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March 28 2024 6.40pm

Striker options for the new season

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View PatrickA's Profile PatrickA Flag London 25 Jul 18 3.39am Send a Private Message to PatrickA Add PatrickA as a friend

We go into the new season with question marks over all three centre forwards,
1) Benteke doesn’t seem to suit Roy’s narrow 4-4-2 formation which requires mobile strikers that will close down defenders and run the channels
2) Wickham has not featured in the pre season games and looks some way off a first team return.I can’t see him back in the early weeks of the season as a minimum
3) It’s early days but Sorloth looks short at this level.
It would not be a surprise if Roy starts the season with how he finished last season with Zaha and Townsend up front, in particular if another midfielder is brought in.
This may be ok short term but is not sustainable over the season.

 

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View Palace Hero's Profile Palace Hero Flag Melbourne, Australia 25 Jul 18 7.26am Send a Private Message to Palace Hero Add Palace Hero as a friend

If it is okay over the short term, why isn't it sustainable over a season?

Perhaps Zaha carries his end product from last season into the next as a striker and forms an effective partnership with Townsend. With Benteke adding depth to the forward ranks and some good luck with fitness/signings, perhaps this is the way forward.

 

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View Bexley Eagle's Profile Bexley Eagle Flag Bexley Kent 25 Jul 18 7.59am Send a Private Message to Bexley Eagle Add Bexley Eagle as a friend

Originally posted by PatrickA

We go into the new season with question marks over all three centre forwards,
1) Benteke doesn’t seem to suit Roy’s narrow 4-4-2 formation which requires mobile strikers that will close down defenders and run the channels
2) Wickham has not featured in the pre season games and looks some way off a first team return.I can’t see him back in the early weeks of the season as a minimum
3) It’s early days but Sorloth looks short at this level.
It would not be a surprise if Roy starts the season with how he finished last season with Zaha and Townsend up front, in particular if another midfielder is brought in.
This may be ok short term but is not sustainable over the season.

Why is this formation not sustainable going forward. I thought it resulted in some of the best football I have ever seen played by a Palace team in the near 50 years I have been watching. Let’s also see who we bring in.

 

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View Woolsy's Profile Woolsy Flag Essex 25 Jul 18 9.28am Send a Private Message to Woolsy Add Woolsy as a friend

Keep the formation, just sell Benteke and buy/loan another striker or two - simples!

 

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View Bangell's Profile Bangell Flag Oxford 25 Jul 18 9.49am Send a Private Message to Bangell Add Bangell as a friend

I agree that our striker options aren't good enough, especially with something approaching 50m and 200k p/w in wages spent on the three.

 

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View Pete53's Profile Pete53 Flag Hassocks 25 Jul 18 12.38pm Send a Private Message to Pete53 Add Pete53 as a friend

I still fear Wilf will move on (I pray he doesn't) which means the Zaha/Townsend option up front has gone.

That leaves the cupboard rather bare, unless we get someone new in, or, Tekkers ups his game and Sorloth turns out to be the new Murray, neither of which I would put much money on. At this stage I see no point in even bringing Wickham into the equation.

Of course if Wilf stays then things look rosier...

 

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View Booted Eagle's Profile Booted Eagle Flag Bristol 25 Jul 18 12.51pm Send a Private Message to Booted Eagle Add Booted Eagle as a friend

Our form was great at the end of last season. Dabbling is the last thing we want to do unless we don't have suitable players to play this way. Hoping to see this come through this season like Pards first 2 seasons (but without the shocking decline in the 2nd part of the season). A full season not struggling would be great, something that hasn't really happened since we have returned to the PL.

 


“ [T]here are known knowns; there are things we know that we know.There are known unknowns; that is to say there are things that, we now know we don't know.But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know. ”
—United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld

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View pompeyeagle's Profile pompeyeagle Flag Relocated to Shropshire 26 Jul 18 8.44pm Send a Private Message to pompeyeagle Add pompeyeagle as a friend

I thought Daly was getting close to making a breakthrough last season. What happened to him? I’m guessing he hasn’t lived up to expectations.

 

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View PatrickA's Profile PatrickA Flag London 27 Jul 18 7.20am Send a Private Message to PatrickA Add PatrickA as a friend

The Townsend/Zaha combination did work at times last season and the football played by the team was good.
However, two key components of that team (Loftus-Cheek and Cabaye ) are not at the club.
Cabaye was essential for his linking of the play with fellow midfielders and ball retention.
Loftus Cheek gave the team a lot of attacking power and skill coming in from the left and linked very well with Zaha and PVA.
I don’t think the system would work as well without this quality or players of equivalent ability.
Furthermore, Townsend is willing but does not convince as a striker or look a goalscoring threat.
The central point remains that in the current squad a lot more is going to be required from Benteke,Sorloth or Wickham.

 

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michaelpearce Flag grays 27 Jul 18 7.54am

Originally posted by pompeyeagle

I thought Daly was getting close to making a breakthrough last season. What happened to him? I’m guessing he hasn’t lived up to expectations.

he is only 18 give him chance he maybe another little gem

 

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View Eaglecoops's Profile Eaglecoops Flag CR3 27 Jul 18 8.53am Send a Private Message to Eaglecoops Add Eaglecoops as a friend

Originally posted by PatrickA

The Townsend/Zaha combination did work at times last season and the football played by the team was good.
However, two key components of that team (Loftus-Cheek and Cabaye ) are not at the club.
Cabaye was essential for his linking of the play with fellow midfielders and ball retention.
Loftus Cheek gave the team a lot of attacking power and skill coming in from the left and linked very well with Zaha and PVA.
I don’t think the system would work as well without this quality or players of equivalent ability.
Furthermore, Townsend is willing but does not convince as a striker or look a goalscoring threat.
The central point remains that in the current squad a lot more is going to be required from Benteke,Sorloth or Wickham.


I might be amongst the minority here but I thought RLC didn't bring huge amounts to the team last year even though he looked superb at times. He certainly isn't as big a loss as Cabaye whose contribution can't be overstated. I know his legs were starting to go last year but he was still a class player.

I don't have too many worries about our forward line and believe Jimmy Mc or at a push Schlupp can play in RLCs role but I am worried about our central midfield. We need Drinkwater on loan and we need to buy another 1 or 2 central midfielders, perhaps the two Max's that are available or Kouyate. If you look at the games we struggled in last year it was when Cabaye went off or got tired and there wasn't enough strength in the middle of the park. We have full backs in AWB and PVA who when linking up with Zaha/Townsend will frighten any PL defence but we MUST shore up the midfield.

 

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View Palace03's Profile Palace03 Flag 27 Jul 18 9.01am Send a Private Message to Palace03 Add Palace03 as a friend

What about Kaikai? Has been banging them in over pre season, give him a shot! And Schlupp has played as I striker before with Leicester! Why not give him a go if need be! Sell Benteke, just doesn’t try enough, don’t mind rubbish players even if they still try! I reckon Sorloth will come good tho! Maybe not world class, but when have we ever been that really?

 

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