[Squirrel Regis]

Silver,
With you on that but he is a free agent so worth a trial. Bit of a comedown from Sakho,Mat Phillips or Antonio from Forest though !

[Tibby Baggie]

Ricardo Vaz Te training with West Brom ahead of possible deal.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/1...sible-deal

Another "Sicknote".......... DD    

Never been a fan of Vaz Te at all but as long as it's not going to cost silly money to sign him up, I'd prefer having options and cover for injuries. Saying that, I would still choose Gnabry over this lad any day of the week though.

[Beefy 1965]

Come on guys don't knock the bloke before we have signed him,

He has a decent record and if he can keep injury free who knows ..........
At least he's quicker than a snail

He's had a good goal scoring record for his past 3 clubs.

Barnsley - 2011/2012 - 10 goals in 22.
West Ham - 2012/2015 - 15 goals in 55.
Akhisar Belediyespor - 2015 - 5 goals in 14.

And he was a free because he only signed a six month deal with the Turkish side,
They didn't release him

[Salopbaggie]

But do we need another striker and the associated costs which in turn limits the money in the kitty to get the players in the positions where they are needed?

The problem IMO does not lie in the quality of strikers we have, it lies in the quality of play to get the strikers into a position where they can strike. If we had a line up of £40 million plus strikers would they be able to do any better with a hoofed ball from one of our 6 centre backs,  I doubt it.

IMO we are desperate for a creative midfielder (and a couple of full backs), someone who can get the strikers into a position where they can actually do something with the ball.  We also have some half decent wingers in the squad who possible could get our strikers into a dangerous positions, but they struggle to get a cross into the box for the strikers from the bench.  We would rather play 3 defensive midfielders at home.

We are currently averaging 2.8 shots on target per game and have a goal ratio of 0.6 goals per game.  Now I know we still have the majority of the season to go, but for those who say this is not relegation form ("Form" being the operative word and yes Chelsea's current form is relegation form), Burnley's form at the end of last season which saw them finish bottom was 3.29 shots per game and an goal ratio of .74 per game.

Bottom line is if we do not do something to change our style of play why would our situation and form change? remember we only just beat Stoke despite them playing with 9 men for pretty much half the game, and we still only had 5 shots on target, this of course makes our 2.8 shots per game average look even worse as we did manage 5 in that game.

Things need to change, rant over   COYB

[Baggievicar]

He was exciting when he was 18.

[Tibby Baggie]

But do we need another striker and the associated costs which in turn limits the money in the kitty to get the players in the positions where they are needed?

The problem IMO does not lie in the quality of strikers we have, it lies in the quality of play to get the strikers into a position where they can strike. If we had a line up of £40 million plus strikers would they be able to do any better with a hoofed ball from one of our 6 centre backs,  I doubt it.

IMO we are desperate for a creative midfielder (and a couple of full backs), someone who can get the strikers into a position where they can actually do something with the ball.  We also have some half decent wingers in the squad who possible could get our strikers into a dangerous positions, but they struggle to get a cross into the box for the strikers from the bench.  We would rather play 3 defensive midfielders at home.

We are currently averaging 2.8 shots on target per game and have a goal ratio of 0.6 goals per game.  Now I know we still have the majority of the season to go, but for those who say this is not relegation form ("Form" being the operative word and yes Chelsea's current form is relegation form), Burnley's form at the end of last season which saw them finish bottom was 3.29 shots per game and an goal ratio of .74 per game.

Bottom line is if we do not do something to change our style of play why would our situation and form change? remember we only just beat Stoke despite them playing with 9 men for pretty much half the game, and we still only had 5 shots on target, this of course makes our 2.8 shots per game average look even worse as we did manage 5 in that game.

Things need to change, rant over   COYB

What relegated Burnley was losing football matches and that only happens if you let them in at the other end too often. Most worryingly last season is that we only conceded two fewer goals than them, so I can understand why the bulk of recruitment this season has been to shore that defense up. Also the only teams to have scored fewer than us last season and stayed up were Sunderland and Villa, yet people were eager to boo Berahino during the mess of a situation created in the transfer window but where would we have been now without his goals?

While I'd love to see us not only linked to creative and exciting to watch players like Matt Phillips or Michail Antonio in the press but signing them as well, the truth is that we haven't been playing attacking football of a high standard as a team consistently for a very, very long time. 

Having the most clean sheets in the PL since January when Pulis took over is impressive, even if it's not as exciting to watch as some of the football under Mel or Clarke. Lest we forget how we threw 2 points away against Villa at home that November 2013. I was entertained by the football that night, but the result still stings even now considering how well we started that game!

[wba_1996]

We're struggling to score = must be the strikers! No, its because the only service our strikers get is from hoofs from the centre backs, ffs.

Why sign Vaz Te who is vastly inferior to Saido and Rondon and reduces Gnabry's playing chances if were still going to persist with 3 defensive midfielders in a 442?

If we are looking to the free market, and if he is fit, then the guy we should be going for is Yoann Gourcuff - a creative midfielder touted to be the next Zidane before injuries took hold. You know, a player in a position we actually need.

[May68]

Tibby Baggie wrote:

Having the most clean sheets in the PL since January when Pulis took over is impressive, even if it's not as exciting to watch as some of the football under Mel or Clarke. Lest we forget how we threw 2 points away against Villa at home that November 2013. I was entertained by the football that night, but the result still stings even now considering how well we started that game!
[/quote]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It didn't sting as much as losing to them twice in a week having barely tested their defence. I find it bizarre that you would use results against Villa in defence of Pulis. I do however agree with you that the team has not played good football for years, it's just that Pulis has made it even worse.
Totally agree with Salop and 1996. We already have an adequate forward line. We need players to link midfield to forwards, but before that we need a style of play that makes linking midfield to forwards actually possible.

[Tibby Baggie]

Tibby Baggie wrote:

Having the most clean sheets in the PL since January when Pulis took over is impressive, even if it's not as exciting to watch as some of the football under Mel or Clarke. Lest we forget how we threw 2 points away against Villa at home that November 2013. I was entertained by the football that night, but the result still stings even now considering how well we started that game!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It didn't sting as much as losing to them twice in a week having barely tested their defence. I find it bizarre that you would use results against Villa in defence of Pulis. I do however agree with you that the team has not played good football for years, it's just that Pulis has made it even worse.
Totally agree with Salop and 1996. We already have an adequate forward line. We need players to link midfield to forwards, but before that we need a style of play that makes linking midfield to forwards actually possible.
[/quote]

It's not really that bizarre when you think about it mate. We're playing them this Saturday so I thought it'd be a good talking point and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that throwing away a 2 goal lead at home is unforgivable, especially when it's against the Vile.

[May68]

I don't mean it was bizarre that you mentioned the Villa (I agree that's a reasonable talking point given that we're about to play them). I just thought it was strange that that particular result stings more than the two losses in one week under Pulis. Don't get me wrong, I hate losing to the Villa at any time, but I'm not just Pulis-bashing when I say that those two results were the angriest I can ever remember feeling as an Albion fan.