Jordan Rhodes has scored 7 goals in 8 League 1 games for Blackpool this season, which begs the question: why did Huddersfield opt to loan him out? Second, do they remember him?
Rhodes had only made five appearances while King Neil Warnock was in charge of Town at the time of his departure, therefore it felt appropriate for everyone concerned that he move on. Today, Rhodes has scored seven goals in eight games, whereas Town as a team has netted nine goals in the eight games that have passed since Rhodes left. The inability of Town to hire a suitable out-and-out number 9 has received the most criticism this season. It must be simple given how frequently fans request it, right?
Ever since Jordan Rhodes scored 39 (or perhaps 40) goals in 2011–12, no forward has scored 20 goals. Although Karlan Grant scored 19 goals in 2019–20 and Nakhi Wells scored 18 in 2015–16, Town may not have properly invested in a forward since Jordan Rhodes left. The eight-figure price spent on Steve Mounie upon promotion to the Premier League is comparable to that spent on Nahki Wells as a key forward recruit, although Mounie was only another forward in the Premier League.
I really wish Mounie had played more in the Championship in 2019–20 before heading to France. Only four times did he finish a full 90, scoring in three of those. In 1,412 minutes, he scored 8 goals and added 2 assists for the season’s total. that’s one every 176.5 minutes. Clearly, fitness was a problem, but Cowley’s decision to put Mounie behind free agent and three-goal scorer Fraizer Campbell sums up Town’s forward acquisition strategy.
Town has avoided this situation for years; defensive upgrades are what have kept Town solid ever since their promotion in 2012.
Rhodes left Huddersfield in 2012, and the club has since added up front:
When you look at all the players that Town has signed, it is a terrible picture. Town has spent more than £1 million on a forward five times, four of those times in the Premier League, in preparation for their promotion to the Premier League and the fact that this is their 12th consecutive season in England’s top two divisions. In the Premier League, permanent contracts were struck with Kachunga, Mounie, Depoitre, Grant, and Wells. It has undoubtedly been a quantity-over-quality strategy to recruit over 30 strikers throughout that time.
What resources does Town have?
Danny Ward, Kian Harratt, and Kyle Hudlin are Town’s current three pure number 9s. Jordan Rhodes, Tyreece Simpson, and Kieran Phillips, who are on loan, are also included. Although Harratt is still young, I think he is a fantastic young player. He cannot be counted on to score every week. That is not only cruel to a 21-year-old, but it also shows extreme naivete on the part of Town’s leadership to believe otherwise. Town would be in good shape if they had Jerry Yates as their primary forward, Danny Ward as their seasoned backup, and Kian Harratt as their young backup. The problem is that no striker can
What striker deals have other Championship teams made this year?
It is challenging since this season, Championship teams have spent millions on forwards. Ellis Simms and Haji Wright’s £15 million aggregate cost to Coventry is ridiculous spending. I’d be pleased to be proven incorrect, but if they can recoup their £15 million transfer expenditure, I will be impressed. They are both pricey bets. Aaron Connolly, one of the most hated individuals in football, signed a seven-figure contract with Hull.
He could be considered a punt given his pay, but to be fair to him, he has had a good start with 5 goals. I could keep mentioning forwards like Emmanuel Latte-Lath, who Middlesborough bought for £5 million, but that would get quite monotonous and dull.
You might be surprised to learn that I enjoy doing business. The arrangement that brought Jerry Yates to Swansea for about £2.5 million was excellent. Last season, Blackpool scored 14 goals, which is not at all bad for such a mediocre team. It is a terrific deal when you take into account what he has previously accomplished at this level and the money. Given his age of 26, there is very little risk, even if he just scores 10 goals.
Last but not least, Joel Piroe is a great player who plays nearby. Additionally, it is the first time in a while that a Championship team has paid a competing Championship team £10 million or more for a player. This likely explains why away tickets cost £47. I may be forgetting someone, but I don’t believe a player has switched Championship teams for that fee since Britt Assombalonga signed with Middlesborough.
The distance between League 1 and the Championship
The difference between League 1 and the Championship was, in my opinion, rather little ten years ago. The distance between League 1 and the Championship used to be smaller than the gap between the Championship and the Premier League, but it is currently equal to that gap. Not just Jordan Rhodes, who was part of Town’s assault last year, is finding the back of the net; Martyn Waghorn has six goals in ten Derby games. Both of whom are among League 1’s top 10 scorers. No one on that list of forwards is under the age of 25, so it’s something to consider. The youngest, Colby Bishop (26) has scored eight goals thus far.
The strikers in the league below are only ordinary; there are no forwards who make you wonder, “How are they playing at that level?” The only player you could maybe classify as “He’s worth a punt” is Colby Bishop, but considering Portsmouth’s undefeated start, you would be looking at at least £1 million, if not more! It is at best a punt for a player who has never competed in the second tier or a standard of equal caliber. You simply need to consider how Rotherham, who still hasn’t scored for Rotherham this season, shattered their club record amount (reportedly seven figures) to recruit Sam Nombe from Exeter. Goals don’t always equate to spending money.
I’m trying to make the point that League 1 and Championship are not as close as they formerly were. The top three League 1 scorers from last year all play in different leagues: Conor Chaplin is in the Championship, Jonson Clarke Harris is in League 1, and David McGoldrick is in League 2. To be fair to Chaplin, he has adjusted to the Championship very well, but it is obvious that finding Ipswich has contributed to the smooth transition. The player of the year in 2021–2022, Scott Twine, moved from MD Dons to Burnley previous season but had a very difficult time adjusting. One merely needs to consider how long it took Jack Rudoni to become proficient.
Should Town then call Rhodes back?
We are in peril if the most that Town can manage in January is to recall a 33-year-old Jordan Rhodes. I believe you should just let him enjoy football again after all the difficulties he has faced in recent seasons. It wouldn’t be comparable to Josh Koroma’s recall because Josh was still only 24 and had a long career ahead of him. Rhodes is much less likely to play at this level in the future.
I believe it might sound fairly condescending when people say, “He has found his level,” but in Rhodes’ situation, he has found a squad that allows him to show off his skills. The difference in class between playing Cheltenham and Leicester is significant, as was previously mentioned.
I do believe Rhodes has been treated unfairly since his return; the figures he came up with in 2021/22 were absurd. In 822 minutes, there were 4 goals and 3 assists, or one goal and an assist every 117 minutes, not to add the goal that got us to Wembley.
The majority of criticism, in my opinion, has been misinterpreted. You are content if he serves as your backup striker, like he did during his first season with the team. Due to Ward’s injury history prior to Warnock, the problem was that he virtually earned the title of de facto first-choice striker last season.
Who is Town aiming at?
Kieffer Moore comes to mind right away, but he is only a temporary addition, and Town needs an up-front acquisition for the long term (not to mention if he would be interested in signing). As previously said, League 1 has a limited supply of pricey talent. Miles Leaburn, a talented young player at Charlton, would require Town to make a bid of at least $5 million, which would be a massive risk given our financial condition. Town will most likely need to look abroad to find a striker.
Cardiff demonstrated that there are still ‘hidden gems’ available when they signed Sory Kaba on loan in the previous campaign. especially now that teams are permitted to sign up to 4 foreign players without a work permit under the new work permit rules.
The hardest position to fill is striker, and mid-season is even harder, but Town ought to attempt something. Town’s best bet in January might be a short-term addition like Kieffer Moore, but come next summer, a forward needs to be the top priority.
Instead of just adding another striker to the list of strikers Town has made who were 30 years old and available for free transfer, the deal must involve Town spending a “significant” price.
