21 Dec 2025 11:28:33
We repeatedly see in posts that "everyone knows that we need a striker", which is a fair point, as the two that we have are useless. Managers inherit players that simply aren't good enough. Moyes inherited Beto, but Barry was chosen, which begs the question why did we sign the worst striker to be signed by any Premier League in the summer transfer window? We shouldn't be signing players just because we need one.
I remember Moyes saying that we wouldn't sign anyone who didn't improve the squad, so my other question to Moyes and the recruitment team would be where does Barry improve us?
21 Dec 2025 11:56:46
Whilst neither striker is scoring I’m not sure what fans expect when the service to them is non-existent.
The strikers are feeding on scraps and until Moyes changes his setup or tactics it won’t change.
Yesterday he takes Barry off for Beto but keeps tactics the same - it makes no sense.
Would have preferred to see Beto and Barry together as atleast it’s trying something different.
Not even a top striker would do well in the squad currently based on the tactics we’re playing.
{Ed025's Note - you are not wrong Dan..
21 Dec 2025 12:12:36
Ah Dan a spot of sanity. Agree it would have done no harm to at least had a go with two up front as our wide players offered nothing. But we seem to have supporters who target certain players while others get a free pass.
21 Dec 2025 12:20:55
Say that to somebody like Zian Flemming.
21 Dec 2025 12:47:38
I think it's a combination of both in all honesty. Look at the stats for the entire league for chances created.
1) Arsenal 141
2) Liverpool 135
3) Man City 126
4) Man U 125
5) Chelsea 121
6) Bournemouth 105
7) Brighton 104
8) Fulham 94
9) Leeds 92
10) Villa 91
11) Newcastle 85
12) Palace 83
13) Everton 81
14) Forest 81
15) Spurs 80
16) West Ham 69
17) Wolves 64
18) Sunderland 63
19) Burnley 61
20) Brentford 61
At 81 chances created, we are off the boil compared to the top 5 on this list but we are creating chances in games. Our forwards are very wasteful, we see that with our own eyes every game. One thing is certain, we can't go through the rest of the season without splashing the cash on another forward, someone with an eye for goal to turn chances into points. Maybe hard to come by but there has to be better out there than we currently have. Roll on January!
21 Dec 2025 13:36:54
Struggling to remember those 81 chances BP?
21 Dec 2025 14:05:32
I was a bit surprised myself, bmd, but it shows we are creating opportunities in games, we just can't finish our dinner at times mate.
Last season, we created a total of 161 chances in the entire campaign. I'd bet that this stat was improved once DM took over from Dyche as we didn't seem to do much in the months leading up to him leaving.
21 Dec 2025 14:55:21
Shropshire, add to that why Dibling - why that amount of cash - we are not in the position (yet) to be spending £60 odd million on 'for the future'.
21 Dec 2025 15:49:44
The stats say we’ve created 81 chances, however watching the games there is absolutely no chance anywhere near half of them were created for our forwards.
Majority of our chances are coming from Ndiaye, kdh, Grealish and garner. They all link up well and appear to pass to each other more often than whipping in a ball for the striker.
We also have created a fair few chances through corners, which in most cases those chances are being met by our defenders.
I stick with what I said originally and that’s a top striker would struggle with the opportunities our strikers are getting.
The way we current set up and play is not suited to our strikers scoring.
21 Dec 2025 16:22:30
The strikers have still had chances given to them, some on a plate others not so much, and the total goals scored by each isn't good enough. Their conversion rate has to be amongst the poorest in the Premier league, given they have two between them. There is no defence for how wasteful they have been.
There's been a few posts blaming everything and everyone other than those two forwards. The stats show that we need a better forward line, strikers who can actually make a difference by putting the ball in the back of the net. I hear what you're saying, gd, but I have to respectfully disagree. A good forward would not be on one Premier league goal at this time of the season, they would have a good few by now. Some of their misses have been the difference between turning one point into three and possibly defeats into draws. As a paying fan, I expect better and I'm hopeful this can be rectified in the next window. I'd let both of them go if a sensible offer comes in and then start again, providing we get strikers in ourselves first.