Nigel Pearson considers adding firepower to Leicester City's attack
Nigel Pearson may try to bolster his attacking options in the transfer window next month but said he still believes Leicester City have adequate strike power.
City are expected to be active in the January transfer window and Pearson has admitted he will be looking to address what he sees as imbalances within his squad, and he has said he is assessing his striking options.
Darius Vassell has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, but Pearson said once he gets Martyn Waghorn fit and available, he will have more choices.
"We will have a look at that," Pearson said.
"Martyn is injured at the moment and we will have a look at his progress, and with Vassell being out long-term we will have to look at whether there is any mileage at looking in that area in January.
"Hopefully, Waggy will be fit for us sooner rather than later, although he can't play for us until January because of the loan situation.
"He has had quite a complicated hamstring injury and, hopefully, he will be fully fit and ready when the window opens again.
"We have Jeffrey Schlupp and big Steve Howard as well, and then the two who are currently in the side, Jermaine Beckford and David Nugent.
"You musn't forget that Paul Gallagher is really a striker, or who plays off a striker.
"We have got one or two options but we will have to see how it develops in the next couple of weeks.
"We still have to negotiate fixtures before the window opens, so I am not going to speak too much about it now.
"I do think there is quite a bit of improvement in us with the current players, regardless of what happens in January.
"It is about being positive in the next few games, and then we will see what happens when the window opens. But I can tell you one thing, we won't be signing players for the sake of signing them. We have to try to get the balance of the squad right, and that is a priority."
Eighteen-year-old Schlupp has featured in several squads under Pearson, but the City boss said too much pressure should not be placed on the teenager's shoulders.
Pearson said now was not the time to discuss whether Schlupp would benefit from another loan stint after his successful spell at Brentford last season.
"It is difficult to put a lot of emphasis on young players like him who are relatively inexperienced, although he had a good loan period last year," said Pearson. "He is still learning his trade.
"He is a part of our squad and I will give any situation like that consideration at the appropriate time.
"This is not the time for that and he will be in the squad for tomorrow."
9 Comments
by foxyrod
Friday, December 16 2011, 6:52PM
“im happy to stick with nugent and beckford all season, nugent has a goal rate of slightly better than 1in 3 for us and when he signed for us his career record of 75 from 288 suggests he was an approx 1 in 4 player so he seems to have slightly improved with us , plus he works like a trojan. as for beckford, dont worry cus he will score consistently, hes too classy not to. vassell is injured , hes played well this season but has always had a 1 in 5 strike rate , i fear by the time he is fit NP will be thinking of releasing him . steve howard is too far past his prime now and though he tries hard and does a decent job for the team, i think his goalscoring days at this level are over. good servant but time waits for no man and i think he will be off in january. schlupp at the other end of his career is the ideal player to bring on as a sub , but a little too inexperienced to start with . waggy trier that he is is also a bit like vassell in that he is only a 1 in 5 man .as is gallagher who i see as a midfielder, but must admit his strike rate of 4 from 8 is the best at the club this season, and despite his critics , i think he is worth his place,and with 4 from 18 andy king is not far off his 1 in 4 career strike rate. i think NP will, try and sign a decent striker in january , he must have had a wish list and has the money but i dont think it will be the rangers striker jellylegs cuz he is happy at rangers and has already stated a move to the championship is not on his agenda.and though id love us to get nicky maynard who had a record of 70 goals in 164 games at the start of the season a strike rate of 1 goal every 2.34 games and has managed 1 in 3 for his struggling club this season , i fear he will be off to the premier in january, i wonder if martin will sign him for sunderland. a player i like who has really improved this season is steve davies of derby. currently injured but he had only managed 14 goals in 117 games. but this time had grabbed 5 in 10 till his injury, and some cracking goals amongst them. lets nick him off the sheep when hes fit. FREE DAN DAN 08”
by USAfox
Friday, December 16 2011, 3:52PM
“Beckford you need to start scoring or your going to be warming the bench, you've had your CHANCES!”
by belgraveboy
Friday, December 16 2011, 2:04PM
“correction i meant to say champinship not premiership must have jumped the gun”
by belgraveboy
Friday, December 16 2011, 1:59PM
“jeff schlupp is still a prospect at this stage in his career. he will improve with the help[ of nugent and beckford and of course the managment team. i feel tho he is more about next year than this,it is also very difficult to play three strikers so someone will be dropped”
by belgraveboy
Friday, December 16 2011, 1:51PM
“i dissagree with the opinion that jeff schlupp is the best striker we have ,in fact he looks looks like a rookie youngster and often is lost in the premiership/ he will of course get better training and playing occasionally with david nugent and jermaine beckford. but to throw him in without these two to help him he would find it very hard to establish himself .”
by GCoatsworth2
Friday, December 16 2011, 12:47PM
“Vassell goals per game is not great, but he was played wide by Sven. Think he will struggle to get back into the side.”
by Yorkfox
Friday, December 16 2011, 11:34AM
“If Jellyfish at Rangers is a player who can play like Steve Howard with his back to goal, that is the only type of striker I personally would consider. Maynard will probably be available now but Beckford and Nugent are similar players, and we have them we do not want another.
Vassell and Scluup add speed and goals up front and Waghorn is another alternative along with Gally who is not a wide player. So we already have 6 strikers (with 2 currently injured), so I would add a Howard-like target man only.
We need wingers or wide midfielders and a left back
So the shopping list, in order of urgency is
2 or 3 wide players (go for Cameron Stewart) and go for Raheem Sterling on loan from Liverpool- 18 year old wide player/goalscorer
Left Back- younger cover for Koncheski
Big Centre Forward.”
by andyr1001
Friday, December 16 2011, 11:01AM
“Why would he add a striker if he says has adequate strike power”
by Foxes_1
Friday, December 16 2011, 9:55AM
“urrh hello...Shlupp is probably the best striker we have!!”