Houston…we have a problem.

[Usher wide.]

At no point have I said Usherwide is wrong. I was just asking a simple question of what would a reasonable goals target be for the season.

For example last season, we had concerns about Billy and the game time he might get etc. I said at the time a return of 10 goals would be good.

The inferred criticism is probably due to coming to a conclusion about a player before he's barely had a chance to settle in, not necessarily because his opinion is wrong.

To answer your question then DBR, I don’t feel that double figures is an unreasonable target to expect from a player ‘leading the line’ in a side that plays with wide men looking to get balls into the box at every opportunity.

[vaya]

At no point have I said Usherwide is wrong. I was just asking a simple question of what would a reasonable goals target be for the season.

For example last season, we had concerns about Billy and the game time he might get etc. I said at the time a return of 10 goals would be good.

The inferred criticism is probably due to coming to a conclusion about a player before he's barely had a chance to settle in, not necessarily because his opinion is wrong.

To answer your question then DBR, I don’t feel that double figures is an unreasonable target to expect from a player ‘leading the line’ in a side that plays with wide men looking to get balls into the box at every opportunity.

What if he doesn't lead the line, and isn't played as an out and out striker?

[Herbert Anchovy]

The OP is more than entitled to share their opinion which is just as valid as mine or anyone else and he might be proven right!

Personally, I prefer to give more than 1 game before passing judgement. I'm sure that many of us are old enough to remember examples over the years of players who've taken time to find their feet and then kicked on.

[Pancho Regan]

At no point have I said Usherwide is wrong. I was just asking a simple question of what would a reasonable goals target be for the season.

For example last season, we had concerns about Billy and the game time he might get etc. I said at the time a return of 10 goals would be good.

The inferred criticism is probably due to coming to a conclusion about a player before he's barely had a chance to settle in, not necessarily because his opinion is wrong.

To answer your question then DBR, I don’t feel that double figures is an unreasonable target to expect from a player ‘leading the line’ in a side that plays with wide men looking to get balls into the box at every opportunity.

What if he doesn't lead the line, and isn't played as an out and out striker?

I’ll be happy if he can just keep up with Owen Bailey!

[Usher wide.]

At no point have I said Usherwide is wrong. I was just asking a simple question of what would a reasonable goals target be for the season.

For example last season, we had concerns about Billy and the game time he might get etc. I said at the time a return of 10 goals would be good.

The inferred criticism is probably due to coming to a conclusion about a player before he's barely had a chance to settle in, not necessarily because his opinion is wrong.

To answer your question then DBR, I don’t feel that double figures is an unreasonable target to expect from a player ‘leading the line’ in a side that plays with wide men looking to get balls into the box at every opportunity.

What if he doesn't lead the line, and isn't played as an out and out striker?

Grant has always played with ‘one up top’, a single No.9, someone who ‘leads the line’.

 When you ask “What if he doesn’t lead the line…..” as an out & out striker, are you talking about Brandon? If so & you don’t play him centrally in the role I’ve alluded to, where would you want him to ‘operate’ on the pitch?

Out wide where Mols/Gibbo or Middleton are ‘stationed’?

Deeper, where Bails has started to come into the box from?

If you’re talking about Billy well c’mon. There’s only one place he has ever looked to play in throughout his career, that of an out & out striker.

The whole balance of the team needs a player in that central position up top, surely?

[vaya]

At no point have I said Usherwide is wrong. I was just asking a simple question of what would a reasonable goals target be for the season.

For example last season, we had concerns about Billy and the game time he might get etc. I said at the time a return of 10 goals would be good.

The inferred criticism is probably due to coming to a conclusion about a player before he's barely had a chance to settle in, not necessarily because his opinion is wrong.

To answer your question then DBR, I don’t feel that double figures is an unreasonable target to expect from a player ‘leading the line’ in a side that plays with wide men looking to get balls into the box at every opportunity.

What if he doesn't lead the line, and isn't played as an out and out striker?

Grant has always played with ‘one up top’, a single No.9, someone who ‘leads the line’.

 When you ask “What if he doesn’t lead the line…..” as an out & out striker, are you talking about Brandon? If so & you don’t play him centrally in the role I’ve alluded to, where would you want him to ‘operate’ on the pitch?

Out wide where Mols/Gibbo or Middleton are ‘stationed’?

Deeper, where Bails has started to come into the box from?

If you’re talking about Billy well c’mon. There’s only one place he has ever looked to play in throughout his career, that of an out & out striker.

The whole balance of the team needs a player in that central position up top, surely?

It's entirely up to the manager where he plays Hanlan. If Grant doesn't play him as an out and out striker, what would you expect his contribution to be?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

At no point have I said Usherwide is wrong. I was just asking a simple question of what would a reasonable goals target be for the season.

For example last season, we had concerns about Billy and the game time he might get etc. I said at the time a return of 10 goals would be good.

The inferred criticism is probably due to coming to a conclusion about a player before he's barely had a chance to settle in, not necessarily because his opinion is wrong.

To answer your question then DBR, I don’t feel that double figures is an unreasonable target to expect from a player ‘leading the line’ in a side that plays with wide men looking to get balls into the box at every opportunity.

Tend to agree. If he, Billy and Ti get 10 each, given the likely rotation etc, then 30 goals from our front line 'strikers' would be decent. Obviously we need to see healthy contributions from the rest.

[Usher wide.]

At no point have I said Usherwide is wrong. I was just asking a simple question of what would a reasonable goals target be for the season.

For example last season, we had concerns about Billy and the game time he might get etc. I said at the time a return of 10 goals would be good.

The inferred criticism is probably due to coming to a conclusion about a player before he's barely had a chance to settle in, not necessarily because his opinion is wrong.

To answer your question then DBR, I don’t feel that double figures is an unreasonable target to expect from a player ‘leading the line’ in a side that plays with wide men looking to get balls into the box at every opportunity.

What if he doesn't lead the line, and isn't played as an out and out striker?

Grant has always played with ‘one up top’, a single No.9, someone who ‘leads the line’.

 When you ask “What if he doesn’t lead the line…..” as an out & out striker, are you talking about Brandon? If so & you don’t play him centrally in the role I’ve alluded to, where would you want him to ‘operate’ on the pitch?

Out wide where Mols/Gibbo or Middleton are ‘stationed’?

Deeper, where Bails has started to come into the box from?

If you’re talking about Billy well c’mon. There’s only one place he has ever looked to play in throughout his career, that of an out & out striker.

The whole balance of the team needs a player in that central position up top, surely?

It's entirely up to the manager where he plays Hanlan. If Grant doesn't play him as an out and out striker, what would you expect his contribution to be?

What would you expect his contribution to be is surely more to the point.

As to your first sentence, Grant has brought Hanlan in to score & assist goals so again, where do you think the manager wants him on the pitch, midfield?

[Pancho Regan]

At no point have I said Usherwide is wrong. I was just asking a simple question of what would a reasonable goals target be for the season.

For example last season, we had concerns about Billy and the game time he might get etc. I said at the time a return of 10 goals would be good.

The inferred criticism is probably due to coming to a conclusion about a player before he's barely had a chance to settle in, not necessarily because his opinion is wrong.

To answer your question then DBR, I don’t feel that double figures is an unreasonable target to expect from a player ‘leading the line’ in a side that plays with wide men looking to get balls into the box at every opportunity.

What if he doesn't lead the line, and isn't played as an out and out striker?

Grant has always played with ‘one up top’, a single No.9, someone who ‘leads the line’.

 When you ask “What if he doesn’t lead the line…..” as an out & out striker, are you talking about Brandon? If so & you don’t play him centrally in the role I’ve alluded to, where would you want him to ‘operate’ on the pitch?

Out wide where Mols/Gibbo or Middleton are ‘stationed’?

Deeper, where Bails has started to come into the box from?

If you’re talking about Billy well c’mon. There’s only one place he has ever looked to play in throughout his career, that of an out & out striker.

The whole balance of the team needs a player in that central position up top, surely?

It's entirely up to the manager where he plays Hanlan. If Grant doesn't play him as an out and out striker, what would you expect his contribution to be?

It’s getting a bit dark down this rabbit hole …..

[vaya]

At no point have I said Usherwide is wrong. I was just asking a simple question of what would a reasonable goals target be for the season.

For example last season, we had concerns about Billy and the game time he might get etc. I said at the time a return of 10 goals would be good.

The inferred criticism is probably due to coming to a conclusion about a player before he's barely had a chance to settle in, not necessarily because his opinion is wrong.

To answer your question then DBR, I don’t feel that double figures is an unreasonable target to expect from a player ‘leading the line’ in a side that plays with wide men looking to get balls into the box at every opportunity.

What if he doesn't lead the line, and isn't played as an out and out striker?

Grant has always played with ‘one up top’, a single No.9, someone who ‘leads the line’.

 When you ask “What if he doesn’t lead the line…..” as an out & out striker, are you talking about Brandon? If so & you don’t play him centrally in the role I’ve alluded to, where would you want him to ‘operate’ on the pitch?

Out wide where Mols/Gibbo or Middleton are ‘stationed’?

Deeper, where Bails has started to come into the box from?

If you’re talking about Billy well c’mon. There’s only one place he has ever looked to play in throughout his career, that of an out & out striker.

The whole balance of the team needs a player in that central position up top, surely?

It's entirely up to the manager where he plays Hanlan. If Grant doesn't play him as an out and out striker, what would you expect his contribution to be?

What would you expect his contribution to be is surely more to the point.

As to your first sentence, Grant has brought Hanlan in to score & assist goals so again, where do you think the manager wants him on the pitch, midfield?

He's previously played on the wing at Gillingham. If GM decides he likes him there then that's where he'll play, not as an out and out striker.

Only having briefly seen him play for us, I'm not going to be picking numbers out of thin air which could be used a a stick to beat him with. If you're confident doing that, feel free.

[Usher wide.]

Ca suffit.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Rob Street wasn’t an out and out front man, leader of the line as such. His runs often came from the inside channels. Yes, he also scored a few goals in the box from crosses in the 'centre forwards' position.

https://youtu.be/eyehogr8scg?si=YW7VhhUwyqPJhIl6

But if you look at our goals compilation from last season, how many others scored goals from the central 'centre forwards' position? It's about the movement, the positioning and gambling on space that any one of our front six can get on the end of. We often see our no 9s either dropping deep or wide to try and draw the defense out, so others can make the runs into that space. Many teams play this way now where they're not over reliant on a traditional no 9.

As long as Hanlan contributes by making life difficult for defenders, gets into his fair share of central positions and converts his fair share of goals, then he's doing his job. He did that the other night. His goal was well taken even with the deflection because he made the space and shot with a bit of venom.