One more will have to make way...

[NN Fox]

Don't see why any of them need to be sold unless they are unhappy with the situation and want to go.

 

[TornadoShaunUK]

I would fully expect Hammond and De Vries to leave. If anyone were to actually be sold off.. I would think it would be Fryatt.

 

[Brown Nose]

I think it's pretty automatic from what IH has said that his first choice pairing will be Howard and Campbell. Behind that Hayles will be a bench man. He has also made it clear that he rates Sappleton, Chambers and Odihambo and he won't want to make their path to the first team impossible next season.

In this context I think that both Hume and Fryatt are expendable. Both are good players on their day, but very inconsistent. I'm not saying that IH wants them to leave. However, if he doesn't want the young strikers to stagnate, he must be willing to lose one or both. It will also help him to strengthen elsewhere. He keeps going on about balance and our forward line options are far from balanced.

Another factor is size. He's always gone with big man, small man. Maybe he still wants another biggy in the squad as cover for Howard? If this is the case, Hume and Fryatt will have to go at some point.

I'd be surprised if he didn't take a fair offer for either. I'd also be surprised if he wouldn't be prepared to offer one in an exchange deal for somone he really wanted. Maybe a way through the whole problem with the 50% to Bolton clause in Norris's contract could be reduced with a player exchange with Fryatt (after all, they've just lost two forwards)?

 

[consty]

To me yesterday's game showed that in a team that is playing well with creative players and a good target man (Howard), then Hume could be quite an asset - undeniably good performance yesterday from him. He is not good enough to carry a struggling midfield or forward line as we have seen, but I liked what I saw yesterday when playing alongside better players than we've had before. Stearman on the other hand looked like the weakest link, against stronger opposition he will be a continuing liability. Saw the 'mix-up' incident again on TV this morning between RS & keeper and it was clearly Stearman's fault.

 

[Si Nick]

To use an Ollie term in his book he talks about his keeness to stack & rack strikers so he always has options.

He may not be under pressure to sell now for the first time in his career, so i reckon he will keep Fryatt as well as Hume, Campbell, Howard & Hayles unless he doesn't really rate one of them (and from comments made so far, that may only apply to Fryatt)

 

[Jeff]

Your Birthday then..

I wish I was that young.

 

[foxin_oz]

I wish I was that young.

That makes two of us ... :icon_wink

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

But IMO the squad still lacks a real out and out goalscorer, Hume is a more creative livewire player but isn't neccessarily the type of striker who will feed off Howard and take full advantage of the service, Fryatt has consistently proved that for whatever reason this move is clearly not working for him, I would be amazed if Ollie didn't bring in another striker and move a couple on.

IMO Fryatt and Campbell to go. Unless we recieve stupid money for Hume.

Howard
AN Other
Hume
Hayles

 

[H T B]

"Out and out goalscorer", what exactly is that?
How many goals did Howard score in his last season in the championship for the sheep?
How many goals do you want 1 person to score?
Won't we then become too dependant on 1 person to score?
What if said person has a barren spell?

 

[Graz]

I think the strikers we've got are fine.

People keep going on about how many strikers we've got, but really the only ones that are first team are Howard, Hayles, Hume, Fryatt and DJ. Maybe one of them to leave, but I don't see a problem with having 5 first team strikers unless one of them is unhappy with the situation.
Chambers, Sappleton and Odhiambo aren't first team yet, they've just been involved due to lack of options
De Vries and Hammond are shite and won't be involved and will go if we can get anyone to take them off our hands.

I think the strikers we've got will score goals with the midfield behind them now. Don't see a need to change it now. At least not until the summer.