At pains again to explain that Nolan is there to finish rather than create, Allardyce insisted, "Kevin Nolan is a midfielder goalscorer, he's not a midfielder playmaker."
He then sang the praises of his captain adding, "He puts himself in very dangerous positions in the box and finds the quality and the finish in the box that's basically only afforded to the top centre-forwards."
But it is a top centre forward that we still lack, as Allardyce pointed out: "(Nolan's was) a fantastic goal on the end of a real good performance. He showed the centre-forwards how to do it, 'This is how to score lads, come on, get your act together.' They still didn't learn from that because they kept missing some sitters in the second half!"
Ouch! Allardyce is right of course, Maynard should have bagged two goals in the second half and Vaz Te and Collison could and should have got themselves on the score sheet too.
Fulham's new Russian has had five shots on goal since arriving in the Prem and has scored five goals. It is that sort of quality we lack. That's why Premiership teams weren't interested in Maynard and Vaz Te, even though they were going for a song, and it's why Cole is still at West Ham and why Kenwyne Jones will never be anything special.
Forwards have to bury chances, and forwards who need five shots for every goal scored are ultimately a liability. Sadly in Piquionne, Carew, Cole, Vaz Te and Maynard, we have a bus load of strikers who can't hit a barn door from five paces!
Baldock may be the answer. I would start him alongside Cole against Watford.
I think it's a bit early to write Maynard off, his movement, positioning, pace and work rate are all good and he has not been playing regularly (until the last 3 matches for WHU). He wasn't far off target yesterday and once he gets a couple they should start flying in (so long as we get the ball to him and dpn't revert to humping it up the pitch from our own half).
ReplyDeleteI am with you with the Cole-Baldock partnership. Baldock at least gets himself to the right places and moves very well without the ball. He just has to gain confidence and start burying a few.
ReplyDeleteAnony-mouse says,
ReplyDeleteFfs give the new boys a chance HF, before writing them off- they've only been here two minutes. I know in Roy of the Rovers new signings always scored debut hat-tricks but real ife is different. Vaz Te is a good signing- he will prove his worth but needs to be given time to settle. Same with Maynard- he is a good finisher but all strikers have off days like he did yesterday.
What we now know is that Maynard can't play up front on his own- only Cole can do that- and that's why he is essential despite his lack of goals. Maynard needs someone to play off so i'd have Cole and Maynard from the start against Watford. But it is a tough call between Maynard, who is the more natural finisher, and Baldock who brings movement to the team.
Two bad games to be fair. I thought Maynard's movement was pretty good against Cardiff but Baldock's is better. The trouble remains 4-3-3 and Nolan in a 4-4-2 formation.
ReplyDeleteAnony-mouse says,
ReplyDeleteFor the last two games Maynard has played the lone striker role- that's not his game, although I agree that his movement yesterday was much better. Best to judge him when he's playing in a front two.
I've not been a fan of Nolan but have to say that was his best game yesterday. And was it just me or did he look fitter and less bulky than before the sending off? What we did have in midfield yesterday was good movement and interchangeability (if that's a word- I'm sure you'll tell me if it isn't HF). That helped to make things hard for Cardiff.
Not that you dont have other things to do, HF, but I would be curious what the strike rate is for forwards in the league? Five goals in five shots is not what forwards do on a regular basis. So if our guys are not up to it, I wonder by how much?
ReplyDeleteMaynard is a bloody good player and goals will come, so said David James.
ReplyDeleteSee you're up to your old tricks - a good win under pressure wasn't good enough for you then HF? still trying to cause offence and trouble? Well it don't, we've all got your number.... even the QPR fans don't bite any more.
I agree Anony-mouse but the trouble is, that was with a midfield five. Can we play four in midfield with Nolan? He is something between a midfielder and a forward in the same way as Diop is something between a defender and a midfielder. Still struggling to fit a jigsaw together in my opinion. If only we had Lambert!
ReplyDelete1149, I am only commenting on what Allardyce said. As for the gRs, they are chastened. They know I was right and don't want to admit it!
ReplyDeleteBit harsh HF .I like the look of our new recruits.Once they get into the scoring rhythm again ,the goals will flow.MAYNARD and BALDOCK/VAZ TE up front would be my preferred choice to start against WATFORD
ReplyDeleteMaynard looks like he might do a job but Vaz Te todate is inept. He should have buried his main chance yesterday, how did he score 8 for Barnsley! In the Palace game he did not get involved in the nitty gritty of defending. Why wasn't Baldock given a chance against Cardiff, he must be chomping at the bit and had he been on a bit longer before he got his goal chances would have taken at least one of them. Watching our game and the Soton one before there is only one team playing football at the moment! Why do we keep lumping it forward! Play football, keep possession; if we've got it they aint!
ReplyDeleteAnony-mouse says,
ReplyDelete12.34- You've got to be joking about Saints playing more football than us at the weekend. Leeds played them off the park and should have won comfortably. We won at a canter against one of the best teams in this league, and on another day would have got 4 or 5.
And Vaz Te got all those goals for Barnsley because a) he's a good player and b) he was their focal point and their game was to play through balls behind defenders for him to use his pace to get on the end of them.
Anony-mous
ReplyDeleteSaints played football against Leeds even when up against it, they slowed the game down and kept possession running the clock down. Yeah leeds SHOULD have won it if they had managed to beat davies but they didn't. Vaz Te got plenty of the ball but he is not looking for the ball behind defenders nor is he very successful in taking the man on, lets face it even Linda scored and he normally stops when he gets that high up the pitch. If you believe we won at a canter then we are watching different games. Had we taken all of our chances I would agree with you , but if that free kick had gone in we would have been panicking for the last bit of the game.We are making things difficult for ourselves and Vaz Te aint helping!
I had the chance to watch to entire Southampton/Leeds game. Either Leeds has woefully underperformed, or Soton are ordinary. If not for the keeper, Leeds would have strolled to a 3 goal win.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Hammers, as long as we keep clean sheets, I am comfortable with Nolan in the line up - for his goals - and anyone but Cole up top.
Cheers.
PS - how about Dempsey and my Yanks winning in italy.??!!
yep I'm sure Sam is right it certainly can't have anything to do with his one dimensional game plan
ReplyDeleteFunny how people on here are defending Maynard as being played as the line striker but not one when in reality neither is Carlton Cole and he has proved that. Out him up front with another striker (not done that since Bellamy left) then I'm sure he would score more goals too.
ReplyDeletePs. The last comment diesn't need to be anonymous about Carlton Cole. Stick my name "JayK" on it if you wish.
ReplyDeleteHF 11:22
ReplyDeleteYes it would be good to go 4-4-2 with Cole and Maynard/Baldock up front and Taylor and Vaz Te in the wide positions. Vaz Te can be frustrating but he is quick and tricky and causes problems. Taylor gives the team another dimension with the final ball and set pieces.
Ttouble is Nolan does not offer enough to be one of the two in Central midfield. Pick him and one of the strikers misses out so we are back to 4-5-1 or 4-3-3.
we won sunday hf aint that enough we never even had to go up a gear against a half decent side
ReplyDeleteone thing i think forwards need time on the pitch baldock a few mins against palace nothing on sunday maynard looked very sharp with a bit of pace if he gets a bit of luck hel score plenty for us maybe a baldock maynard partnership in a 4 4 2 we played 3 games with ten men and held our own so surely nolan could still play in a 4 4 2
its coming to the final furlong in the championship i would rather have our squad than any of the other teams around us we could afford injuries and suspensions as we have proved in recent weeks
hf what do you want westham to fcuk promotion up and you can slag allardyce off for his tactics we are head and shoulders above all the teams around us it aint been pretty football to watch but its been effective
theres no need for depression if we can keep 11 players on the field some one is due a 4 or 5 goal thrashing soon on another day it would have been cardiff our glass is half full coyi