The L1-10 2011/12 Player Review - Part 4 - Strikers

Personally, I miss these two.  They were great.

SIR RICKIE LAMBERT was a player who many questioned at the start of the season as he’d only played in League 1 and 2 in his career.  These questions came from our own fans whilst fans of other clubs just sneered at the prospect of “Fat Boy” scoring goals at the higher level.  I knew…. Once I saw him come out onto the pitch for the first game of the season, looking fitter than ever, I just knew.  Once he’d scored 2 in 10 minutes at the start of the Ipswich away game and announced his arrival, everyone else knew as well.  Saints fans know that it’s not just the goals, it’s the assists and the general contribution to the way the team plays but there were so many goals (27 in the league and another 4 in cups) that we were suddenly a one man team in the eyes of those who only watch highlights.  No lesser judge than Fat Sam said West Ham would have won the league if Sir Rickie was in their side and I might have agreed if he’d also added “and Nigel Adkins was our manager and not me because I’m useless”.  My only criticism is the free-kicks which should hit the net a lot more often, given how well he hits a ball.  They are going to be more important than ever next year.  Talking of which, next year is another trip into the unknown for Sir Rickie but anyone who doubts him is in for a surprise.  I wonder if I can get a bet on for him being the top scoring Englishman (aside from that other Scouser at Man U).

DAVID CONNOLLY started the season like a train and scored in nearly every match before the inevitable injury came along and sidelined him.  It was the start of the season which really set the tone for us and he played a massive part in that but as the season went on his influence became less and less and he’s hardly played since Christmas with another long term injury.  We all know he’s a very intelligent player with good movement but he’s out of contract now and I’d be amazed if he’s still here next year.  Injuries have always been a problem for him in his three years here but we knew what he was like in that regard when we signed him.  If this is the end then he will at least be commemorated by the opening of the brand new Holmes & Connolly Medical Suite at the new training ground complex at Staplewood.

BILLY SHARP signed from Doncaster in January and immediately didn’t look very fit.  Having just emerged from the personal tragedy of the death of his baby son, I found it unbelievable and distasteful how some were immediately questioning why we bought him.  Yes he’s a footballer but he’s also human.  He got back in the team and scored 8 goals in the last 8 games of the season to play a major part in firing us over the finishing line and this tells you all you need to know.  He’s not the finished article by any means with his hold up play in particular needing work and he needs to speed his decision making up a bit more but he has something that many teams would kill for, the ability to stick the ball in the net which no lesser judge than Pep Guardiola says, is the hardest thing in football.  I have a feeling that he will come back from a full pre-season and we will have an altogether different and improved player on our hands.  The only question mark I have is if we’ll play 2 out and out strikers in some games.

TADANARI LEE was signed in January from Sanfrecce Hiroshima and I thought he’d be 4^th or 5^th choice striker and play the odd game as a sub but in fact, he turned out to be much better than that and kept Billy Sharp on the bench for a while.  Nigel obviously wanted a striker to run in behind defences and work hard and that’s what we got.  I do wonder how we scouted him – did someone see him play a few times in the flesh or did we just sign him off of You Tube?  If the latter then he’s done better than our last You Tube signing, Agustin Delgado.  There is a great will for Chun to do well and one of the moments of the season was his goal against Derby which was simply brilliant.  Some question marks remain over his ability as a goalscorer but his ability as a supporting striker has been proved already.  A broken metatarsal killed his season which was a great shame but as required by Nigel’s SFC, his attitude appears to be spot on and it was great to see him join in with the promotion celebrations with his foot in a surgical boot.  I guess that he could be back in Japan but he chose to be at SMS for the last game.  Over-enthusiastic Chinese fans are part of the package as well and next year in the Prem, the interest in him will be even greater.

LEE BARNARD had a season ruined by injury but managed to get fit towards the end of the season and got back onto the bench but then lost that place when his court case was finally scheduled.  Hasn’t looked sharp whenever he’s played and I can see him moving on before next season either on loan or permanently.  He does have a contract for another two seasons though so he may stick around and try and force his way into the side but he’ll start next season as 4^th choice striker at best.

JONATHAN FORTE is the only blemish on Nigel Adkins’ recruitment record since he’s been the manager.  Brought in to add pace to the side which he undoubtedly does but he’s just not good enough at anything else.  No positional sense or football brain and needs the ball in front of him to do anything.  I reckon he’d be better on the wing if given the simple brief of running at players.  Scored some goals when loaned to Notts County in League 1 which is his level but his moment of the season for us was getting thumped by a Brighton player in the last minute when we were already 3-0 down.  He’ll be gone soon as Tadanari Lee has been brought in to add pace and has a lot more to his game than Jonno ever will.

SAM HOSKINS came on as a sub in the FA Cup game at Coventry and looked ok, very lively and energetic.  A loan spell at Rotherham has been fruitful and could probably do with a season long loan to a League 1 club next season.  Looks a promising prospect.

RYAN DOBLE played in the Coventry cup game and looked pretty poor and hasn’t set the pulses racing in any of his loan spells either which is disappointing.  Out of contract so if he gets another one he’ll need to improve drastically if he’s to have a future here.