Transfers 2024/25

[WestHampsteadBee]

I’ll put this out there. Don’t mind if people disagree. We need a more clinical striker if we’re going to win the league.

[djhdjh]

So you posted this because Kabamba had 1 bad game, after scoring 30 goals last season and 19 the one before. And in that game our other sort of striker scored 2 goals. I don't know how you coped all the seasons we actually didn't have one good striker.

[becbee]

The 5 subs rule is fine but I don't see why we don't have the same restrictions as Premier League as regards how often they can come on. Yesterday both teams brought on 5 subs. Ebbsfleet brought on 1 immediately after half time and 2 at the same time so 3 in match stoppages. Our 5 all came on separately during 2nd half so 5 in match stoppages.
So 8 stoppages for subs which with 30 seconds added on for each sub, that added 4 minutes extra time. With the stoppage to send off the Ebbsfleet member of staff we had 7 minutes extra time in a half where there were minimal on pitch stoppages. It could have cost us the match.

[BeeArmy22]

So you posted this because Kabamba had 1 bad game, after scoring 30 goals last season and 19 the one before. And in that game our other sort of striker scored 2 goals. I don't know how you coped all the seasons we actually didn't have one good striker.

He scores 1 of his chances yesterday and the striker discourse doesn’t exist. As long as we keep creating chances for him he’ll score. If I’m not mistaken Haaland had the most big chances missed in the premier league last season because of the sheer volume of chances created for him.

[BarnetJim]

Whether nickie scores 20+ goals this year we still need another out and out striker

[WhetstoneBee]

I’ll put this out there. Don’t mind if people disagree. We need a more clinical striker if we’re going to win the league.

If he plays like he did yesterday then I’d agree, but thankfully he doesn’t usually and is generally much more clinical. The problem is that we have no one to bring on when he’s having a poor game, which is one of the main reasons I don’t think this squad is currently good enough to win the league. Our only back-up “centre forward” is an attacking midfielder who was playing for Hitchin Town last year, which is a ridiculous situation. In fact this is the third season in a row that we’ve started without any back-up for Kabamba, which is even more daft. If Nile Ranger has been training with us for months then surely he’s still good enough to do a job until we find something better?

[Jimbokav1971]

Nicke scored 32 goals last season and 19 the season before.
The problem isn't that Nicke doesn't score enough goals.
The problem is that we're too reliant on Nicke scoring goals.
We need Kanu & Brunty to be hitting 10.
We need Stead to be hitting 15-20, (and I'm sure he will).
Nicke has far more good than bad, and I fully expect him to fill his boots against someone soon. Fingers crossed that's against FGR on Tuesday night.
Completely agree that we need someone to come in and play like for like with him. Would love that to be Tshimanga or G'OD. Would prefer if it wasn't Nile Ranger.

[moortownbee]

I’ll put this out there. Don’t mind if people disagree. We need a more clinical striker if we’re going to win the league.

If he plays like he did yesterday then I’d agree, but thankfully he doesn’t usually and is generally much more clinical. The problem is that we have no one to bring on when he’s having a poor game, which is one of the main reasons I don’t think this squad is currently good enough to win the league. Our only back-up “centre forward” is an attacking midfielder who was playing for Hitchin Town last year, which is a ridiculous situation. In fact this is the third season in a row that we’ve started without any back-up for Kabamba, which is even more daft. If Nile Ranger has been training with us for months then surely he’s still good enough to do a job until we find something better?

Just putting it out there, I'd argue we do have Rhys Browne

[BeeArmy22]

Nicke scored 32 goals last season and 19 the season before.
The problem isn't that Nicke doesn't score enough goals.
The problem is that we're too reliant on Nicke scoring goals.
We need Kanu & Brunty to be hitting 10.
We need Stead to be hitting 15-20, (and I'm sure he will).
Nicke has far more good than bad, and I fully expect him to fill his boots against someone soon. Fingers crossed that's against FGR on Tuesday night.
Completely agree that we need someone to come in and play like for like with him. Would love that to be Tshimanga or G'OD. Would prefer if it wasn't Nile Ranger.

Are we forgetting that we scored 91 last season in the league, with Nicke getting 25 of them. Not sure how that’s being over reliant on him, if anything that’s a great example of goals being shared around the team.

[Tuesds]

I’ll put this out there. Don’t mind if people disagree. We need a more clinical striker if we’re going to win the league.

If he plays like he did yesterday then I’d agree, but thankfully he doesn’t usually and is generally much more clinical. The problem is that we have no one to bring on when he’s having a poor game, which is one of the main reasons I don’t think this squad is currently good enough to win the league. Our only back-up “centre forward” is an attacking midfielder who was playing for Hitchin Town last year, which is a ridiculous situation. In fact this is the third season in a row that we’ve started without any back-up for Kabamba, which is even more daft. If Nile Ranger has been training with us for months then surely he’s still good enough to do a job until we find something better?

Just putting it out there, I'd argue we do have Rhys Browne

I think Browne can play as a number 9, but he’s played the vast majority of his career as a winger or number 10 playing off a main striker(s), and based on the friendlies it doesn’t look as though we’ve signed him as an alternative to Kabamba. Last season he got 2 goals in 19 league games, and he’s only ever got double figures once in his 9-year senior career. Not striker numbers, although to be fair neither were Kabamba’s previously!

[Beesting]

The fact of the matter is, Kabamba so far has played poorly in both games and still played 90 minutes in both. We need an out and out striker who can compete with him. Browne is not an out and out striker and it remains to be seen if we will even get 20 games out of him.

Like DB has said, we are improving year on year, and you need to keep up or you’ll be chucked off the train. We as a fanbase need to be on that wave length, there no room for sentiment. Last two years have gone and he’s been good but he needs to continue to do it or he’ll find himself out, at the minute he can afford to have a bad game or two because he knows we haven’t got any body to replace him.

For me it’s not the lack of goals that worries me as I know he’ll score some, it’s the performances and the ability to keep hold of it and bring others into play.

[Tuesds]

Every striker misses chances. The idea that we should be looking to replace our 32-goal striker, who isn’t just a goalscorer but also crucial in defending set pieces and pressing from the front and holding the ball up and more, is ludicrous.

Get competition in for him, yes, and put the other guy in in his place if he’s playing better, definitely. But dumping the player whose stats for his first two seasons rank him among the very best in the club’s history is crazy.

This idea that Kabamba’s spoiling Brennan’s masterworks by fluffing everything up at the very end is really strange. Did he really miss many chances last week?

We had Walker as the scapegoat last year, with the strangely specific ‘fact’ being put about that he was personally at fault and responsible for 16 goals, which was all a precursor to him being dumped unceremoniously. Are we to expect the same fate to befall Kabamba? Hope not. Be a tough gig for a new striker coming in to know that the last guy got stick from the manager and from fans as a striker who’s not clinical enough, despite getting 32 goals in a season during which he missed periods through injury!

[john dockers shorts]

Let's be honest it's one or 2 people who made a comment on Nicke. Anyone with any brain cells knows he's absolutely fine.

Definitely good to get an option in so he doesn't have to play 80 to 90 mins each game

[Jimbokav1971]

I’ll put this out there. Don’t mind if people disagree. We need a more clinical striker if we’re going to win the league.

If he plays like he did yesterday then I’d agree, but thankfully he doesn’t usually and is generally much more clinical. The problem is that we have no one to bring on when he’s having a poor game, which is one of the main reasons I don’t think this squad is currently good enough to win the league. Our only back-up “centre forward” is an attacking midfielder who was playing for Hitchin Town last year, which is a ridiculous situation. In fact this is the third season in a row that we’ve started without any back-up for Kabamba, which is even more daft. If Nile Ranger has been training with us for months then surely he’s still good enough to do a job until we find something better?

Just putting it out there, I'd argue we do have Rhys Browne

I think Browne can play as a number 9, but he’s played the vast majority of his career as a winger or number 10 playing off a main striker(s), and based on the friendlies it doesn’t look as though we’ve signed him as an alternative to Kabamba. Last season he got 2 goals in 19 league games, and he’s only ever got double figures once in his 9-year senior career. Not striker numbers, although to be fair neither were Kabamba’s previously!

A reasonable scoring rate for a striker is generally thought to be a goal every 3 games.
Before joining us, Nicke had only ever played 30 games in a season 5 times at any level.
In these 5 seasons he scored 20, 19, 21, 12 & 5 goals.
the only season he hasn't hit double-figure goals, (when playing 30+ games), is 2020/21 for Kilmarnock in the SPL. Although he scored 5 goals, 11 of his 32 appearances were as a sub.
Just to clarify then, when Nicke has been played consistently throughout the season he scores pretty well, and it could also be argued that he's been misused, (as a Target Man), for much or even most of his career).

It's pretty hard to compare that to Browne, who has only ever hit double-figures once, despite making 30+ appearances in at least 4 seasons. I appreciate that Browne isn't a #9, but there is absolutely no comparison in their scoring records. Astonished that someone is trying to suggest otherwise. Kabamba has scored approaching 200 career goals.

[BRFBee]

Nicke scored 32 goals last season and 19 the season before.
The problem isn't that Nicke doesn't score enough goals.
The problem is that we're too reliant on Nicke scoring goals.
We need Kanu & Brunty to be hitting 10.
We need Stead to be hitting 15-20, (and I'm sure he will).
Nicke has far more good than bad, and I fully expect him to fill his boots against someone soon. Fingers crossed that's against FGR on Tuesday night.
Completely agree that we need someone to come in and play like for like with him. Would love that to be Tshimanga or G'OD. Would prefer if it wasn't Nile Ranger.

Stead's going for 20 in the league this season IMO