i've intentionally left out the "new signing" option because it goes without saying that we'd all preffer to just see us sign a good new striker to play along with kevin kyle.

but what i was wondering was, if we don't sign a new striker (which is a distinct possibility) which one of our current strikers would you like to see played up front.

my prefference would probably be to start the season with elliot playing up front with kyle (very much a case of best of a bad bunch) with robinson probably being my long term preference after he's back from his likely loan spell.

i've also added the option of changing formation. if we are stuck without a new striker for the new season, would it be worth looking at a change in formation. to something like we've seen played in the world cup with a lot of the top teams playing a 4-2-3-1 set up.

i know 4-5-1 didn't go down too well with the fans under csaba. but if we signed a decent attacking midfielder and used driver and temps/suso out wide we could set up in a far more attacking style than we did under csaba.

Sorry Davie, but most of us would want a new guy in beside him.
I had so much expectation about Gary Glen making a breakthrough last season, but he failed time and again to grab his chance, when he got it.
Obua is a guy who has the odd good game, but let's be honest, if we could punt him, few of us would make a fuss.
The rest of them are players who just can't hack it at this level, and that is a view based on their performances in this league, with Hearts and some other SPL outfits.
PLEASE don't mention one man up front...One BIG target man.
A fast moving; quick passing midfield, with two up front at least is how to go about it.
I am pig sick of seeing one guy up front running about like he's just escaped from the Royal Ed. and also watching Hearts play in games where our opponents have the lions share of possession.
One man up front when you are away to the O.F. produces the odd win, or draw, but quite frankly I'd rather see us have a go.

We need new blood, but sticking with the OP's poll - Can't see JJ playing one up front very often whatever the supporters might want. I think Clum should get a chance with KK. He's had a rocky ride, been thrown in at the deep end too often and had too many knocks to really say in fairness that he cant make it in the SPL, this will be the making or breaking of him though, Glen and Robinson/Smith (Whichever arent loaned) as back-ups.

Obua is an interesting option to have, against the right defences him and KK could be dangerous, thats speculative though, I have a feeling that the pair of them will either be hideous together or they'll really click. Mole out, Witters - dunno, does he actually have something that Csaba completely failed to ignite? (Please don't respond with the obvious )

Little bit depressing seeing the options listed like that. One up front is no use so I think Obua, for me Calum Elliot is just not good enough (would of course be delighted to be proven wrong on that) However, keeping everything crossed for a new striker.

I agree with you. The menu says "Bread and water, water and bread or breadwater"

Went for Obua, I reckon he'll become a decent player as a forward.

Still though I'm stubborn in my demand for another striker.

Robinson and Smith should be loaned out to Raith or somewhere.

Witteveen and Mole should be binned

Elliot should be on his very last chance.

I like that Lukas Jutckiwitz* who was on loan at Motherwell last year even David Clarkson, another who is a proven SPL striker.

If big Kev gets an injury we're back to square one so we really really need a striker.

Tin hat on, but I reckon one up front could be the way to go. All the successful teams at WC and CL level play this. The reason it never worked under Csaba was we never had a striker who could play that role or a midfielder who could go beyond him. I honestly believe that if you played a holding two (Eggy, Ruben, Hartley?) with Suso/Templeton and Driver wide and KK up front, a decent attacking midfielder (could Stevensonbe the man?) would be very successful. But I don't mean a player like Obua or Elliot squeezed into that role.

Spain did not play with one up!
Germany did not play with one up!
I refute whatyou say "Tigger".

When we talk about "one man up front" here it means hump it up and hope he can hold it long enough for the calvary to get forward!
In the W.C. the good teams had 6 players that floated about from midfield to the penalty box.

What happens if KYLE gets INJURED?

Spain did, with two wide men and attacking midfielders. (Torres up with Villa and an other wide or Villa up with Pedro and Iniesta wide)
Germany did - usually Klose up front with Podolski and Muller wide and Ozil in behind
Netherlands did - Van Persie - Kuyt and Robben - Sneijder
Argentina and Brazil tended to play a 4-3-2-1, Argentina with Higuain supported by Messi and Tevez and Brazil with Luis Fabiano backed up by Kaka and Robinho.

Admittedly, all of these teams were blessed with very good, adaptable players who could move to other positions.

And England should have and were screaming out for it. Even the pundits were saying that a good team will rip apart a 4-4-2, as Germany did to them. (then again, no good teams in the SPL, so no real issue there).

I really do think that playing a 4-2-3-1 would be the way forward, but the three need to be the right players and not just any old winger/midfielder shoehorned into an unsuitable role (think ManU Mickey trying in vain to play the Ozil/Sneijder role). As you say, 4 attacking players, plus full backs, with "holding" players who are comfortable on the ball.

I feel that this is a much more flexible line up, which lends itself to becoming a 4-3-3, a 4-5-1 or even a 4-2-4 when the need arises. The problem with the 4-4-2 is that if you have two genuine wide players, you run the risk of being overrun in the middle of the park.

However, as you say, would it be us humping the ball up and hoping for the best? And the Kyle injury point is also a valid one.

oh come on, who actually chose witeveen???
i only put him in there as a joke. someone must be on the wind up.

as for the 4-2-3-1 idea...i don't think it's the best idea myself, not suited to scottish football. it works well at the highest level. the SPL certainly doesn't qualify as the highest level.

but, if we don't get another striker it is a possibility and could be utilised against the old firm or in european games, if we get back there. the thing is, i do feel we are better equiped to play this formation than we were before. kyle would be better suited to the central striker role than the immobile christian nade. we have a few propper attacking wingers in temps, driver, suso and novikovas and hopefully we'll sign a good attacking midfield player who is better suited to playing in the hole than micheal stewart was (bryson, stevenson???). i also feel that JJ would get the players to play in a more fluid attacking style than the stifling version deployed by csaba. it's probably a waste of time discussing it as JJ is very much a 4-4-2 man me thinks but just thought i'd put it out there.

as regards the signing of the new striker, i'm with y'all on that one. i did mention it in the OP and predicted it would be mentioned none the less.
it is a very real possibility that we'll start the new season without signing another striker. (considering the last couple transfer windows, i was chuffed just to get kyle in) and the purpose of the poll/thread is to determine the preffered option if we are left with nothing but the above listed players.

Guilty.

Someone else voted first, so I thought "Comedy Landslide!".

I don't really think Witters as my opinion, but you've got to laugh or you'd cry.

I went for Smith, I hope that he will become a real find and if he can learn from a player of kyles ability then he's the one I think will out-shine the others, lets hope that he has a season or two to learn from our 2 new strikers.

thankfully fate has conspired against your evil little plot and sent witters and mole out on loan.

so i was able to update the poll.

i imagine the 2 of you who voted witeveen can probably have another vote!

I`d rather see Robinson or Smith partner Kyle up front , I think going back to the old days when we played with a big striker , and a wee nippy striker playing of him produced the best results for the team.