Strikers for Fleetwood

[Balham Green]

Hardie is Argyle's fastest and most skillful striker. He's too good to drop.

He may not be scoring at the moment, but I think he will soon. Anyway, that doesn't necessarily matter- Mickey Evans was one of the club's best strikers of the last 20 years but didn't score many. Evans set up other people- and that's what Hardie does.

So either Hardie / Jephcott or Hardie / Nouble

Either way, it has to be Hardie.

I disagree. Let's see what Lowe thinks. Fastest maybe. What about Abrahams? If we want speed how about Usian Bolt? How did his football career go? Skillful? Well if that includes missing open goals from 4 yards! His first touch is poor, he can't head the ball and cant hold the ball up. I've seen enough of him.

 

[gaspargomez]

You'd be great as a TalkSport DJ !
Call the show on 08717 22 33 44 (13p/min), text on 81089 (50p + charges).

I agree that Lowe may well drop Hardie. But it would be a mistake in my opinion.

 

[Balham Green]

You'd be great as a TalkSport DJ !
Call the show on 08717 22 33 44 (13p/min), text on 81089 (50p + charges).

I agree that Lowe may well drop Hardie. But it would be a mistake in my opinion.

Why do you think he'll drop him then?

 

[Returnofthepob]

RL was disappointed that RH missed “that” chance because probably we would have won.

But he won’t drop him because of that. He’ll spend the rest of the week to see how Hardie reacts. Then he’ll weigh up all his options.

Is Jephcott good to go.
Who is the best pairing considering the intel he has on oppo.
Etc etc

Too many naive assumptions that assume football managers make decisions that we would make after watching a 90 min game. Yes it plays a part on his decision but other factors will play a part.

I have no idea who he should play.

 

[Knibbsworth]

Hardie didn't really miss an open goal. Chris Porter for Crewe last season missed an open goal.

The ball broke to Hardie at extremely short notice. He reacted quickest. He didn't have any time to take a breath, compose himself, or pick a spot. He hit the ball, hit his finish hard and a defender bizarrely managed to smother his shot angle with such a block as to repel it.

People are really overthinking it. It was a blind desperate lunge and unfortunately for Hardie, it covered the precise spot his shot was going. Any other part of Pring's body and it deflects off into the net.

What would everyone else do, acting on instinct, other than to just smash the ball into the net as direct as possible? It was just a freak block that defied the odds, like winning on a scratchcard. You won't see another one like it for a long time.

 

[Returnofthepob]

Hardie didn't really miss an open goal. Chris Porter for Crewe last season missed an open goal.

The ball broke to Hardie at extremely short notice. He reacted quickest. He didn't have any time to take a breath, compose himself, or pick a spot. He hit the ball, hit his finish hard and a defender bizarrely managed to smother his shot angle with such a block as to repel it.

People are really overthinking it. It was a blind desperate lunge and unfortunately for Hardie, it covered the precise spot his shot was going. Any other part of Pring's body and it deflects off into the net.

What would everyone else do, acting on instinct, other than to just smash the ball into the net as direct as possible? It was just a freak block that defied the odds, like winning on a scratchcard. You won't see another one like it for a long time.

Agree with that

 

[Knibbsworth]

Hang on we are criticising a player who would have scored but for a world class clearance from the covering defender,

When Lukaku did the against England it was great defending , when someone does it again us it’s woeful striking?

My view is the Hardie makes the space, the turns, the runs and creates the space for others

Assists are equally as important as goals, just ask Harry Kane and Son!

It was a bad miss, Lowe implied it himself in his post-match interview, you could sense the frustration in his voice and in his expression.

Last season, Hardie would have scored because he would have been more aware of who was around him and what he needed to do but for whatever reason, its not happening for him in front of goal at the moment. He probably needs to get a couple of Tynan-like scruffy poacher goals to get him going again.

But apart from not scoring himself, his all-round play this season has been pretty good and he's still worth his place in the team..

I normally agree with you but can't on this occasion. Hardie did everything right and would have scored if it wasn't for an unbelievable block. I am confident he will come good.

Did everything right apart from avoid the defender on the line you mean? The goal is big enough and the defender can only cover a very small part of it.

From 12 yards perhaps, the defender takes up 10 percent of the goal leaving 90% to aim at.

When Hardie is 6 yards out, and the defender and goalkeeper are 3 yards out, their bodies present a far larger surface area to avoid.

 

[JannerinCardiff]

In my view our best pairing is Jephcott and Hardie, pace and movement and we create lots of chances when these two play together. They also seem to have the best chemistry of all our forward options.

 

[edengreen]

To be fair to Hardie
Hes a young lad who has just had a child and moved about as far away from home with his new familly that he possibly could
I would suggest this maybe an indicator of why his form may not be quite as good as last season, we know there is a player in there and let's be honest the best strikers are confidence players I think Ryan has lost a little confidence from Las season.
Slagging him off isnt going to help
Let's get behind him and remember he wanted to come back after last season because he loved it here we owe him support.

Tbh as well as Frank played for a big centre forward he was never likely to get into the position Hardie got into to have that shot blocked. Nouble is a more trigger type of player outside box feeding others not confident nouble would get 10 goals a season but still confident Hardie will. Both players highly regarded but horses for courses and I actually think the squad we have this year is far stronger in depth them we have had in a number of seasons. Ryan Lowe is a really lucky boy to have been supported like this by the chairman let alone in these difficult times and I suspect he cant believe his luck and may well show more loyalty when a job offer comes along then we expect. It wont be anybody higher it will be somewhere he really cant afford to turn down only I expect

 

[philevs]

Just to say about Ryan Lowe as it was just mentioned above, my take is that RL has no intention of going elsewhere because he wants to prove that he is a manager who stays put and does a job, since that is the most important factor for his long-term vision as a future manager of a top-level club.
He often says and acknowledges that he’s still learning the job at present, hence his request for Neil Dewsnip to be appointed for example, so to rush off anywhere else doesn’t currently fit with that.
I think he sees that if he went off to a “big” club he might not last long at present, and then he’d be on a treadmill of club-to-club with a damaged reputation. That’s not the future he sees for himself in the game, imo.

 

[Balham Green]

Hang on we are criticising a player who would have scored but for a world class clearance from the covering defender,

When Lukaku did the against England it was great defending , when someone does it again us it’s woeful striking?

My view is the Hardie makes the space, the turns, the runs and creates the space for others

Assists are equally as important as goals, just ask Harry Kane and Son!

It was a bad miss, Lowe implied it himself in his post-match interview, you could sense the frustration in his voice and in his expression.

Last season, Hardie would have scored because he would have been more aware of who was around him and what he needed to do but for whatever reason, its not happening for him in front of goal at the moment. He probably needs to get a couple of Tynan-like scruffy poacher goals to get him going again.

But apart from not scoring himself, his all-round play this season has been pretty good and he's still worth his place in the team..

I normally agree with you but can't on this occasion. Hardie did everything right and would have scored if it wasn't for an unbelievable block. I am confident he will come good.

Did everything right apart from avoid the defender on the line you mean? The goal is big enough and the defender can only cover a very small part of it.

From 12 yards perhaps, the defender takes up 10 percent of the goal leaving 90% to aim at.

When Hardie is 6 yards out, and the defender and goalkeeper are 3 yards out, their bodies present a far larger surface area to avoid.

In that bizarre logic the goal is also therefore a much bigger target! From Father Ted - Dougal those cows are small because they are further away!

 

[Balham Green]

Hardie didn't really miss an open goal. Chris Porter for Crewe last season missed an open goal.

The ball broke to Hardie at extremely short notice. He reacted quickest. He didn't have any time to take a breath, compose himself, or pick a spot. He hit the ball, hit his finish hard and a defender bizarrely managed to smother his shot angle with such a block as to repel it.

People are really overthinking it. It was a blind desperate lunge and unfortunately for Hardie, it covered the precise spot his shot was going. Any other part of Pring's body and it deflects off into the net.

What would everyone else do, acting on instinct, other than to just smash the ball into the net as direct as possible? It was just a freak block that defied the odds, like winning on a scratchcard. You won't see another one like it for a long time.

You are right, the defenders gave Hardie no notice at all. Very unfair. Ryan in a few minutes time if you stand there we are going to give you a free shot at goal from 4 yards. Would that be alright? And we can give you a minute perhaps to take a breath and compose yourself also. Or would you like longer?
I see why Blackpool made their decision now.

 

[foreigner]

Very harsh Balham. Just look back at all the assists Hardie does too. His accuracy of pass and weighting of it, One of the best players I've seen in a green shirt, and I've been supporting since 82/83. He will come good. He misses Jephcott, but more importantly the team miss Jephcott.

 

[Balham Green]

Very harsh Balham. Just look back at all the assists Hardie does too. His accuracy of pass and weighting of it, One of the best players I've seen in a green shirt, and I've been supporting since 82/83. He will come good. He misses Jephcott, but more importantly the team miss Jephcott.

One of the best players you've seen? Are you serious?? Better than the players we had in the Championship you mean? So how many assists then? I don't remember many.

 

[Knibbsworth]

Hang on we are criticising a player who would have scored but for a world class clearance from the covering defender,

When Lukaku did the against England it was great defending , when someone does it again us it’s woeful striking?

My view is the Hardie makes the space, the turns, the runs and creates the space for others

Assists are equally as important as goals, just ask Harry Kane and Son!

It was a bad miss, Lowe implied it himself in his post-match interview, you could sense the frustration in his voice and in his expression.

Last season, Hardie would have scored because he would have been more aware of who was around him and what he needed to do but for whatever reason, its not happening for him in front of goal at the moment. He probably needs to get a couple of Tynan-like scruffy poacher goals to get him going again.

But apart from not scoring himself, his all-round play this season has been pretty good and he's still worth his place in the team..

I normally agree with you but can't on this occasion. Hardie did everything right and would have scored if it wasn't for an unbelievable block. I am confident he will come good.

Did everything right apart from avoid the defender on the line you mean? The goal is big enough and the defender can only cover a very small part of it.

From 12 yards perhaps, the defender takes up 10 percent of the goal leaving 90% to aim at.

When Hardie is 6 yards out, and the defender and goalkeeper are 3 yards out, their bodies present a far larger surface area to avoid.

In that bizarre logic the goal is also therefore a much bigger target! From Father Ted - Dougal those cows are small because they are further away!

You explain to me then, why a 3 man wall stands as close to the free kick as possible, and not on the goal line.

Do you really not understand how an object's proximity to the ball makes it harder to avoid?

Hardie had Macgillivray immediately to his left and Pring immediately to his right. Both were close enough to punch him on the nose and hell bent on closing down his shot on goal.

Hardie had about 0.25 of a second to decide what to do and it simply wasn't a case of placing his finish.