What goal solution?

I have been wondering what Jose Riga was getting at when he said that goals were already within the squad.

Ignoring Cup goals our top scorers this season are Simon Church and Johnnie Jackson, each have scored 4. Lawrie Wilson and Marvin Sordell follow with 2 each, whilst the departed Yann Kermorgant and Dale Stephens account for a third of our total League goals.

Jonathan Obika has found the net just once this season, in a Carling Cup game, but has hardly played except for in Tottenham’s Development Squad. Reza has been prolific for Iran but scored just one League goal for Standard before his move to us. Joe Pigott has scored once on loan at Gillingham but has mostly been used from the bench and 20-year old Adebayo Azeez has scored 4 goals, 2 whilst on loan at Torquay and 2 now at Dagenham & Redbridge. Astrit Ajdarevic last scored in August 2012.

The decision to sell Michael Smith still baffles me. Smith scored 10 goals for AFC Wimbledon when on loan during the first half of the season, and since signing for Swindon a league higher he has another 7 goals to his name.

Selling Smith was even more ridiculous when it is said that Piotr Parzyszek, signed for £600,000, is not as advanced as Smith in his development. Good business that.

We should have expected more from Sordell, but no one has been impressed by him since arriving the day before the season started, not fans, not Powell, not Dougie Freedman and now it appears Riga. It is worth noting that Sordell only scored 4 goals for Bolton last season.

Sordell’s work with a human trafficking foundation is honourable, but I question whether there is enough fire in the belly from this social network obsessed £25,000 a week player. Is it any wonder why Bolton’s debts are so high?

With just days before the loan window shuts, Riga’s team is crying out for some creativity. If you create enough goal scoring opportunities surely the law of averages says that someone will put the ball in the net!

For me Harriott’s pace is vital, we are so slow to break, and is another reason why Wilson, for me, has to play further forward. AA is vital too in the final third. AA can pick a delicate pass and could join Poyet and Cousins narrowing the middle and ask Wiggins and Wilson to fulfil the role of wing backs. I would play Reza too. Why not?

The fact is Riga has just overseen three home games and a 6-pointer away at Millwall and his team has scored once, from a set-piece.

Now the Addicks go on the road to Forest, Derby and Leeds United, where possession and goal scoring chances will be at a premium. What does he have in mind when he says goals are within the squad? I am left to wonder….

Or maybe if Roly really wants to make this network thingy work, lend us Standard’s Michy Batshuayi for a couple of games until the Belgium Pro League Play-Off’s start. Then recall him. No one will notice.