Best Striker at the Club?

Make your mind up Devlin, one minute your telling me the stats back up Stokes then when LoveTheTic88 shows you stats on Griffiths being the better goals scorer your retracting and saying stats are misleading. Just use them when it suits you:smiley-laughing002:

Griffiths is the much better finisher. If we only had one chance in a game and you could choose who that chance fell to, a would pick Griffiths every time over Stokes.

 

I don't think I am relying on stats alone here though, I've stated a lot through the thread that it's Stokes ability to get involved in the game and play football, link the play which is most impressive, his ability to create and finish. Stating x has scored y in z doesn't convey that. It doesn't expand on players abilities, which I believe I have.

Stats are all well and good, as long as they are backing up a point, not as a stand alone figure.

I would pick Stokes in your last scenario there, I've witnessed far too many sitters from Griffith's in his short spell with us.

 

Fair enough

But obviously were watching two different players. A think Griffiths has way more power in his shots , much better accuracy and gets great curve on the ball. His finishing is of a much higher standard than Stokes. I've seen Stoke miss plenty of sitters in his time he's not a one man chance. Stokes is the better all round players but finishing he is not.

Stokes only really hit great form from January onwards, once Griffiths came in. Maybe the Thumb has the great ability to make others around him perform better as well, that's an excellent trait to have

 

Griffiths plays in the box more but I wouldnt say he was a better finisher. Both them are pretty much the same except Griffiths gets more chances by getting in the box more.

Stokes was 22 when we signed him and had 36 goals in 56 SPL games, Griffiths was 23 and had 31 goals in 66 SPL games. Thats the only level they'd played the same at. Griffiths played in the Scottish Lower Leagues and English League 1. Stokes played in the EPL and English Championship.

Would say Stokes and Griffiths overall were a similar level of player. Stokes is a better passer, better vision, more creative, drops deep and wide more. Griffiths is more hardworking, quicker, better crosser, plays off the shoulder of the defence and gets into the box and 6-yard box more. They both have a good touch on the ball and are quite skillful, Stokes more smooth and fluid but Griffiths more tricky and unpredictable. Stokes is better at running with the ball, Griffiths is better at making runs off the ball.

Both are players who will always have a role to play at Celtic. Even when we had Larsson, Sutton and Hartson we'd have liked to have both them in the squad instead of the likes of David Fernandez and Craig Beattie.

 

Out of the players on the list, I would go for Watt in that scenario.

If I had to choose between Stokes & Griffiths, then I would be inclined to opt for Stokes. Griffiths may have a better scoring record than Stokes, but I would hazard a guess that Griffiths, in that time, will have had a lot more shots on goal also. For every goal Griffiths scores, he will miss 3 or 4 good chances in my opinion. He is obviously doing something right in the first place to be in those areas, but he does squander a lot of opportunities I feel.

 

If we had a rating system from like 10 down id say they were 7's.

10 - Larsson, Dalglish
9 - Viduka, Sutton, Van Hooijdonk, Nicholas, McClair, Chalmers, Keane, Bellamy, Di Canio
8 - Deans, Cadete, Hooper, Hartson, Hood, McBride, McAvennie, M.Johnston
7 - Stokes, Griffiths, Samaras, McGarvey, Vennegoor, McCluskey, McDonald, Hughes, Zurawski,
6 - McGhee, McInally, Brattbakk, Dziekanowski, Pukki, K.Miller, Lassad, Miku, T.Johnson(probably better if he was fit), Watt
5 - Creaney, Coyne, Payton, Burchill, Balde
4 - Beattie, Fernandez

Andy Walker first spell a 7, 2nd a 6.

10 world-class, 9 good EPL level, 8 decent EPL level, 7 good English Championship, 6 decent English Championship, 5, English League 1, 4 poor, ok SPL level at best if that.

Could add in half marks too to seperate, for example id say Stokes was a 7.5 and Griffiths or McDonald a 7.

Samaras probably had the capabilities of an "8" in Europe but really only played like a "6" domestically.

 

Griffiths may have more shots(which I don't agree as Stokes shoots from everywhere), but you also mentioned "good chances". Having a pop at goal from 25yrds doesn't count as a good chance. If you are counting that as a good chance then..

One of Stokes poor attributes and why we all get frustrated with him is his poor decision making. He constantly shoots when there Is better options.

A can picture it the new.. We make a quick counter attack, we have 4 on 2 here, Stokes receives the ball at the edge of the box at the corner, he sees Forrest running in towards the back post free on his own shouting cross, but Stokes takes another touch then blast high over the bar:smiley-laughing002: Another good chance wasted

You make a good point though, about Griffiths getting into the right places, he does do this better than Stokes. Peeling of the defender to free up space for himself. A find Griffiths movement in and around the 18yard box far more dangerous.

To early to say Watt. He's hardy had enough game time to judge. Can't mind where a was reading it but the other day he was saying he's no sure why after his goal against Barcelona he never got much game time at all. A bet he's glad Lenny is away and knowing this guy Ronny likes to bring on the youth a lot more.

 

Whether he is shooting from 25 yards or 6 yards out, it's still an effort on goal. Funnily enough, the point you make about Stokes choosing the wrong option, is actually something that annoys me about Griffiths more than Stokes. I would say both of them are guilty of shooting when there is better options available. Commons is also someone who shoots from a lot of positions at times.

I don't think it is too early to say about Watt, not for the scenario you mentioned anyway. He seems to be very composed in front of goal in my opinion. The goal against Barca, is not the only evidence for this, but certainly carries the most weight. I genuinely think he is the most composed striker we have.

 

Fridjonsson.

Wait 'til next season.

 

Stokes is always in and around the top of our assist charts every season so that statement is a bit wide of the mark.

 

Even though the poll is close I'm counting it as a win for Stokes purely because he has been here for years.

It seems at Celtic now that you are the favourite when you aren't playing (see Balde), and it's all downhill once you become a first team regular (see most of our players).

If Stokes and Griffiths are neck and neck just now then just think how far Griffiths will fall in 4 years. :smiley-laughing002:

 

I was going to mention that also, however, I do feel that Stokes can be guilty of shooting quite a lot when better options are available. Not as bad as Griffiths for it though in my opinion.

The one that sticks in my mind for Stokes was the home game against St. Mirren. He had Boerrigter running beside him, and when he got 1 v 1 with the keeper, the best option was to slide it to Boerrigter for a tap in, but he opted to try and take it round the keeper, and missed.

 

I remember that one, can't mind too many others though.

It's a feature of his play that he very unselfish, too unselfish at times.

 

I mentioned in my opening post Stokes is too selfish at times and far too selfless at others, passes when he should shoot sometimes and shoots when he should pass at others. He needs to work on that.

 

Agree with that.

 

It might just be my memory failing me but I honestly can't mind moaning at Stokes too many times for having a dig when there was a better option open. Certainly not any huge defining moments anyway.

 

It is a weakness of his, usually when the game gets frustrating, his one that went in at the Kilmarnock 3-3 game was probably one of them... but it worked. I know where they are coming from though, it's definitely something he should work on.

There is always scope for improvement.

 

Pains me to say it... but it's Rat-Boy.

 

^ Nice way to talk about a Celtic player, that.