Play Forte

[the_anticlough]

For someone who doesn't know or care about my bets, it's a bit odd that you've now mentioned them twice!

Casual mentions, either side of a rant of yours on how nobody understands you and your bets (I do actually, separating predictions from wishes isn't rocket science). I almost forgot we were talking about our forwards when you went off on that one.

Anyway, I'll have to take back the 'good luck' with the bets. I want the only bet of yours I know about to bomb

[Elite_Pie]

Anyway, I'll have to take back the 'good luck' with the bets. I want the only bet of yours I know about to bomb.

At least we are in full agreement on that.

[Freeman25]

Funny you should say this, someone I know was telling me that this guy with an elephant man sized head suddenly turned around in the stand, blurted out something about table tennis and then went so hysterical his carers had to restrain him. He was worried on his behalf, so good that you've cleared that up...

No worries, I see you've confirmed you're an idiot by saying Ameobi doesn't deserve his place in the team because he doesn't score enough goals... Move along people, nothing to see here.

The fact you think Forte does deserve a place is even funnier, there's only one person here that requires someone looking after him The last time he looked a decent striker was in 2012 with us on loan and the only other time before that was in 2008 on loan with us, apart from that if we're judging him by the same method you seem to be judging Shola on he's been sh*te the rest of his career while Shola was notching over 300 games for Newcastle.

[the_anticlough]

At least we are in full agreement on that.

Don't want to spoil a good argument with all this agreement malarkey, but I might be with you on the prediction (the wishes goes without saying).
10th-12th is exactly where we're headed at the moment, which is upsetting when you've spent most of the season in 2nd. You can understand why, but that doesn't stop you looking for the areas where we're falling short and trying to think what the management could do about it. That's how the thread started.....but we won't be agreeing on that!

[the_anticlough]

No worries, I see you've confirmed you're an idiot .

Thanks Freeman feel free to find your level, but you know how much you deserved having that joke turned around on you (don't think I'll ever lose that image of you now!)

You know, he could stretch his goalless run from 10 to 30, have 4 from 47, see us slide from 2nd to bottom half and you'd still be whining on about 300 games for Newcastle. Time to search for something other than Ameobi and Stead up front IMO.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

This.

Not sure if anticlough actually watches games or not, maybe if he does he's the guy that sat behind me a few weeks ago and thought Shola was too slow and not good enough that I suggested should maybe try watching a new sport like table tennis after we'd all laughed at how ridiculous his thoughts were.

Ameobi brings so much more to the team than goals, you can't just judge how well he does by checking wikipedia, we're a completely different side when he plays as the stats that someone posted above show. When he doesn't play Stead runs around like a lost dog trying to win headers and free kicks with hardly any success because defenders don't have to deal with someone like Shola so they can focus their full attention on Stead as Forte rarely even challenges for the ball.

Shola's ball control and hold up play is probably second to none in League 2, he makes football at this level look far too easy at times, whereas Forte is a past it lower league pace merchant without the pace and without a right foot, he's crap, I haven't rated him for years personally but that's besides the point, he's not the answer.

I completely agree with you regarding Ameobi. At 36 years old he still has the class and an eye for a pass of premier league quality. His presence alone on the pitch is enough and he rouses our own supporters as well when he plays. Like Stead he is a consummate professional who works hard for the team and puts in full effort. It’s a pleasure to have someone of such pedigree to play for the club and who also is good with the younger players as I understand. He is a handful for defenders as well. This is why he is a fans favourite.

The only downside is he can’t play every minute of every game but at 36 should not be expected to. Ideally we should probably rotate Stead and Shola to keep them both sharp and have another striker up top alongside.

I like Forte and have always thought (no pun intended) that he can bring something as an impact player more so than a starting regular. Maybe as others have said if KN sat him down and said go out there put yourself in the window and play alongside on of Shola and Stead it may work?

I’d still like us to try 4-3-1-2 and put either Grant or Noble behind Stead and Shola in an attacking role or whatever front two combination to see how that would work. It’s more narrow than other formations and does rely on the one behind the front two to create the chances. Hence why I’ve selected Grant and Noble as the best candidates. My only concern is the three midfielders roles and Hewitt alone in the centre.

Collin
Tootle, Duffy, Brisley, Jones
Hawkridge, Hewitt, Alessandra
Grant or Noble
Stead, Ameobi

Or we just go right back to the tried and tested 4-4-2 and fill the Yates slot

[MAD_MAGPIE]

Don't want to spoil a good argument with all this agreement malarkey, but I might be with you on the prediction (the wishes goes without saying).
10th-12th is exactly where we're headed at the moment, which is upsetting when you've spent most of the season in 2nd. You can understand why, but that doesn't stop you looking for the areas where we're falling short and trying to think what the management could do about it. That's how the thread started.....but we won't be agreeing on that!

I mentioned in another thread the past two times we won the title at this level we had two strikers up front who scored 40+ goals between them. Both times one of those was not a 20 goal a striker but a 25+ goal striker.

Whilst Grant has 17 goals from midfield which is very good and is better than Ben Davies 14 goals the sad reality is that none of our strikers have sufficent goals in them to match a title winning side. A top seven side is up for debate.

Also another fact is we simply lack goals all around the side at the moment to sustain the level we were at. When you are a title or automatic promotion side goals come from your big central defenders at set pieces and corners around the box. We are dry in this department.

The same goes for midfield the creative players like your Grants and Nobles can be good for 8-15 goals goals a season in a title winning side. We are running dry in this department at the moment.

That’s why we’ve failed to score in 4 and half hours of football away from home, we are just not creating enough chances and the chances we do create are not being put away like they were earlier in the season.

[tarquinbeech]

I want to see Forte get at least 2 or 3 starting chances before the end of the season......we honestly do not have any other options....Shola is a great talisman, but he is knackered, every time he plays, the local glue factory come sniffing around....Stead is a better 90 minute guy, but he scores a goal from open play as often as Kylie and I have cyber*** ie not very often....I quite like the idea of playing Grant up front.....worth a shout?

Quite simply.....we need to start scoring goals quickly.

ps Elite.....you are a complete knob and a shyte tipster.....but you already knew that, no surprises there then?

[the_anticlough]

I want to see Forte get at least 2 or 3 starting chances before the end of the season......we honestly do not have any other options....Shola is a great talisman, but he is knackered, every time he plays, the local glue factory come sniffing around....Stead is a better 90 minute guy, but he scores a goal from open play as often as Kylie and I have cyber*** ie not very often....I quite like the idea of playing Grant up front.....worth a shout?

Quite simply.....we need to start scoring goals quickly.

ps Elite.....you are a complete knob and a shyte tipster.....but you already knew that, no surprises there then?

From this thread it seems that more agree it's worth a go at this point - you, me, Irishpie, Swale, Crazyfists, RoyalBulwell, Slackpie
Unless there's a surprise free agent to be found, Nolan will have to try it - with the goal rate of our strikers, games running out fast and our position slipping

Cyber*** with Kylie four times a year is nothing to complain about btw

[Notts78]

Sorry but Forte is pants. He probably wouldn’t be so poor if he actually looked arsed.
The fact that it was so public that we wanted him gone in January may well play some part in that, however, before that he looked like he was out of favour.
Let’s be clear, KN does not rate him.
The sad thing about this whole thread is that we are discussing ONE viable option. That is where the real problems start, a short list of options. Do we have any decent 16-18 year olds knocking about the club who have ‘pace’ and may actually run around a bit?