This is why we bought Sanchez. He’s failed.
Potential striker targets for the summer
- Thread starter luke511
- Start date
Put Sanchez there and think he will excel. He was very good there in the summer during the pre season. His game v Real Madrid there was very good. He scored one and created a good goal for Herrerra with a great cut back header, sumthing you wouldn't see Lukaku do. He will be in a central position receiving the ball and that's where Sanchez need to be.
It's hard to get anyone decent in January.
But we should be looking at a young softer striker that can play on the right ( preferably left footed), who can take on defenders, create and score e.g. Hazard, Dybala etc.
But we should be looking at a young softer striker that can play on the right ( preferably left footed), who can take on defenders, create and score e.g. Hazard, Dybala etc.
Giovanni Simeone is apparently very similar. Not that I've watched him though. Just touted as the possible squad option for Firmino.
Under a more attacking manager, I would like to see an attacking trio of Martial Left, Sanchez central, Dybala/Ousmane etc. right. Would be dynamic enough to interchange their positions. Back ups: Left/center- Rashford, Center- Lukaku, Right- Mata, Jesse. Would also want to the likes of Chong, Greenwood afforded first team opportunities.
So really, if Jose goes next summer and is replaced by an attacking coach, the RF would be a much higher priority than a central Forward.
So really, if Jose goes next summer and is replaced by an attacking coach, the RF would be a much higher priority than a central Forward.
Whoever it is i dont wanna see anymore of this target man nonsense.
His form is stinking though - regardless of position.
He looks bang average for us and I cannot see that changing.
The only striker who could make something out of Mourinho's game plan is Harry Kane, that's what I feel. He would be the perfect striker for a Mourinho team. Sadly the chance of that happening here is less than 1%.
Me too
I think Maxi Gomez from Celta isnt too bad. Watched them today against Betis and he scored a double. I like him from last season too.
Think so too. He could become some player.
Might be time to finally bring in Alexandre Pato 
Again this depends on Jose, what does he want, will he still be here come summer. He’d probably want another target man. We should probably concentrate on bringing in someone for RW and using martial, Rashford or Sanchez in that position when needed.
Again this depends on Jose, what does he want, will he still be here come summer. He’d probably want another target man. We should probably concentrate on bringing in someone for RW and using martial, Rashford or Sanchez in that position when needed.
Got Atletico Madrid written all over him imo.
I agree he'd do well in premier league as he's good in the air and can hold ball up. Actually Wolves could do worse than bid for him in January.
We will buy bale and play him through the middle. Heard it here first.
Not sure about Martial as a true number 9. Looks in great form on the wing at the moment, all of his attributes make him really dangerous in that position and some of them would be nullified playing him centrally.
Absolutely - I personally thought he was the best player on the pitch against Bournemouth.
In my view Martial on the left with Sanchez through the middle would be a fantastic option for the next few years. Add Mata behind them and a new right winger and I think we'd start to look like a really good attacking team.
Mourinho has always played with a target man though: Drogba, Benzema, Milito, Costa and now Lukaku. I don't think He'll change that.
Who remembers last summer when the rumours of Arnautović and Mandžucić being lined up and so many on the caf said 'not good enough'? Both are superb players and would have given us another option to the type of player that lukaku is. But im not sure that Jose would have used them as a striker. They would probably have been pushed to the wing.
Going forward, if Jose is here to stay and is going to be backed financially then that type of striker like the two mentioned would be good but buying another big lump target man to compete with or replace Lukaku is not what we need. Our style is the problem, it doesn't suit Lukaku. Playing him a 2 would be better for him. Or having him play high up the pitch for the whole game, and giving him lots of service would be good for him.
If the plan is to replace lukaku with a top #9 then i would go for that. But we would have to take a massive hit on Lukakus fee and spend again in the region of £90m to get someone in. (After Lukakus 'playing in Italy' comments, a swap plus cash for Icardi maybe)? I cant see us selling lukaku so soon though, especially seeing as woody is making all the decisions on transfers.. or so it seems if rumours are to be believed. This summer we need to spend big to replace the average players we have and to catch up with City and now Liverpool. A right winger, a centre back and a change of style and approach to games would benefit us massively.
Going forward, if Jose is here to stay and is going to be backed financially then that type of striker like the two mentioned would be good but buying another big lump target man to compete with or replace Lukaku is not what we need. Our style is the problem, it doesn't suit Lukaku. Playing him a 2 would be better for him. Or having him play high up the pitch for the whole game, and giving him lots of service would be good for him.
If the plan is to replace lukaku with a top #9 then i would go for that. But we would have to take a massive hit on Lukakus fee and spend again in the region of £90m to get someone in. (After Lukakus 'playing in Italy' comments, a swap plus cash for Icardi maybe)? I cant see us selling lukaku so soon though, especially seeing as woody is making all the decisions on transfers.. or so it seems if rumours are to be believed. This summer we need to spend big to replace the average players we have and to catch up with City and now Liverpool. A right winger, a centre back and a change of style and approach to games would benefit us massively.
I completely agree on this.
If Mourinho stays though; presuming that he will not be here long-term: I would seriously try to entice Lewandowski to leave Bayern for a new challenge. I would have said it was impossible 6 months ago, but there might be things done at Bayern if this continues.
Lewa would enable us to play real Mourinho-football. I hope that what you are suggesting will happen though.
Mbappe, let's stop messing about.
Benzema and to a degree, Costa are more allrounders like Lewandowski I’d say, but on a different level of course. Unfair to call them target men, spesifically.
Perhaps I’m just being pedantic. Not actually sure Mourinho were behind either of those two signings, or if they were ‘club signings’. Pretty sure Benzema was a Perez baby.
You left out Zlatan, who in his prime was probably Morinhos ultimate wet dream, but yeah, that has always been the case. And it will probably continue to be.
We need a striker who can bring others into the game.
If we're signing a goalscorer with not the best of all round games, it should be someone like Aubamayang who is genuinely brilliant in the final third. We really missed out big time on him. If we can find someone more well rounded then of course I'd prefer that.
If we're signing a goalscorer with not the best of all round games, it should be someone like Aubamayang who is genuinely brilliant in the final third. We really missed out big time on him. If we can find someone more well rounded then of course I'd prefer that.
To categorize Zlatan as a target man is weird, imo, like Lewa a complete forward. He had the strength and height, sure, but he was so much more.
Edit: I agree completely @amolbhatia50k
No, I agree as well. They were/are both very competent target players though, but have/had other skillsets as well. Weird thing with Lukaku and that Mourinho is sticking with him is that he completely lacks the skills of a target man, even if he also has other skillsets that excels those players, his pace for example.
And yet we keep using him as one. Might be changing now though, we will see when he is fit and returns.
Yeah. I know it sounds ironic given his issues in fitting in, but I'd love having a Berbatov upfront playing with the likes of Martial, Rashford and Sanchez. I suppose there's a lack of pace but the technique on show
Lukaku's lack of technical ability really sticks out at a top club. I have no doubt that the bashing has gone well overboard and that he'll return to putting up good numbers for us, but it's the strangest kind of hurt - the one you usually can't feel. In that I can see him being our main 9 for years scoring a good number of goals without ever being the CF we truly need.
@Johan07 the part about Lukaku seems obvious to everybody but Mourinho. Even in the box he hides on the back post, behind a CB most of the time. It’s doing my head in! 
@amolbhatia50k Berbatov in his prime would fit in very well, I think. Sanchez RF, Martial LF, and the rest competing/pushing them for starting spots. Perhaps he would scream at Martial to make more runs in behind the backline
That’s such a good and well reflected thought about Lukaku in your last post. It could very well become truth if Mourinho persists in playing him the way he has been.
@amolbhatia50k Berbatov in his prime would fit in very well, I think. Sanchez RF, Martial LF, and the rest competing/pushing them for starting spots. Perhaps he would scream at Martial to make more runs in behind the backline
That’s such a good and well reflected thought about Lukaku in your last post. It could very well become truth if Mourinho persists in playing him the way he has been.
Thank you@Johan07 the part about Lukaku seems obvious to everybody but Mourinho. Even in the box he hides on the back post, behind a CB most of the time. It’s doing my head in!
@amolbhatia50k Berbatov in his prime would fit in very well, I think. Sanchez RF, Martial LF, and the rest competing/pushing them for starting spots. Perhaps he would scream at Martial to make more runs in behind the backline
That’s such a good and well reflected thought about Lukaku in your last post. It could very well become truth if Mourinho persists in playing him the way he has been.
Appreciate it.To be fair to Mourinho, he has dropped Lukaku recently. So it's not like he isn't reacting. But like I said, once the latter is back in form, I can see him for years being one of those players who you can't really say is poor/not performing but also can't categorise as one of the best.
Still think that little slut Griezmann would have been ideal.
Credit where it’s due!Thank you
To be fair to Mourinho, he has dropped Lukaku recently. So it's not like he isn't reacting. But like I said, once the latter is back in form, I can see him for years being one of those players who you can't really say is poor/not performing but also can't categorise as one of the best.
I’ve had a sneaky feeling like that, and thought about it, but you put it into the exact words and it became more clear to me. If that makes sense? If he is used correctly, and the rest of the team functions at a high level, it could still turn out pretty well. It’s a lot of if’s though, sadly, and as a final caveat, I think, like you put it, his lack of techincal ability will hold the rest of the team back from functioning at that level needed to pick up the biggest trophy’s.
Just to be clear, I’m not trying to put him down, just an objective assessment (an honest effort at it, at least), and he didn’t buy himself, and didn’t decide on the tactics either. So it’s enough ‘blame’ to go around.
Nicolas pépé is worth a shout. Good squad option at RW and CF, with potensial.
I don't think we'll address this in the coming summer, so our best bet is to keep trying Sanchez and Rashford in the #9 role over the next season then the summer after bring in one from the Richarlison/Gomes/Piątek/Jovic pile after they've had another season developing where they are.
Well Benzema was signed by Real Madrid before Mourinho was manager, he tended to rotate him and Higuain, at least when he first got there.
In hindsight Arnoutovic would have been an astute signing. As for who is available now I'm not sure we can get any top player in. Maybe the best hope is to sort out the right flank and continue with Sanchez, Rashford and Lukaku. Maybe having an effective right side would make our strikers look less shite.
Yeah, as I suspected. Higuain isn’t exactly a target man, either though, is he?
Use Lukaku / Sanchez as purely a striker. Start bedding in Greenwood as he looks potentially fantastic.
Use Martial / Rashford for the LW.
Sign a proper RW who's dangerous individually.
Use Martial / Rashford for the LW.
Sign a proper RW who's dangerous individually.
No, and I wouldn't really call Milito a target man either, but his hold-up play was decent.
Whatever happened to Andrea Belotti has his potential stagnated? seems like a one hit wonder after his 32 goal season. Has all the tools to be a top striker though.
If we can get Dembele without Barca wanting Pogba in return he would be my preference, not any out and out striker
looks like a one season wonder