Rousseau

I think we all agree on the stats - it's impossible to dispute them - we're just disagreeing on which stats are important.

It's no different to searching for clips on Youtube. It's only natural to look into what type of player we're signing. (For the avoidance of doubt: I have not prejudged any player. The only judging I've done is on their age profile, just because I'd prefer us not to sign older players, but that doesn't mean they can't be a success.)

I would need to find the matches and count every single metric myself. There's no way I'd be so stupid as to spend all that time just to prove a silly point on a Rangers foru--

I think it would be the opposite.

Or someone like Morelos who creates chances himself and gets a bucket load from others, but can't take them. It'll all be in the raw data.

Just because it's more work. I can give you the data but I'm not converting it all: 2018/19: 0.37 goals per 90 from an xG of 0.34 per 90. 2019/20: 0 g/90 from xG of 0.2 p/90. (I think he was injured this season?) 2020/21: (I don't have this data. It's 2 goals in 15 games, but I don't have the xG data to tell us the quality of the chances he had.) 2021/22: 0.17 g/90 from an xG of 0.19 p/90. 2022/23: 0.09 g/90 from an xG of 0.22 p/90. Just compare the emboldened numbers. If we were to judge each season: 18/19, very good; 19/20, very bad; 20/21, don't know; 21/22, good; 22/23, OK.

I think we're all losing sight of the fact that we still need a goalscorer.

I'll go through it. I'm only going by the facts of his last season: 2 goals in 25 games, over two loan spells. That looks bad. But, it's only bad if he's getting hundreds of chances. If he's only getting a couple of chances, then no one - not even Haaland - will score a lot. I'm then looking at his xG: The quality of the chances he has had. His xG for the season was 4: from the quality and quantity of the chances he's had, he should have scored 4. So, he is under-performing, but it's not atrocious. My other point was he looks like a pressing forward: good presser, good defensive numbers and a good link-up player. Those types don't necessarily score a lot - Firmino, for example; he scored 10-15 goals a season. (I'm not saying he's as good as Firmino, just that he looks that style of player.) That's all I'm saying.

I don't think you understand my point.

He can't be blamed for his xG. He can only take the chances he's given. What you'd criticise him for is scoring under his xG, which he did last season. But, it's 2 goals from an xG of 4. It's not atrocious. Two goals from an xG of 10 would be atrocious. Like I've said elsewhere, he looks like a pressing forward in profile. They're not generally goalscorers.

I'm asking because I see a pressing forward in Lammers' profile. A pressing forward won't get you 20-25 goals a season. I get frustrated when people judge players by some vague idea of a forward that does everything under the sun - and similarly for all positions. When many judge a forward they are judging him to a traditional target man number 9 standard. Not every forward is that.

Calm down. I'm just asking what the stats are? You said 'stats', which suggests you have an array of stats, but I assumed, rightly, that you just meant one stat in particular. I wanted to clear that up.

What are the other red flags?

You mean one stat: Goals scored.

Someone made a good point about the players Lammers has been competing with over the last few years: Santos Borre, Lindstrom; Quagliarella, Gabbiadini; Jese Rodriguez, Luis Muriel, Lookman, Hojlund, Zapata. Top class strikers. Man Utd are looking at Hojland from £40M.

Low numbers doesn't mean much in itself. We need to look deeper, at his xG. If he's scoring 2 from an xG of 1, then he's going well. If he's scoring 2 from and xG of 15, he's awful. In truth, he has slightly underperformed. He has scored 2 from an xG of 4 last season. Previous seasons has him pretty much hitting his xG. It'll be interesting to see how that translates to us, as he will get more chances. I would suggest he's not going to be a goalscorer, though. He looks more of a pressing forward and link-up player, who can hopefully contribute 10-15 goals.

I was thinking of Matondo, but then again, Yilmaz was the same price (albeit with add-ons). I suppose it depends how successful they are, though.

Sounds a tad expensive but I suspect that's the going rate in our market, outwith freebies and pre-contracts.

That's a good point. I've mentioned eleswhere that it does seem like the board don't quite know what they want from a DoF, other than 'a DoF'. It's a good start, but perhaps it needs to be more clearly defined.

Of course it will be joined-up. My point is that I don't think the DoF has as much control as he should, IMO. In your example of Kent and Morelos' contracts being run down. A DoF should just be acting, rather than leaving it to the manager. We know Gerrard was pretty forceful in refusing to sell players. It's another small example of our DoF not having the remit that he should - IMO.

Kent has signed for Fenerbahce.

Many turn their nose up at players from Aberdeen and Hearts.

I think Lammers fits if we're continuing with the 4-3-1-2. We need a pressing forward, which is why we've been playing Matondo, who is not a striker but can use his pace to do a similar job as a pressing forward. I also think Lammers will get goals at our level, but we still need another forward that can be the main goal threat.

I don't see how it can be a 'recipe for disaster' when every elite side in world football has a sporting director. You must know something they don't.