Cureton - a missed opportunity

[Taxing 0]

I don''t understand all the excitement over the signing of Lupoli or the disappointment over the failure to retain the Man City striker who we had on loan or the feverish speculation about other strikers apart from someone like Ameobi who I think would be the perfect partner for JC.

 

In Cureton we have first and foremost a dyed in the wool, completely committed Norwich player. Who can forget his appearance in the derby match with dyed yellow and green hair ? His delight on returning to Norwich from Camuldonum''s beloved club after winning the Golden Boot the previous season ? At which clubs did JC maximise his potential as a striker ? Well, first of all it was of course at Norwich, in the reserves playing alongside a big, aggressive striker Akinbiyi. The two of them scored for fun week in week out, JC was in his element. I haven''t studied his career closely but subsequently he was a big success at Bristol Rovers playing alongside ........... Jason Roberts, another big, agrressive striker. Then of course he was the Championship''s highets scorer, playing alongside another big, muscular striker, Iwelumo. Then we bought him and what did we do with him ? Firstly, played him up front on his own whilst the likes of Doherty and Shackell hoofed huge clearances high and vaguely in his direction. How aimless was that ? Then, under Roeder, who was his strike partner ? Another short striker.

 

I appreciate that I may have overlooked a few things and there might be some inaccuracies but it seems to me that In Cureton we have a little diamond for whom the basic and critical catalyst -  a tall, muscular, aggressive strike partner - has been astonishingly overlooked. The guy is a natural goalscorer who cost us alot of money and, as history has proved, absolutely thrives only when partnered by an Akinbiyi, a Jason Robers , an Iwelumo. Is this why Roeder apparently wants Ameobi ? If so, I hope he gets his man, for Cureton''s sake and for all our sakes. But why Lupoli / Played once for Arsenal, not wanted in Italy, and only scored 7 in 34 outings for Derby. get JC a strike partner in the mould of the ones I have mentioned and he has 2/3 years of 20 goals a season in him. In short (sorry !) JC has been neglected when IMO it was always obvious what was needed to spark him into prolific goal scoring life.

[LORD FOXY LOWE 0]

Couldn''t agree more, I''ve just said the same thing on the Lupoli thread.

________________________________

Good signing but the guy is only 5'' 8". I hope there a big man coming as well. Lupoli and Curo upfront isn''t going to strike fear into many Championship sides. Throughout his career Curo has got his goals playing alongside the likes of Jason Roberts and Chris Iwelumo, strong, quick, athletic strikers. Ameobi aside (will sound great in a norfolk accent) I would love to see someone in the same mould as Helguson or Lita come to the club, then I''d start getting excited.

[The Voice of the Thorpe Area 0]

''Cureton- a missed opportunity''

I do hope you realise the irony of your title!

[Stevie Wonder 0]

What absolute tosh!

Was Dion Dublin not a big powerful striker then?

I would hardly call Evans small either!

Yes Cureton dyed his hair green and he tries very hard that doesn''t make him good enough to b 1st choice in a side looking to challenge for promotion to the premiership.

Cureton missed countless sitters last season - real proper on a plate, with garnish and a full set cutlery to hand sitters. Most of them from inside the 6 yd box!

As I have said on the thread about JC looking out of condition in the EDP, despite all of the above I do feel there is a role for him this season as the striker coming off the bench to try and nick a goal. I am hoping that if we get in another couple of strikers in addition to Lupoli that the pressure will be off him and he can relax and take more of the chances that come his way.

[James Kent 0]

True JC has been best when he has had a big physical striker along side him.  The signing of Lupoli is excellent because we need another option and must have multiple players who can score goals.  I''m sure Roeder will bring someone in like Rasiak or Ameobi, but we need options.  That all said there is nothing that says you can''t be successful with two small guys up front it is all about how you play.  I have a feeling Hoolahan might just suit the likes of Cureton and Lupoli, but I agree it would be good to have a target man too.  I think what Roeder is doing is creating a squad of options.  It is not a case of its lupoli or rasiak/ameobi there will be another forward here which will suit JC lets just wait and see.

[Taxing 0]

[quote user="The Voice of the Thorpe Area"]

''Cureton- a missed opportunity''

I do hope you realise the irony of your title!

[/quote]

 

Yes, I do. Play a big strong striker partner alongside him and not only will his opportunities to score increase massively but he will put most of them away. His track record can''t be ignored.

[ricardo 6,338]

[quote user="The Goddess Delia "]

 

 

I appreciate that I may have overlooked a few things [/quote]

 

Basically, what you''ve overlooked is that "Jamie Lad" has played most of his career at a lower level.

He maybe 110% NCFC but the fact remains he does not have the quality to make us a promotion challenging team. He was short of the mark when he was young and even shorter of the mark now.

[I beat Atalanta 0]

[quote user="The Goddess Delia "]

In Cureton we have first and foremost a dyed in the wool, completely committed Norwich player.

 

[/quote]Me too - wanna play me up front?

[Taxing 0]

[quote user="Stevie Wonder"]

What absolute tosh!

Was Dion Dublin not a big powerful striker then?

I would hardly call Evans small either!

Yes Cureton dyed his hair green and he tries very hard that doesn''t make him good enough to b 1st choice in a side looking to challenge for promotion to the premiership.

Cureton missed countless sitters last season - real proper on a plate, with garnish and a full set cutlery to hand sitters. Most of them from inside the 6 yd box!

As I have said on the thread about JC looking out of condition in the EDP, despite all of the above I do feel there is a role for him this season as the striker coming off the bench to try and nick a goal. I am hoping that if we get in another couple of strikers in addition to Lupoli that the pressure will be off him and he can relax and take more of the chances that come his way.

[/quote]

 

Dion Dublin was a great player but far from his prime and not very mobile. JC needed and needs someone who is not only big and strong but who is athltetic enough to panic defences with JC feeding off him.

[GJP 77]

In my opinion when we signed Cureton last summer we ended up having a season that represented his ability - struggling in the bottom half of the league. That''s not to say he was entirely to blame but it was clear to see that, despite his one-off good season with Colchester, he isn''t good enough to be a first choice striker of a club aiming to challenge nearer the top of this league.

Good for backup but definitely not the way forward.

[barclay seats 4849 0]

[quote user="The Goddess Delia "]

I don''t understand all the excitement over the signing of Lupoli or the disappointment over the failure to retain the Man City striker who we had on loan or the feverish speculation about other strikers apart from someone like Ameobi who I think would be the perfect partner for JC.

 

In Cureton we have first and foremost a dyed in the wool, completely committed Norwich player. Who can forget his appearance in the derby match with dyed yellow and green hair ? His delight on returning to Norwich from Camuldonum''s beloved club after winning the Golden Boot the previous season ? At which clubs did JC maximise his potential as a striker ? Well, first of all it was of course at Norwich, in the reserves playing alongside a big, aggressive striker Akinbiyi. The two of them scored for fun week in week out, JC was in his element. I haven''t studied his career closely but subsequently he was a big success at Bristol Rovers playing alongside ........... Jason Roberts, another big, agrressive striker. Then of course he was the Championship''s highets scorer, playing alongside another big, muscular striker, Iwelumo. Then we bought him and what did we do with him ? Firstly, played him up front on his own whilst the likes of Doherty and Shackell hoofed huge clearances high and vaguely in his direction. How aimless was that ? Then, under Roeder, who was his strike partner ? Another short striker.

 

I appreciate that I may have overlooked a few things and there might be some inaccuracies but it seems to me that In Cureton we have a little diamond for whom the basic and critical catalyst -  a tall, muscular, aggressive strike partner - has been astonishingly overlooked. The guy is a natural goalscorer who cost us alot of money and, as history has proved, absolutely thrives only when partnered by an Akinbiyi, a Jason Robers , an Iwelumo. Is this why Roeder apparently wants Ameobi ? If so, I hope he gets his man, for Cureton''s sake and for all our sakes. But why Lupoli / Played once for Arsenal, not wanted in Italy, and only scored 7 in 34 outings for Derby. get JC a strike partner in the mould of the ones I have mentioned and he has 2/3 years of 20 goals a season in him. In short (sorry !) JC has been neglected when IMO it was always obvious what was needed to spark him into prolific goal scoring life.

[/quote]

 

Totally with you on the sentiment of this thread

[Taxing 0]

[quote user="ricardo"][quote user="The Goddess Delia "]

 

 

I appreciate that I may have overlooked a few things [/quote]

 

Basically, what you''ve overlooked is that "Jamie Lad" has played most of his career at a lower level.

He maybe 110% NCFC but the fact remains he does not have the quality to make us a promotion challenging team. He was short of the mark when he was young and even shorter of the mark now.

[/quote]

But didn''t he score more goals than any other striker when playing for struggling for Colchester in the Championship ? The point I''m making is that you can''t judge him based upon his second stint at Norwich because successive managers have failed to pair him with the right style of striker. The way he has been used has been as silly as, say, Vaughn deciding to get Monty Panesar open the batting for England (bad example, probably a good idea) or playing a fly half in the scrum.

 

[Camuldonum 0]

[quote user="The Goddess Delia "]

I don''t understand all the excitement over the signing of Lupoli or the disappointment over the failure to retain the Man City striker who we had on loan or the feverish speculation about other strikers apart from someone like Ameobi who I think would be the perfect partner for JC.

 

In Cureton we have first and foremost a dyed in the wool, completely committed Norwich player. Who can forget his appearance in the derby match with dyed yellow and green hair ? His delight on returning to Norwich from Camuldonum''s beloved club after winning the Golden Boot the previous season ? At which clubs did JC maximise his potential as a striker ? Well, first of all it was of course at Norwich, in the reserves playing alongside a big, aggressive striker Akinbiyi. The two of them scored for fun week in week out, JC was in his element. I haven''t studied his career closely but subsequently he was a big success at Bristol Rovers playing alongside ........... Jason Roberts, another big, agrressive striker. Then of course he was the Championship''s highets scorer, playing alongside another big, muscular striker, Iwelumo. Then we bought him and what did we do with him ? Firstly, played him up front on his own whilst the likes of Doherty and Shackell hoofed huge clearances high and vaguely in his direction. How aimless was that ? Then, under Roeder, who was his strike partner ? Another short striker.

 

I appreciate that I may have overlooked a few things and there might be some inaccuracies but it seems to me that In Cureton we have a little diamond for whom the basic and critical catalyst -  a tall, muscular, aggressive strike partner - has been astonishingly overlooked. The guy is a natural goalscorer who cost us alot of money and, as history has proved, absolutely thrives only when partnered by an Akinbiyi, a Jason Robers , an Iwelumo. Is this why Roeder apparently wants Ameobi ? If so, I hope he gets his man, for Cureton''s sake and for all our sakes. But why Lupoli / Played once for Arsenal, not wanted in Italy, and only scored 7 in 34 outings for Derby. get JC a strike partner in the mould of the ones I have mentioned and he has 2/3 years of 20 goals a season in him. In short (sorry !) JC has been neglected when IMO it was always obvious what was needed to spark him into prolific goal scoring life.

[/quote]

 

I''ve seen JC (on video) in every game he played for Colchester and there''s an element of truth in what you write (I think).  It''s the delivery to Cureton that matters.  At Colchester he had a very good volley on him (often first time) which was often delivered to him no higher than chest high and preferably waist high by the battered and bruised Iwelumo. Perhaps it was a one season wonder or perhaps it was not.

Certainly there is no point in lumping the ball up in the air to him cos he won''t get it.  He missed plenty at Colchester as well  but we forgave him for those he did get (For the benefit of Bly Bly Babes, Colchester is a very fluffy club as might be expected with a female Chief Executive who started in the Ticket Office) but he needs an accurate feeder.

Where we disagree is that his partner needs to be tall, muscular, aggressive.  According to the My Football Writer report two crucial balls were delivered by The Hooligan, one of which he netted and one of which "trickled past the post".

Us Irish, as all know, are generally pretty thick but if The Hooligan has worked out that delivering a ball over the head of Cureton is NOT a good idea then perhaps that is the way forward?

The Hooligan is neither tall, nor muscular, but he can be tricky.  The information this end is that he is only usually agressive after five hours on the subsidised beer in the St. Anne''s Ex-Servicemen''s Club in Alexandre Road in delightful Lytham but that could be duff information this end.  Although as Simon Grayson said: "What silly sods" I don''t think it is duff.

It''s the delivery that matters and not, I think, who delivers it.

 

[Camuldonum 0]

PS: If I have not made it clear Iwelumo could certainly knock them out of the way whereas The Hooligan leaves them on their arse by other means.  Does it matter if it''s an accurate cross?

[Taxing 0]

[quote user="camuldonum"][quote user="The Goddess Delia "]

I don''t understand all the excitement over the signing of Lupoli or the disappointment over the failure to retain the Man City striker who we had on loan or the feverish speculation about other strikers apart from someone like Ameobi who I think would be the perfect partner for JC.

 

In Cureton we have first and foremost a dyed in the wool, completely committed Norwich player. Who can forget his appearance in the derby match with dyed yellow and green hair ? His delight on returning to Norwich from Camuldonum''s beloved club after winning the Golden Boot the previous season ? At which clubs did JC maximise his potential as a striker ? Well, first of all it was of course at Norwich, in the reserves playing alongside a big, aggressive striker Akinbiyi. The two of them scored for fun week in week out, JC was in his element. I haven''t studied his career closely but subsequently he was a big success at Bristol Rovers playing alongside ........... Jason Roberts, another big, agrressive striker. Then of course he was the Championship''s highets scorer, playing alongside another big, muscular striker, Iwelumo. Then we bought him and what did we do with him ? Firstly, played him up front on his own whilst the likes of Doherty and Shackell hoofed huge clearances high and vaguely in his direction. How aimless was that ? Then, under Roeder, who was his strike partner ? Another short striker.

 

I appreciate that I may have overlooked a few things and there might be some inaccuracies but it seems to me that In Cureton we have a little diamond for whom the basic and critical catalyst -  a tall, muscular, aggressive strike partner - has been astonishingly overlooked. The guy is a natural goalscorer who cost us alot of money and, as history has proved, absolutely thrives only when partnered by an Akinbiyi, a Jason Robers , an Iwelumo. Is this why Roeder apparently wants Ameobi ? If so, I hope he gets his man, for Cureton''s sake and for all our sakes. But why Lupoli / Played once for Arsenal, not wanted in Italy, and only scored 7 in 34 outings for Derby. get JC a strike partner in the mould of the ones I have mentioned and he has 2/3 years of 20 goals a season in him. In short (sorry !) JC has been neglected when IMO it was always obvious what was needed to spark him into prolific goal scoring life.

[/quote]

 

I''ve seen JC (on video) in every game he played for Colchester and there''s an element of truth in what you write (I think).  It''s the delivery to Cureton that matters.  At Colchester he had a very good volley on him (often first time) which was often delivered to him no higher than chest high and preferably waist high by the battered and bruised Iwelumo. Perhaps it was a one season wonder or perhaps it was not.

Certainly there is no point in lumping the ball up in the air to him cos he won''t get it.  He missed plenty at Colchester as well  but we forgave him for those he did get (For the benefit of Bly Bly Babes, Colchester is a very fluffy club as might be expected with a female Chief Executive who started in the Ticket Office) but he needs an accurate feeder.

Where we disagree is that his partner needs to be tall, muscular, aggressive.  According to the My Football Writer report two crucial balls were delivered by The Hooligan, one of which he netted and one of which "trickled past the post".

Us Irish, as all know, are generally pretty thick but if The Hooligan has worked out that delivering a ball over the head of Cureton is NOT a good idea then perhaps that is the way forward?

The Hooligan is neither tall, nor muscular, but he can be tricky.  The information this end is that he is only usually agressive after five hours on the subsidised beer in the St. Anne''s Ex-Servicemen''s Club in Alexandre Road in delightful Lytham but that could be duff information this end.  Although as Simon Grayson said: "What silly sods" I don''t think it is duff.

It''s the delivery that matters and not, I think, who delivers it.

 

[/quote]

 

For once one of your posts is very relevant to NCFC so I won''t ask why you, a Colchester supporter, posts on here. Only joking !

Sue JC can score goals from time to time when not playing alongside a BMAS (fed up with saying big muscular athletic striker) and he can even score with his head. I always got slightly irritated when Motty would exclaim with astonishment "and he''s actually scored with his head, the smallest player on the pitch" as if somehow it defied the laws of science for a player of less than 6ft to score header. Basically, all I am saying is that if history and records show, as they clearly do, that JC maximises his potential only when teamed up with a BMAS then surely it makes no sense not to bring in a BMAS especially when we have paid £500K (?) ? As for missing goalscoring opportunities all good strikers do that from time to time (Andy Cole comes to mind) but ultimately we remember them for the absolute number of goals they did score, not the coversion ratios,  and when JC has the right style of strike partner he scores lots. If we were bringing in or discussing strikers who are clearly of higher quality than JC then I too would be excited but IMO that isn''t the case. For example, why does Lupoli provoke excitement, apart from the Italian name which I guess could be translated as little wolf with a bit of imagination. But, his track record doesn''t inspire (played for Arsenal once, not wanted in Italy, 7 goals in 34 outings for Derby).

 

 

[chicken 0]

I hate to say this but how many goals did Cureton score last season? How many did the legend that is Iwan Roberts score in a season for Norwich on average - something like 14/15 was it not?Are people being a tad harsh?Who knows, all I know is that Cureton guarantees us goals how many depends on the quality of chances he gets and his confidence. How many would have been confident last season with a struggling team and fans on their case.Is it not about time that people just got behind the team rather than trying to be the manager (and in most cases failing)?

[Lurd 0]

Good players shouldn''t need someone else to do their dirty work for them.

[Taxing 0]

[quote user="Larry David"]Good players shouldn''t need someone else to do their dirty work for them.
[/quote]

The big striker/small striker principle is long established. Keegan and the great Toshack come to mind.

 

[king canary 6,436]

I dont see what cureton has done to deserve us signing strikers just to help him out.

[ncfcstar 278]

Yes the big partnership has worked, but it has also failed, for example Jamie and Dion last year.

Many fans see Cureton in a different light, because he is seen as a fan, someone who bleeds yellow and green. This should not overlook the fact that last season, despite the goals he got, he was not up to scratch. He missed far more than he scored, far far more, and you always had the feeling if it was someone else playing there they would have scored far more goals. Cureton is just not good enough to lead the line, in a club who by all due respect, are too good for him really.

We shouldn''t be blinded by loyalty, Cureton for back up yes, to be fair he will probably lead the line for extended parts of this season, but he is not, and in my opinion will never be the striker he was in that one season for Col U. He is simply not good enough, and people should realise that.

[Graham Humphrey 13]

Absolutely agree with ncfcstar.

Also what most people have overlooked is his contribution to the team in general; not just his goals or whatever. And given that he only scored in nine league games last season, it wouldn''t be so bad if put in an effort and was more aware, mobile and generally made a contribution but he doesn''t. Nine times out of ten, his contribution to the side is nil.

But I do agree he''s better playing alongside more mobile like Evans. But he wouldn''t be my first choice striker.

[Nuff Said 4,290]

[quote user="Larry David"]Good players shouldn''t need someone else to do their dirty work for them. [/quote]Ermmm, isn''t that how a team works - everyone contributes something different?

[Taxing 0]

[quote user="ncfcstar"]Yes the big partnership has worked, but it has also failed, for example Jamie and Dion last year. Many fans see Cureton in a different light, because he is seen as a fan, someone who bleeds yellow and green. This should not overlook the fact that last season, despite the goals he got, he was not up to scratch. He missed far more than he scored, far far more, and you always had the feeling if it was someone else playing there they would have scored far more goals. Cureton is just not good enough to lead the line, in a club who by all due respect, are too good for him really. We shouldn''t be blinded by loyalty, Cureton for back up yes, to be fair he will probably lead the line for extended parts of this season, but he is not, and in my opinion will never be the striker he was in that one season for Col U. He is simply not good enough, and people should realise that.[/quote]

 

Dion Dublin was far from the perfect foil for Cureton. As much as I liked the man and admired him as a player, when he partnered Cureton he was at the very end of his career and at 38 years old he no longer had the energy or stamina to stir up a defence in the way that Akinbiyi, Jason Roberts and Iwelumo did when they partnered Cureton. Therefore, I don''t think example is relevant.

[LORD FOXY LOWE 0]

[quote user="The Goddess Delia "][quote user="Stevie Wonder"]

What absolute tosh!

Was Dion Dublin not a big powerful striker then?

I would hardly call Evans small either!

Yes Cureton dyed his hair green and he tries very hard that doesn''t make him good enough to b 1st choice in a side looking to challenge for promotion to the premiership.

Cureton missed countless sitters last season - real proper on a plate, with garnish and a full set cutlery to hand sitters. Most of them from inside the 6 yd box!

As I have said on the thread about JC looking out of condition in the EDP, despite all of the above I do feel there is a role for him this season as the striker coming off the bench to try and nick a goal. I am hoping that if we get in another couple of strikers in addition to Lupoli that the pressure will be off him and he can relax and take more of the chances that come his way.

[/quote]

 

Dion Dublin was a great player but far from his prime and not very mobile. JC needed and needs someone who is not only big and strong but who is athltetic enough to panic defences with JC feeding off him.

[/quote]

Spot on. Perhaps Dublin would have been an ideal partner for Cureton in his prime but you can''t play two strikers who lack genuine pace. Dublin and Ched, Dublin and Huckerby (should have been tried more often IMO), yes both of these worked – Hucks last goal against Wednesday was a classic example. But Curo is different, he''s a 6 yard box player and yes the guy missed some sitters but he also scored some some great goals (against Town). Pace scares all centre backs, makes them play deeper than they should and generally makes the right space for Curo to play in. We have probably the best winger in the league now (Hoolahan) but it will pointless if he''s firing in crosses to 2 strikers under 6 foot.

[Scooby 0]

First let me say that I like Jamie.  I think he''s a whole hearted player who''s yellow and green to the core, probably more so than any other player we have.  He''s also a fine striker as his season at Col U shows, BUT........ his poor season had nothing to do with the fact that he was not played with the right strike partner!!  Come on, how many games did you go to last year?  The reason he got a load of stick is because he couldn''t hit a cow''s arse with a banjo !!! Plain and simple.  The ball was there on a plate, and he missed!  Time after time.......after time.  We all saw it, we all felt for him (well, some of us) but the fact is he just kept missing absolute sitters, many of which would have got us points.  Sorry, but that has nothing to do with any big bloke playing along side him.  The ball was there plenty of times, but Jamie boys scoring boots had been left at home.

[psychedeliasmith 0]

Cureton may play better with a big man but it''s not as if he didn''t have his chances last season. He missed soime absolute sitters.

[claud 0]

Personally, I think that the only thing that has saved JC from the Roeder axe this closed season has been his contract. If anybody had come in with a bid I think he would have been off.

[First Wizard 0]

[quote user="The Voice of the Thorpe Area"]

''Cureton- a missed opportunity''

I do hope you realise the irony of your title!

[/quote]

Remind me again who scored again last night mate?[:|]

[Thecanaryfan 0]

Didnt Cuerton miss a shed load of chances last season or did I dream it?

Saying that, I do in principal agree with what your saying. JC would perform better alongside a BIG striker. Last season I wouldnt say that Dion was there to facilitate Jamie - Dion was after his share of the goals. Ideally JC needs a strike partner who''s first and foremost directive is to get the ball to Jamies feet.

[ncfcstar 278]

Wiz it makes me laugh how you have blind faith in one of our poorer players, and then slate anyone new player that comes in.

I refer you to my post on this thread for what really is the unbiased honest truth about Cureton, he just simply isn''t good enough.

He may have scored last night, but that is a pre-season friendly and doesn''t say much, he just wont perform the same in the league, I''m sorry, but that is just how it is.