Phil SumblerSwansea City do not have a natural goalscorer. This is not a new problem or a revelation that will take you by surprise because it has been a problem that has dogged us for several years although half the time it is not helped by the fact that for a least four of the past five seasons our creativity has been minimal at best.
Goalscorers thrive on service and you only have to glance at our match stats for recent seasons to know that our service levels are average at best. There is a reason why forward men have struggled to shine in our teams and it is not all down to their ability in front of goal.
This week’s link with Andre Gray from Watford could be the one that sees the vacant number 9 shirt at Swansea City filled but is Gray the answer that we are searching for or does it run deeper than that?
On the fact of it Gray’s overall career record is excellent with broadly a goal every two starts. His Watford career has never really got going with more than half of his appearances for the Hornets coming from the bench and he has – as a result – 21 goals in 125 appearances but only 59 starts. Again, nothing overly shabby about that record.
But put Andre Gray into our current squad and does he score the 20 goals you look for from your main striker? I am not sure and that is not because he is the wrong player.
Gray will need the service and a look at our current midfield suggests that it will be sporadic at very best. Put Andre Gray into our Brendan Rodgers team of 2011 with Taylor/Sinclair and Rangel/Dyer running the flanks and he scores goals. Put Gray into a side that faced Stoke and he feeds off scraps, scores a few goals and largely probably takes the brunt for a lack of goals when it wouldn’t be his fault.
Russell Martin’s words this week suggests that he wants him when he said: “Andre is a good player who has done really well at this level.
“I never like to talk about players when they’re other teams’ players. If he ever comes into this building then we can talk about him then.
“But until then, he’s a just player I’ve played against many times over the years, so I know how tough a character he is to play against.
“He’s just one of a number of players who I’m sure will get linked between now and the end of the window.”
Martin though is no fool and he will know what Gray needs so it possibly here is a case of looking not just at who he wants for the Number 9 shirt but who is in his mind to create the chances for that Number 9 to tuck away.
The fact that the manager has been drawn on comment about him says that he is keen on the striker and a move may not be too far away (well it can’t be when the transfer window only has 11 days to run) but the real question will always be about the service and the chances and no doubt that will be a question that Gray himself would want answered.
Andre Gray may well be the answer to the Number 9 shirt but he won’t be the answer to our creativity void, that one will certainly sit elsewhere.
