Britt Assombalonga

Darnhill Claret · Post by **Darnhill Claret** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 10:36 am

Got 10/1 last week. Fingers crossed.

Steve-Harpers-perm · Post by **Steve-Harpers-perm** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 10:52 am

Has he been linked with Huddersfield???

Funkydrummer · Post by **Funkydrummer** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 10:55 am

Even I've been linked with Huddersfax, the current day 'Boro !!!!

Blyclaret · Post by **Blyclaret** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 10:56 am

The papers say they have an interest

Quicknick · Post by **Quicknick** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 11:02 am

He may be attracted by Watford as it's close to London, but I'm sure Sean Dyche's reputation for developing players will count for a lot and the fact he knows him and presumably respects him. Huddersfield don't stand a chance.

Blyclaret · Post by **Blyclaret** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 11:24 am

And Warburton being Seans friend all may help too

Reecey1987 · Post by **Reecey1987** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 11:35 am

We need to pull our fingers out unless he's delaying the move until we put in a new offer

Cubanclaret · Post by **Cubanclaret** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 11:37 am

It's up to Forest who they sell to, that 5 year contract is helpful to them, and naturally they won't want to lose him to a team in the same division, that's what makes us faves over Boro, Watford could prove to be the fly in the ointment though.

Quicknick · Post by **Quicknick** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 11:37 am

I'm sure it's in hand, Reecey. We'll get him.

Lord Beamish · Post by **Lord Beamish** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 11:39 am

: IMG_8623.JPG (1.98 MiB) Viewed 8744 times

Something smells fishy about this.

joey13 · Post by **joey13** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 12:11 pm

Cubanclaret wrote:It's up to Forest who they sell to, that 5 year contract is helpful to them, and naturally they won't want to lose him to a team in the same division, that's what makes us faves over Boro, Watford could prove to be the fly in the ointment though.

It's not up to Forest at all , it's up to the player .

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 12:12 pm

It's up to both. The club can refuse an offer from any club. The player can refuse to move to any club.

Firthy · Post by **Firthy** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:01 pm

If we are prepared to match Boro's offer then I'm sure Forest would prefer to sell to us than a championship rival.

Reecey1987 · Post by **Reecey1987** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:04 pm

There has been no proof we are willing to match it apart from articles on line . I think his future will have been sorted by this time next week . Hopefully he will be in our team by the time we play forest

Reecey1987 · Post by **Reecey1987** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:41 pm

Anybody know whats happening with this new bid ? The more you think about it its never going to happen

mkmel · Post by **mkmel** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:49 pm

I have a feeling that we'll get him

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:53 pm

If it means Gray leaves, I hope he doesn't sign. If it means we have a Gray/Ass Barnes/Vokes then I'm in favour. I get the feeling though that Gray has been told, we'll sell, but only if a replacement comes in. So we'll be weaker upfront.

Reecey1987 · Post by **Reecey1987** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 10:18 pm

I dont think gray will be going anywere he wants to add fire power not take it away . We struggled for goals at times last season

MDWat · Post by **MDWat** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 10:47 pm

It's the weekend. Chill out. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't.

Reecey1987 · Post by **Reecey1987** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 11:08 pm

MDWat wrote:It's the weekend. Chill out. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't.

I am chilled just saying thats all . If you go on twitter its all over that were gonna put another bid in for him . Just because its weekend it doesnt mean that transfers and bids dont happen

Quicknick · Post by **Quicknick** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 12:48 am

Maybe he's better than Gray.

Longside4evr · Post by **Longside4evr** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 1:00 am

i do a straight swap _Gray for him but on the other hand it will boost the trees gate if it drags on and we will have our man which ever way you look at it get in their

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 1:05 am

I'd pick Gray any day of the week.

Boll ewood · Post by **Boll ewood** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 1:18 am

If we can get 15 mill for grey and replace him for 15 mill I'd take it now. Done his job for the clarets but think he as offered what he can. Decent player first touch shocking.

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 1:47 am

I don't see any player rumoured to be coming in yet that can replace him. Until I see that, I'd keep him.

Tall Paul · Post by **Tall Paul** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 8:55 am

Boll ewood wrote:If we can get 15 mill for grey and replace him for 15 mill I'd take it now. Done his job for the clarets but think he as offered what he can. Decent player first touch shocking.

Does Assombalonga have a better first touch? His Championship goalscoring record is pretty similar to Gray's.

Shore claret · Post by **Shore claret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 8:58 am

He used to work in a builders merchants, he's absolutely wizard with a bag of cement.

Quicknick · Post by **Quicknick** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 9:09 am

Him and Austin would get on perfectly. What a pairing.

Shore claret · Post by **Shore claret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 9:17 am

I've made that up, but maybe he could trap a ball better than andre

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 9:59 am

Gray clearly has flaws but he certainly knows where the net is. We must have been near the bottom in chances created last season, play to his strengths and he's an asset. He definitely has the ability to be a regular 15 goals a season player at this level, which is pretty respectable for a team looking to be established.

I'd like to see him stay and add Assombalonga or any other striker we might be targetting.

joey13 · Post by **joey13** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 10:23 am

Gray is the best forward we have not sure why posters want him to leave .
Assombalonga and Gray would make a terrific pairing.

Lancasterclaret · Post by **Lancasterclaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 10:24 am

Posters who want him leave are ignoring his scoring record at each level he's played at.

He's had a years experience behind him as well.

Socrates · Post by **Socrates** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 10:49 am

I think there is a complete misconception amongst Burnley fans over how many goals a striker should score for Burnley at this level.

This isn't the football league with 8 games more, poorer defenders and we're a stronger team. If Gray got 15 goals a season two years on the spin he would be a £50 million footballer in the England squad. To expect him to get that is simply unreasonable.

I'm going to put up a list of the top league scorers from last year :-

Kane
Lukaku
Sanchez
Costa
Aguero
Dele Alli
Zlatan
Hazard
Josh King
Benteke
Defoe
Llorente
Son Heung-Min
Coutinho
Mane
Vardy
Giroud
Firmino
Deeney
Vokes
Walcott
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Pedro
Negredo
Gray

Look at that list of players. Internationals, players on hundreds of thousands a week. Other than perhaps Josh King and Troy Deeney who can we reasonably expect our strikers to regularly outperform?

Our strikers did bloody well last year when you factor in Gray's suspension and the service they get. Anybody who doesn't get that ...... I would respectfully suggest doesn't have an understanding of the level we're at.

BleedingClaret · Post by **BleedingClaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 10:55 am

Socrates wrote:I think there is a complete misconception amongst Burnley fans over how many goals a striker should score for Burnley at this level.

This isn't the football league with 8 games more, poorer defenders and we're a stronger team. If Gray got 15 goals a season two years on the spin he would be a £50 million footballer in the England squad. To expect him to get that is simply unreasonable.

I'm going to put up a list of the top league scorers from last year :-

Kane
Lukaku
Sanchez
Costa
Aguero
Dele Alli
Zlatan
Hazard
Josh King
Benteke
Defoe
Llorente
Son Heung-Min
Coutinho
Mane
Vardy
Giroud
Firmino
Deeney
Vokes
Walcott
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Pedro
Negredo
Gray

Look at that list of players. Internationals, players on hundreds of thousands a week. Other than perhaps Josh King and Troy Deeney who can we reasonably expect our strikers to regularly outperform?

Our strikers did bloody well last year when you factor in Gray's suspension and the service they get. Anybody who doesn't get that ...... I would respectfully suggest doesn't have an understanding of the level we're at.

God point and well made

Reecey1987 · Post by **Reecey1987** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 10:55 am

Boro fans seem to think that he his going to be unveiled as there new signing as soon as they come back from portugal

bartons baggage · Post by **bartons baggage** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:00 am

Reecey1987 wrote:Boro fans seem to think that he his going to be unveiled as there new signing as soon as they come back from portugal

Boro fans and think in the same sentence is more than a little amusing.

BleedingClaret · Post by **BleedingClaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:02 am

joey13 wrote:Gray is the best forward we have not sure why posters want him to leave .
Assombalonga and Gray would make a terrific pairing.

Gray is the best forward we have if you were a dominant team creating pressure and clear cut chances....
However as for OUR requirements at EPL level he is IMO lacking ball control, link play, awareness, agility, guile and strangely strength.
That said he do a better job at Everton, for example, than the others.
Horses for courses
Just like Defour paired with Pogba in Man Utd midfield would work but for Burnley he has to be A box to box grafter, he isn't.
It is difficult because in the long term we need a team of specialists like Gray the finisher and Defour the orchestrator and Keane the defensive king pin, but can we get there, we lose Keane, Defour struggles as we are.
Newcastle can't have Shearers as Gazzas at their prime Everton have Rooney at dawn and dusk lose Lukaku etc.
Difficult one, but Gray lacks so much of what we require and Defour is like a pedigree poodle at a dogfight.
Best pure attackrr we have = Gray
Best creative midfielder = Defour
Are they suited to our attritional survival at this level?

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:20 am

He didn't start every game for us. I don't think it is unrealistic he could score 6 more goals if we provide him with more opportunity to score.

We have a way of playing and I'm not knocking that as it worked last season. We are unlikely to see much different in our set up next season either, but in my opinion it isn't a style that will lead to maximising the impact of a striker like Gray.

If that ultimately leads to him wanting to leave or Dyche thinking we have, or can buy other players to suit this then so be it.

Silkyskills1 · Post by **Silkyskills1** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:23 am

Andre Gray has played in the Premier League and will continue to do so. Assombolonga has never played at the highest level and may never do so. A lot of under-estimating what Andre has achieved whilst with us.

Reecey1987 · Post by **Reecey1987** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:35 am

I cant belive people are moaning if dyche thinks it will help us keeping gray and signing britt who are we to judge ? Surely we have more chance of doing summat this season if we have more fire power . Them 2 could form a lethal partnership even if its only for a season

Blyclaret · Post by **Blyclaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:43 am

For a start if Ye have been watching Burnley play
Dyche would never play Gray and Assombolonga together
Too similar

Reecey1987 · Post by **Reecey1987** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:48 am

Maybe not together but would be nice to have a pacy forward to fetch off the bench to cause problems when the defence is tired . Something what we havnt been able to do . If you look at most prem teams they have pacey forwards on the bench that come on and cause problems . If nobody has enquired about gray then theres very little we can do about it

arise_sir_charge · Post by **arise_sir_charge** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:52 am

I honestly think Gray is massively underrated.

He can be frustrating with some aspects of his play but he is absolutely deadly in front of goal.

I can't recall many games in his time with us where we've been bemoaning him missing chances. If he gets a chance he tends to stick it away. That would take some replacing with our budget.

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:56 am

I like Gray and want him to sign a contract but he's not good enough to spunk £15m on by allowing him to leave for free in 12months. In that time his heart might not be up for the fight ahead.
Technically his first touch is amateurish, poor header and plays too many air shots at balls coming across him. Put the ball in front of him and he's ace.
I'd welcome Assombalonga as his back up.

HiroshimaClaret · Post by **HiroshimaClaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:58 am

Absolutely fine n dandy if we sign Chumbawumba and have added options up front but give me the choice between the two (I might get knocked down for this) and I`d have Gray any day. In a team that has never played to his strengths, Gray has notched what,1 in 3? He knows where the net is, that`s for sure and with the addition of Cork, the retention of Defour (hopefully!) and a confident Brady in the team, Gray might be given more to feed off.

There is no guarantee that if Assombalonga comes,he won`t throw his dummy out of the pram IF he receives the same scraps as Gray has on many occasions.

As I said though, having the pair of `em fighting for a place (doubt they could BOTH play) would be grand.

Have a feeling though this is going to be filed away with the Andrew Driver and Dale Stephens of the world.

edit - 1 in every 2 1/2 games, Mr Gray has hit the proverbial onion bag.

ksrclaret · Post by **ksrclaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 12:01 pm

I'm not a huge fan of Gray, to be honest. I appreciate how good his goal scoring record is, but I like my forward players to have a bit more about their overall game than Gray does. For a team like us who will rarely reach even 40% possession during a PL game, I feel we need more from him in terms of holding the ball up and linking back into midfield. That's not his game, so I wouldn't be upset if he were to move on and we could bring in more of a number 10.

I'm not fully convinced Assombalonga is that man, although I believe he's more equipped than Gray at doing the stuff I've described above. Whether he can equal or better Gray's PL tally is something we'd have to be prepared to find out. I feel sure though that we won't see both Gray and Assombalonga at the club in September.

mkmel · Post by **mkmel** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 12:14 pm

Signing Assombalonga and keeping Gray would be excellent news and give us quite a decent strike force along with Vokes Barnes and Walters

Claretmatt4 · Post by **Claretmatt4** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 12:16 pm

mkmel wrote:Signing Assombalonga and keeping Gray would be excellent news and give us quite a decent strike force along with Vokes Barnes and Walters

**** I need some new pants.

bfc1984 · Post by **bfc1984** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 1:43 pm

Socrates wrote:I think there is a complete misconception amongst Burnley fans over how many goals a striker should score for Burnley at this level.

This isn't the football league with 8 games more, poorer defenders and we're a stronger team. If Gray got 15 goals a season two years on the spin he would be a £50 million footballer in the England squad. To expect him to get that is simply unreasonable.

I'm going to put up a list of the top league scorers from last year :-

Kane
Lukaku
Sanchez
Costa
Aguero
Dele Alli
Zlatan
Hazard
Josh King
Benteke
Defoe
Llorente
Son Heung-Min
Coutinho
Mane
Vardy
Giroud
Firmino
Deeney
Vokes
Walcott
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Pedro
Negredo
Gray

Look at that list of players. Internationals, players on hundreds of thousands a week. Other than perhaps Josh King and Troy Deeney who can we reasonably expect our strikers to regularly outperform?

Our strikers did bloody well last year when you factor in Gray's suspension and the service they get. Anybody who doesn't get that ...... I would respectfully suggest doesn't have an understanding of the level we're at.

Great post! Some fan's are a bit braindead though and use there favourite word 'upgrade'! Now is there any of them names above our strikers who we could upgrade to? Simply no! Considering gray and vokes both had stop start seasons in terms of appearances it was some going there goal returns.

randomclaret2 · Post by **randomclaret2** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 2:09 pm

Any braindead grammar pedants around ?