Fletcher - strike/conversion rate

[HOOTIE AND THE SHIT TU]

Striker, Forward, whatever

 

He's our focal point

 

If he's just there to bring other players into the game, then we're struggling because he doesn't win that much in the air, watch the recent WBA game 

 

If he's there just to stop the opposition centre back from getting a free header, then that's not working either

 

Whatever label you want to put on him, it's not working

 

He doesn't create enough openings for other players, and he doesn't score enough himself

 

We are a team lacking in goals

 

We need our focal point to lead the way, but his conversion rate is nowhere near good enough

 

We need to find a goalscorer, you can call him striker if you want, or forward if that's your thing

 

Fact is, our striker/forward will not fire us into the top 6

 

We need to find one that will

[bobness]

7 hours ago, REDAs_biG_piECE said:

we let Hooper (our best player) go

 

Currently plying his trade in New Zealand, where he's only managed about 60 minutes so far (but scored 1, to be fair).

 

Note that he's "missed the last three Phoenix games with a quad strain"

 

Yes, he is a quality striker, possibly one of the best in the division... when fit.

 

[83owl]

8 hours ago, Kanye West said:

Really like Fletcher but he’s far from clinical, his finishing is awful at times. 
 

Sorry but we should have given Hooper another year. 

Yes fantastic, another 30k on top of an already hugely overinflated wage bill so we could discuss how much better we would be if he was playing football this week instead of playing golf.

[Ronnie Starling]

Fletcher was poor last night. He needs dropping and I wouldn't be disappointed to see Nuhiu and Forestieri come in for Fletcher and either Lee, Harris or Reach of last nights starting line up. 

[A E Neuman NYowl]

7 hours ago, HOOTIE AND THE poo TU said:

Striker, Forward, whatever

 

He's our focal point

 

If he's just there to bring other players into the game, then we're struggling because he doesn't win that much in the air, watch the recent WBA game 

 

If he's there just to stop the opposition centre back from getting a free header, then that's not working either

 

Whatever label you want to put on him, it's not working

 

He doesn't create enough openings for other players, and he doesn't score enough himself

 

We are a team lacking in goals

 

We need our focal point to lead the way, but his conversion rate is nowhere near good enough

 

We need to find a goalscorer, you can call him striker if you want, or forward if that's your thing

 

Fact is, our striker/forward will not fire us into the top 6

 

We need to find one that will

Someone  else who can see that the long ball to Fletcher doesn't work.

 

As you rightly say he doesn't win that much in the air with his back to goal and when he does it's usually a flick on with little direction.  The problem we have is that we seem determined to play the high ball out to the striker and Fletcher is our best striker in that role.

 

Rhodes, Winnall and even the tall Nuhiu are not good in that role, at least Fletcher puts a great shift in and physically is up for a fight.

 

When Nuhiu is on we can play a different game in that he drops deep and is more effective than Fletcher at recieving the ball and bringing other players into play, but as we all know his goal scoring record is poor. ( Fletcher also plays better when Nuhiu is on the pitch as it takes strain off him.)

 

I would probably go 433 and play without wingers but give either FF or Harris a free role alongside Fletcher and Nuhiu up top.

 

 

 

 

[gurujuan]

39 minutes ago, Ronnie Starling said:

Fletcher was poor last night. He needs dropping and I wouldn't be disappointed to see Nuhiu and Forestieri come in for Fletcher and either Lee, Harris or Reach of last nights starting line up. 

Yep

[Lionel Fessi]

10 hours ago, Flat Owl said:

He’s a target man, not a finisher.

So is Nuhui who is also much maligned because of his ‘expected’ conversion rate.

They are both big lumps up front who can hit a decent shot now and again.

 

Be a good season if a target man gets 10 goals a year...Fletch has 6 so far.

 

In the 80s, McCulloch was the big man up front with Bannister playing off him and bagging 20 goals a season.  Andy Mc got around 10 goals alongside Banno but provided the balls For him and others to run onto and/ or finish.

 

Unless you have an £80M all rounder up front on his own, like Lewandowski, then the expectation is unrealistic.

 

The problem is the managers tactics, not necessarily the player.

 

 

 

Yep, 100% correct.

 

Fletcher has started the season exceptionally but that form was never going to continue, was it? As you mention, he's good for 10, MAYBE 12/13 goals a season but that's is it...but yet we are still so reliant on a formation that favours a lone striker, with 3 stable but not goal scoring CM's and a very out of form winger...whilst our best attacking player is limited to 25 minute cameos and the other available strikers who can bring something different don't even make the match day squad.

 

it will be interesting to see Monk's next move, i don't think he has the stones to drop Fletcher especially as the team has become so reliant on him (to our detriment) and I feel like we have forgotten how to do anything else. I think the key, is how do we integrate players like Forestieri, Harris maybe even Winnall or Rhodes into our team where they are more involved WITHOUT jeopardising the core of the team (it's clear Monk will stick to 4 at the back and always play 2 of Bannan/Hutchinson/Luongo). 

 

Either way based on our previous games a few things are painfully obvious;

Fletcher needs more support

We cannot rely on Harris every game to be the difference maker

We seriously lack goals all over the pitch but ESPECIALLY from CM

Forestieri needs more gametime

Our play style is way to predictable

 

[Ronnie Starling]

17 minutes ago, Lionel Fessi said:

 

Yep, 100% correct.

 

Fletcher has started the season exceptionally but that form was never going to continue, was it? As you mention, he's good for 10, MAYBE 12/13 goals a season but that's is it...but yet we are still so reliant on a formation that favours a lone striker, with 3 stable but not goal scoring CM's and a very out of form winger...whilst our best attacking player is limited to 25 minute cameos and the other available strikers who can bring something different don't even make the match day squad.

 

it will be interesting to see Monk's next move, i don't think he has the stones to drop Fletcher especially as the team has become so reliant on him (to our detriment) and I feel like we have forgotten how to do anything else. I think the key, is how do we integrate players like Forestieri, Harris maybe even Winnall or Rhodes into our team where they are more involved WITHOUT jeopardising the core of the team (it's clear Monk will stick to 4 at the back and always play 2 of Bannan/Hutchinson/Luongo). 

 

Either way based on our previous games a few things are painfully obvious;

Fletcher needs more support

We cannot rely on Harris every game to be the difference maker

We seriously lack goals all over the pitch but ESPECIALLY from CM

Forestieri needs more gametime

Our play style is way to predictable

 

We won't get goals from this midfield. Far too pedestrian. Time and time again when we win possession midway in our half you see the likes of Bannan and co just strolling out. Rarely do we see players running beyond the ball.

[dani_armo]

Fletcher is fine, hes been brilliant all season but he is being asked to play EVERY single game up top on his own getting battered by the CB's.

 

He looked tired last night but the fact is there is nobody else who can do his role and when he doesnt play we are f***ed - look at the Hull game earlier in the season when Nuhiu replaced him.

 

It is crying out for somebody to play alongside him....Forestieri....Winnall....even Rhodes? Or Harris and Forestieri either side of him? Not Nuhiu hes too slow and static

 

[billyblack]

12 hours ago, gurujuan said:

Been trying to tell you guys We can’t play this way with Fletcher in the lone striker role. We’re stuck until January, and maybe beyond, so we have to stick with him, and look to get more goals from wide positions. To that end, surely Forestieri has to start?

Play him on the left and i agree. Always on the left. Never up front

 

[gurujuan]

Cast your minds back to the last game of the 2017-18 season, and the home game against Norwich, that’s how a front three are supposed to play. That day, Nuhiu, Joao and Forestieri, showed how a 4-3-3 system can work, constant movement, good interplay, and superb finishing. How Monk operates it, with the pedestrian Fletcher, flanked by two wingers who rarely leave the touchline, means we don’t get enough players in the box

[billyblack]

17 hours ago, jrh said:

Think the last time we played Rhodes, Winnall and Forestieri together we beat Norwich 5-1 with both Rhodes and Forestieri getting a brace haha

Great. 

[DobbinTheDonkey]

Possibly over £5 million a year we pay for our supposed forwards and the only one who is probably value for money is Atdhe.

 

Fletcher while decent at this level is just that and when he leaves he will have been a waste of money.

The other two, well lets not talk about the other two.

Then FF first two years well worth the cash, since then, see the above.

 

Fletch is another who at times plays to the crowd and instead of keeping it simple has a tendency to over elaborate. Good player but we need players who are hungry and want to prove themselves, unfortunately we still appear to have any no long term plan on player recruitment and development.

[ponym110]

Fletcher is a good player at this level but he isn’t and never has been a prolific goal scorer. Even at his heights in Scottish football he was only scoring 12-15 goals a season. You need a style of play and others around him to get the best out of him, and Wednesday don’t have them or the system.
 

For me this should be his last season at the club, too much wages for the return we gain from him

[Guest Ash76]

On 27/11/2019 at 22:09, owlZfan84 said:

I’d love to know what it is. It must be the ‘worst’ in this league, for a striker. 

 

A bang average striker, in a bang average side I’m afraid.

 

 

 

Ate you the guy that rang FH other night, Jason was it? 

[WalthamOwl]

I like Fletcher. Think he is a very good player but he can’t do it all himself. Would love to see Fletcher and FF play on Saturday. 

[Bulldog]

On 27/11/2019 at 23:19, jrh said:

Think the last time we played Rhodes, Winnall and Forestieri together we beat Norwich 5-1 with both Rhodes and Forestieri getting a brace haha

Winall & Rhodes didn't even play in that game........unless I've just been wooshed!

[jrh]

3 hours ago, Bulldog said:

Winall & Rhodes didn't even play in that game........unless I've just been wooshed!

We beat them 5-1 two seasons in a row at home. You're thinking of the second one, I'm on about the first. 

[Brando17]

On 28/11/2019 at 11:08, dani_armo said:

Fletcher is fine, hes been brilliant all season but he is being asked to play EVERY single game up top on his own getting battered by the CB's.

 

He looked tired last night but the fact is there is nobody else who can do his role and when he doesnt play we are f***ed - look at the Hull game earlier in the season when Nuhiu replaced him.

 

It is crying out for somebody to play alongside him....Forestieri....Winnall....even Rhodes? Or Harris and Forestieri either side of him? Not Nuhiu hes too slow and static

 

spot on bud...

[Spookone]

On 27/11/2019 at 22:09, owlZfan84 said:

I’d love to know what it is. It must be the ‘worst’ in this league, for a striker. 

 

A bang average striker, in a bang average side I’m afraid.

 

 

I wouldn't say we are a bang average side, look how we played against West Brom, most weeks we create a decent amount of chances - just need a striker who can put the ball in the net.

 

I said after Wednesday's match, if we had Billy Sharp playing for us (as an example), we would be in the top 4 - it's a striker we need, the team wouldn't look bang average then!