Grabban

[ZLF 274]

Top two players on the day were hooper and grabban.

[kick it off 1,948]

I clearly said he reminds me of Earnshaw in the aspect of conversion ratio. Clearly I wasn''t comparing their overall contribution to games, nor was I comparing their quality as players. I''m not really sure why I have to explain that, it was pretty straightforward to understand... People seem to have this bizarre thing on here where they take a comment, put all kinds of conjecture on it, twist it around a bit, add a few bits in, and then reply to whatever they''ve made up in their heads, as if that was what was originally said.

Earnshaw was never a clinical finisher. Trawl back through the forum and read the posts from when he was here and see for yourself. Yes he scored shedloads but he was a clever player who got himself in the right place at the right time, and was lightning quick. He had more chances than most due to his positional intelligence and pace, therefore could still miss loads and have a great strike rate.

The only stats I can find on Earnshaw''s conversion rate is this comparison to Andy Johnson which gives him a 17% conversion rate of shots in open play to goals (which puts my earlier statement of scoring one for every 3 or 4 misses pretty much bang on the money for the record)

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11698/2340023/opta-feature-earnshaw-v-johnson

And this article from his time in the MLS which has his conversion ratio at 14%... which puts him at 5 misses per goal.... http://www.squawka.com/news/tracking-progress-of-former-west-brom-norwich-star-now-in-mls/10268

Maybe it''s the low percentages that were on target that is why I recall him missing a lot. Maybe it''s just that he lost his man so often his chances seemed to be more clear cut than other players. There''s lots of ifs and buts, however that''s how I remember him, that''s what the stats say, and that''s something I believe Bryan Robson who was his manager at WBA said publically at some point (something like "He misses 5 for every one he scores")

Surprised you don''t remember this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQdPlp01hH4

[Katie Borkins 1]

Good management from AN in praising Grabban for his effort yesterday - see Pink Un lead story.

Ties in with the "confidence" theory.

[smooth 114]

For me GRABBAN is an average Champ forward.

He certainly is not good enough for the next step up and he misses more than he converts. This was always the view of Bournemouth fans and they said he does have phases through the season where he lacks confidence ad becomes a lesser player.

I think we have all seen that and hence why jerome is a better fit.

I am a fan of a player who can score out of nothing, jerome at Bournemouth, brentford away.

GRABBAN has not shown me that quality yet.

His first touch has let him down numerous of times, Ipswich he had two more clear cut chances and missed. Let''s not forget a number of his goals have had deflections or had two bites of the cherry, Blackpool away and the last minute goal at home to Blackburn. He fluffed a penalty earlier this season where if it was hooper he would have drilled it. Hooper is a more clinical and polished striker. GRABBAN in some ways is still learning.

For me he is showing his level.

He may be that selfless player but that isn''t enough. Sidibe was superb at Stoke and helped them establish themselves but with a lack of goals he was dispensable.

GRABBAN put in a good effort but hooper is clinical, jerome is a more rounded forward and a good premiership squad striker.

In regard to the earns have factor I would say they are nothing alike. Earnie was a goal scoring machine, he did it at every club and was clinical. GRABBAN is not there yet and I have not seen enough to say he will ever. But he can develop ad I expect our players to get better each year. But if we go up he will be a squad forward.

[chicken 0]

I think people are being harsh when saying he is not premier league quality. Just have a look at what has been deemed premier league quality in the past and tell me he isn''t better than some of them! In fact, compare him to RVW and Elmander last season. I would take Grabban over both.As for creating goals by themselves. Grabban has hit a couple of peach strikes from outside of the box, fashioned by himself. Yesterday he made a shocking cross look very good with great bit of improvisation and allertness - he didn''t score, the keeper tipped it onto the bar, but it was a technically very difficult effort.As for a bad first touch - all players can suffer from that. Several players yesterday were let down by a poor first touch but you expect that once or twice in a game.Grabban also offers more pace than Hooper and Jerome, for me yesterday that was abundantly clear. Jerome is no slouch, but Grabban is quicker.I''ll also go out on a limb and say that Hooper struggles when we don''t have another striker on the pitch to stretch defences. I''m not going to say he is lazy but his overall game appears to be looking for another players movement and trying to take advantage of the space they have made. It doesn''t surprise me that with the amount of movement from Grabban yesterday, that he scored three. It''s a very intelligent way to play, but I think it can be quite limiting in that decent sides will deal with Grabban''s movement better and not surrender space in the same way as Blackpool.When Grabban went off Hooper was very quiet. And lets not forget that Hooper''s 3rd was from a nice touch and turn from Grabban who allowed (and I witnessed this) Hooper to have the penalty. His other obvious ability is out wide.I''m not saying that Grabban is the best ever striker, but he is woefully underated by a number of people.