11 Apr 2024 16:49:34
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new player profile about, Alexander Isak

1.) 12 Apr 2024
12 Apr 2024 12:17:47
Good article Ed001, I like Isak but he does seem to pick up a lot of niggling injuries. Nothing that will keep him out for months, but he seems to play a few games, get back into form then picks up a muscle tear or he pulls something and misses the next 2-4 games.

I said this last summer but there really does seem to be a real lack of elite strikers around right now. At the time we were looking for a top striker and beyond Kane there were few others available, Osimhen was mentioned, but I'm not convinced by him. I don't think he'd make it in the EPL, he seems to pick up a fair few injuries in Series A. Not sure he'd handle the rough and tumble of the EPL. In the end we signed Højlund, a very talented youngster, but then there wasn't anyone else with the same potential who was more proven available last summer.

A few years ago you had scores of top strikers all plying their trade at the same time. But now there are only a few that you'd bank on scoring 20 league goals a season. Maybe the rise of goalscoring wide players has dampened or hindered the progression of strikers. Seeing Rashford, Antony and Garnacho playing with Højlund and constantly looking to cut in and shoot rather than create a better chance for the young Dane almost certainly isn't doing his development any good. Although Garnacho looks much better on the right, plays with his head up more and is less predictable as a result.

What's your take on the current striker market? Do you see many good options, and if not why do you think that is? Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - I agree with you, there is a real lack of top quality players. Even those at the top end, the Kanes and Haalands, have real problems with their way of playing. None of them seem to enhance the teams they play for, despite scoring huge amounts. I think it is because of the huge obsession with keeping possession at youth academy level, that is why the few standouts mostly come from outside European academies. Barca, for example, has never produced a top class striker through La Masia because of the way they train their entire group.

The only one I see that looks to have real potential is Boniface. I am sure there are others, but he is the only one I have seen play.}

2.) 12 Apr 2024
12 Apr 2024 20:38:07
Is boniface that good?

3.) 12 Apr 2024
12 Apr 2024 20:46:49
I really like Isak, he scores nice goals, good with his feet, and a finisher. What’s going on at Newcastle is interesting and I wonder what will happen with some of their players. I think Isak would score goals anywhere, but as mentioned he needs to be available for selection more than he has been.

Agree with the comments above that there are no complete strikers these days. Haaland is a goal machine and that is his job, but as an all round footballer he’s quite poor - of course I’d take him in a heart beat, but that’s not what this is about. I’ve always thought I’d rather have Kane than Haaland. I think Kane scores just as many goals in that City side, but offers them more in footballing terms.

4.) 13 Apr 2024
13 Apr 2024 09:22:46
Isaak is a brilliant striker and very clever with his runs and bringing other players into theri attack. Newcastle have done really well with that transfer when you consider the numbers being quoted for the likes of toney.