Football

I couldn't care less, providing Spuds don't qualify for the CL.

Blame corowndog for the Defoe debate. He's a shitstirrer extrordinaire.

jawndice, you can't blame me for the defoe mess, put the weight on chalfie, with his obsession with being this threads very own bespectacled statto...

Its more fun blaming it on you.

Defoe was decent when he was with us, if he's shit now it's your fault. You've fucking ruined him.

Anyway playing strikers is an outmoded concept, just ask Big Sam. Why field a striker when you can play an extra defensive midfielder.

jawndice, you can't blame me for the defoe mess, put the weight on chalfie, with his obsession with being this threads very own bespectacled statto...

Right.....

explain how he isn't a streaky scorer chalfie,
08/09 stretches of 4. 5. and 6 games without scoring
09/10 stretches of 4.4 and 5 games without scoring
10/11 stretches of 5.7 and 5 games without scoring
11/12 stretches of 3.4 and 3 games without scoring
12/13 stretches of 4.4.13 and 5 games without scoring.

He scores in bunches or he doesn't score at all.
Streaky?!?!

I choose to go back to this, like a dog to a bone, like a psoriasis patient and scratching a plaque, like trying to tell someone they're wrong on the internet. again.

Perhaps, the explanation is quite simple.
He scores against poor opposition, or when it was still possible for him to get a shot off without being found out by defenders, he then gets games based on this scoring of goals against shit defenders, he then plays against better quality defenders (or coaches who have said "watch that little defoe, crowd him when he shoots"), the fixture calendar then throws up a team he is capable of scoring against. He scores. Or gets injured.
He still takes too many shots, he still shoots from daft places, he still earns a lot of money for not a lot of product (comparatively). He's played approximately 10 seasons and has scored approximately 10 goals a season. He's never really troubled the scoring charts. He's pretty consistently average, and he shoots a lot. Or scores 5 goals against Wigan.

When he was at West Ham he used to score against everyone. Just saying.

chalfie, does that mean you agree that he's streaky?

No.
He's not got too much to do with it.
He shoots, consistently at around 4.5 shots per 90 minutes. Roughly the same as RVP, but his chances aren't taken/aren't from good areas. Based on that opta link I gave.
It shows him shooting from the edge of the box, where most likely (and as backed up by people who watch him) he manages to get shots off quickly BUT they're of poor value.

I think he makes poor decisions. Luck has nothing to do with it.
Which is what you're implying by calling him a streaky scorer.

When he was at West Ham he used to score against everyone. Just saying.

He got 18 goals at WHU.

He must be pretty high on their all-time goalscorer chart then.

I guess if you're a West Ham fan then Carlton Cole is the kind of striker you can aspire to.

Ftfy

I'm not Tottenham.

Scoring goals is over-rated. It's all about assists.

I'm not saying he's streaky.
He's consistently banging out 10 goals a season; from more shots than others, because he makes poor decisions.

I think.
I think that's what I'm saying.

And possession. I wonder which striker has had the most possession since the Premiership birthed football.

Paul Merson.
Rio Fe (that's enough. DK)

That is a ridiculous answer. You cannot play in the modern game and only be judged on the merits of ONE facet of your game (i.e - goal scoring). Imagine if someone said "xxxx is a tackler, and can only be judged as a tackle maker", or more relevant; "The goalkeeper is a shot stopper, and can only be judged on his ability to stop shots".

Plus, you are taking Chalfie's reference to the statistics in the article (which relates purely to Defoe and not to the authors point about Adebayor) and skewing the whole discussion.

Is this an example of over complicating a simple game? How good a passer was Mascherano long or short? How good were his shots? What about his movement off the ball? What would you rate him at outside of tackling? Great teams are all about balance. Though I'm surprised Defoe was never coached on his movement off the ball.

Kyut was played well out of position. He scored in the big games when needed. +You'd bet you gaff on him in a shoot out.

Also - Sturridge was a wasteful showboat until he moved to Liverpool. He's still a bit of a showboat, but slightly less wasteful.

16 in 18@LFC thus far.

Im sorry but Sturridge has always been a clinical striker.

Take a look at his stats.

He faltered at Chelsea, but was never terrible.

Man City, Bolton and now Liverpool fans will tell you if you start him, he'll usually score. He should be playing for the national team with Rooney and Agbonlahor on current form.

People seem to think he's a nasty/cocky shit, which he seems to be- but then look at every other England player, they're almost solidly, with out question, 'orrid cunts.

If England could find a decent water carrier in centre midfield, I think they could have a really excellent starting eleven. Everton, Southampton, Villa, Norwich, WBA etc are show casing some exciting and talented footballers.

I know everyone hates talking about England but I thought I would have a go, as this season I think many of the stand out players so far have been young English players.

I know we let him go, but Roy Hodgson should think about giving Huddlestone a turn in midfield. If you want a metronome in the center of the park to keep the ball moving accurately, long or short Tom's your man..

He can pick a pass, but he ain't the type to put in a shift over 90 minutes and protect the defence.