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Are we going to end up with a pop gun attack?

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davek said:
That's a fair point. Going for an out and out attacker right now might affect negotiations with a buyer for Lukaku as past of our pitch would have to be that we have to replace him. However, other pieces are beginning to fall into place: the focus on wide players who can come in and operate as a goal getter, a high sitting MF that would go with a false nine system.

I honestly dont think we'll see a usual shape for us this season in our attacking formations. This will be a departure. I think Koeman was fulsome in praise of Liverpool early last season when they were blowing teams away and we know he wants a full press game up front. I think we are headed down that route and we wont see a forward spearheading our attack.
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Agree with this.
At least this way we are not dependent on one man getting the goals. If we play the way we did last season then there is no room for your focul point (Lukaku) to have off days or be out of form.. also squad rotation is key as it's not sustainable to play that way all season.
 

MorgsGoat said:
Well no, we will know on the 1st Sept whether he is opting out of the "number 9".
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Oh yeah. But even then 'no'...what if his "9" is a player bought to come off the bench primarily?

It would have to be a big name player to lead the line.
 
JLW said:
Agree with this.
At least this way we are not dependent on one man getting the goals. If we play the way we did last season then there is no room for your focul point (Lukaku) to have off days or be out of form.. also squad rotation is key as it's not sustainable to play that way all season.
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...that's one way of looking at it...an overly positive one.
 
davek said:
Oh yeah. But even then 'no'...what if his "9" is a player bought to come off the bench primarily?

It would have to be a big name player to lead the line.
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Which is why I said to Zat earlier we cant be wasting our time with clowns like Dembele and Plopberg.

I mean, surely you dont want us buying players from the SPL and the Dutch SPL????
 

rochdaleblue said:
@davek i really think we are currently just edging our bets at present, until the board and koeman know for certain if lukaku will be sold. Everton have set an asking price, if it is met he will be sold. That money could then be used if koeman so wishes to buy a player of the ilk of icardi or the like.
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Eggs said:
..I think we need to wait and see. If Lukaku goes it might be a different team model with a broader attacking spectrum as opposed to a CF who is the spearhead/focal point. There is more than one way to skin a cat as we showed in the pre and post Lineker days of the mid-80s.

Only time will tell.
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Don't kid yourselves, lukaku is already gone.

As soon as he is back off holiday he will be a Chelsea player, I have no doubt on that.
 
davek said:
I mentioned in the summer transfer thread my concern that with the very likely departure of Lukaku we are faced with an almighty struggle next season to get a striker in to fill the massive chasm he'll leave. So far we have not been linked with the type of marquee signing that we could reasonably believe could come in and take up at least most of the slack in terms of getting on the scoresheet as often as RL has in his time here. Sandro may or may not come in. However, I dont see him as a type that will lead the line in the fashion that we as a club have been used to with our tradition. The existing players we have upfront are unimpressive. For one they cant be adapted to the role of an out and out forward and for another they look pretty limited in what they do in their 'proper job', be that Bolasie and Lookman attacking from out wide or Calvert-Lewin loitering without intent in behind the striker/final third.

Here's my suspicion: I think Koeman will forsake going for a like for like replacement for Lukaku this summer. He looks to me to be thinking of going with a type of attacking unit adopted over the park and adopted elsewhere: a high pressing front three with an advanced MF (probably Klaassens) to augment the attack by making forward runs into the box.

I think this will be madness for us. First, we wont have the class to pull that one off: Lallana/Firmino/Mane + Coutinho are very good quality. That's how they blitzed the PL in the first half of last season and picked up the points that eventually seen them over the CL spot line. Our front 3+1 would be nowhere near that level of quality. Second, we have a lot more games this season and what happened to Liverpool (and what happens to other teams who adopt a manic high press) over the course of the season would come home to roost here too: we'd have a core first team on its knees and/or dropping down with injuries by late winter.

Anyway, that's my thoughts/fears on what I believe this summer's attacking incomings are being prioritised for. Hopefully Koeman goes out and blows that out of the water with a Giroud signing, but I really think we are headed into 2017/18 with a re-shaped and dangerous departure from what we traditionally have gone for before.

Thoughts?
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No koeman will sort it no worrys
 

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