Dear Sigi,
Please never, ever, ever, play a single striker up top.
I understand that your best 11 available players includes, at best, 1 player capable of playing the striker position...but thus far they have proved that they are incapable of doing any of the short list of things required for a lone striker.
1. They can't hold the ball up.
2. They can't occupy both CB's.
3. They can't score goals.
You have tried a variety of players in this roll....and....well....Round Hole. Square Peg.
It is not the striker that needs to be changed. It is the formation. Revert to a classic 442. Give chances to young players willing to run (Darwin Jones). Yes, I know this means you have to trust your youth, and bench a player that is deserving of playing time....but the simple fact is playing the best 11 players has not yielded results.
I appreciate that you view Gonzalo Pineda and Andy Rose as valuable members of the midfield, I have to disagree that they are worthy of changing the shape of the team to wedge them into the line up. It isn't working. It isn't going to work. The inclusion of these players is hindering our ability to attack with pace, and conviction.
When the best performing players on the team for the last 3 weeks have been a Veteran RB and a rookie CM (played out of position) It is time to revisit the concepts of the tactics. While Mears and Roldan are valuable members of the team, those are 2 players that should not being the top of the team chart in terms of match rating week in and week out.
While I acknowledge that your 5 midfielders are most likely better players than a second strike option...I think squeezing all 5 into the field is hurting our ability seize valuable points in the middle of the summer.
I would very much like to request the following lineup, in a classic 442, for our next match.
Neagle, Jones
Pappa, Alonso, Friberg, Roldan
Remick, Scott, Marshall, Mears
I understand that this leaves players like Andy Rose, Gonzalo Pineda, and Chad Barrett on the bench....but quite frankly, they belong there.
With love,
Smurf