The Centre Forward Stop-Gap Market

Bwuk

Full Member
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
17,281
I don't think we need a stop gap.

I'd rather make do with Martial upfront and Rashford in rotation than sign someone who'd be deadwood in 6 months time.
 

Messier1994

The Swedish Rumble
Joined
Oct 7, 2022
Messages
1,368
I don't think we need a stop gap.

I'd rather make do with Martial upfront and Rashford in rotation than sign someone who'd be deadwood in 6 months time.
What do you do if Martial limps of the field in mid January?
 

MadMike

Full Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
11,607
Location
London
What do you do if Martial limps of the field in mid January?
Do what we did for much of the first 3 months. Play Rasfhord there and have Elanga as last resort. Sancho and Garnacho can take care of the left wing.
 

footballbite

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Aug 25, 2022
Messages
329
One guy I actually think would be a really good fit is Joshua King. His pressing is second to none. He isn’t a bad player, has rounded out his game really well over the years. Very loyal team player.

Could he be had from Fernerbaché? I think so. He haven’t played a ton for them this season. If we come knocking, I think they let him go to pursue his dream.

With that said — is he fit?
Ha, wow!

Based on having seen him play quite a bit last season, I can conclusively say Josh King is finished as even a bottom-half level PL player.
 

sullydnl

Ross Kemp's caf ID
Joined
Sep 13, 2012
Messages
34,063
I don't think we need a stop gap.

I'd rather make do with Martial upfront and Rashford in rotation than sign someone who'd be deadwood in 6 months time.
The trick is to sign someone who won't end up being deadwood.

So a short-term contract, or a loan, or someone who will continue to at least be a good enough squad option.
 

Messier1994

The Swedish Rumble
Joined
Oct 7, 2022
Messages
1,368
Wash your mouth out with soap and water!
Think it’s also advisable for him to have a rabies shot.

It would kind of be funny to hear ETH’s presser after a game if we signed him and he went in and took a big bite of a City player in the next derby, the VAR Review showing “Possible Red Card”, Peter Drury going “Yeah, we can see that Kyle Walker has two ears when he goes into the battle with Suarez and how Suarez is chewing and seemingly swallowing something afterwards. Surely that must be a red card!?

I also wonder on whom’s side guys like Keane, SAF, Neville and Rooney would be on?

OK, forget about it, I realize that it’s maybe not the best idea to sign him.
 

Elcabron

New Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2022
Messages
848
I was shouted down saying I wouldn't rule it out - time will tell.
It's possible and as I mentioned in another thread, cancelling his contract (mutually) and allowing him to leave sends out the wrong kind of message e.g. if you want to leave, bad mouth the club and off you go.
 

Messier1994

The Swedish Rumble
Joined
Oct 7, 2022
Messages
1,368
The trick is to sign someone who won't end up being deadwood.

So a short-term contract, or a loan, or someone who will continue to at least be a good enough squad option.
Who could be available for a loan? Must be some players out there sitting on a fairly big wage not getting playing time, that a team don’t minding getting of the books for the reminder of the season.

Mathias Cunha?
 

Kaos

Full Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Messages
31,603
Location
Ginseng Strip
I'd like us to sign Gapko in January and see if how he fares in a central position. I mean it worked with Henry at Arsenal - wasn't he a winger at Juventus/Monaco?
 

Sandikan

aka sex on the beach
Joined
Mar 14, 2011
Messages
52,710
It's possible and as I mentioned in another thread, cancelling his contract (mutually) and allowing him to leave sends out the wrong kind of message e.g. if you want to leave, bad mouth the club and off you go.
Yep it's a mess all round really. Thank goodness there's this 6 week gap for it to be concluded over!
 

Messier1994

The Swedish Rumble
Joined
Oct 7, 2022
Messages
1,368
I'd like us to sign Gapko in January and see if how he fares in a central position. I mean it worked with Henry at Arsenal - wasn't he a winger at Juventus/Monaco?
Yeah, but it was a little different since he played in a 4-4-2 next to Berkamp. But at Barca he was the lone striker.
 

yumtum

DUX' bumchum
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
7,117
Location
Wales
Yep there's not many players that would cause utter revulsion. But he's certainly one.
If there were even a hint of this happening, the backlash from the Arnautovic deal this summer would pale in comparison.
 

Stacks

Full Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2015
Messages
10,903
Location
Between a rock and Gibraltar
With the mainstream centre forward market thread more about longer term solutions - who probably won’t be attainable in January - this is about who can we get for a quick fix until the end of the season, with Ronaldo no longer playable (or gone) and Martial made of papier mache

Realistically, we’re looking at something like either a loan, a cheaper transfer on a shortish term contract, or someone lower profile that we can take a punt on, whilst using relatively little funds.

Who can we get?
Oliver Giroud

19 apps 9 goals (4 in champs league) 5 assists in 1,199 minutes of football
Can hold the ball up and link with the best of them. Was quite effective for Chelsea
 

MadMike

Full Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
11,607
Location
London
He's a starter for AC Milan. They are second in Seria A and they still playing in the CL. Why would he move to us and why would they sell him?

The only option would be throwing money at both. He will ask for an 18 month contract for quite a bit of money and AC will ask for a serious compensation to boot.
 

Stacks

Full Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2015
Messages
10,903
Location
Between a rock and Gibraltar
He's a starter for AC Milan. They are second in Seria A and they still playing in the CL. Why would he move to us and why would they sell him?

The only option would be throwing money at both. He will ask for an 18 month contract for quite a bit of money and AC will ask for a serious compensation to boot.
we give them Ronaldo????
 

Kaos

Full Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Messages
31,603
Location
Ginseng Strip
Yeah, but it was a little different since he played in a 4-4-2 next to Berkamp. But at Barca he was the lone striker.
He also played as the lone striker for France in the latter years of his international career no? I recall it was him upfront with Zidane playing behind.
 

MadMike

Full Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
11,607
Location
London
we give them Ronaldo????
I mean, first off, if we're trying to cancel his contract we can't give them nothing. Secondly, they need to want to sign and be able to afford Ronaldo. I doubt either are the case. The combination of terrible form, delusion about his current level and high salary expectations, means hardly anyone wants him. They already have an ancient forward in Zlatan but at least he doesn't kick a fuss when he doesn't play. Thirdly, we're the richer club and in a more desperate situation, so they'll try to fleece us for sure.
 

Welbeckham

Full Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Messages
1,552
If we are talking purely stop gap, Pukki is still much better than his numbers at the terrible Norwich side suggest. A prolific PL level striker, I believe. But I don’t think we are gonna go there.
 

711

Verified Bird Expert
Scout
Joined
Dec 10, 2007
Messages
24,207
Location
Don't sign old players and cast offs
Thinking that there are quality centre-forwards happy to agree a six month contract with us is just being blinded by arrogance. Anyone good enough will not sign a six month contract, anyone that will sign one won't be good enough.
Do what we did for much of the first 3 months. Play Rashford there and have Elanga as last resort. Sancho and Garnacho can take care of the left wing.
Yes.
That's not to say we shouldn't try for someone on a longer contract, but then it would have to be the right someone. Not impossible, but not likely either.
 

Messier1994

The Swedish Rumble
Joined
Oct 7, 2022
Messages
1,368
Oliver Giroud

19 apps 9 goals (4 in champs league) 5 assists in 1,199 minutes of football
Can hold the ball up and link with the best of them. Was quite effective for Chelsea
Milan aren’t selling him in January. Even if Zlatan is back.
 

Messier1994

The Swedish Rumble
Joined
Oct 7, 2022
Messages
1,368
I think ultimately, there is a very slim chance that a potentially long term good striker would be available in January. The few candidates are Felix and Sesko. Perhaps David’s and Moussala. Cunha? Nobody else is selling their No 1 striker in January. Oshimen, even Toney, and the likes are just too important for their current teams. Then we have Gakpo is a winger.

With that said, we need a striker. Martial could be hurt before the season restarts, would anyone be surprised? We got 3 games a week. Rashford aren’t playing 75% of them. If he plays 6 games in two weeks, he is worn out for at least a week. Rashford himself could get hurt. That could be our season right then and there.

You need at least a back-up. Someone who can put in a shift, enable us to keep playing like we want to play.

If we only get Gakpo, OK, that might be it.

If not, we should look at the loan market. That market won’t be pretty. Sometimes you can get a Henrik Larsson or a better player on loan/for free. But most of the time it’s guys with issues.
 

crossy1686

career ending
Joined
Jun 5, 2010
Messages
31,486
Location
Manchester/Stockholm
Will belotti work? Seems like someone with decent holdup play and goals in him.
He's just signed for Roma after leaving his previous club on a free. He wanted to play for Mourinho so badly that even though they couldn't afford to sign him, he waited an extra two weeks unemployed until they sold someone and turned down the likes of Wolves during that time. It would take a big effort to move him from there and the Italians don't tend to do so well outside of Italy these days.
 

Strootman's Finger

New Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2013
Messages
1,661
Started 7 games this year as CF and scored 3. Most goals on the team with 4 this season.. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Pretty sure his goals against Arsenal were after he moved to the left. He's not a CF, he will never be a CF, he possesses virtually none of the skills required for that role.
 

Bertie Wooster

Full Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
2,828
I'd definitely go for Cody Gakpo in January as another top wide striker option, and just hope Martial and / or Rashford can stay fit and deliver enough goals as #9's until the summer

If Martial gets injured (again), or both he and Rashford return to struggling for goals, then it may feel a long second half to the season. But I can't see any #9 that we can realistically bring in in January that would help much with that.

#9's are a rarity. Top quality ones even more so. Top quality ones available in January - permanent or short term - are pretty much non existent.

Gakpo is a player we clearly like. Bringing him in would provide extra attacking cover and give us the time to address the much needed top quality #9 addition in the summer as planned.
 

MadMike

Full Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
11,607
Location
London
I'd definitely go for Cody Gakpo in January as another top wide striker option, and just hope Martial and / or Rashford can stay fit and deliver enough goals as #9's until the summer

If Martial gets injured (again), or both he and Rashford return to struggling for goals, then it may feel a long second half to the season. But I can't see any #9 that we can realistically bring in in January that would help much with that.

#9's are a rarity. Top quality ones even more so. Top quality ones available in January - permanent or short term - are pretty much non existent.

Gakpo is a player we clearly like. Bringing him in would provide extra attacking cover and give us the time to address the much needed top quality #9 addition in the summer as planned.
Gakpo wouldn't be a stop gap (this thread is about stop gaps). I also fundamentally struggle to understand why we need another guy who's primarily a LW after the recent emergence of Garnacho. We now already have 3 players (Rashford, Sancho, Garnacho) who primarily play there.

Is he going to come in in January to a new club, in a new league and try to adjust to a new position as #9 as well? How likely is it that he will be immediately useful that way?
 

Bertie Wooster

Full Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
2,828
Gakpo wouldn't be a stop gap (this thread is about stop gaps). I also fundamentally struggle to understand why we need another guy who's primarily a LW after the recent emergence of Garnacho. We now already have 3 players (Rashford, Sancho, Garnacho) who primarily play there.

Is he going to come in in January to a new club, in a new league and try to adjust to a new position as #9 as well? How likely is it that he will be immediately useful that way?
Fair point about Garnacho.

I know Gakpo wouldn't be a stop gap. That was my point. That I wouldn't sign a stop gap #9. I'd wait until the summer and buy a main target. And would buy a long term target like Gakpo in January as he's more attainable, and we'd have to rely on Martial and Rashford as #9's short term.

But, yeah, Gakpo may get in way of Garnacho's development.
 

pogbasformerbarber

Full Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2022
Messages
445
If we're talking realistic options I think it comes down to Oshimen and possibly Depay. Either would have just enough quality to make a difference and I think both clubs would be open to a Jan transfer. I mentioned this on another thread but I get the sense Napoli desperately wants to start getting Raspadori starting minutes and would be totally ok with a hefty/desperate fee from us on Oshimen.

Anything else is either not going to make enough of a difference and would be a bad buy, or is just totally unrealistic (Kane, Felix, Mbappe etc)...
 

OmarUnited4ever

Full Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2021
Messages
3,425
No need for stop gap, we have 6 forward players, Martial of course is the only natural striker but Rashford can do it too to some extent.

Best thing to do here is identify 2-3 quality strikers and start the necessary work needed early to sign one in the summer.
 

Klean

Full Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2017
Messages
205
Location
USA
Pretty sure his goals against Arsenal were after he moved to the left. He's not a CF, he will never be a CF, he possesses virtually none of the skills required for that role.
I'm just going off the transfermerkt profile. I won't argue semantics. He isn't a CF to YOU, but he has featured there for both club and country.

The problem with a Stopgap is that it just dilutes the quality. If you sign anyone in January and then make a big money move in the summer the stopgap is at best 3rd choice behind Summer signing and Martial. The team needs to stop using band-aids to hold things together. Inject real quality and raise the level of the team. Look at what adding Erickson and Casemerio has done for our midfield.