Sunday, March 21, 2010
Tuesday 28th October 2008, 3:26PM GMT.
Albion manager Tony Mowbray has insisted he will keep faith with his goal-shy strikers – as Manchester United’s Manucho emerged as a possible January target.
Mowbray insists he will back Ishmael Miller and Roman Bednar, as the duo bid to increase their Premier League strike rate.
But the Baggies boss has made no secret of his desire to add extra firepower in the January transfer window, with United reserve Manucho the latest name to be linked with a loan move to The Hawthorns.
Mowbray watched the 6ft 2in Angolan international in action for United’s reserves against Manchester City last week.
While the Baggies boss is always reluctant to confirm the names on his target list, the 25-year-old clearly appeared the most likely target on either team in Manchester’s second-string derby.
The striker signed for United last season from the Angolan League but was loaned out to Greek side Panathinaikos, while his work-permit application was processed.
He was subsequently named in the ‘team of the tournament’ at this summer’s Africa Cup of Nations, after scoring four goals in as many games.
He was given permission to play in England this summer and made his United debut in the Carling Cup against Middlesbrough in September but is yet to figure in the Premier League.
Albion have a shortlist of more than half-a-dozen forwards, with a striker top of Mowbray’s January shopping list.
It is also known to contain Real Mallorca’s Argentine striker Oscar Trejo, who remains a target after the clubs were unable to strike a deal in August
Yet Mowbray is still pledging to stick with Bednar and Miller, resisting the temptation to throw £3million summer signing Luke Moore into the fray.
The Baggies boss said: “As a manager, the worst thing you can do is bin somebody, because they haven’t scored for a game or two, and stick somebody else in.
“Where do you go when he hasn’t scored for a game or two? Do you go back to the ones you’ve just binned?
“You’ve got to show a bit of loyalty and trust and every day you have to judge the mentality of your players.
“If that mentality is showing you that they’ve had a enough for a while, want a breather and don’t want to be in the firing line, you have to sense that and make changes.
“But if you’ve got strikers who are desperate to have another opportunity, because they know they’ve got goals in them and think it’s going to come in the next game, then you don’t disappoint them.”
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I commented last season when we where in the Championship that Miller would not make it in the Premiership.In fact Mobray signed 5 strikers and not one will make it.Luke Moore ought to be able to score with his pedigree but he obviously has a head problem.Unless WBA start scoring goals or change their system of play there is only one way we will go . DOWN!
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Lets hope he likes playing the SNOW!
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ha ha!
Cliff Richard scores more than the Albion!!!!!
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Of course he will keep faith with Miller and Bednar – what are the alternatives ??
And of course we will be looking to bring in more strikers in january – we tried to do this pre season but didn’t manage it.
I’m not sure what funds are available to ToMo – but i hope he spends the lot on forwards and not any more defenders, goalies ect as is being reported.
If we have around 10 million I would love to see 7 or 8 million going on a top class player and the remainder on another squad forward to give us more options (yes i know it aint that easy).
I have been suprised by our lack of goals as I honestly thought that would be the least of our problems.
I know we lost phillips but I was confident that miller and Bednar were up to the task – and whilst I aint writing them off, I never expected lack of goals to be our weakness.
We got promoted on a flurry of goals from all over the park and we need our forwards AND midfielders to start having a pop… we have sorted the defence out but we need that balance.
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edwolf
funny.
lets see in may ay?
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How many chances does Miller need to score a goal ? That’s what constantly lets us down; his total inability to compose himself. And WHEN will somebody teach him to kick, let alone shoot, with his right foot ? Through on goal, straight down the middle against Hull on saturday, he decides to cut it back on to his left foot and runs into the 2 defenders tracking himm back. The blokes an idiot !
Luke Moore must be screwing even more if he doesnt get a start after another dismal Miller performance. He’s gotta know he aint fancied by TM if he doesn’t start against Newcastle tonight.We’re never going to find out if he’s any good or not if he doesnt get a cahnce to play. 10 mins when you’re already 3 down aint no good.
On a lighter note; does any body need a ticket for the Liverpool match as i’ve got a spare one. if so leave your number and i’ll get in touch
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iv seen a programme on tv abwt Manucho, and if u look at his goals per game ratio i think he would be a great signing
would love to see a quality striker in january
BOING BOUNG!!! bring on the toon
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4. Happy….how are you my friend ? Haven’t had the pleasure for a while. Don’t think I can quite agree with you (not that you should be too worried by that !!) I think you actally need two strikers. Let’s face it the ones you have at the moment are just not producing – who knows why, but it would appear that they need more time to adapt to the level they’re playing at. I honestly believe you need two new strikers. It’s all well and good splashing 7 or 8 million on one player, but, if
a)the player didn’t fit in – waste of a lot of money.
b)Player fitted in, did the business for a short while, then got injured – nothing else to turn to but what you have at the moment.
If you could pick up two strikers for that 10 million (or perhaps a little more) you could then have options available to you. Who knows, their presence then may give the strikers you have at the moment that little bit of extra confidence and time to get established ?
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how the mighty have fallen
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Sorry Happy Baggie. After last night he still needs a Centre Half alongside Ollson. Barnett has suddenly gone missing…
Never mind Jan for a striker, he needs to get one in from the continenet on loan now. No point playing pretty football and winning loads of admirers if we aint scoring goals. Though Morrison was outstanding and Valero didn’t put a pass to a Newcastle player all night.
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Play one up front and your gonna struggle for goals!!!
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Play one up front and were going to struggle for goals, take last night for instance!!!
Dont want to sound too negative but is Luke Moore possibly our worst ever £ for £ signing??
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Hiya filtonwolf – i don’t disagree with you at all, and in fact my earlier post only confirms what you say – we need two new strikers, one hopefully a 7/8 million pound top quality striker and then maybe 3 million on someone like david nugent to bolster the squad.
carl 10 – sorry to disagree but i think we have enough cover at CB with Ollson, Donk (who you can’t judge on 1 or 2 games), barnett and Miete – thats 4 possible 1st team CB’s.
We are inviting opposing forwards on by not hurting them when we have possession – any defender will stuggle if the traffic is mostly one way – a decent goalscorer (or the threat of one) will help the defence.
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what is happening to luke moore? he is your best striker in my opinion
but you cant play him for one or two games and expect an immediate result in a player which barely played in last 2 seasons
but then you dont have time in the premiership to bed him in. maybe loan him out would be option for 1month
but personally you should have built up the lads confidence last season when securing promotion not knocking his confidence by benching him
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Mowbray has no option to stick with the present strikers,who else can he pick,he cannot buy anyone till January so he is stuck with them.He bought them, most of the team are his buys including Moore who must be the worst sighing ever.Blackburn are a must win on Saturday as Newcastle should have been
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3 & 9
??????????????????????????????????????????
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‘I have been suprised by our lack of goals as I honestly thought that would be the least of our problems.
I know we lost phillips but I was confident that miller and Bednar were up to the task – and whilst I aint writing them off, I never expected lack of goals to be our weakness.’
Thats because you dont know what your talking about HB.
….’including Moore who must be the worst sighing ever.Blackburn are a must win on Saturday as Newcastle should have been’
Oh dear, you lost. Well we did try to tell you Philips and Gera was a bad move.
Looks like a lot of humble pie will be eaten this season Tescos, its sad you all believe your own nonsense.
Going down boys. Oh and get a sponsor.
We are Wolves.
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6.
Totaly agree, miller is an idiot, i dont no how many times he manages to piss me off in a game but he is dia.
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