Strikers

[boslemportvale91]

Anyone else worried if we fail to sign Jones in January we're gonna struggle even more ? looking at the rest of the forwards doesn't give me much hope. Id love for us to bring in a player like Adam Armstrong or Sordell but players like that don't come cheap and we would be very lucky to bring another talented youth player on loan similar to Jones

 

Big Reg - fair play to him he's proved me wrong in recent form and showed he can score but he's more suited playing with another striker instead being up top by himself

 

Forrester - Seems to be struggling with injuries

 

Turner - unproven and surely deserves a chance at some point ?

 

Paterson - not the player he used to be and clearly lacks fitness and lost pace and will more then likely be gone in January

 

JJ - Would he want to come back ? seems like he couldn't fit into the team with Bruno's tactics

[Tomo]

We desperately need to sign Jones. Aside from Reg, the rest are currently a waste of time for me. Forrester would be great if he could stay fit but not going to get him back any time soon, so need to get Jones on perm or already be looking for something else if it's not likely.

 

Paterson needs his contract cancelling asap, Turner most likely isn't ready to be a regular in the first 11, & JJ is unlikely to come back & make any kind of major impact instantly. He can't even hold down a regular place in Northampton's team, & has only scored against the NL side in the FAC.

[Tubbs]

'Worried' is one way of putting it, mate.

[smithie]

Let's wait to see what happens with Jonesy. I'm sure there's plenty going on behind the scenes to deal with him staying or not.

[Tosh]

I've heard someone mention Brum want a 200k fee for Jones, don't know if it's true or not but if so someone would have to leave for a good fee before we could pay that for Jones.

[PVTony]

Only 6 teams in L1 have scored less goals than Port vale.

 

Just as worrying is that only 5 teams have conceeded more goals than Port Vale.

 

Some teams below us in the league play at home on Saturday and could win valuable points. No points against Wimbledon may possibly thrust our team into a relegation avoidance battle, rather than a promotion fight.

A proven prolific striker is very much needed, and a possible change of tactics regarding the increase in number of strikers up front.

[Andy Proctor]

It would be good if we could drop on a gem of a striker who is experienced and scores goals. We managed get ryan taylor in who is experienced and spent most of his career in the prem so it would be good if we could get an experienced striker in.

[valefan16]

Saw a fact on the Birmingham Papers report on Jones that if we took away the points won from his goals we would be bottom... so yes worried! Reg is firing but needs a partner.

[Andy Proctor]

Grant is the only midfielder we have that has scored this season with that goal at carlise so we could do with more goals from midfield. Strikers jones has 10 cicilia 5 patterson 2 defenders streete 5 smith 3 taylor 3 hart 1.

[Tomo]

Saw a fact on the Birmingham Papers report on Jones that if we took away the points won from his goals we would be bottom... so yes worried! Reg is firing but needs a partner.

 

To be fair though you could probably say that for a lot of clubs, it's just like saying well Chelsea would be nowhere near top of the league without Costa. Without Jones we may have signed someone else who could have contributed the same amount (or possibly more).

 

Either way, we need to get him signed up in Jan, or need to be scouting the replacement already if the price is too high. Preferably sign him up though of course.

[robf]

While I understand we are looking short of cover if we don't get Jones, I wonder if a loan spell would be better for Dan Turner?

 

I just tend to think that the players who go on loan to a decent standard will be in a better position than youngsters put straight into the first-team. Yes, there are exceptions - Gibbons already looks a good prospect - but we've had lots of young players - Ryan Brown, Levi Reid, James Lawrie etc who initially come in on a high but who often can't cope and gradually fade out never to be seen again.

 

Perhaps they never were good enough but I wonder if loan spells at a decent standard would have helped them learn the difference between reserves/academy football and "man's football" (as Rob Page called it).

 

In recent years two of the biggest successes coming into the first-team were Jordan Hugill (after a prolific loan spell at Gateshead) and Nathan Smith (after his great spell at Torquay). I am hoping that his multiple loan spells may do the same for Ryan Boot next season.

 

I just wonder if the remainder of the season on loan at a National League club (Torquay would be ideal I think) would be better for Dan Turner and then he could challenge for a first-team place in the summer friendlies. He looks a good talent but should we be worried about rushing him?

[PV1973]

I think the pressure is higher on strikers too. For instance Dan Turner went out and scored quite a few goals for Kidsgrove. Hes come back and has had a few brief appearances and that one cup start, but he hasn't scored yet so how long before people start wondering if hes up to it at this level? I'm not saying he isn't because hes clearly a good prospect. But realistically the manager isn't going to throw him in and start him and give him the game time he needs, so I agree that he is probably better to go out on loan. Its interesting to notice that both Turner and Gibbons have got their debuts much earlier than the other younger pros in the squad, that speaks volumes it seems for what the club thinks of them, but equally these young players need some game time rather than the odd few minutes here and there and then they're out of the matchday squad the next week.

 

It benefitted Nathan Smith going out for a season at a good level.

 

IMO we need an experienced striker at this level too, maybe Bruno thought Paterson was that player? But things aren't working him at the moment. Hopefully come Jan we can sign someone.

[robf]

Yes, it's game time too. If the youngsters go out on loan then hopefully they will get more minutes in the first eleven there than they would coming on as a Vale sub for ten minutes here and there.

[Fosse69]

We need an experienced striker both to score goals and to bring the young lads on, but they cost. Most likely we will have to sell a CH, hopefully with a loan back clause. As for Jones, will not his price depend upon a sell-on percentage, i.e. low fee / high % or vice/versa? Maybe lucky to extend his loan if he prefers to stay.

[Paul6754]

I'm guessing the odds of us keeping Alex Jones 'til the end of the season are >50% as reputedly he likes it at Vale and knows the dressing room, starts every week, has established himself and the fans like him, we have to pull out all the stops to keep him one way or the other. Depends on who else is sniffing about.

 

In addition we need an experienced striker, wonder whether Wolves would let La Fondre go on loan, only played 3 times this season but I gues money would be an issue.