Yeah, to me a back up is someone who spends most of the season on the bench. Not someone who is the first name on the team sheet (I.E. Son)
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Yup we are talking about the likes of David Origi, Demba Ba, Wilfred Bony etc.
I don’t see how it is completely insurmountable for Eddie Nketiah to be as good as them
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It’s absolutely crazy mate. There is no way that people who type this actually believe it.
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I’ve not really seen what’s special about him, but I’m happy enough for now to give him the benefit of the doubt until he’s proven a dud.
We struck absolute gold with Jesus. I was fully expecting us to go down the 50m for David, Isak, Calvert-Lewin kind of route, maybe even signing a couple of that type, and crossing our fingers that at least one improved a lot.
Unless there is another real legit target/prospect we have lined up I’d rather not just buy for the sake of numbers, except maybe someone experienced on loan.
He has at least proven enough that when this team is functioning he can play at the top of it and it not be a disaster, so if Jesus goes down for 2 weeks we’re not going to be finished.
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Well I’ve listed who starts for our rivals if their main main is out. That should clearly outline the level.
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So you’ve compared 3 strikers who played in different times arguably eras if you’re talking about Bony and Ba.
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This is fair. Nketiah deserves a chance indeed. Now that he has opted to play for Ghana and us an international player and us high on confidence, he might grow a level.
If Nketiah doesn’t score and that happens a lot for any striker in this league, my question is what does he offer? His hold up play had improved, he can carry the ball a bit and he does work hard.
Because they were bonafide backups.
If we are going to count people who play on wings and are then asked to play as striker in the absence of the first choice, then we should consider Martinelli as well in the backups for CF position.
A lot of these aren’t fair comparisons. For a start, Rashford usually starts in a wide position so he’s not really a backup at all. Same with Son. Alvarez is far more similar to Nketiah and if anything proves the point of those wanting a wide forward because at City those players make up for their options at CF.
It’s also questionable as to whether Werner is a bonafide backup considering Lukaku is out on loan.
If we look at our last three title winning seasons, we had Wiltord/Reyes as back up (04), Wiltord/Kanu (02) and Wright/Wreh (98).
Surely that’s the kinda standard we ought to aspire to?
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We played two striker formation back then
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Martinelli doesn’t start at CF when our main guy is injured. WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?
Did he start a single league game last season as CF for us? Has he ever? It’s definitely less than 5 times.
This isn’t the same as Son, Martial, Rashford, Werner or Richarlison who have played strings of league games at CF.
God forbid something happens to Gabriel (Jesus would have been to easy), Nketiah starts or are you arguing this?
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Help me then brother. List who you think plays CF when Haaland, Nunez, C. Ron, Kane and Havertz aren’t starting?..
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All the more reason to have one quality back-up striker this time around
Or Werner higher than Eddie 
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Not yet, are you against it? I thought you would be okay with it if you are listing the players you did.
Those players started from 0 games at CF at one point
I love Martinelli. Possibly my favourite player here. Think he could be a top CF. My love nh for the guy doesn’t change the fact that he doesn’t play there for us and isn’t the back up to Jesus.
He probably is 3rd choice, but it wouldn’t shock me to see Arteta to play ESR there as he has before.
I’m sorry, but if you think Eddie is more proven, more prolific or has anything above Werner, maybe you need a new sport to follow.
Werner has stunk out the place at Chelsea but Leipzig and Germany Werner shits all over Nketiah.
If both went up for sale, the contrast between the teams interested would be night and day.
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Good one. Did you try that during your stand up routine?
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Signing a backup number 9 would be a waste of resources imo. Signing a wide-forward who could maybe play as a #9 if an injury or two occurs would be a better plan.
Nketiah will be completely fine as the second choice 9. He was scoring regularly last season and has noticeably improved parts of his game during the summer. Sky is the limit for Marlo.
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