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Topic Originator: Par-timer
Date: Thu 8 May 12:04
As Scotland’s lowest scorers last season, and with Craig Wighton leaving the club, we can safely assume that the Pars will be in the market for a proven striker at Championship level to boost the goals tally next season. It could be argued that creative midfield play is what is lacking rather than a striker, given that (when fit) we already have a solid Championship goalscorer (34 in 80 games) in Chris Kane, and this year’s champions got promoted without any individual player scoring more than ten goals.
But with only Lewis McCann (11 goals in 112 Championship games), the inexperienced Sutherland brothers and the untried Connor Young (0 goals in eight matches so far) to support then injury-prone Kane, another striker is a must.
No-one in League One managed more than thirteen individual goals this season, and few in the Championship have bettered that mark in recent seasons either (only Brian Graham in 24/25, for example), so there are not many obvious candidates.
Looking at the free transfer market, both Lewis Moult (3 goals in 17 for Dundee Utd) and Tony Watt (1 in 26 on loan at Motherwell) had poor seasons and are out of contract, but both have good records in the second flight (Moult 18 in 33, Watt 13 in 37), although they are both the wrong side of 30.
The new owners have shown (with Connor Young) that they are not averse to paying a transfer fee, unlike almost all of our rivals, so a bid for a player with one year left on their contract might have some success. Dipo Akinyemi managed only four goals in 25 matches in York’s stellar season, and if they do get promoted, they may be looking for an upgrade on a striker with a great Championship record (20 in 36 games at Ayr). Or another option could be underperforming players with two years left on their contract whom teams might be happy to sell at a loss, such as Port Vale’s Ruari Paton, who scored just one goal in 28 appearances for Dundee United last term, but has a 20 in 70 games record in the Championship. For financial reasons, Hamilton will surely also listen to offers for Oli Shaw (25 in 64 Championship games), whose alertness and finishing have always impressed against the Pars.
Other proven Championship strikers with a year on their contract (Brian Graham, 115 goals in 316 games, George Oakley, 41 in 138, Lewis Vaughan, 40 in 153 and Robbie Muirhead, 40 in 169) are unlikely to be keen to switch to the Pars for various reasons, even if a bid were to be made.
Which of the above would be the best bet, and who else is missing from my list or would be a better option?
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Topic Originator: Bertie Paton
Date: Thu 8 May 12:12
Mentioned on another forum but Kai Fotheringham at Dundee United has been getting very little game time this season. Scored 14 in the Championship the year before.
Would be worth an enquiry at least. Young player too, which will appease the owners as there would be a bit on long term growth potentially there.
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Topic Originator: AlterPar
Date: Thu 8 May 12:13
Martin Boyle, Johnny Kenny.
2 players above our station but the Lennon link is there. I can see us signing a few players we don’t expect. Probably some from down south. I can’t see us making a move for any of the above.
Another player id like to see us move for is Scott Tiffoney.
Post Edited (Thu 08 May 12:13)
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Topic Originator: Paralytic77
Date: Thu 8 May 12:17
Daniel Cummings on loan from Celtic would be good, 6 goals in 7 appearances in the uefa youth league this year , he`s 19 years old
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Topic Originator: Bandy
Date: Thu 8 May 12:20
Having visited the Hive a few times this season I think Callum Stead would be perfect for the pars. He`s quick, has an incredible work rate, and his finishing has improved a lot..(it was awful prior to this season).
Under contract for another year though, and probably keen to have a crack at EFL league 2, so most likely a complete non starter.
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Topic Originator: 1985Par
Date: Thu 8 May 12:41
As was eluded to in the OP, a couple of players who can actually create chances would probably be my preference. Any striker would struggle on the service last season’s team provided.
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Topic Originator: Bandy
Date: Thu 8 May 12:42
That`s why I`d love Stead at the Pars - he creates loads of chances with his high work rate and pressing.
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Topic Originator: Par-timer
Date: Thu 8 May 12:43
A couple more left-field names to throw into the mix. Connor Shields (17 goals in 65 Championship games for QOTS and QP) will be out of contract after a disappointing couple of seasons (4 goals in 41) for Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Premier League and is still only 27. Greg Stewart (25 goals in 90 Championship matches) will also be out of contract in India but is now 35.
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Topic Originator: Kdy Par
Date: Thu 8 May 12:45
Jason Cummings was heavily linked a few weeks ago.
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Topic Originator: GJS93
Date: Thu 8 May 12:49
"a couple of players who can actually create chances would probably be my preference. Any striker would struggle on the service last season’s team provided"
^^ this, which is going to be difficult if the midfielders in particular that are still in "dialogue" re-sign and if Lennon sticks with 3 at the back.
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Topic Originator: ParfectXI
Date: Thu 8 May 12:54
I think we need to aim higher than stats like 17 goals in 65 or 4 in 41!
Apparently the manager will be given a healthy budget and as we’ve seen in the last few years players with stats like that are not worth it! If we are serious of going up we need to splash the cash on a good striking pair, a solid midfielder and a good gk! This year we don’t need to wait until the transfer window is nearing the end to pick up frees, this year we can be proactive and get who we really need!
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Topic Originator: Bertie Paton
Date: Thu 8 May 13:02
What about our 300k Bulgarian striker.
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Topic Originator: kozmasrightfoot
Date: Thu 8 May 13:06
You`re right, we need to aim higher than championship players unless they are exceptionally good. It`s a big world out there and that`s what the analytical stuff is there for.
I`m guessing that part of the Lennon deal will let him choose half the signings himself and the other half are chosen from what the analytical data ambitious machine (ADAM for short) churns out of its electronic sphincter.
Pars fan.
Magpies fan.
Mens tennis fan.
Alternative rock fan.
Not a fan of much else.
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Topic Originator: Berkey
Date: Thu 8 May 13:08
We signed bray and young in January so I get the thinking that when we bring in a new striker it will likely be from Scottish football but not sure lennon will have so many contacts outside of the premier league and it’s been a few years since he managed in Scotland.
So we might be looking at someone who has not played much min the season past in the prem but can do a job in this league or we could be looking for someone from the lower leagues in England as you have noted.
Wages wise I would suspect even in the conference in normal circumstances we might struggle to compete but now you just don’t know! Akinyemi would be decent, nice to have some pace up there and could do with more height.
Harder to identify midfielders and wingers unless they are regularly assisting and scoring, this is where the analytics need to come in and they need to be watched to see if they have leadership qualities and a turn of pace etc. again we prob need them to be free of cheap if from down south as wages will be high and needs a decent deal to get them to move up.
The post below replying to me is by one of .nets finest champions of mediocrity!
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Topic Originator: DJAS
Date: Thu 8 May 13:12
Quote:
Paralytic77, Thu 8 May 12:17
Daniel Cummings on loan from Celtic would be good, 6 goals in 7 appearances in the uefa youth league this year , he`s 19 years old
Signed a contract with West Ham
Predictor league winner 2012/2013
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Topic Originator: Angus_W
Date: Thu 8 May 13:17
What about Chris Mochrie who has looked really good against us in the last 2 games.
Lightning pace & now knows where the goal is........Id try to get him back.
“.........it ain’t over till the Pars score!”
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Topic Originator: Parfect69
Date: Thu 8 May 13:30
Quote:
Angus_W, Thu 8 May 13:17
What about Chris Mochrie who has looked really good against us in the last 2 games.
Lightning pace & now knows where the goal is........Id try to get him back.
Should have kept him in the first place, a very good player
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Topic Originator: Berkey
Date: Thu 8 May 13:31
Thought Mochrie had a good first few months on loan with us before he fell away badly but he’s a bit older and wiser now and has stood up in airdries bid for safety.
You’ve got to think with his stats in the second half of the season the analytics model would have noticed him so might be on the radar. Looks a better option than more youngsters like Stevens anyway.
The post below replying to me is by one of .nets finest champions of mediocrity!
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Topic Originator: AlterPar
Date: Thu 8 May 13:35
I’d also take Adam Frizzell
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Topic Originator: Paralytic77
Date: Thu 8 May 13:47
Quote:
DJAS, Thu 8 May 13:12
Quote:
Paralytic77, Thu 8 May 12:17
Daniel Cummings on loan from Celtic would be good, 6 goals in 7 appearances in the uefa youth league this year , he`s 19 years old
Signed a contract with West Ham
Forgot about that
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Topic Originator: Lesliepartoo
Date: Thu 8 May 13:57
Scott sinclair
Cmon ye pars
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Topic Originator: Par-timer
Date: Thu 8 May 14:01
Parfect XI - “I think we need to aim higher than stats like 17 goals in 65”
Ideally yes, but we have had too many attackers whose strike rate at this level is way too low, for example the Championship career stats of O’Hara, Todorov, McManus, Jakubiak and Wighton reveal that they all score less than one in five games. By way of comparison, a solid if unspectacular Championship journeyman like Zak Rudden scores more than one in four games, so someone like Oli Shaw (more than one in three, like Chris Kane) would statistically at least be a significant improvement on those who have struggled to find the net over the past few seasons. If you want someone to score one in two or better, realistically you are looking at a Kevin Nisbet.
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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Thu 8 May 14:08
Last season we were bemoaning the lack of a prolific striker as if every other Championship side had one whereas they are in fact like hen`s teeth. Of all the names mentioned above I would think Louis Moult might be the best bet, if we could afford him.
Btw, what`s happened to Alex Jakubiak? Didn`t he sign for PT recently? He hasn`t featured in their recent games.
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Topic Originator: Ahoy!Ahoy!
Date: Thu 8 May 15:27
I’d take a Moult and/or Shaw along with Kane and Young.
I can see Taylor Sutherland getting a full season out on loan next season which will probably be his last, after that I’d expect him to be one of our first team regulars.
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Topic Originator: Par-timer
Date: Thu 8 May 15:35
You’ve hit the nail on the head, wee eck, there is a real paucity of strikers who can hit a good goals-to-games ratio at this level. Every summer every team’s fans are crying out for a Simon Murray or a Brian Graham to lead the line, but the supply of attackers of that quality in Scotland just isn’t there. So like other clubs we end up taking a punt on an untried youngster (eg Yeboah, or Shankland when we had him) probably not ready for this level despite the obvious talent, someone whose career hasn’t taken off despite early promise (eg Mebude with his four career goals), a journeyman with good League One numbers or hoping against hope that a Callum Smith or a Lewis McCann will blossom into a worldbeater. Strikers who do end up down in the Championship- eg 32 year old Curtis Main at Ayr - are usually less prolific than their reputation might suggest (Main has never hit double figures in league goals in any one season). The new owners may have deeper pockets but are not magicians, and Ahoy!Ahoy!’s suggestion of getting in another proven championship scorer alongside Kane whilst allowing the promising youngsters to develop without too much weight on their shoulders seems a sensible, pragmatic and hopefully successful way ahead.
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Topic Originator: SeasonedPar
Date: Thu 8 May 15:35
Quote:
kozmasrightfoot, Thu 8 May 13:06
You`re right, we need to aim higher than championship players unless they are exceptionally good. It`s a big world out there and that`s what the analytical stuff is there for.
I`m guessing that part of the Lennon deal will let him choose half the signings himself and the other half are chosen from what the analytical data ambitious machine (ADAM for short) churns out of its electronic sphincter.
Just looked this up, so I’m no expert. If I’m reading it right, and not talking out my sphincter, players are identified (by managers, scouts etc), or proposed by agents. The specified player is then run through the software to see if they’re a good a “fit”.
Gathering metadata to create that database is possibly where James Bord hopes to make money - with that metadata getting better as it gathers data. Then selling g the software to clubs at different levels of the game.
https://www.footballytics.ch/post/analyticssetup-opportunities-challenges
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Topic Originator: Ahoy!Ahoy!
Date: Thu 8 May 15:44
Not a striker but a winger who is out of contract is 25 year old Idris Kanu, he is rapid and causes all sorts of problems.
He would be a good addition, but as per usual I’m sure there will be a few teams sniffing around.
Post Edited (Thu 08 May 15:45)
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Topic Originator: Bandy
Date: Thu 8 May 16:16
Personally, I wouldn`t take Kanu.
He`s exciting, quick and a good dribbler - but his end product is poor, and he needs quality coaching to improve his decision making. He`s also a bit of a hot head who picks up silly bookings - he`s been hooked many times this season due to risking a red.
Potentially a great player, but I`m not sure he`ll reach his potential with us.
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Topic Originator: LochgellyAlbert
Date: Thu 8 May 16:44
Jason Cummings might be a goer given what is happening in India just now?
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