfielder. He’s now listed as a ‘second striker’ whatever the f*** that is. The EFL Fantasy League thing has him down as a midfielder. The head coach hadn’t - until most recently - played him as a striker. For most of his career he’s played as an attacking midfielder, ala Craig Hignett for those who remember that absolute genius.

Couldn’t care less what he’s described as. He’s a talented lad who, when he plays well, is a joy to watch and seems to really enjoy his football and representing our club.

 

Like Neil Redfearn, Ronnie Glavin and Craig Hignett?

 

I don't care about semantics, call a player whatever you want.

Those of us saying we haven't signed a striker or got any alternatives are talking about a player who can lead the line, play on the shoulder of the last defender, hold up the ball, bring others into play. We don't have anyone other than McGoldrick who can do that. Call Cooper a striker if you want but it's just clouding the issue. We are clearly and obviously lacking in this area.

 

Yes exactly like them. Strikers from midfield, if they rack up the goals, are still strikers in my book. The three mentioned were brilliant goalscorers but I don't recall them creating goals for others too often. Their "assists" stats may have been exceptional but I don't recall that side of their game. They didn't need to do too much assisting. Too busy blasting the ball at the goal!

Ronnie, especially, just preferred to waltz through whoever stood in front of him. He'd go left, he'd go right, always with the ball at his feet. And then, in a flash, he was in the box and the back of the net was rippling seconds later.

Neil was great at picking up the ball in the middle, usually some way from goal, and then before defenders had time to do anything about it he would pull the trigger and the ball would invariably find either corner of the net.

Craig was an artist. A midfielder if you like but deadly in front of goal. I'm still amazed that we managed to land a player like that, and others of similar calibre at that time.

It's all just semantics really though. Call them what you like - it's just been a privilege over the years to watch these "strikers" plying their trade. Plenty of centre forwards have had worse scoring records than those three, and DKD of course

 

Cooper?

 

He’s not a striker he’s a no 10

 

He plays up front, he's there for rebounds off the keeper or post. He's not a 6ft+ striker but he's in the mould of Michael Owen or Robbie Fowler rather than Redfearn, Hignett or Glavin. He rarely drives forward from midfield and most of his goals are inside the box. He's a striker all day long for me.

 

It’s all a bit of a technicality. For me he’s best down the middle, he links play and scores goals so I’d say he’s a very good striker regardless of where else he can play. Best goal scorer we’ve had in years, extremely pleased he’s still here.

 

He can wear a tutu and call issen Mandy for all most of us care. Just get another 20+ goals...pls

 

He’s more a striker than he is a winger. Ultimately though, he’s an 8 or a 10. There’s definite goals in our team, but no big 9 amongst any of our players.

 

Isnt that the description of a centre forward? Some strikers are CF's but not all CF's are the main striker. For me DKD is a striker of the Owen mould.

 

But what's the obsession with a big unit of a CF? Maybe Conor doesn't want one? Do we even play a way to need a big lad up top? We've only failed to score in one game since CH took over, and we should have had a few that game but just was one of those days.

Another forward would have been nice yesterday, but the one we apparently wanted was another DKD type, not a big lump.

Signing any new striker yesterday, would have made zero impact to our starting 11, as when fit, DKD will play through the middle in that role as that's his best role in this team/set up. So any new striker that joined would have purely sat on bench.

A new left winger may have improved us immediately as Didzy could have them gone on bench while the new winger started. But maybe they didn't want that as they are confident with Farrugia and Jalo could be due back soon.

 

But what’s the obsession with how many we’ve scored when discussing this?

Forwards aren’t all about how many goals we score - every time anyone mentions we needed another signing in the area all that gets mentioned is how many we’ve scored.

McGoldrick has improved us this season with his occupying of defenders but in a major way by his ability to get hold of the ball and retain it, wait for others to join play and so on. Without that we turn over and lose the ball much quicker - like last season - and are under pressure defensively more regularly and more quickly.

You need to be able to get on the ball and hold it up, provide an outlet. DKD can’t do this overly effectively.

Whether playing from the left or centrally McG can - but he isn’t going to play 46 games and certainly won’t play Saturday - Tuesday - Saturday very often. Cleary is physical but can he retain the ball like that?

With Phillips in midfield, Vickers DKD and McG as a front three; we have goal threat. Of course we do.

But we don’t just need goal threat, we need to win games - and you do that not only by scoring, you need to nullify the opposition. If we can’t keep the ball in the final third we will be under a lot of pressure in some games. We saw that when the ball just bounced off whoever we had up top last season.

 

If we werent scoring goals id be worried but we've goals all over this team and currently joint top scorers I believe. Injuries are the main concern.

Left field idea: If we wanted to add some depth to attack what about a punt on getting Dele Alli fit - prob woudlnt happen but he's a free agent and could play up front. Maybe just needs the right environment but probably thinks L1 be too low. Wrexham will probably sign him tbf

 

Cos goals win games and this season we've won most of our games, losing just once? What Conor is doing is clearly working.

Having some big lump up top to boot ball at in some situations seems a waste of a wage. When this season would we have needed that? Having that when down to 10 against Plymouth wouldn't have got us that third goal where DKD nips in after a mistake and seals the game. Didzy was off the pitch when we went to 10 men, and we scored one then and nearly scored a few others too, didn't need anyone holding it up etc. we looked fine to me.

Having that when 2 down at Burton let's them sit deeper and deal with crosses into box. Its the quick snappy play between those technically gifted players you've mentioned that's causing all sorts of issues for teams.

Also, what decent striker of that style is going to want to sign for us to sit on bench behind DKD, just to come on for a certain point in some games where we might possibly need him? No one half decent is going to want to accept that role. Unless you pay them above what they are worth.