A little look at strikers

Premandup

The best we can get?
The best we can get?
Well we know we need one. Or maybe two. That number is a matter of opinion but what is fact is that our striking options need bolstering.

To explain this article before I get going… This is a rough overview of just a few stats and then some gossip and ideas. I’ve divided the strikers into three groups. What we have, who we have been linked with, and few outsiders.

The stats I’m using are career data where available and readily available, I’m far too lazy to do in depth stuff. There is a bit of a profile age, value, gossip etc, then goals per minute. So therefore the lower the number the better. So a figure of under 180 means better than 1 goal every two games, whereas a figure of over 300 means an Ameobi. Sorry about that Shola is actually better than that. The last figure is the assists rate. What this is is the number of assists divided by games played. So not minutes so me being lazy there. This time the bigger the number the better.

So who have we got currently?

Pappis Cisse is 28 has a value (according to transfermarkt) of about £13m scores every 175 minutes and with 21 assists from 268 games that gives a ratio of 0.078. What we need is a partner.

Yoan Gouffran is 27, £6.6m 282mins and 27/317 = 0.085

Gabriel Obertan is 24 £2.2m 415mins and 22/194 = 0.113

Hatem Ben Arfa is 26 £12m 343mins 30/236 = 0.127

Shola Ameobi is 31 £1.8m 276 mins 26/350 = 0.074

Sylvian Marveaux is 27 £2.6m 409mins 25/162 = 0.154

Sammy Ameobi is 21 £2.6m 360 mins 7/61 = 0.114

Adam Campbell is 18 unvalued 182 mins 9/30 = 0.300

So on that basis Papiss Cisse is our best striker with a goal every 175 minutes and Sylain Marveaux has the best assist rate. Adam Campbell has superb figures and should be featuring more often. Whether he is ready to be a regular starter is another matter.

Now for names we have been linked with…

Kevin Gameiro we have been linked with in the past before he took a big money move to PSG, which hasn’t worked out. He is currently not wanted and hence available probably discounted from the £8m+ transfermarkt valuation. He is 26 years old, scores every 194 minutes and has 41 assists from 267 games = 0.153. Whilst he is not the best striker from our big five statistically he is the best in assists by a long way. Up in the Marveaux region. He is described as fast dribbler. Wages may be a problem, he has two years left on his contract and is on about £55kpw.

Bafetimbi Gomis at 27 would normally be expensive at £12.5m but Lyon are keen to sell as they need the money. Gomis has made all the right noises saying that he won’t be forced out etc, however, don’t be surprised if he moves. With a goal every 184 minutes and 36 assists from 370 games = 0.097 he may be the answer. He has been described as Baby Drogba.

Andre-Pierre Gignac also at 27 is a reasonable option at a valuation of £7.5m however with goals at 211 minutes and only 25 assists from 288 games = 0.087 he would not be my choice. He is however described as powerful and dangerous with an aerial presence. Also I know of no gossip that indicates that we may be pursuing him He currently plays for Olympique Marseille.

Loic Remy of course was supposed to be our Christmas Present before he moved to QPR. Available at less than the quoted £8.8m, his wages and court case might prevent us moving for him despite Pardew’s admiration. At 26 his record of a goal every 199 minutes and 24 assists from 243 games = 0.099 are in the right ball park.

Darren Bent is 29 available at well below the £7.9m valuation and a proven EPL goalscorer. With a goal every 182 minutes he is the most prolific of these five players, and with 33 assists from 350 games = 0.094 he is no greedier than the others.

So for me It’s down to who would best suit playing alongside Cisse whose figures surpass all of the above.

Outsiders…

There have been various names mentioned by people on the blog, some of whom I can remember others I can’t so if your favourite is not mentioned please post below.

Brown Ideye at 24 has been mentioned as the next Drogba I think. Anyway at a market value of £9.7m he ain’t a cheap alternative. But with a goal every 180 minutes he looks like someone to match Cisse. And with 32 assists from 219 games = 0.146 his assist rate is very respectable.

Kevin Villand is only 20 so at £7.9m I’m looking for something special. At 215 minutes per goal and 32 assists from 188 games = 0.170 he also looks like a good shout.

My to are Phillip Hosiner from Austria Vienna who at 24 and only £2.2m is a bargain with just 140 minutes per goal and 27 assists from 227 games = 0.119. I would also like to add Angel Correa who at 18 is £2.6m but with a goal every 177 mins and 3 assists from his 11 games = 0.3 he looks a prospect. The other thing I like about him is he plays for San Lorenzo so could be part of any deal with Colo going the other way.

So my choice?

I would have a strike team of Papiss Cisse, Brown Ideye, Phillipe Hosiner, Yoan Gouffran, with Adam Campbell and Angel Correa keeping them honest. However that may be too many for some.

It’s hard to speculate when the summer has been thus far so underwhelming but please feel free to post your thoughts below.

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456 thoughts on “A little look at strikers”

  4. I hate following games via Twitter, but I’ll be honest…it’s a lot better than no game at all to follow…

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  5. What’s gannin on at our club. ? 😯

    Our only striker Cisse is banished to training by himself. 😯 oh dear me how. 🙄

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  6. Just seen Wayne Rooney in Eldon Square! 😯 😯
    …was at the chekoot in Boots, basket full of hair care products, wet wipes, talcum pooda and Anusol.
    …said he’d just had a medical!
    😯

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  11. …Rooney said he failed the medical like, cos he didn’t have the right hair for the job.
    Parintli Kinnear told him (via Skype) that due to a change in the NUFC recruitment drive, we’re now only signing players with mullets.
    …seems fair enough to me like.

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  12. Thank god we’re beating them 😳 , I genuinely believe (as I have for a couple of years) that if Vuckic remains injury free he’d be a great player. This might just be the year he shows why his Slovenian club broke the law by playing him as a 15 yr old. :mrgreen:

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  13. Nice to hear Vuckic doing well ,oh how I hope that the lads injury jinx is behind him .

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  14. Dummett, Sissoko, Vuckic and Gouffron sound like they all impressed. 4-2 now after penalty conversion for Motherwell and goal by Marv

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  20. I see we don’t need any strikers now as we’ve scored 4 against a Dog and Duck equivalent.

    I’m waiting for “Vukic is like new signing as too is Campbell with another year behind him” bollocks.

    I want to ask the club one question: Why should I bother turning up to watch NUFC this season?

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  22. Prem – Really? I could of sworn we have lost our leading goal scorer from last season.

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  23. well I take it I haven’t missed much 😯
    I hope Aussie is tucked up in his scratcher and feels better tomorrow after a good sleep 😀

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  24. rooney might sign for us ? i’d be happy if kinnear signed him. not a chance but wishful thinking

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  30. My pleasure…glad it worked. Nice goals and Vuckic with a goal and assist…nice to see.

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  31. Kim… 😆 though I bet he’ll still feel better thinking about that game than we ever will.

    NorCal…The bairns must be much bigger now than they were when ya took ya avatar pic, must be wearing proper strips now 😀

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  32. Aye Richie, they’re 7 now. If all goes according to plan…when I visit in December I’ll get them a proper strip.

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  33. I should have said, when WE visit in December. Hoping we can do a family trip there. Mother-in-law may have messed that up for us since she’s decided NOT to relocate to London after all. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t still go…just less incentive now…therefore less motivation on the wife’s part to want to make it happen. We shall see.

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  34. I hope Haris Vuckic can stay fit this season and show some of the promise that everybody saw in him a few years ago. Good luck kidda.

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  35. as soon as Vuckic shows signs of form and being a star, we will sell him to line Ashleys pockets with cold hard cash.. 👿

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  36. @Prem

    You say;
    We have a stronger starting 11 than we did at the start of last season.

    Wow! 🙄 Did you see how **** we were at the start of last season? But just as important,did you see how **** we were at the end of the season? 😯

    We’ve lost 3 squad players since. 😯

    Don’t fall into the two Ozzy’s trap of burying your head in the sand. 😛

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  37. we won against Spurs at the start of last season… 😉
    Truth distorter 😛

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  38. We definitely have a stronger squad than a year ago.
    Debuchy for Simpson
    Mbiwa for Taylor
    Sissoko for Jonas
    Gouffran for Ba
    Gosling/Harper don’t count as losses.
    Haidera for Perch
    Less fixtures, stronger team.

    We started last season all wanting 4-3-3/4-2-3-1, we have a better team for that for a year ago, as most of us were moaning that Ba wouldn’t/couldn’t play on the left of the three. We now have Gouffran that can.
    The only serious issue with the squad is lack of a back up striker that could fill on for Cisse (or a striker to play with, despite his best form being when he was solo up front).
    Winger to release HBA to the centre would also transform the team.

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  39. If people blame Pardew and many of the players for last season then surely the squad doesn’t necessarily need HUGE strengthening? If they under performed then it is more important getting them to perform to their capabilities, then loading the team with more players than it can handle.

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  40. Hoping this is the day we sign a decent player or two .Striker and winger please Joe ,get a shift on man ,we need to bed them in.

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  41. Kim – I don’t think there’s any intention of signing a decent player or two. At least not what we would call a decent player. They actually cost quite a lot of money these days.

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  42. Friday Kim 😉 …and if there’s still no one then at least it’s the weekend 😀

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  43. Richie your right we’ll get them on a friday then that will give us the weekend to realise that they arnt the top quality players we thought we were getting.

    Aussie I hope your feeling better today as you were a bit grumpy yesterday but maybe that was the sand in your eyes that was annoying you so you took it out on us

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  44. Richie aye ,Friday it is then 😀 .

    GEORGIO@416 ,Don’t pee on me fireworks ,I’m trying hard to be positive here 😉 Me glass is half full today .

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  45. Dave , I think Aussie is jealous of the good form of our weather and sportsman mate 😆

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  48. I can’t read other people’s posts coz I can’t access the article, but I can post.

    6wks to go and our big news is that we MIGHT sign Darren Bent by the weekend – WOO HOO!.
    6wks to go to get in the 4-5 players we really need, and that’s not to mention finding the replacements for those leaving – I.E Cabaye and Cisse. Cabaye will go as soon as PSG put the bid in, he’ll force the move coz he was pissed off with the lack of ambition last summer and will be again now (as well as Cabab comments). I think the Wonga thing will likely see Cisse leave.
    6wks folks, 6 feckin wks!.

    Que those dreamers timing me 6wks is plenty long enough – thank **** I can’t read that guff.

    Well done to those at Motherwell last night. Well pleased for Haris (but that may strike off one of the CFs needed). Anita and Sissoko looked good together as well from what I saw.
    But this was 2-4 against Motherwell – they are nee Man City

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  49. Dave…I’d realise straight away but I didn’t realise your thought process was so slow…too much wine on the glorious 12th? 😉

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  50. Dave 😆

    Sharpy…Your comments are among the worst on here…now we’ll find out if you can really read the comments or not 😆

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  51. I see we have extended the family enclosure – AGAIN! They really are trying to get rid of the atmosphere aren’t they? Is that so nobody starts calling poor Mikey and Joe??

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  52. Richie I try but I blame the heat at the mo as it is pissing me right off, and off course the wine didnt help matters 😆
    Right catch yous later

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  53. Aussie – in deference to your Wednesday – I’ll refrain from any more smart remarks. It’s a cultural thing mate. Smart **** here is a sort of affectionate rebuke.

    Around here all things to do with the club are thick in the air. The days are long gone when you just got to see the team on a Saturday. With all the constantly updated news stuff it’s impossible to separate the club from the team/players. With the players away it’s natural attentions turn to the regime particularly when they make such a sleazy balls up of the whole thing. Don’t forget while there may be only 52000 in the ground, all the pubs are full, all games are live on the radio, streaming etc etc. There’s bloody millions of us living, breathing sleeping it all and that’s just in the north east.

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  55. Kim@392 – don’t worry pet, the internet is proving to be completely unmanageable. If the music industry and the film and politics people can’t control things I can’t see football doing it. I had copies of Django, Life of Pi and the Hobbit before they even hit the cinemas.

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  59. GEORGIO,ive heard off richie thats its washing day takes a while as he still uses the old poss-tub the tight git,hard to get power out in the bush like 😉

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  60. Ice/Dave – he’s obviously took the huff. There again what would an Aussie do with an olive branch?

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  61. Vuckic looked sharp for those goals, but he just isn’t going to stay fit is he? 😕 I still reckon loan him, fergie, campbell and sammeobi out until December. Bring them back fit and hopefully in form for the extra fixtures and cup matches. Bring in enough squad support so that we can actually loan these guys out!

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  62. Newkie ,I’m with you on that @436 ,but what makes sense to us rarely does to the regime 🙄

    Still no one in then ,all JFK’s bluster about one before the holiday looking pretty hollow now.

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  64. Kim-aye, our youth development has been *****. In fact, it’s been **** for yonks really, but considering this regime was supposed to focus on youth development (in one of its yearly 5 year plans at least)

    We just don’t take advantage of loans. Send them to the Boro ffs, they’re players are gash 😉

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  65. Lets take the **** oot of Sharpy. He can’t read our post! 😛

    @ Trumpet

    Cut the **** out and look at the facts.

    Forget about the start of last season as we were **** anyway.

    We were **** at the end of the season. We have since lost 3 players who played in the first team.

    Does that not concern you?

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  66. Troy you have to compare like with like. The start of last season to the start of this. stop wriggling.

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  67. I see Cisse has been left behind while the rest of the squad have gone to Portugal. So, our one and only (in reality) striker isn’t even getting a pre season due to his differences with the club.

    Sorry this club is a complete fcking shambles.

    What’s the point?

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  69. Three first team players 😕 Who?
    Well if you compare the team to the end of the season before then it’s better, yes?
    I just don’t think we need to throw loads of money at the problem. You could argue the first team is set and that we just need reliable back up up front and on the wing.
    As that is the case, then the main thing that needs to happen this summer is that Pardew needs to work on his own, and the other players performances.
    If he can get Cabaye/Tiote/Cisse to anything like their previous form, then that will go some way to shaping our season.
    Answer the two questions first before you go off on weird, surreal tangents please!

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  71. Eh? Are Trumpet & Prem winding me up?? 🙄 😆

    The 3 players who left Trumpet are Harper, Perch and Simpson.

    How can you look at the team that finished the season which narrowly avoided relegation and we’ve lost 3 players and then suggest we don’t need to throw money at the squad. ?

    There’s no wriggling prem. how on earth do you miss such an important point. Why compare the start of last season to now? Any sensible, logical thinking person would compare it with the team we finished the season with. 😯

    Howay Prem. wake up, smell the coffee and give yourself a good old fashioned shake. 😉

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  72. Troy

    My initial statement in response to Sharpy was that our starting 11 was stronger this season than that that started last. @396. I’ve not said anything different.

    We may well have sold three squad players since the end of the season, but that is a different point. Try to keep up mate.

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  73. “Players who played in the first team; Harper, Simpson, Perch”
    Christ mate, are you joking?
    Going to answer the second question?
    A weaker team than this managed to get 5th.
    How many players do you actually want to sign? And where would you fit in?
    Last season we suffered an unprecedented number of injuries.
    We have 4 CBs at the minute, with two promising young ones, some people want more, does that make sense?
    Two signings is all we need, and all Pardew deserves.
    The players and management team need to atone for last season the way we know they are actually capable of doing.

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  74. Fine him until he plays, Who is he to dictate whether he wants to wear certain kits or not.

    The devout muslim who ***** miss newcastle, Spends his evenings gambling and has worn a northern rock/virgin money top for 2years aye righto…

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  75. Wow! 🙂 😯 trumpet I’m that far ahead of you it looks like you started playing catch up yesterday. 😉

    Simpson played 25 times for the toon last season.
    Perch played 29 times.

    Wow! If they aren’t first teamers then I’m a Mackem. 😈

    Howay fella, blow a different tune. 😉

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