Practice makes perfect for Williams & Co (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Great insight in to the mind of an stfc striker. Could maybe do a hour documentary on this.

You can tell its going to be a slow news fortnight with no game when the rag has to rehash yesterday's story about Williams.

Just deliver

For gods sake is it asking too much to kick the pigs bladder into a huge onion bag once when you have 10 chances?

I like Williams and thoroughly rate him. Best striker we have at the club by a way at present. Like his attitude too, am sure the goals will fly in soon

a slow news day then

Agree with stfcflag, a quality player with ability and blistering pace. All will be well with this fella.

Needs to convert the chances his all round game merits. He's a very good player but forwards are judged on goals and he needs to take more of the chances he gets.

I honestly believe Beno would have converted one of those chances against Brenford and one against Notts , just for his pure ability of being in the right place at the right time plus he can head a ball with power , something sadly lacking at present . COYR .

Lazaat wrote:
For gods sake is it asking too much to kick the pigs bladder into a huge onion bag once when you have 10 chances?

Oohh ... I wish it was really that simple.

We can score goals, we've proved it against the likes of Brighton, Crawely, Stoke, Bournmouth,Stevenage and Yeovil.

We need to just spread them around the other games. Need to win 1-nill more often and NOT lose 1-nill.

Davey Gravey wrote:
Needs to convert the chances his all round game merits. He's a very good player but forwards are judged on goals and he needs to take more of the chances he gets.

Hurrah - one of your more sensible posts! Him and Collins and Martin the most impotent strke force ever seen at the CG not counting Doss & Pericrap. goals means points and we all know that "points mean....."

Malkym wrote:

Davey Gravey wrote:
Needs to convert the chances his all round game merits. He's a very good player but forwards are judged on goals and he needs to take more of the chances he gets.

Hurrah - one of your more sensible posts! Him and Collins and Martin the most impotent strke force ever seen at the CG not counting Doss & Pericrap. goals means points and we all know that "points mean....."

Grow up. They have potential and have done ok. Nothing like pericard and doss

Thought I'd do a bit of research regarding Town Strikers for the promotion seasons in recent times.

Interesting reading:

Season 2011-2 - League2. (Finished 1st)
Top scorers – Paul Benson (11 from 20 + 2) and Alan Connell (11 for 13 + 19)

Season 2006-7 - League2. (Finished 3rd)

Top scorers - Christian Roberts (10 from 39 +3) and Lee Peacock (10 for 40 +2)

Season 1995-6 – League 1 (Finished 1st)

Top scorers - Wayne Allison (17 from 43 + 1), Steve Finney(12 from 28 +6) and Peter Thorne (10 from 22 + 4).

Season 1992-3 – Championship (Finished 5th)

Top scorers – Craig Maskell (21 from 34 + 2), Dave Mitchell (12 for 40 + 4) and Steve White(9 from 21 + 16).

Season 1989-90 – Championship (Finished 5th)

Top scorers – Duncan Sheaer (21 fro m 45, Steve White 20 from 45 + 1).

COYMR

When is this poor headline going to come into effect ???????

Where's sue

Onwards and upwards

smirg kcab wrote:
When is this poor headline going to come into effect ???????

Where's sue

Onwards and upwards

Hopefully the same place as canioman went some time soon ffs

hertz wrote:
I honestly believe Beno would have converted one of those chances against Brenford and one against Notts , just for his pure ability of being in the right place at the right time plus he can head a ball with power , something sadly lacking at present . COYR .

How could he ? Hes on loan a pompey..lol
But yes i know were you are coming from but paolo knows best as he dont see Beno being good enough

Oxon-Red wrote:
Thought I'd do a bit of research regarding Town Strikers for the promotion seasons in recent times.

Interesting reading:

Season 2011-2 - League2. (Finished 1st)
Top scorers – Paul Benson (11 from 20 + 2) and Alan Connell (11 for 13 + 19)

Season 2006-7 - League2. (Finished 3rd)

Top scorers - Christian Roberts (10 from 39 +3) and Lee Peacock (10 for 40 +2)

Season 1995-6 – League 1 (Finished 1st)

Top scorers - Wayne Allison (17 from 43 + 1), Steve Finney(12 from 28 +6) and Peter Thorne (10 from 22 + 4).

Season 1992-3 – Championship (Finished 5th)

Top scorers – Craig Maskell (21 from 34 + 2), Dave Mitchell (12 for 40 + 4) and Steve White(9 from 21 + 16).

Season 1989-90 – Championship (Finished 5th)

Top scorers – Duncan Sheaer (21 fro m 45, Steve White 20 from 45 + 1).

COYMR

This is a very helpful post Oxon, which nobody seems to have noticed.

You have demonstrated very well that Paul Benson is a much better player than he has been given credit for, if people care to look at his strike rate and that PDC had one of his madder moments discarding him.

Particularly, as PDC has publicly stated that Benson's replacements are close to useless!!

Who ate all the pies? It certainly was not Paul Benson, who has been treated disgracefully by PDC, who preferred to sign 2 unfit players on loan. The Comedy of Errors just gets worse and worse with our signings.

Hard to disagree with that JB and it all started so well with the goal glut at Stoke but the WC combination doesn't hold water :)

Malkym wrote:
Hard to disagree with that JB and it all started so well with the goal glut at Stoke but the WC combination doesn't hold water :)

maybe its his old mince pies fault that he misses so much.

Malkym wrote:

Davey Gravey wrote: Needs to convert the chances his all round game merits. He's a very good player but forwards are judged on goals and he needs to take more of the chances he gets.

Hurrah - one of your more sensible posts! Him and Collins and Martin the most impotent strke force ever seen at the CG not counting Doss & Pericrap. goals means points and we all know that "points mean....."

Have to say, but to call those three our most impotent strike force ever is just nonsense, presuming you're being serious.

Martin can't be judged as it's far too early - you can't compare his couple of games with a former player who could have been here for several seasons.

Collins has scored eight and is our top scorer this season - Christian Roberts for example only scored 21 in 111 appearances for us. Lee Peacock? 20 in 126 games. Yes, three of those came against Stoke, but pro rata Collins is doing far better if we're basing this purely on goals scored.

Williams - ok, hasn't scored many, looks a good signing in other ways but time will tell. I think he'll step up to the plate but like I say, will have to wait and see.

Think Rafa DeV is our most consistent goal scorer based on appearances (goal/game ratio) this season - makes you wonder why he's not playing more often! Like the idea of him playing as a second striker sitting off, who knows if it would work though.

Swindon1984 wrote:

Malkym wrote:

Davey Gravey wrote: Needs to convert the chances his all round game merits. He's a very good player but forwards are judged on goals and he needs to take more of the chances he gets.

Hurrah - one of your more sensible posts! Him and Collins and Martin the most impotent strke force ever seen at the CG not counting Doss & Pericrap. goals means points and we all know that "points mean....."

Have to say, but to call those three our most impotent strike force ever is just nonsense, presuming you're being serious. Martin can't be judged as it's far too early - you can't compare his couple of games with a former player who could have been here for several seasons. Collins has scored eight and is our top scorer this season - Christian Roberts for example only scored 21 in 111 appearances for us. Lee Peacock? 20 in 126 games. Yes, three of those came against Stoke, but pro rata Collins is doing far better if we're basing this purely on goals scored. Williams - ok, hasn't scored many, looks a good signing in other ways but time will tell. I think he'll step up to the plate but like I say, will have to wait and see. Think Rafa DeV is our most consistent goal scorer based on appearances (goal/game ratio) this season - makes you wonder why he's not playing more often! Like the idea of him playing as a second striker sitting off, who knows if it would work though.

84,

Ritchie has the best strike rate 7 from 19 (1 as sub). Rafa is 4 from 13 (3 as sub).

Of the Strikers, Rooney has the best strike rate 3 from 12 of which 10 were sub appearances. James Collins has 5 from 19 (4 as sub) and the player many are saying is the answer i.e. Paul Benson has 1 from 12 of which 3 were as sub. This is actually 1 from 15 as he has not scored in 3 games for Pompey.

My stats above show to me that you do not necessarily need 20+ goal scorers to succeed. It is also interesting that our current strikers are being slaughtered by some yet in past years it hasn't seemed to matter (were Roberts and Peacock have been considered craap and shiit in 2006-7 ?).

The stats also show, as JB identified, that Benson was very consistent last season. This season it has been different and you cannot say he hasn't given him a chance. The move to Pompey may have been to see if he could find the form of last season.

Paolo is is building a squad which is hopefully capable of challenging for promotion to and hopefully, if successful, staying in the Championship. With all respect to Benson a 35 year-old is unlikely to figure in a squad being built with the future in mind whereas a player aged 21 is.

Strikers tend to mature later than other players so Collins is way off being the finished article. He is also on course to get close to his total from last season (in the league below) which would be a decent return and would probably see him in the top 10-15 of the goalscoring charts.

COYMR

Oxon-Red wrote:

Swindon1984 wrote:

Malkym wrote:

Davey Gravey wrote: Needs to convert the chances his all round game merits. He's a very good player but forwards are judged on goals and he needs to take more of the chances he gets.

Hurrah - one of your more sensible posts! Him and Collins and Martin the most impotent strke force ever seen at the CG not counting Doss & Pericrap. goals means points and we all know that "points mean....."

Have to say, but to call those three our most impotent strike force ever is just nonsense, presuming you're being serious. Martin can't be judged as it's far too early - you can't compare his couple of games with a former player who could have been here for several seasons. Collins has scored eight and is our top scorer this season - Christian Roberts for example only scored 21 in 111 appearances for us. Lee Peacock? 20 in 126 games. Yes, three of those came against Stoke, but pro rata Collins is doing far better if we're basing this purely on goals scored. Williams - ok, hasn't scored many, looks a good signing in other ways but time will tell. I think he'll step up to the plate but like I say, will have to wait and see. Think Rafa DeV is our most consistent goal scorer based on appearances (goal/game ratio) this season - makes you wonder why he's not playing more often! Like the idea of him playing as a second striker sitting off, who knows if it would work though.

84, Ritchie has the best strike rate 7 from 19 (1 as sub). Rafa is 4 from 13 (3 as sub). Of the Strikers, Rooney has the best strike rate 3 from 12 of which 10 were sub appearances. James Collins has 5 from 19 (4 as sub) and the player many are saying is the answer i.e. Paul Benson has 1 from 12 of which 3 were as sub. This is actually 1 from 15 as he has not scored in 3 games for Pompey. My stats above show to me that you do not necessarily need 20+ goal scorers to succeed. It is also interesting that our current strikers are being slaughtered by some yet in past years it hasn't seemed to matter (were Roberts and Peacock have been considered craap and shiit in 2006-7 ?). The stats also show, as JB identified, that Benson was very consistent last season. This season it has been different and you cannot say he hasn't given him a chance. The move to Pompey may have been to see if he could find the form of last season. Paolo is is building a squad which is hopefully capable of challenging for promotion to and hopefully, if successful, staying in the Championship. With all respect to Benson a 35 year-old is unlikely to figure in a squad being built with the future in mind whereas a player aged 21 is. Strikers tend to mature later than other players so Collins is way off being the finished article. He is also on course to get close to his total from last season (in the league below) which would be a decent return and would probably see him in the top 10-15 of the goalscoring charts. COYMR

Very good post, a pleasure to read actually! - and the type of thing I've mentioned recently (as in taking the effort to use some facts to back up what your'e saying). Could do with more of that on here.

Think my stats may be off from what you've said, or are you only talking about goals scored in the league? If in all competetions then the BBC site has made a liar out of me, curse them.

Also agree with more or less everything else you've said - Benson did do well for us last season but hasn't done so well this time around, Collins is young and will improve and so on - interesting also that Rooney comes in for a huge amount of stick on here (I'm not his biggest fan myself to be honest, although think he's an average player who can do a job, not outstanding but nowhere near as bad as he's painted - although the other strikers seem to have a better all round game) yet has the best goals to game ratio of our strikers - strange how some choose to ignore the facts, and will slate one player whilst acknowledging no flaws with a player they prefer (e.g. people jumping all over Rooney but totally ignoring when Ferry/Ritchie/McCorm
ack have a bad game).

I do think it's worth looking at what a player brings to the game rather than just goals scored however, Benson's goals last season were what won us the league, at least in part, but it was his ability to hold up the ball that impressed me the most. Bulding for the future though, and if he's not getting games here it's better for all concerned if he goes out on loan, same for any player.

Swindon1984 wrote:

Oxon-Red wrote:

Swindon1984 wrote:

Malkym wrote:

Davey Gravey wrote: Needs to convert the chances his all round game merits. He's a very good player but forwards are judged on goals and he needs to take more of the chances he gets.

Hurrah - one of your more sensible posts! Him and Collins and Martin the most impotent strke force ever seen at the CG not counting Doss & Pericrap. goals means points and we all know that "points mean....."

Have to say, but to call those three our most impotent strike force ever is just nonsense, presuming you're being serious. Martin can't be judged as it's far too early - you can't compare his couple of games with a former player who could have been here for several seasons. Collins has scored eight and is our top scorer this season - Christian Roberts for example only scored 21 in 111 appearances for us. Lee Peacock? 20 in 126 games. Yes, three of those came against Stoke, but pro rata Collins is doing far better if we're basing this purely on goals scored. Williams - ok, hasn't scored many, looks a good signing in other ways but time will tell. I think he'll step up to the plate but like I say, will have to wait and see. Think Rafa DeV is our most consistent goal scorer based on appearances (goal/game ratio) this season - makes you wonder why he's not playing more often! Like the idea of him playing as a second striker sitting off, who knows if it would work though.

84, Ritchie has the best strike rate 7 from 19 (1 as sub). Rafa is 4 from 13 (3 as sub). Of the Strikers, Rooney has the best strike rate 3 from 12 of which 10 were sub appearances. James Collins has 5 from 19 (4 as sub) and the player many are saying is the answer i.e. Paul Benson has 1 from 12 of which 3 were as sub. This is actually 1 from 15 as he has not scored in 3 games for Pompey. My stats above show to me that you do not necessarily need 20+ goal scorers to succeed. It is also interesting that our current strikers are being slaughtered by some yet in past years it hasn't seemed to matter (were Roberts and Peacock have been considered craap and shiit in 2006-7 ?). The stats also show, as JB identified, that Benson was very consistent last season. This season it has been different and you cannot say he hasn't given him a chance. The move to Pompey may have been to see if he could find the form of last season. Paolo is is building a squad which is hopefully capable of challenging for promotion to and hopefully, if successful, staying in the Championship. With all respect to Benson a 35 year-old is unlikely to figure in a squad being built with the future in mind whereas a player aged 21 is. Strikers tend to mature later than other players so Collins is way off being the finished article. He is also on course to get close to his total from last season (in the league below) which would be a decent return and would probably see him in the top 10-15 of the goalscoring charts. COYMR

Very good post, a pleasure to read actually! - and the type of thing I've mentioned recently (as in taking the effort to use some facts to back up what your'e saying). Could do with more of that on here. Think my stats may be off from what you've said, or are you only talking about goals scored in the league? If in all competetions then the BBC site has made a liar out of me, curse them. Also agree with more or less everything else you've said - Benson did do well for us last season but hasn't done so well this time around, Collins is young and will improve and so on - interesting also that Rooney comes in for a huge amount of stick on here (I'm not his biggest fan myself to be honest, although think he's an average player who can do a job, not outstanding but nowhere near as bad as he's painted - although the other strikers seem to have a better all round game) yet has the best goals to game ratio of our strikers - strange how some choose to ignore the facts, and will slate one player whilst acknowledging no flaws with a player they prefer (e.g. people jumping all over Rooney but totally ignoring when Ferry/Ritchie/McCorm ack have a bad game). I do think it's worth looking at what a player brings to the game rather than just goals scored however, Benson's goals last season were what won us the league, at least in part, but it was his ability to hold up the ball that impressed me the most. Bulding for the future though, and if he's not getting games here it's better for all concerned if he goes out on loan, same for any player.

84,

The goal figures are for league matches (taken from the BBC site). The stats I mention are from my original post further up.

I agree absolutely with your point about people jumping on players. Guaranteed that one or more of McEveley, Williams, Roberts, Collins, Navarro or Rooney will be named when we lose.

I wish people would judge players on a game to game basis and acknowledge when they have good games not just when they were poor.

COYMR

True, and also to give players a chance to prove themselves - I was amazed at the amount of people posting after the JPT final how they thought Bostock/McEveley were the worst players they'd ever seen in a town shirt (although unsurprisingly as many had quite possibly never been to a town game before or since). Not saying either played particularly well in that game but they've since gone on to be important players for us. It's hard to judge players on a single performance (whether they play well or not!)

Ward was royally slagged off a while back but most would agree he's doing well for us currently - equally for some on here to write off Martin based on a couple of games. Let's face it, he's played and scored at a higher level than we're currently at, you don't become a bad player overnight. Still think our strikers will come good, it's a case of confidence and a couple of good games with a goal or two and the floodgates will open (here's hoping!)