Andre Gray

[mwram1973]

Well that's an interesting point of discussion though. Let's say hypothetically we buy Gray for £8m. Do we look at it as "What a rip off Gray was! twice as much as Ince!" or "What a steal Ince was, half as much as Gray!"? I'd say, with the prices being touted around at the moment the latter is more likely to be true than the former. Although I still don't think we should spend £8m more, we have a good squad, and that would certainly put us in risk of FFP if we didn't get promoted.

Very good point.

[Carl Sagan]

Based on the chances missed at the iPride, I'd say someone's added an extra zero. £800k maybe, but I wouldn't pay any more that that.

[i-Ram]

My twopenneth.  For the right team I think Gray could be a really good investment, perhaps ours. Not advocating he is worth £8m, but for the last 3 seasons he has scored goals regularly. We can be a bit sniffy regarding lower leagues, but as a striker you don't pick your opponent you just stick it in the net. You also don't pick your team mates, and last year in a very well drilled Brentford team he scored a fair number of goals without having much of a striking partner up there with him. In fact, I say fact - it might not be! - despite a relatively diminutive stature, I think he was principally the only real striker leading the line, and running himself ragged.  Can imagine him playing very well close to another striker, feeding off touches and knock-ons - say someone like Chris Martin.  At 24 the lad could be another Charlie Austen. Late developer, will only get better with age.

Anyway I doubt it is him, but if it were I certainly wouldn't be disappointed.

[Ashz09]

No thanks not better then what we have would be a bench warmer at best!

[Alph]

He's got a good record. Not seen him play much though.

Don't think you need to go out and spend £8m on a striker if you're in the Championship. That's a huge amount for clubs at this level. Not many clubs can afford to spend that in two summers on their whole team. Who earns that much money to afford £8m on one player? Who's squad is well developed enough to spend £8m on one position? 

I don't believe we're even interested. Just like we weren't interested in Bridcutt. We were reported to be in talks with him but we wasn't.

We won't be spending £17-18m this window. 

[Srg]

He's got a good record. Not seen him play much though.

Don't think you need to go out and spend £8m on a striker if you're in the Championship. That's a huge amount for clubs at this level. Not many clubs can afford to spend that in two summers on their whole team. Who earns that much money to afford £8m on one player? Who's squad is well developed enough to spend £8m on one position? 

I don't believe we're even interested. Just like we weren't interested in Bridcutt. We were reported to be in talks with him but we wasn't.

We won't be spending £17-18m this window. 

We're not... Nicholson already rubbished this days ago... not sure why this topic is still rumbling on!

[Albert]

We're not... Nicholson already rubbished this days ago... not sure why this topic is still rumbling on!

Because people are still trying to figure out this vapour-signing that Nixon is talking about. It's the mysteriousness that will keep people guessing too. His "Bridcutt will sign" stuff turned out to be vapour-signing nonsense it seems, but we know who he was talking about so we've moved on. The great thing is this kind of cold reading type stuff about a signing will just keep people biting until the end of January, as he can just keep pushing it back. 

It's amazing the amount of credibility someone can have without calling a signing any bigger than a nominal signing, at least from what I can remember. Loans, frees, nominals and a few coaches and people hang off his every word, and he gets his own thread on here. Amazing stuff!

[Sam_DCFC_1994]

My main thought would be that would mean he'd cost about the same as Bent. Martin, Ince, Weimann, Russell and Dawkins combined...

Yet... for me... Isn't as good as ANY of them individually...

Gray is a deadly finisher. Much more than the likes of Dawkins and Russell for sure. So i would say they are better that those 2 individually.

I take in to account Russells injuries, but he didn't score a goal for the rest of the season after boxing day game vs Bummingham.

I doubt very much we are actually looking at Gray.

[Anag Ram]

I  still think we have more than enough forward options.

It's the midfield we need to bolster.

If Thorne is out we are back to Hughes, Bryson and Hendrick and we know that doesn't work.

Baird is experienced enough to play there for a bit but that's not his strength.

Let's make sure we are tight in defence and let the likes of Ince, Weimann,  Martin  and Bent do their job.

[eddie]

Because people are still trying to figure out this vapour-signing that Nixon is talking about. It's the mysteriousness that will keep people guessing too. His "Bridcutt will sign" stuff turned out to be vapour-signing nonsense it seems, but we know who he was talking about so we've moved on. The great thing is this kind of cold reading type stuff about a signing will just keep people biting until the end of January, as he can just keep pushing it back. 

It's amazing the amount of credibility someone can have without calling a signing any bigger than a nominal signing, at least from what I can remember. Loans, frees, nominals and a few coaches and people hang off his every word, and he gets his own thread on here. Amazing stuff!

HERETIC!!!

[WorksopRam]

He does know an awful lot, but I asked him about Bridcutt yesterday and he gave me his usual spiel. 

[RamLad1884]

He does know an awful lot, but I asked him about Bridcutt yesterday and he gave me his usual spiel. 

we all forget that there's the loan window also. Derby May Have decided against a move for him as they could probably loan him if injuries called for it. 2 million saved could be a transfer decider if we go for any players now/January 

[Albert]

He does know an awful lot, but I asked him about Bridcutt yesterday and he gave me his usual spiel. 

Nixon seems on the money most of the time when he comes out directly announcing we're about to sign someone on loan, a free or nominal fee, or for the backroom. These "sagas" that drag on though, that's the issue, I don't recall one of these calls actually ending in a signing for any significant fee before, and he's done a lot of them. To me it feels like listening to my mechanic about the housing market. Who knows, maybe he knows something about it, but him being a great mechanic isn't exactly qualification to discuss whether I should sell my house. 

[cheron85]

Gray is a deadly finisher. Much more than the likes of Dawkins and Russell for sure. So i would say they are better that those 2 individually.

There are plenty of people who disagree with that statement on this thread...

If he's going to play somewhere in our 'Front 3' he just isn't as good in ANY position as someone we already have... And I'd suggest he'd be the 3rd or 4th best option in each position...

I don't see the point in spending £8m on a player when the justification is mostly "what happens if Martin AND Bent get injured AND we decide to only ever play 1 up front?"

[Thierry Ennui]

The people judging Gray have likely seen him once, at the iPro, where yes, he missed a few chances. Completely ignoring the fact that a huge factor for being a good striker is getting into those positions, and also ignoring the fact that his record has been good. Suarez had a season of missing a ton of chances for Liverpool but it was clear that, with a bit of work on his finishing, that wouldn't matter in the end. Yes I'm comparing Gray to Suarez.

[cheron85]

The people judging Gray have likely seen him once, at the iPro, where yes, he missed a few chances. Completely ignoring the fact that a huge factor for being a good striker is getting into those positions, and also ignoring the fact that his record has been good. Suarez had a season of missing a ton of chances for Liverpool but it was clear that, with a bit of work on his finishing, that wouldn't matter in the end. Yes I'm comparing Gray to Suarez.

I would suggest the same is true though of Russell and Weimann...

My argument is that whilst Gray COULD potentially be worth £8m... Why would we bother when we have Martin, Bent, Ince, Weimann, Russell and Dawkins who can all play the same position(s) as him? (And IMO are better)

[Curtains]

I would suggest the same is true though of Russell and Weimann...

My argument is that whilst Gray COULD potentially be worth £8m... Why would we bother when we have Martin, Bent, Ince, Weimann, Russell and Dawkins who can all play the same position(s) as him? (And IMO are better)

Russell ,Dawkins ,Ince and Wiemann are not out and out Centre Forwards are they. 

Would you put them there ahead of Martin and Bent .

The answer is clearly no for me  .

 

We have Sammon and Thomas out on loan for the season and Bennett nowhere to be seen  

 

Do I think Bent is better than Gray Im not yet convinced. 

So that leaves just Martin who could easily break down again as could Bent. 

Then there's the loan market but as we saw last season Martin and Bent both injured arnt easy to replace by loans. 

Id buy Gray in a heartbeat and if Hull get him watch him bag a load of goals  

Just saying and it's my opinion thanks. 

[SaintRam]

Russell ,Dawkins and Wiemann are not out and out Centre Forwards are they. 

Would you put them there ahead of Martin and Bent .

The answer is clearly no. 

Do I think Bent is better than Gray Im not yet convinced. 

So that leaves just Martin who could easily break down again as could Bent. 

Then there's the loan market but as we saw last season Martin and Bent both injured arnt easy to replace by loans. 

Id buy Gray I a heartbeat and if Hull get him watch him bag a load of goals  

just saying and it's my opinion thanks. 

I don't think anyone's disagreeing he might be worth £8m. But you've just accepted in the above that we'd essentially buying an £8m backup. That would be crazy, only champions league teams pay that money for occasional starters. If Hull sign Gray then it's because he's going to be a definite starter and I agree with you, he would bag a load of goals. We're just not the right fit for him, in my opinion.

[dcfcreece1601]

Russell ,Dawkins ,Ince and Wiemann are not out and out Centre Forwards are they. 

Would you put them there ahead of Martin and Bent .

The answer is clearly no for me  .

 

We have Sammon and Thomas out on loan for the season and Bennett nowhere to be seen  

 

Do I think Bent is better than Gray Im not yet convinced. 

So that leaves just Martin who could easily break down again as could Bent. 

Then there's the loan market but as we saw last season Martin and Bent both injured arnt easy to replace by loans. 

Id buy Gray I a heartbeat and if Hull get him watch him bag a load of goals  

just saying and it's my opinion thanks. 

Wiemann is in fact an out an out striker pushed out of place , so I'd like to see him play him up front , I don't think gray is worth 8 mill or even 4 mill for that matter so therefore I probably would prefer someone else , can't think of a suggestion of the top of my head though

[Curtains]

I don't think anyone's disagreeing he might be worth £8m. But you've just accepted in the above that we'd essentially buying an £8m backup. That would be crazy, only champions league teams pay that money for occasional starters. If Hull sign Gray then it's because he's going to be a definite starter and I agree with you, he would bag a load of goals. We're just not the right fit for him, in my opinion.

Good points. 

I see Gray as a more out and out goalscorer than any of the Rams players even Bent and Martin 

Having said that you don't have to play with an out and out centre forward goalscorer as long as all the midfielders and wingers score loads of goals. 

Defenders should also chip in with goals  .

How many goals do you see Bent and Martin getting this season.