[Archived] Nikola Kalinic

[RibbleValleyRover]

I think he's done at this club, either he will push for a move at the end of the season or we will try and sell him but it will be at a loss. The lad is our top scorer and it's a joke that he can't make the team or even the bench.

When was the last time Roberts scored?

When was the last time Santa Cruz scored?

Niko would be in my side over these two that's for sure.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if he goes to another club in this league, plays every week and bangs the goals in.

[budha]

Nicola Kalinic!!!!!

Funny if the lad can't even spell his own name.

[Ralfinho]

Funny if the lad can't even spell his own name.

I meant Nikola Kalinic!!!

[cesus]

Kalinic is a waste as a lone front man, surely we have all seen more than enough evidence of this. We have seen going 451 makes us a whole lot more solid and as a lone striker Niko just isn't the answer, he is a good finisher and works hard but the raw attributes of a lone striker mainly strength and the ability to be intelligent with possesion don't appear to be his strong points.

As a partnership I believe he has a place as a lone front man I'd say he only heads Mame on the team sheet. Sam and Kean both haven't exactly had him as the first name on the teamsheet.

Whether he can do elsewhere is anybodys guess, what I would say is he is a canny finisher and if you give him service which nobody can say he has had here I'd say he will get goals.

[den]

he is a good finisher

Time and time I read this. Is there any evidence for this at all?

[cesus]

West Brom away about 3 minutes in if we want to be picky and you want 'any evidence at all'.

[Gav]

I think he's done at this club, either he will push for a move at the end of the season or we will try and sell him but it will be at a loss. The lad is our top scorer and it's a joke that he can't make the team or even the bench.

When was the last time Roberts scored?

When was the last time Santa Cruz scored?

Niko would be in my side over these two that's for sure.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if he goes to another club in this league, plays every week and bangs the goals in.

I take you points RibbleValley, but surely you’ve seen enough of Kalinic to realise the guys just not up to the job. It was criminal for Allardyce to play him as a lone striker, shot his game and confidence to bits, but I think he’ll struggle to come back from that now.

I was still hoping Grabbi would make the grade, but eventually I had to concede he was rubbish, whilst Kalinic is better than Grabbi, he’s not premiership standard for me, and doesn’t have the fight in him either to succeed at this level, sad but true in my book.

[den]

West Brom away about 3 minutes in if we want to be picky and you want 'any evidence at all'.

I'm not being picky cesus. I remember that goal and he took it well. In 2 years, there aren't many [any] more, while, contrary to popular belief he has had plenty of chances to score goals.

[DanLad]

I'm not being picky cesus. I remember that goal and he took it well. In 2 years, there aren't many [any] more, while, contrary to popular belief he has had plenty of chances to score goals.

Do you think that we create plenty of chances?

[Tom]

West Brom away about 3 minutes in if we want to be picky and you want 'any evidence at all'.

One goal is hardly proof, how about Roberts vs Everton last season? But I know you were just making a counter point.

I do think Niko is half decent but over rated by many, his finishing is ok but he has missed a few easy chances for us and hasn't shown to be any better at finishing than our other strikers.

I think the situation he finds himself in his partly his own doing, his insane red card could have been very costly for us and his constant throwing himself to the ground is infuriating.

However he deserves a shot in the team I'd say but I don't think he is a difference maker really.

[Earlydoors]

I just dont see his attributes. Normally a striker has something that he excells at - heading (Crouch, Santa Cruz), Pace (Defoe), Power (Heskey), or finishing (Phillips) or a mixture of these like a Shearer, Rooney or Drogba.

Kalinic is slow, not physical, not great technically, not good in the air, doesnt have a good shot, and isnt a good finisher.

I get so frustrated by him. He continually falls over backwards when trying to control the ball, and ducks out of making a header then runs in behind the defender (who now has a easy clearance).

I can see a player with good feet who works hard but would excel if allowed to play facing the goal rather than with his back to it. He can find the space to receive a ball to feet and, when his confidence is up, will get his head up and pick a pass to front man or winger or shoot from edge of box.

Of course, as every other poster has pointed out, Peter Beardsley or Nigel Clough never played as a lone target man.

Surely, he's perfect to play off Santa Cruz or someone with the pace and movement of a Darren Bent.

[den]

Surely, he's perfect to play off Santa Cruz or someone with the pace and movement of a Darren Bent.

You mean the Darren Bent who has pace, creates and scores his own goals? That's what Niko doesn't do. Also, that says that Niko needs someone else of quality to find openings for him. Then we come back to the point, where's all this finishing ability? If he's got it, we would have seen it, - unless you adhere to the argument that he's never had any goalscoring opportunities in two years.

[Earlydoors]

You mean the Darren Bent who has pace, creates and scores his own goals? That's what Niko doesn't do. Also, that says that Niko needs someone else of quality to find openings for him. Then we come back to the point, where's all this finishing ability? If he's got it, we would have seen it, - unless you adhere to the argument that he's never had any goalscoring opportunities in two years.

No, no I mean in front of a finisher - in the hole releasing a Bent

[K-Hod]

I don't know where this blind faith from some concerning Kalinic stems from.....

His goal against WBA away was a cracker no doubt, of his own making (following a cracking through ball), but other than that he hasn't shown enough consistently to merit all the praise he receives on here.

That said, I do like him in a 4-4-2 formation, but sadly, we don't really have the midfield to play that system (well).

[RibbleValleyRover]

I take you points RibbleValley, but surely you’ve seen enough of Kalinic to realise the guys just not up to the job. It was criminal for Allardyce to play him as a lone striker, shot his game and confidence to bits, but I think he’ll struggle to come back from that now.

I was still hoping Grabbi would make the grade, but eventually I had to concede he was rubbish, whilst Kalinic is better than Grabbi, he’s not premiership standard for me, and doesn’t have the fight in him either to succeed at this level, sad but true in my book.

The times when Kalinic played a lone front man role but had no support he looked totally out of his depth (under Allardyce it was punt it long without anyone near him). The times when he was supported by players especially quick ones(Hoilett and Olsson) he looked a really good player. Two examples of when Kalinic had support and scored goals where the West Brom game and the Villa cup game.

I wouldn't say his is a brilliant finisher but he is a poacher, he scores goals when he plays. Could you say the same about Roque and Roberts?

Roberts is a ###### awful player and I will be celebrating the day we get rid. Santa Cruz's lack of goals doesn't surprise me one bit - I said at the time the main reason he scored goals at this club was due to Bents. With Olsson and Hoilett now in the team and a solid midfield with Jones and Jones allowing them to make forward runs I think Niko could really prosper and score goals.

[gumboots]

You mean the Darren Bent who has pace, creates and scores his own goals? That's what Niko doesn't do. Also, that says that Niko needs someone else of quality to find openings for him. Then we come back to the point, where's all this finishing ability? If he's got it, we would have seen it, - unless you adhere to the argument that he's never had any goalscoring opportunities in two years.

He hasn't got it if what I've heard is true. Sorry to be in the "can't reveal my sources" camp on this one as it annoys me to death when others do it, but, as I've posted elsewhere, he apparently can't hit the target at all most days.

[savage8]

We sorely missed his type of front post runs against Blackpool, and I feel that we'll get the same type of chances on Saturday. The amount of times Jr got into great crossing positions only to see Roque standing still at the back post was very frustrating - remember Niko's goal against Chelsea in the cup last year. This is what we need - sadly I can't see Roque pulling it off these days.

[Gav]

The times when Kalinic played a lone front man role but had no support he looked totally out of his depth (under Allardyce it was punt it long without anyone near him). The times when he was supported by players especially quick ones(Hoilett and Olsson) he looked a really good player. Two examples of when Kalinic had support and scored goals where the West Brom game and the Villa cup game.

I wouldn't say his is a brilliant finisher but he is a poacher, he scores goals when he plays. Could you say the same about Roque and Roberts?

Roberts is a ###### awful player and I will be celebrating the day we get rid. Santa Cruz's lack of goals doesn't surprise me one bit - I said at the time the main reason he scored goals at this club was due to Bents. With Olsson and Hoilett now in the team and a solid midfield with Jones and Jones allowing them to make forward runs I think Niko could really prosper and score goals.

Well I hope you're right, we need a goal scorer thats not in doubt, but after 2 season Kalinic doesn't appear to be that man for me, regardless of where he's been asked to play.

I'm still scratching my head thinking about where Allardyce saw him fitting in, surely the lad at Brum would have been the better option, given the style of play, oh well lets not go down that route.

[den]

Well I hope you're right, we need a goal scorer thats not in doubt, but after 2 season Kalinic doesn't appear to be that man for me, regardless of where he's been asked to play.

I'm still scratching my head thinking about where Allardyce saw him fitting in, surely the lad at Brum would have been the better option, given the style of play, oh well lets not go down that route.

Opportunism Gav. I don't think Allardyce knew too much about when his proposed move to Portsmouth fell through. Sam saw a striker becoming available, saw Portsmouth had been prepared to pay £6m and took a gamble.

Bah, boo. Criticising Allardyce when I wear tinted glasses eh? Well I never.

imy, take note. You can have balanced views without just putting one side of the argument all the time.

[Gav]

Opportunism Gav. I don't think Allardyce knew too much about when his proposed move to Portsmouth fell through. Sam saw a striker becoming available, saw Portsmouth had been prepared to pay £6m and took a gamble.

Seemed to drag on for a while though Den, Allardyce did the right thing in not jumping in and buying the first striker that came available, he did his homework from what I can recall.

I can't see where he saw Kalinic fitting in.

[den]

Seemed to drag on for a while though Den, Allardyce did the right thing in not jumping in and buying the first striker that came available, he did his homework from what I can recall.

I can't see where he saw Kalinic fitting in.

He brought Kalinic down to Ewood, immediately after the Pompey deal had fallen through - and the deal did take some time to get through. That wasn't because Sam was doing his homework on him Gav. I don't think he did any homework on him. He'd spent most of the summer chasing Kevin Davis and Darren Bent and hadn't made any move at all for Niko.

[Torgeir]

Sam was after more experienced strikers but jumped at the chance when Kalinic became available. I agree with Den, I don't think he knew much about the player before he got signed - same as Kean with Formica in the January window.

[Amo]

You mean the Darren Bent who has pace, creates and scores his own goals? That's what Niko doesn't do. Also, that says that Niko needs someone else of quality to find openings for him. Then we come back to the point, where's all this finishing ability? If he's got it, we would have seen it, - unless you adhere to the argument that he's never had any goalscoring opportunities in two years.

Probably why Darren Bent is worth £25m then, eh?

Jansen wasn't particularly blessed with great pace, but he was a very silky player who benefited from having class around him (Cole, Dunn, Duff, Berkovic, Tugay etc.) Kalinic reminds me of the same, but he needs a run in the side week-in, week-out if we're ever going to realize his potential.

[den]

We're not discussing the price tag Topman, we're discussing how people know that he's a good finisher. We've got the West Brom away goal so far and it's gone very quiet.

Any more?

[Amo]

We're not discussing the price tag Topman, we're discussing how people know that he's a good finisher. We've got the West Brom away goal so far and it's gone very quiet.

Any more?

Well, there's no use comparing the two. Bent is a proven PL goalscorer, Kalinic was bought for his potential.

Most of Kalinic's goals have been good finishes and poacher efforts. Give him the service and the guy will flourish.

Consistently push and pull him out of the first-team week after week, and the guy will never make it here.