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Replacement Striker?


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he had competition from Tope Obadayi and Josh Magennis, it would have been difficult.

Found the competition of Josh Magennis too much for him?  Why we shouldn't sign him in a nutshell!

Window is open while yet so no panic, I always believe there are good players out there who will currently be pricing themselves out of ICT's budget, wait another few weeks til they have the choice of no club or dropping demands and expectations - that way we may get someone who is better value and desperate to prove themselves to get a move to a bigger club/salary.

In terms of bringing players in, does the window really impact us really?  We've hardly paid a fee for a player in years.  Williams was £10,000 (I think) and before that it must've been Rooney in 2008.

Edited by Renegade
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Ian Black, Derek Riordan and Lee Miller suggested in the past few pages, jesus.

It's only a matter of time til Garry O'Connor gets a mention!

We wouldn't be able to afford the fee Selkirk would be after..

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Kevin Kyle still able to move? :wink:

I wouldnt turn my nose up at a fit Jon Daly. But that's the issue is it not. Keeping him injury free.

I reckon wait until the season is under way and see how we start. If needs be players will be available on loan up till deadline day and available for free beyond that. There's no point jumping in if the current forward line is capable.

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"Believe me, in Dani Lopez we have a player who will score double figures." J. Hughes, July 2015. 

Hopefully that quote doesn't come back to bite him! Also a good interview with Mutombo here:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/13521503.Andrea_Mbuyi_Mutombo_amazed_by__continental_style__after_clinching_Inverness_move/

Going by the quotes by Yogi and Andrea in that article, it suggests to me that the idea is that Lopez is going to be Ofere's replacement and then Mutombo will be Watkins' replacement - which isn't a bad shout IMO.

Hopefully once both players are fully match fit then the idea pays off. I still think we could do with a back up striker for competition and incase of any injury of Lopez. 

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Looking at sneckboy's squadlist we appear to have 6 defenders, 9/10 midfielders (depending on if mutombo is mf or fw) and 4/5  forwards. Lopez still needs a chance to prove himself as the man to provide us with goals and we find ourselves in the situation where if we sign another striker i can't realistically see Ferguson or Sutherland getting their chance to prove themselves this season.  We need goals, that's obvious but 6 defenders? That doesn't sound like enough to me.

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Guest Shaun

Looking at sneckboy's squadlist we appear to have 6 defenders, 9/10 midfielders (depending on if mutombo is mf or fw) and 4/5  forwards. Lopez still needs a chance to prove himself as the man to provide us with goals and we find ourselves in the situation where if we sign another striker i can't realistically see Ferguson or Sutherland getting their chance to prove themselves this season.  We need goals, that's obvious but 6 defenders? That doesn't sound like enough to me.

That is a good point, imo, 6 certainly isn't enough defenders so I reckon that if any loans or signings are to follow the 5 signed already, they will be defenders ( possibly only a couple though) and an extra Striker.

If that does indeed happen then our squad will be set for the season ahead   :ictscarf::ictscarf:

Edited by Shaun
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I'm actually quite content with the defence.  More than enough IMO.  Actually, we don't *really* need a left-back either.  Both Tremarco and Williams are natural left-backs, while Raven, Wedderburn and Roberts have all be known to play there.  I recollect Gary Warren saying when he signed that he can play 'anywhere across the back four' so that's another option.  We're more than covered in the centre with Devine, Warren, Wedderburn and Meekings, though Foran, Draper, Raven, Tremarco and Horner can all play in there.  Right back is fine as well with Raven, Meekings and Horner, though we can also put Vincent, Polworth and Devine in there.  So there you go.  More than enough coverage in defence.

We need a proper finisher far more than another defender in any form IMO.

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We've been spoiled the last few years with the class of Shinnie. Losing him will take a while to recover. I'd go as far to say he's one of our best ever and certainly the best we've produced IMO. 

Tremarco suffers due to having to follow in his footsteps. Aside from the cup final gaffe, he's a solid dependable left back. He's just not the same caliber as Shinnie. But that's no slight on him as Shinnie is a good good player. It's a comparison pretty much all SPL full backs would come out unfavourably. 

That's not to say I wouldn't take another left back. 

I'd like to give Ferguson the chance before bringing in another striker.  

 

- And if worst case scenario occurs we can always offer Mario Balotelli an alternative to Qatar. 

Edited by iamthecaptain1
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This might sound quite left-field, but isn't Cammy Keith that player in the Highland League with a mental goal record?  I know the standard isn't as high but with a record like that (especially at Keith who aren't always one of the better teams), he must be doing something right.  It worked for Cowdenbeath with Greg Stewart (who came from an even lower level).

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The fact that this thread is up to 27 pages illustrates what a concern our lack of a decent striker is.  I am loathe to make an opinion on players until they have had time to adapt to their new team's style of play and get themselves to full fitness but whatever Lopez's attributes may be, he does not look to me like a main striker.

When Billy was not scoring, he always looked as though he might.  Lopez doesn't.  Excuses have been made for Lopez that he is not really match fit but if that is the case then it really shouldn't stop him getting into goal scoring positions - it would stop him coming back from those positions!  Loy scored a brilliant poacher's goal for Dundee at the weekend and it reminded me that Billy could score goals like that.  Unfortunately I just can't see Lopez scoring that sort of goal because he does not appear to be an instinctive striker.

It may be that he is playing deeper than he usually would because of the lack of service he is getting, although when we did manage to get the ball in the box, he was often absent.  There was one incident late in the 2nd half, when we should have been pressing for an equalizer, when  good work from Mutombo down the left led to the ball being played in to the box.  The ball hit a defender and ballooned up as it was diverted.  The keeper came to collect at the edge of the box and, if I remember correctly, had the luxury of allowing the ball to bounce before collecting it.  Someone near to me asked incredulously "how is the keeper being allowed to collect that!"  Lopez was nowhere to be seen and there was no other Inverness player close enough to make a challenge for a slow looping ball at the edge of the box.  That to me sums up what our problems are

And the worse our injuries are at the back, the more important it is that we create and convert chances at the other end.  Personally, I would like to see Christie play more  forward.  Amongst all the players he is the one who has the awareness,  anticipation and turn of pace to get in the right place at the right time.  He has demonstrated he can shoot but sometimes lacks composure in front of goal.  Getting one or two under his belt would help in that regard.  If we can't afford or can't find a new striker we have to work with what we've got and in Christie I think we have the potential for an instinctive goals scorer.

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This might sound quite left-field, but isn't Cammy Keith that player in the Highland League with a mental goal record?  I know the standard isn't as high but with a record like that (especially at Keith who aren't always one of the better teams), he must be doing something right.  It worked for Cowdenbeath with Greg Stewart (who came from an even lower level).

Cammy Keith now plays for one of the HL big spenders teams Formartine, after they paid around £30,000 for him in 2013, which was apparently the 2nd highest fee paid by a Scottish club excluding Celtic during that window (the highest being Hibs buying that guy who couldn't hit a coos erse wi a banjo from Swindon who I cant remember the name of). Anyway he's currently being kept out of the team by ex-ICT man Garry Wood

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I'd play Christie up top with Lopez in behind at the moment. Christie has the enthusiasm and the anticipation to at least attempt to get on the end of balls. Plus he has always come across as an intelligent person and player. Which should make it easier for him to adjust to the role. He's also got the pace and some finishing ability.

Lopez on the other hand might have the type of game to pick out passes for  him. The typical Spanish flair. He could be the new Sanchez / Juanjo. 

I'd use Mutumbo as a winger type to use pace and power to stretch the defence. Him and Williams or Roberts or Doran... Depending who's fit. Need to use Vincent properly again also. Playing Christie as a striker might allow for this. He's never been a winger.

But I don't see these players in training on a day to day basis. 

I still think we should wait until the end of August before hitting panic buttons. Perhaps a influx of shirt sale money will allow for another player to come in.  

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I'd play Christie up top with Lopez in behind at the moment. Christie has the enthusiasm and the anticipation to at least attempt to get on the end of balls. Plus he has always come across as an intelligent person and player. Which should make it easier for him to adjust to the role. He's also got the pace and some finishing ability.

Lopez on the other hand might have the type of game to pick out passes for  him. The typical Spanish flair. He could be the new Sanchez / Juanjo. 

I'd use Mutumbo as a winger type to use pace and power to stretch the defence. Him and Williams or Roberts or Doran... Depending who's fit. Need to use Vincent properly again also. Playing Christie as a striker might allow for this. He's never been a winger.

But I don't see these players in training on a day to day basis. 

I still think we should wait until the end of August before hitting panic buttons. Perhaps a influx of shirt sale money will allow for another player to come in.  

Christie's 'footballing brain' (horrible phrase but aye) would be wasted playing him up top imo. He's far too creative to be chucked upfront.

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It is a horrible phrase.

 I'm inclined to agree with you...if we had a player who he could create for. But I'm not sure we do. I just think he might see the chances better than others atm. And as he is creative I don't see how he couldn't do so from a "false 9" position. 

 

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I know its been said that theres no money left but I'd like to think we could SURELY get at least one loan in. I'd much rather develop our own youngsters first but having said that I'd happily take Lawrence Shankland on loan from Aberdeen (its the least they could do for us after developing 3 of the first names on their teamsheet). Shankland scored 29 goals in the Development league last season yet has only made the bench once in Aberdeen's competitive matches this season. I thought he must've been injured but he scored for their U20s team yesterday. 

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A 6 month loan deal would do nicely. But I can't imagine we'd get him if he wasn't going to be playing week in week out. I don't know if goals in the Development league would translate into the SPL  so easily.

Surely there is a Premier league/ Championship team with a young striker needing first team game time. In the Sam Winnall mould. True a player of his level had a few in front of him back then when he was here resulting in little action but we've nothing now so he'd never be out the team. (speaking as though a 20 year old Winnall was here now)

We need someone with pace, enthusiasm and work ethic. Like Billy Mckay, who wasn't even known for being a goal scorer when he joined.

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I know its been said that theres no money left but I'd like to think we could SURELY get at least one loan in. I'd much rather develop our own youngsters first but having said that I'd happily take Lawrence Shankland on loan from Aberdeen (its the least they could do for us after developing 3 of the first names on their teamsheet). Shankland scored 29 goals in the Development league last season yet has only made the bench once in Aberdeen's competitive matches this season. I thought he must've been injured but he scored for their U20s team yesterday. 

I'd love to see us get Lawrence Shankland as he definitely fits the bill for a goalscoring striker. I do doubt that Aberdeen would agree for us to get him on loan as Aberdeen would class us as a close rival to them in the league. I think it was recently said that Shankland was moving out on loan to St Mirren but I guess nothing has materialised since then? 

For our defensive problems with Gary Warren being out for a couple months, the football manager player in me would suggest Luca Gasparotto from Rangers on loan for 6 months. I actually had a quick look to see what others were saying and he seems to be highly rated and I also remember that Calum Ferguson and him played for Canada U20 recently. 

For our left back troubles, what about Stephen Kingsley? He was playing for Falkirk for a couple of seasons and got himself a move to Swansea and I doubt he's going to be in the first team anytime soon. 

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If he remains fit and injury free (a big question mark), ICT could do worse than try to grab Bright Dike (pronounced BeeRight DeeKay) who was just released by TFC yesterday. He's a big Nigerian striker who works his ass off but is out of the picture at TFC having been on loan to San Antonio Scorpions for the last few months as he tries to get back to fitness. He's not, and never has been prolific, but something tells me his play would be suited to the Scottish game. He's not going to get into a lineup with Jozy Altidore, Sebastian Giovinco, Luke Moore and others and TFC want to bring in someone else before the end of the window so his squad place has been freed up ... and his salary? US$64000 or about £800 per week so not ridiculous ! 

Comments when we signed him: http://www.wakingthered.com/2013/9/12/4722658/bright-dike-toronto-fc-portland-timbers-ryan-nelsen-maximiliano-urruti-kevin-payne

Article about his release: http://www.wakingthered.com/2015/8/4/9098127/toronto-fc-waive-bright-dike

 

 

 

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