Left out by Southampton today despite being fit. Anybody feel as though we could go in for him this summer? I think he would be exactly the type of striker we should be looking at.

£50k per week. So NO chance realistically.

He'll end up at WBA

Less likely I would have thought if Puel gets the push which is a definite possibility, he's not popular amongst the fans (Puel).

Have that nagging doubt over his fitness and whether he is the player he was.

I've heard Newcastle are closing in on him.

Steve-Harpers-perm wrote:Have that nagging doubt over his fitness and whether he is the player he was.

This. It would be a huge gamble and not a gamble I think is worth going for.

FactualFrank wrote:This. It would be a huge gamble and not a gamble I think is worth going for.

Out of curiosity what sort of gamble do you think 'is worth going for'?

The collective ejaculations of Burnley fans as they all think "bring him home" whilst holding a picture of Jay Rodriguez who's been gone for 5 years.

He might take a pay cut to come home

Personally, if we keep Gray, I'd go for him - and its nothing to do with him being a former Burnley player, its to do with him being well suited to partner Gray.

He's had a decent season for Southampton and looked decent when he's played, and whilst there's admittedly a doubt over his fitness to some extent, he's no more a risk to me than signing someone entirely unproven at this level from either the Championship or overseas. Its a different sort of risk, but his CV and record at this level suggests to me its a reasonable risk to take.

If we do keep Gray, we want someone to play with him who is comfortable coming deep to collect the ball and link play with his back to goal, whilst providing a decent target option for the back lads given we play direct quite a bit. Jay does this. We want that player to be technically good enough to play in Gray more regularly than Vokes or Barnes do. Again, we know Jay has this. I can't think off too many other players who are realistic targets and who are in that Sheringham mould like Jay is. His injuries might have shorn him of half a yard of pace (I don't know), but that's less of an issue in our 4-4-2 than it is in the 4-5-1 many other clubs use.

The other thing he has is the ability to really attack a cross. Vokes tends to guide the ball, and has always scored far more prolifically from inswinging crosses (see last week at Bournemouth, and WBA). I suspect we'll get more out of Brady if we have someone who can really attack the ball, and I recall Jay scoring some terrific bullet headers in his time.

Whether or not we can afford him I don't know - although we'll have to stretch our budgets this summer - but I'd certainly be making enquiries.

ClaretAndJew wrote:The collective ejaculations of Burnley fans as they all think "bring him home" whilst holding a picture of Jay Rodriguez who's been gone for 5 years.

He'd be the best striker we've had since...Jay Rodriguez

Depends how you define good strikers. Charlie Austin the best for me in very recent times.

31 goals in 105 games Jay Rod, decent, but the best? Not really.

I think a lot of it is to do with him being local.

Better than anything we have now, so a yes from me. Don't care where he's from or where he has been. Anything that improves the team/squad needs looking at.

We could quite easily lose 2 of our best 3 players this summer, we need some better quality through the door.

ClaretAndJew wrote:Depends how you define good strikers. Charlie Austin the best for me in very recent times.

31 goals in 105 games Jay Rod, decent, but the best? Not really.

I think a lot of it is to do with him being local.

He could be from Timbuktu for all I care...I think that technically he is the best forward we have had in years maybe in my whole time watching Burnley. That's my opinion. If we was talking goalscorers then Austin would be the man. I think a Rodriguez/Ings player is what we are crying out for at the moment.

The only trouble with your Ings and Rodriguez are they are basically injured for a large portion of the season.

ClaretAndJew wrote:Depends how you define good strikers. Charlie Austin the best for me in very recent times.

31 goals in 105 games Jay Rod, decent, but the best? Not really.

I think a lot of it is to do with him being local.

With respect C&J you're very quick to dismiss the suggestion on Rodriguez, but you don't actually give any sort of reason to justify being quite so scathing beyond the general and incorrect insinuation that its only mooted because he's an ex burnley player.

I wouldn't touch Ings with a barge pole at the moment. Rodriguez seems to have turned a corner this season though and I hope it continues whether it's for Southampton or another team.

claretspice wrote:Personally, if we keep Gray, I'd go for him - and its nothing to do with him being a former Burnley player, its to do with him being well suited to partner Gray.

He's had a decent season for Southampton and looked decent when he's played, and whilst there's admittedly a doubt over his fitness to some extent, he's no more a risk to me than signing someone entirely unproven at this level from either the Championship or overseas. Its a different sort of risk, but his CV and record at this level suggests to me its a reasonable risk to take.

If we do keep Gray, we want someone to play with him who is comfortable coming deep to collect the ball and link play with his back to goal, whilst providing a decent target option for the back lads given we play direct quite a bit. Jay does this. We want that player to be technically good enough to play in Gray more regularly than Vokes or Barnes do. Again, we know Jay has this. I can't think off too many other players who are realistic targets and who are in that Sheringham mould like Jay is. His injuries might have shorn him of half a yard of pace (I don't know), but that's less of an issue in our 4-4-2 than it is in the 4-5-1 many other clubs use.

The other thing he has is the ability to really attack a cross. Vokes tends to guide the ball, and has always scored far more prolifically from inswinging crosses (see last week at Bournemouth, and WBA). I suspect we'll get more out of Brady if we have someone who can really attack the ball, and I recall Jay scoring some terrific bullet headers in his time.

Whether or not we can afford him I don't know - although we'll have to stretch our budgets this summer - but I'd certainly be making enquiries.

Please define "had a decent season " played 18 scored in 4 is not a decent season .

So far as im aware, he's had a decent season fitness wise, and has been a decent enough performer when required in a team able afford far more riches than we can.

Sure he's been a fringe player, but we won't be able to afford too many players who have even the record Rodriguez had managed at this level this season. Players who have played and scored regularly are simply out of our price range.

Depends what reasons would be good for people to hear, Spice.

I've not seen him since he's been at Southampton, other than what is mentioned when he gets a goal. His abundance of injuries and their severity makes me wary.

As for when he was here, it was at a time when we weren't blessed with the talents we've seen since, your Ings, Austin, Gray and even quality players
in other positions we've had since like Stanislas, Defour, Barton, Trippier. Hence, he shone.

I just feel we've moved on, I'm not suggesting he's a bad player, and he would of course get some amount of goals here, but would he slot back in like he's never been away? I don't think so.

claretspice wrote:So far as im aware, he's had a decent season fitness wise, and has been a decent enough performer when required in a team able afford far more riches than we can.

Sure he's been a fringe player, but we won't be able to afford too many players who have even the record Rodriguez had managed at this level this season. Players who have played and scored regularly are simply out of our price range.

I fear the serious injuries he has suffered will have resulted in him not getting back to his best unfortunately

Wouldn't go anywhere near Rodriguez, the price as well as the risk is too much. Same with Ings, although a loan wouldn't be the worst idea.

Fair enough about the injury concerns but please tell me that we're not stuck in the mindset that 50k a week is out of our reach?

Sam Vokes had a serious knee injury, but he hasn't done too badly this year...

FactualFrank wrote:This. It would be a huge gamble and not a gamble I think is worth going for.

If we were to go for him, we have a medical team that consist of a club doctor & physio's who do, what is called, "a medical" this will determine if Jay's knee is dodgy or not.

4 goals in three seasons.

Nice lad. Good player for us and before his injuries for Southampton. But no thanks.

ClaretAndJew wrote:Depends what reasons would be good for people to hear, Spice.

I've not seen him since he's been at Southampton, other than what is mentioned when he gets a goal. His abundance of injuries and their severity makes me wary.

As for when he was here, it was at a time when we weren't blessed with the talents we've seen since, your Ings, Austin, Gray and even quality players
in other positions we've had since like Stanislas, Defour, Barton, Trippier. Hence, he shone.

I just feel we've moved on, I'm not suggesting he's a bad player, and he would of course get some amount of goals here, but would he slot back in like he's never been away? I don't think so.

I'm not sure whether he'd slot back in as though he were 20 again, or the quality of the team when he was here, is in the least bit relevant.

The question for this summer is to find a striker with the qualities we need whose profile makes them realistic for us. Rodriguez is someone struggling to get a regular game for a bigger - but not massively bigger - premier league team than us, but has a CV asap player who has previously established himself at this level. That sort of player ought to be looked at by burnley.

I can understand concerns about his injury record, although i'd leave that to the doctors. I get he might be a diminishing player because he's had 2 serious injuries, but then again as i say every player is a risk. If Rodriguez were definitely of the standard he was when he made the england squad and Spurs wanted him, clearly we'd have no chance. And i get that wages may be prohibitive.

But to reject a player who on paper has the skill set we need, BECAUSE he previously played for us? I find that a bit odd personally.

A good source tells me hes off to newcastle and to bet on it

What does JRod do when we don't have the ball. When I've seen Southampton on the TV the answer is 'not much'.

cutsy123 wrote:A good source tells me hes off to newcastle and to bet on it

Is you mate called Joey?

ClaretAndJew wrote:Depends how you define good strikers. Charlie Austin the best for me in very recent times.

31 goals in 105 games Jay Rod, decent, but the best? Not really.

I think a lot of it is to do with him being local.

If you are looking for a goalscorer then it is Charlie ahead of Jay Rod and Ings any time but for all round play I'd always choose Jay Rod. Having said that, I expect all three would be well out of our price range and there are serious fitness doubts surrounding all three.

The only Jay, Austin or Ings could reasonably contribute to a club for a full season is by having Jay, Austin and Ings in the same squad, along with at least three other strikers.

If we can afford it, then make it so. But we can't.

cutsy123 wrote:A good source tells me hes off to newcastle and to bet on it

Checked a few online bookes and no odds are given and no bet available to place. Or is this sort of bet one you can only place in a street bookies?

claretspice wrote: If Rodriguez were definitely of the standard he was when he made the england squad and Spurs wanted him, clearly we'd have no chance.

Did Spurs really want him, or was that paper talk? Good player that he is, he never seemed good enough for a big club, or to be first choice striker, even when he was playing well for Southampton. A level below the likes of Sturridge, Rooney, Kane etc.

Dyche`s loan signing of Bamford hopefully shows us that Dyche is aware of the need for `that kind of striker`. Unless Bamford WAS a panic buy/done to appease fans (doubt the latter), Dyche getting in a poor man`s Rodriguez for last season may lead him to get someone of a similar ilk BUT better quality in for next season.

claretdj wrote:£50k per week. So NO chance realistically.

Realistically, including bonuses, some players will be earning £50k a week plus playing for Burnley next season.

Spijed wrote:Did Spurs really want him, or was that paper talk? Good player that he is, he never seemed good enough for a big club, or to be first choice striker, even when he was playing well for Southampton. A level below the likes of Sturridge, Rooney, Kane etc.

Spurs definitely wanted him - or more accurately, Pochettino definitely wanted him. Went to great lengths to investigate signing him even after his cruciate injury, such was the regard he held him in. Given the way Pochettino's team's play, incidentally, that probably addresses the question of how he works out of possession.

Its entirely true that post injury, Jay may be a rather different player. Certainly, you'd be doing your homework and a very stringent medical, that's for sure.

WBA are after him..and that is fact. Excellent source.

He's desperate to come back. All depends on Dyche. He's willing to take a pay cut to join.

not coming back, time to move on.

Somethingfishy wrote:WBA are after him..and that is fact. Excellent source.

Off a relation of Jays ha ha....heard the same with the added unbelievable wages

A Soton regular I met this summer says he isn't the player he was pre-injury.

Maybe he just needs a run of games to prove himself again

Sign him on.

it depends on the price. The Jay Rod that got injured for Southampton was out of our league, but the long absence and the doubts over his longterm fitness means we might get him for a bargain.
A fit Jay Rod would really improve this team.