Notwithstanding his goal last night, I thought he played well as a sort of stand-in Centre Forward. A clever, forward thinking move from Roy IMHO.

I'm wondering now, given our lack of strikers, whether he could be useful as a second striker alongside or just behind Benteke (i.e. not as a winger - keep Andros & Wilf, when fit, out wide) in a sort of Wright/Bright type partnership?

Although the Huddersfield centre backs handled him pretty well in open play last night, he's big and strong and maybe would be better in a more central role? I'm sure I've only seen him used as a winger before.

Certainly can't hack it as a winger in the PL. I desperately hope we never have to start him up front, but he's got the strength and size to be a decent presence up front at the end of a game (and a decent shot of course).

Lacks pace over any distance and agility. Did he jump higher than 2 inches last night?

What you're proposing is more of a SA tactic at West Ham. Aim for Carroll's head and Nolan wasn't it wallop the knock down? Frustratingly long balls to Benteke's head was what we ended up doing too much in the 2nd half v Southampton after actually showing signs of creating a few things on the deck & through the middle with the Cheek-Benteke interplay in the 1st half.

The Wright-Bright partnership had Bright knocking on for Wright, one of the quickest forwards in the game, and nobody better at the spontaneous off the cuff stuff. This isn't Sako.

You've said they handled him in open play last night. Possibly due to his complete lack of mobility since being here.

But what Benteke can do when he's on song is be very very accurate with his headers. I don't know about Sako on that. Rarely seen him head or even jump. But Benteke can aim for Sako, and Sako can have a very sweet spot with that left of his.

It's probably an option and more of one than Dann in the latter stages. I just struggle to see us dropping a central midfielder to do it. What happens with Luca's shielding for example? If it isn't central it'll be a wide man, but that negates what you've proposed.

Maybe it's a late on option of both Benteke & Sako or just Sako. Problem is Sako is less mobile than Benteke so it isn't ideal someone less mobile competing with someone showing little mobility.

We'll see. Hopefully something is worked out.It needs to be.

Edited by Rudi Hedman (20 Sep 2017 5.00pm)

COYP

You must be joking, Sako was more mobile last night than Benteke's been all season. Worked really hard, going wide on both wings, dropping deep,kept the ball well and put himself about a bit too......Oh yeah, and scored a goal. ..I know he gets some stick, but he really gave 100% last night.

I think Benteke doesn't need to learn anything about that - the difference is that Sako is trying to get into the team and so he put himself about a bit; Benteke knows he could sit down and drag himself across the turf like a dog on a carpet, and he'll still get picked.

Hodgson likes 2 up front. Sako isn't a bad option off the bench as an alternative to Benteke but the two of them up top wouldn't work. Both too slow and immobile. Someone like Levi Lumeka or Wilf could be the second striker and Feed of Tekkers knock downs and run in behind etc.