This time last year we were screaming for him like we were Austin this year.

12 months is a long time in football

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Really hope this isn't true and there isn't any legs in this. Not a positive move in my opinion.

I know only Bromley (and no offence to Bromley at all) and there is a big gulf between us and them but I was at the game last night and actually felt optimistic about our striking options in Bamford, Gayle, Murray, lump Chamakh in there too maybe even throw a slice of Campbell as well. Bamford was the best player on the pitch by a country mile (again I know only Bromley) and he was subbed at half time out of respect for them as he was looking like he was on for 15 goals. Gayle is an outstanding finisher too and blasts in goals for fun when he plays and that includes against the like of Liverpool. We already have really strong raw young talent at the club in those two up top so why spend 10mil on Wickham?

I thought with the likes of Cabaye joining (and surely he must have been promised we would spend and strengthen) we would aim a bit higher than this. Was liking the links to Remy, Austin but this seems like one of those 'hmmmmmm lets look down the list as we cant get the ones at the top' type things. And for the money - no. Just no.

I'm not at all excited about this signing, in fact I am more excited about the season long loan of Patrick Bamford despite the fact that if he plays and does well we'll just give him back to Chelsea all nicely fluffed.

BUT, I always make a resolution to myself to only judge a Palace player by how they perform in a Palace shirt.

We're probably all thinking in comparison to signing Charlie Austin this isn't all that promising. However, for all we know Austin could've pulled on a Palace shirt and played like Akinbiyi and Wickham could suddenly hit some kind of purple patch that makes an £8m price tag look like pocket money.

We'll see.

[Link]

Some more footage. I think he is still a very young player, but if played in his correct striker position he will score goals.,
The third goal is a real gem nand he does have genuine pace, and power, and is a good finisher. Put it this way, Palace is the ideal environment for him to show how good he actually is. Our midfied creative players will be making loads of chances for him. My hunch is thst if given chances he will stick most of them away.nWe will see!

That result is probably a surprise to him, he left the ground when it was 0-0!

Like a few others, I'm not exactly inspired by this possible signing, but am confident AP and the coaching / scouting staff know more about a decent striker than me!

Compared to Austin there are a number of positives - he's younger, he's more mobile, he doesn't have a question mark over his long term fitness. I also don't think he has regularly been played in his natuarl position at Sunderland, so goals to games ratio could / should probably be better.

At £8m/£9m compared to circa £12/15m for Austin, given the above, I think those could be a good bit of business. Jordan Roades is being touted about at £10/£12m and the guy has never played in the PL, nor actually every seriously been linked with a PL team (there must be a reason there), so again this doesn't look such a bad deal.

My preference would have been Remy, but I think it's clear there is a shortage of top class strikers out there in the price range we can afford, and even at the next price bracket up.

Young, potential, future sell on value - seems to tick a lot of the boxes that CPFC2010 look for in a signing.