The Support Striker Role

[bobafro]

I have been thinking about something for a while now and I was wondering what others opinions were on this.

Ever since we bought Tim Cahill we've always attempted to play that support stiker role, with others like Ossie and now Fella playing that role. We've always tended to get lots of goals from midfield in this time and prolific strikers we've had tended to peter our after an inital glut of goals (i am not by any stetch of the imagination suggesting this is happening to Jela)

I always felt when watching Cahill and Saha play together that they seemed to get in each others way. They contantly wanted to take up the same positions. As the midfield had advanced so far the stikers tendency is to advance further which he can't and you see them pushed out wide. Saha use to be in wide positions with frustrating regularity and I've notice Jelavic taking up these positions now also since Fella has been supporting him. As a result our advanced midfield players seem to get into more goalscoring positions than our strikers which I think is counter-productive.

I am very interested to see how we set up tomorrow and how Jelavic performs without Fella in that role behind him. I guess what I'd like to see is more of a gap between our striker and 'support-striker'. Purpose of these comments was to start a discussion, anyone else following what I'm trying to say? agree/disagree etc...

 

[Pabbers]

I want a very mobile, quick player behind Jelavic.

Player who can pick a pass, and gets stuck in, and can chip in with a few goals, and drop back to help.

In an ideal world, Ericksen at Ajax would be perfic.

Him with Fellaini / Gibson behind, would really realy push us on.

Or even Mirallas behind Jela, but we would need a top draw winger then.

 

[tim cahill]

I'll be disappointed if Naismith doesn't get a go there tomorrow.

 

[ijjysmith]

I want a very mobile, quick player behind Jelavic.

Player who can pick a pass, and gets stuck in, and can chip in with a few goals, and drop back to help.

In an ideal world, Ericksen at Ajax would be perfic.

Him with Fellaini / Gibson behind, would really realy push us on.

Or even Mirallas behind Jela, but we would need a top draw winger then.

Probably a bit too optimisitic there.

 

[steken1]

Good article Lid!

As you know I've thought similar myself, not least because it takes something away from Mo's game too.

For me absolute perfection in that role is Riquelme at Villareal. Ability to score 10-15 himself, superb eye for a clever pass and plays in a different area to the main striker. A player like that would have a field day with the movement of jelavic in front.

Moyes has always appeared to me to prefer to batter the door down, opposed to picking the lock. This is working at the moment as Jelavic is taking the burden off mo by playing against the oppo's dominant CB. For me this can't happen permanent.

As good as Mo is,the main striker should always be the man you build around, especially when they are as good as Jelavic. We made this mistake for years with Tim Cahill as striker after striker sacrificed his game to help Tim's. It made us too one dimensional and easy to defend against. The same thing is happening now just on a smaller scale.

 

[Pabbers]

Probably a bit too optimisitic there.

A top 4 prem side should be looking at a player like that....unfortunatly we wont have the money of a top 4 side.....even WHEN we finish their !

 

[bobafro]

Ya, I agree with this.

I often wondered what it'd be like with Fella up top and Jelavic supporting him

 

[Summerskin]

Jelavic wondering out wide is starting to worry me, classic second season tactic right there.

 

[steken1]

Jelavic wondering out wide is starting to worry me, classic second season tactic right there.

Same as anyone who played with Cahill started doing. A desperation to get into the game IMO. Or in Saha's case a desperation to avoid the ball.

 

[RFUS]

Jelavic would definitely score more with someone like Mirallas, Osman or Pienaar behind him.

I'm not sure why people are scared about pushing Felli back a bit. No reason he can't play in a number 8 or 6 role. His 2 goals against Fulham came when he was pushed further back.

 

[steken1]

Jelavic would definitely score more with someone like Mirallas, Osman or Pienaar behind him.

I'm not sure why people are scared about pushing Felli back a bit. No reason he can't play in a number 8 or 6 role. His 2 goals against Fulham came when he was pushed further back.

I think he'd do more for us there. He's so dominant playing box to box.

 

[bobafro]

Jelavic would definitely score more with someone like Mirallas, Osman or Pienaar behind him.

I'm not sure why people are scared about pushing Felli back a bit. No reason he can't play in a number 8 or 6 role. His 2 goals against Fulham came when he was pushed further back.

same with his goal and assist against sunderland... all happened once tollos came on and he pushed back.

 

[RFUS]

I think he'd do more for us there. He's so dominant playing box to box.

same with his goal and assist against sunderland... all happened once tollos came on and he pushed back.

Norwich will be interesting anyway. Without Felli I wonder who will play behind Jelavic, and I wonder if Jelavic will have a better game.

 

[Essex Blue]

That Honda player is supposed to be capable of playing ACM, he is likely to move away from CSKA this January as well.

 

[EFC David]

Good article Lid!

As you know I've thought similar myself, not least because it takes something away from Mo's game too.

For me absolute perfection in that role is Riquelme at Villareal. Ability to score 10-15 himself, superb eye for a clever pass and plays in a different area to the main striker. A player like that would have a field day with the movement of jelavic in front.

Moyes has always appeared to me to prefer to batter the door down, opposed to picking the lock. This is working at the moment as Jelavic is taking the burden off mo by playing against the oppo's dominant CB. For me this can't happen permanent.

As good as Mo is,the main striker should always be the man you build around, especially when they are as good as Jelavic. We made this mistake for years with Tim Cahill as striker after striker sacrificed his game to help Tim's. It made us too one dimensional and easy to defend against. The same thing is happening now just on a smaller scale.

He's like 40 and plays in Argentina.