Foster is a number 9

[Dodobdobodobo]

I’ll be amazed if he comes out for the second half

[Shaggy]

Shock horror, he’s produced zip yet again… although he’s not the only one today to be fair

[agreenwood]

Think he’s done ok personally.

[helmclaret]

Bullied again. He’s not up to it.

[Pickles]

A number nine at what? Because I'm not sure it's football.

[ArthurNohair]

If he is, then he’s a bad one.

[Shaggy]

More like a 99…

[bfcmik]

Poor today.

Poor control, poor dribbling, poor hold-up play and poor teamwork. In my opinion, of course.

Although, to be fair, he wasn't helped by poor choices as his support. I can't imagine why anyone would think playing Benson, Sarmiento and Koleosho would work against a very physical defence.

[boatshed bill]

Foster will never succeed with in our style of play. Wether he would with any other Championship team is anyone's guess.

[KRBFC]

Yeah course he is

We’ve all got eyes, you’re kidding yourself

[BurnleyFC]

He looked lethargic, bordering on knackered.

[Dyched]

He’s just really, really **** isn’t he. Surely someone can put an arm round him and tell him.

[jlup1980]

Lyle will be an enigma until the day he departs. He can run with the ball. That appears to be his only attribute. He doesn't have any strength and can't link the play from no.9 at all. The ball just comes straight back at us whenever Lyle is up front. It's been said many times before that he just isn't good enough. Far too many games drift by without you even noticing that he's on the pitch. What is it now for the season, 2 in 22 apps. The sad thing is we still live in hope that he will come good for the run in.

[alf_resco]

He isn't a No.9.
In fact he's just a very ordinary footballer who can't cut it even at Champ level and who got a lucky break when dear Vincent picked him up.
I'm fed up of hearing excuses for his performances.
Time for all to admit he's not good enough and move him on.

[RVclaret]

Foster and Koleosho were probably the only two who looked capable of anything today.

[KRBFC]

Foster and Koleosho were probably the only two who looked capable of anything today.

The best forward in the league you said

[Silkyskills1]

Foster and Koleosho were probably the only two who looked capable of anything today.

I'm intrigued. What did they show? I'm looking for skill, awareness, determination, teamplay, ball control, good passing. Now they are eliminated what's left.
They weren't on their own today by any means but you singled out those two.

[Goliath]

Foster was fine, he created most of our meaningful opportunities and attacks which were then wasted. He struggles to get into goalscoring positions as a centre forward though, much more than when he plays from the left.

[Dark Cloud]

Foster and Koleosho were probably the only two who looked capable of anything today.

Barnes did more in 15 minutes than both those two combined!

[Enola Gay]

He may well be a number 9 but he's a poor one.

That suggestion someone made the other week to try an make him a Joelinton Mk.II is looking less ridiculous by the week. He can carry the ball and get us further up the pitch, let's try that instead of relying on his largely absent end product.

[colne-claret]

Foster is soft as sh*t. Honestly can’t remember many worse strikers at this level for us than him. Would certainly need to go back a lot of years. He doesn’t get anywhere near.

[Boss Hogg]

His good games are now so few and far between it’s hard to remember them.

[Wembley09]

He doesn't score anywhere near enough, he doesn't look like a natural scorer at all.

Has he ever been prolific? Looking at the stats for the season we signed him, he'd only scored 8 in the Belgian league. Must be some reason why Kompany raved about him, but as time goes on I still struggle to see it.

[Bowclaret]

I’ve had enough of Foster and have for a long time now. He is utterly useless. He thinks he’s better than he is and offers nothing - it’s like playing with 10 men. Get rid !

[scamander]

I've been holding out for Foster to come good as I genuinely want him to do well. Problem is that his first touch and decision making isn't great, there is a nuanced difference between taking a touch which means you are setup to do something with the ball immediately or simply stopping it near where you are. Foster is the latter, wheareas Antony is a good example of the former.

In the higher levels this buys you a fraction of a second more and makes all the difference. Today Foster looked like he was playing on a public park as the control wasn't there. Then there's the decision making - he tried to beat a player on the counter and just kicked it past him and the defender easily outpaced him. As for the finishing - well, that's not been coming. He might do well in another system but he's not at the level we need and proving this more often than not, which is a shame.

[bumba]

Foster will not help us get promoted, everybody knew in January we needed a striker.
If we don't go up it's because we can't score goals but Foster and Flemming are not championship standard strikers, not even for mid table sides.
The PNE racist striker is exactly the type of striker we need just not him

[dsr]

Foster will never succeed with in our style of play. Wether he would with any other Championship team is anyone's guess.

Exactly. Early in the second half, he had two opportunities in quick succession to take on 4 Preston defenders with no support, and both times he failed. In this system we need a man who can beat the entire opposition on his own. Think of Shearer at his peak. Someone like that.

The only alternative is to tweak the style of play to try and provide support for the lonely front man. And we know that isn't going to happen.

[KRBFC]

Exactly. Early in the second half, he had two opportunities in quick succession to take on 4 Preston defenders with no support, and both times he failed. In this system we need a man who can beat the entire opposition on his own. Think of Shearer at his peak. Someone like that.

The only alternative is to tweak the style of play to try and provide support for the lonely front man. And we know that isn't going to happen.

Or you hold the ball up, wait for support then lay it out wide and run into the box. Andy Gray was excellent at that, Barnes in his pomp too.

You have to have some kind of technical ability and awareness to do it though, Foster has neither and just decides to start running and ultimately gives the ball away.

[Bada Bing]

A waste of £10 million. Kompany signed some fantastic players, but his 2 major signings, Foster and Tresor, have been complete flops. We could have bought 3 or 4 top quality Championship players with that £25 million.

[Goliath]

In this system we need a man who can beat the entire opposition on his own.

Not asking much then, seems reasonable.

[123EasyasBFC]

We played foster in the 9 for the first team from the start in a long time with 3 players behind him who haven’t played much football recently.

Get foster in the 9 with Edwards Hannibal Anthony behind him and he might actually get something to run in behind onto

[Woodleyclaret]

Needs to shoot more when in range of goal not pass out to the wings as he did today

[KRBFC]

We played foster in the 9 for the first team from the start in a long time with 3 players behind him who haven’t played much football recently.

Get foster in the 9 with Edwards Hannibal Anthony behind him and he might actually get something to run in behind onto

More excuses for him then

[Aclaret]

Foster is a number 2

[aggi]

His good games are now so few and far between it’s hard to remember them.

Aston Villa of course.

[Dark Cloud]

He really isn't much good. Let's be honest.

[CoolClaret]

Think he should give playing winger in Rugby Union a shot.

[Claret2401]

Mental that people still claim he’s going to be brilliant, had maybe four good games and people claim he’s a world beater, absolutely chronic.

[123EasyasBFC]

More excuses for him then

I’ve done my fair share of calling foster especially at the start of the season before his injury, but since he’s been back today is the first time he’s played in the 9 from the start and had two wingers and a number 10 behind who aren’t in form.

Just think give him a chance with our first choice 3 behind the striker and judge then

[Wokingclaret]

Contracted to 2028........

[Shaggy]

Contracted to 2028........

That’s a disaster. No one’s going to give us anything for him.

[boatshed bill]

That’s a disaster. No one’s going to give us anything for him.

Or you could see it as an opportunity for him to develop. let's face it, we won't be buying anyone better.

[colne-claret]

Aston Villa of course.

Just a casual 427 days ago.

[Shaggy]

Or you could see it as an opportunity for him to develop. let's face it, we won't be buying anyone better.

If we won’t be buying anyone better than a bottom end championship/league one forward then we are headed one way

[Targetman]

If we won’t be buying anyone better than a bottom end championship/league one forward then we are headed one way

Time for a new manager eh...who would you recommend?

[Ric_C]

Remember when Tella made his home debut against Blackpool, and scored two goals? One of them was just pure class. I remember thinking to myself "this guy has something about him". I feel similar with Edwards.

I feel the complete opposite with Foster. He shows flashes, but he also has shown that since he signed 2 years ago, he hasn't improved much. It's a shame as there was a time where he looked as though he was growing into English football. We need him now more than ever, fingers crossed he delivers.

[Silkyskills1]

I’ve done my fair share of calling foster especially at the start of the season before his injury, but since he’s been back today is the first time he’s played in the 9 from the start and had two wingers and a number 10 behind who aren’t in form.

Just think give him a chance with our first choice 3 behind the striker and judge then

Again as in another thread yesterday any blame is being heaped on players around him. 2 years has shown me that unfortunately for him and us he's just not good enough.

[ElectroClaret]

Again as in another thread yesterday any blame is being heaped on players around him. 2 years has shown me that unfortunately for him and us he's just not good enough.

In another life, he'd be on Blackpool beach with a bell round his neck. We know he's had his problems, but have to agree he's just not cutting it.

[elwaclaret]

Demonstrated at the end of that Cardiff game his confidence is absolutely shot. He needed to just blast that at the goal, he wanted to do anything but take responsibility for shooting. Hope he gets a lucky touch soon and it gives him a little more confidence

[NickBFC]

Clear is he is completely devoid of any confidence. The decision to square the ball at the end tonight shows that. Great chance to score. Think he needs a spell out of the side personally. As for going forward, I could see him somewhere on loan next season...