[Archived] Nikola Kalinic

[DanLad]

Bback 4 as per today, Jones and N'Zonzi at DMC, new Diouf and Kalinic up front, Olsson on the left.

Aren't just a good right midfielder away from...

...a good looking 4-4-2?

[Dan]

Amazed 3 people agree with this. Derbyshire was sold because he wasn't good enough to be a regular starter.

I stand by what I said. If Niko doesn't make the grade here, it wont be because of the manager, or his tactics.

I disagree, if he keeps having the ball launched to him at head height, with no one around him in support he'll struggle. If we can get the ball on the deck, at least around the 18 yard box and get him service and support, I think he'll get quite a few goals.

[budha]

...a good looking 4-4-2?

Unfortunately we'd probably get overrun and trashed by almost everyone as they would have three in the middle against N'Zonzi and Jones.

Only way to have both Kalinic and M. Diouf at the field at the same time is that one plays on the wing.

[roversfan99]

I dont think we should completely rule out 4-4-2, teams such as Sunderland and Birmingham are no better than us and play that formation. We could stick with 4-2-3-1 against teams like that and try to overrun them in midfield, or we could use the opportunity to give our lone striker a partner.

[1864roverite]

What showed today is that he is an instinctive finisher, something Roberts will never be.

[Hughesy]

Did well today..

Distin was all over him the entire game - often fouling him, Niko did well and took his chance well!!

Thats 1 league goal...how many more to beat last seasons total?

[budha]

One to tie, two to beat

[roversfan99]

Do we still count offside goals, hitting the woodwork and shots on target?

[Darwen Rover]

This lad is class act..

[Doaksie]

Kalinic is a bit like a middle aged woman's breasts.

Looks good, but so much better with some support.

Well done on the goal today Niko. Very sharp finish, and the difference between 1 point and 3. Little else created.

[AHoyle90]

He played well today, doesnt get the greatest service and has to feed of scraps but made the most of it today and was sharp for the goal.

[BuckyRover]

Kalinic is a bit like a middle aged woman's breasts.

Looks good, but so much better with some support.

Well done on the goal today Niko. Very sharp finish, and the difference between 1 point and 3. Little else created.

Ian Holloway would be proud of that analogy

[budha]

Kalinic is a bit like a middle aged woman's breasts.

Looks good, but so much better with some support.

Well done on the goal today Niko. Very sharp finish, and the difference between 1 point and 3. Little else created.

And looks better lying down or hands up?

[JAL]

Tim Tim let one one in - did'nt he do well !

Couldnt help but think about Niko Kalinic's agent as he scored, as hes a big Evertonian fan. God it felt sweet watching one of his men put his team to the sword.

Thought every Rovers player was equal to each other in performance today which can only be a good thing..top drwawer and Paul Robinson save in injury time ....Well... absolutely fantastic....top drawer.

Big Club next then the gooners already I think just these two games alone are going a long way to shaping Rovers season.

Art et labore

[RibbleValleyRover]

Allardyce expects more from Kalinic

[Alan75]

The jury is still out on whether he can play the lone striker role.

His sharpness and turn to score today proved that that he is a natural instinctive finisher.

The old cliche "He knows where the goal is"

Cant help but to compare his style of play to Matt Jansen.

[USABlue]

I like this lad a lot I think he has terrific potential, I just don't believe it to be in his best interests or our to be playing him up front alone. I'd like to see M Diouf paired with him. Mamms speed to provide service for Kalinic's finishing. That IMHO would be a pretty handy strike force.

[Exiled_Rover]

The jury is still out on whether he can play the lone striker role.

His sharpness and turn to score today proved that that he is a natural instinctive finisher.

The old cliche "He knows where the goal is"

Cant help but to compare his style of play to Matt Jansen.

He can play it, but it's a waste of his talents. Play him off a target man and he'd have a field day.

[LeChuck]

He can play it, but it's a waste of his talents. Play him off a target man and he'd have a field day.

That's a redundant tactic though, no top level strikers are afforded that luxury any more.

[BuckyRover]

Not true. Defoe for example, he rarely plays on his own. I'm sure there are other examples in the Premier league

[MarkBRFC71]

That's a redundant tactic though, no top level strikers are afforded that luxury any more.

So because no-one else does it, we can't? Must have missed that rule change.

Birmingham play with 2 up top don't they? Their season went ok last year.

If we want to see Niko at his best, it will only come from having a proper strike partner.

I understand that the better teams play 4-3-3/4-5-1 but then they have an abundance of quality midfielders with which to support a lone striker, while we have one - who is usually injured!

[roversfan99]

As good as Dunn is as a player, who both creates and scores goals his main drawback is his fitness as when we try to go forward Dunn is the main player responsible for joining the striker yet he often takes quite a while. Olsson provides good support, he is very good at timing his runs with balls over the top.

[LeChuck]

So because no-one else does it, we can't? Must have missed that rule change.

Birmingham play with 2 up top don't they? Their season went ok last year.

I'm not saying we can't play it, but there is a good reason that barely any teams do.

Birmingham play a 4-4-2 of sorts, but they don't produce goals from it. Last season they set a new Premier League record - the lowest number of goals scored at home by a team finishing in the top half. If it's goals you want then Birmingham aren't the team to emulate.

If Kalinic can only score goals on a regular basis playing alongside a target man then he's destined for a super-sub role. I don't believe that is the case at all though, I think he's more than capable of being the main striker.

[roversfan99]

Birmingham play a 4-4-2 of sorts, but they don't produce goals from it. Last season they set a new Premier League record - the lowest number of goals scored at home by a team finishing in the top half. If it's goals you want then Birmingham aren't the team to emulate.

Thats a good point, on the flip side Sunderland play 2 up front and leak a lot of goals.

[MarkBRFC71]

I'm not saying we can't play it, but there is a good reason that barely any teams do.

Birmingham play a 4-4-2 of sorts, but they don't produce goals from it. Last season they set a new Premier League record - the lowest number of goals scored at home by a team finishing in the top half. If it's goals you want then Birmingham aren't the team to emulate.

If Kalinic can only score goals on a regular basis playing alongside a target man then he's destined for a super-sub role. I don't believe that is the case at all though, I think he's more than capable of being the main striker.

Hmmmm, I think we'd create more chances if we played him with another striker.

And, another example - Spurs. Decent season for them with two up top last year?

Obviously it CAN work, but it depends on the players you have available.