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Blackstock

M

matt1988

Viv Anderson
GandalfTheRed said:
Blackstock a master? Give me a break :faceslap:. He is an ok'ish target man who holds up the ball well enough, falls over well enough but can't head a ball for toffee.

With regards to your 'its no longer 1995' guff, do you want me to reel off a list of out and out forwards? What would you call Van Persie? Ibrahimovic? Cavani? They still exist, we are just in a time where there are alot of very good technical attacking midfielders.
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Obviously there are still a few out there. But they are becoming increasingly difficult to find year on year.

In the 90s and early 00s, it was unthinkable that a team could be promoted from the Championship without a prolific 25/30 goal a season striker. Think Collymore, Van Hooijdonk or David Johnson who all scored in huge numbers in promotion/play off campaigns.

Last year, Cardiff went up automatically without this prolific striker. Reading did the same the year before. These teams shared goals around the team and relied on a striker to link play and lead the line. If you can find a Rickie Lambert, great. If not, there is this increasingly popular alternative.

I personally believe we have the players to be chipping in with goals from all over the pitch (Reid, Lansbury, Majewski, Cohen, Mackie, Paterson, Cox) and two strikers who can each lead the line and chip in with a good number of their own: Henderson and Blackstock.
 
D

dr_horse

Geoff Thomas
Good enough player for where we are right now, but bizarrely out of form for a long time now. Maybe can't handle the pressure of competition for places? Would be a shame to move him on though.
 
J

Joe Baker's Dog

Grenville Morris
I'm a fan of Blackstock who did so well for us in his first couple of years. In recent times I've seen him play in a pre-season friendly (Walsall away) and at Charlton and I couldn't believe how poor he was. Something has happened to him that we don't know about. Perhaps he was abducted by aliens and Nicky Eaden put in Dexter's body. He's that bad now.
 
RedUpNorth

RedUpNorth

First Team Squad
We need to sort him out if hes just signed a 4 year deal. Or sell him to someone who thinks they can bring the best out of him.
 
T

troynffc22

A. Trialist
I'd send him out on loan for a few months and get him back to scratch. Dexter has a decent record for us and does have his good and bad days like any other player. We have enough strikers in the team and can afford to send him out on loan. He's a decent player on his day, just tends to hack the ball alot I think and give away stupid freekicks up the other end. But I'd stick with him which I'd say is intention as he's signed a new deal. I'd stick to keeping Mackie wide or behind the strikers he's got a great work ethic like Cox but I think Cox has alot more finishing quality he just needs to get a few goals in!!

Loan Blackstock to a lower league team or a lower championship team. Yeovil send him there 6 months or a year or whatever and he'll score goals, just needs to be playing.

As for motivation Billy Davies could motivate George Boateng into a semi decent player again luckily for us he's gone to Malaysia.
 
Benando

Benando

First Team Squad
I feel sorry for Dex, he seems to have become a ringer for being berated by a portion of the twitter mob since he signed his contract. Like Sharp, Cox and Henderson last season, the departure of SOD and the general lack of width saw him suffer greatly but his lack of goals has seen him get the brunt of criticism - which is ironic when Cox's record isn't great but he gets praise for his 'tireless' displays.

The signing of Hendo also made his role as target man redundant - although I always thought playing him as a target man was a waste as he was never convincing.

Dex played at his best for us with proper wingers pinging balls into the box for him to get his head on. If the right ball was played in, he'd usually beat most defenders in the box with goal bound headers. The Boxing Day game vs Leeds last season really highlighted him at the top of his game.

Since our summer spree where the width problem was addressed, he has barely had a look in; be it through injuries or the preference of Derbyshire and Miller backing up Cox and Hendo. When he's had a chance, he hasn't taken it which could be down to a lack of sharpness, fitness or simply no longer fitting the system we play.

I personally rate him as our third best striker - maybe it's the nostalgia of his partnership with Earnshaw - but he is a great option at this level and alway chipped in with goals that change our season be it that goal against Bristol in 2009, the winner against Newcastle or the brace vs Birmingham under Cotterill.

As it stands a move away will do him the world of good, be it on loan or permanently. He is a player who needs games to build consistency and is shot of confidence. This time last year I'd have thought it would be a horrendous move to let him go, now it's the best thing for him - ideally to a club like Wolves.
 
Hibernia Red

Hibernia Red

Youth Team
matt1988 said:
Obviously there are still a few out there. But they are becoming increasingly difficult to find year on year.

In the 90s and early 00s, it was unthinkable that a team could be promoted from the Championship without a prolific 25/30 goal a season striker. Think Collymore, Van Hooijdonk or David Johnson who all scored in huge numbers in promotion/play off campaigns.

Last year, Cardiff went up automatically without this prolific striker. Reading did the same the year before. These teams shared goals around the team and relied on a striker to link play and lead the line. If you can find a Rickie Lambert, great. If not, there is this increasingly popular alternative.

I personally believe we have the players to be chipping in with goals from all over the pitch (Reid, Lansbury, Majewski, Cohen, Mackie, Paterson, Cox) and two strikers who can each lead the line and chip in with a good number of their own: Henderson and Blackstock.
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This.
 
M

MaxiRobriguez

Bob McKinlay
Good signing for them. Sadly for us no longer required as we don't play in a way that utilises his strengths in any way.
 
tropix

tropix

Steve Chettle
I'd rather he didn't go to a rival, but it's a good move for him. He could thrive with service from Buckley and Lua Lua. Damn shame
 
BryanRoy22

BryanRoy22

Ian Bowyer
tropix said:
I'd rather he didn't go to a rival, but it's a good move for him. He could thrive with service from Buckley and Lua Lua. Damn shame
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I think he will. He obviously needs a change, something's not right, and when it all clicks into place for him he'll start banging them in.
 
L

lard

Guest
Pete O'Rourke ‏@SkySportsPeteO 1h
Leeds are in talks with Nottingham Forest about signing striker Dexter Blackstock who is also a target for Brighton. #LUFC #NFFC #BHAFC
 
Trickie Trees

Trickie Trees

Stuart Pearce
lard said:
Pete O'Rourke ‏@SkySportsPeteO 1h
Leeds are in talks with Nottingham Forest about signing striker Dexter Blackstock who is also a target for Brighton. #LUFC #NFFC #BHAFC
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He's a Leeds type of player. Reckon he'd do well with them.
 
GuildfordRed

GuildfordRed

First Team Squad
I wouldnt remotely tarnish any current Forest player with being a Leeds 'type' - dirty, clogging bunch of cheats. Horrible players and horrible supporters.
 
Trickie Trees

Trickie Trees

Stuart Pearce
Danny Apathy said:
I wouldnt remotely tarnish any current Forest player with being a Leeds 'type' - dirty, clogging bunch of cheats. Horrible players and horrible supporters.
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Dex isn't beyond using his physical presence and elboes. When playing well he can be a fans favourite. I can see Leeds fans taking to him if he gets any form. Agree with you about Dirty Leeds mind.
 
GuildfordRed

GuildfordRed

First Team Squad
Strikes me that Brighton would be his most likely destination if he wants instant first team games, seeing as most of their squad are made of biscuits. Plus we're not going to be playing them for a while either. Would be a good short term move for him to get some confidence back.
 
Bryn Gunn

Bryn Gunn

Cash is King!
Good luck to him if he goes, he's still fairly young and should be playing regularly, somewhere.
Deserves a good send off as well.
 
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