Houston…we have a problem.

[Usher wide.]

So, before Oluysanya joined our ranks as a forward, we had Billy, Joe & Hanlan as our centre forwards, number 9’s, you get my drift.

Having watched tonight’s game against a bunch of (talented) teenagers from a Premiership club, apart from his goal, which fooled Everton’s ‘16 year old frame looking goalkeeper’ via a deflection, Hanlan did little else to make me think ‘hello, we’ve found ‘our goal scorer’ here.

Likewise our ‘pacey striker’ on loan from Houston until the end of January although fair due’s, it was his first ‘competetive game’ for us however given the level of the players he was up against, it was a competitive game with a small ‘c’ & he showed little to inspire me that he could ‘lead the line’ come games against the opponents we face this coming Saturday.

So, given Joe Ironside’s departure from the club I would like to pose a question, particularly to posters like BarnbyRover & GazLaz, if Billy Sharp were to be injured in the 50th minute come Saturday, who would you like to see come on to ‘lead the line’?

Or would you ‘dare to concede’ that if he were still here, despite your ‘condemnation’ of him, you’d hand on heart, want Joe to be that man?

,

[mpc123]

If this if that if the other all to support your message.

Trust Mccann, simple as

[Usher wide.]

If this if that if the other all to support your message.

Trust Mccann, simple as

Pardon?

[Balby Rover]

Well I went to the match I thought Hanlan played well and Toyosi has tremendous pace. It was so pleasing to see the 4 young lads who came on at the end huge potential .Can we please have some positivity !!

[Spilsby Red]

Hanlan was very good tonight

[Fal]

Jeez, our fans, jumping straight to find a problem after yet another win!

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Joe has gone. End of.  It's irrelevant what anyone's opinion is on Joe.

The only opinion that matters is GM's and how he manages the players going forward.

[IDM]

Well I went to the match I thought Hanlan played well and Toyosi has tremendous pace. It was so pleasing to see the 4 young lads who came on at the end huge potential .Can we please have some positivity !!

Some people just don’t want to see it..

[roversdaft]

I’m with you usher, not filling me with confidence.

Rob street gave us the template we needed, and we seem to have found 2 opposites

We must trust in McCann

[Spilsby Red]

Can’t please everyone unfortunately.
Tonight I saws different Hanlan, very positive.
All performed well. What a future with these young kids.

[GazLaz]

Can’t please everyone unfortunately.
Tonight I saws different Hanlan, very positive.
All performed well. What a future with these young kids.

The lad who came on in midfield looks a bit of a prospect. Not sure any of the others could kick on. Nice to see them given a chance though.

[mpc123]

If I remember correctly Ironside started slow in his only scoring spree season.

3 goals in 11 matches.

Hanlon 1 goal in 5 so far and playing bit part.

It's funny as the same people were probably moaning about Ironsides start too.

Just give Hanlon time and if it doesn't work out Mccann will do what he thinks best, just give the bloke a chance.

[DonnyRover]

Olusanya has literally been in training a day, surely cant even begin to judge him on tonight’s game.

[mpc123]

Olusanya has literally been in training a day, surely cant even begin to judge him on tonight’s game.

Oh they will

[5minstogo]

Hanlan looked more like he did pre season. Close, Clifton, Sbarra were pretty good as a midfield. Ajayi was promising and O'Riordan seemed effortless. Not much else to report.

[Fal]

Hanlan looked more like he did pre season. Close, Clifton, Sbarra were pretty good as a midfield. Ajayi was promising and O'Riordan seemed effortless. Not much else to report.

Don't tell Padge that, Clifton isn't allowed to have a good game haha

[jmt23]

I thought Close, Hanlan & the ever impressive O’Riordan were the best on the pitch by a mile. The rest were pretty ordinary, not bad but not stand out either.

Everton showed technical ability and like against Man U kids a year or so ago, never ever gave up.

I’m so impressed with the Blackburn lad and would make them an offer if we got any sniff they would let him leave.

[Thorney]

Tayosi has only played a tad over 120 mins of football since april.

Tonight for him would of been seen has a pre season friendly,
Give him a good blow out and work him into it.

Give him a proper chance for christ sake

[mpc123]

Just watched Mccanns interview, Everton had a £9m valued player at left back and people talking like we have just played a bunch of kids.

[Jersey Rover]

Got goals and assists written all over him, great signing.

[Alan Southstand]

I’d ike to temper our expectations a wee bit. Olusanya needs game time before we can judge him, he did show glimpses of what we can expect but, as expected, he somewhat drifted out the game and was subbed.

Hanlan, on the other hand, has been here a few weeks and, although he scored, showed very little and eventually was subbed off injured.

It does make me wonder exactly what Grant is looking for in his strikers. Olusanya looks a carbon copy of Ajayi, but with a bit more muscle. Obviously, that’s at this early stage and, hopefully, there is more to come.

We’ve lost the only target man we had, so that’s not an option anymore. Hanlan is definitely not that person and, imho, never will be. The blueprint was there last season and we seem to have drifted away from it.

For those commenting on why we needed 4 strikers - I give you Lincoln, who now have 6 on their books. Go figure.

[steve@dcfd]

We have8  brilliant defenders we have Bailey Broadbent and Molyneux and Middleton apart from Billy we do not have a striker. You can gloss it up as much as you like to make you feel good But  Hanlan and Olusanya are not what we needed

[DonnyBazR0ver]

We have8  brilliant defenders we have Bailey Broadbent and Molyneux and Middleton apart from Billy we do not have a striker. You can gloss it up as much as you like to make you feel good But  Hanlan and Olusanya are not what we needed

What sort of comment is that? Are you saying you're right and they're not good enough so we shouldn't be  open minded enough to give them time to prove their worth?

[drfchound]

It took Street a few games to settle in and people were doubting his credentials at first.

[dickos1]

We have8  brilliant defenders we have Bailey Broadbent and Molyneux and Middleton apart from Billy we do not have a striker. You can gloss it up as much as you like to make you feel good But  Hanlan and Olusanya are not what we needed

What utter nonsense!
What makes you think you have a better idea than grant on what we needed.
You were on here moaning about the signing of street not long ago, just get behind them and stop slagging off players that have been here 2 mins

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I’d ike to temper our expectations a wee bit. Olusanya needs game time before we can judge him, he did show glimpses of what we can expect but, as expected, he somewhat drifted out the game and was subbed.

Hanlan, on the other hand, has been here a few weeks and, although he scored, showed very little and eventually was subbed off injured.

It does make me wonder exactly what Grant is looking for in his strikers. Olusanya looks a carbon copy of Ajayi, but with a bit more muscle. Obviously, that’s at this early stage and, hopefully, there is more to come.

We’ve lost the only target man we had, so that’s not an option anymore. Hanlan is definitely not that person and, imho, never will be. The blueprint was there last season and we seem to have drifted away from it.

For those commenting on why we needed 4 strikers - I give you Lincoln, who now have 6 on their books. Go figure.

Yea, but you said the same about Matthew Craig and Adelakun suggesting we wouldn't succeed unless we got them back or found direct replacements.

GMs proven he's able to get the best out of players and adapt by using their strengths and finding combinations that work. He'll continue to work with the players until January, when he'll re evaluate again.

If all else fails, he could always play Owen Bailey up front. Ha ha.

[danumdon]

Unbelievable thread and first post.

Commenting and rejecting players after virtually kicking a ball for the club is unbelievably crass and naive.

Talk about giving someone a fair go?

[andyst79]

Thought Hanlan did ok but it was hard to gauge the level of opponent

[Padge_DRFC]

Hanlan looked more like he did pre season. Close, Clifton, Sbarra were pretty good as a midfield. Ajayi was promising and O'Riordan seemed effortless. Not much else to report.

Don't tell Padge that, Clifton isn't allowed to have a good game haha

I hope he does well and shocks me. Only saw the second half last night and he did some okay things. Tell you one thing I wasn't impressed with their goal and Close lack of effort to close him down.

Ideally need to progress in this cup as a lot of players not playing can use it

[Rovers Red]

Proven strikers cost anywhere between  £500k to 2 mil in this league


Grant can’t afford the finished article , his best tactic is to try and find a player who has potential or a player who has lost their way and give them opportunity to prove them self

Some will be wrong and others will turn good

Can’t win them all , hopefully drops onto a good one