Bristol Rovers urged to look at Arsenal and Blackburn strikers | OneFootball

With Promise Omochere out until April, FLW fan pundit Josh Hemmings implores George Friend to find a striker this winter.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Having suffered a hamstring injury on New Year's Day, Bristol Rovers' club record signing Promise Omochere is unlikely to feature again until April, according to the Bristol Post.

Joining from Fleetwood Town, the exciting summer acquisition had already missed the majority of November with an ankle problem.

The timing of this latest setback has proved disastrous for all parties, as the Irishman had just begun to show signs of settling in on Gloucester Road.

Goals against Wrexham and Exeter either side of Christmas, the former a dramatic late equaliser, went only someway to describing his recent impact in the Gas' number nine position.

With a crucial few months on the horizon for Iñigo Calderón and co. do the Pirates require a short-term fix to their Omochere sized hole this January?

"It's a difficult mould" - Omochere's attributes difficult to replace, says pundit

When asked what type of player the Gas should be looking to bring in this winter, FLW's resident Bristol Rovers fan pundit, Joshua Hemmings, unsurprisingly nominated a striker.

"When Promise Omochere came back from injury, I thought we might be covered in the striker area. Now that he's going to be out until at least April, we have to get a new striker, we have to.

"A fox-in-the-box striker could be good, but I don't know, because we also need that thuggish, luggish kind of guy as well.

"I want someone who can score goals but also link play well. For me I'd be looking between four different loan options and maybe even one permanent.

"I'd be looking at someone like Khayon Edwards from Arsenal, Harry Leonard from Blackburn, even Devante Cole on loan from West Brom.

"Maybe even Niall Ennis, that would be the permanent option. Someone with an eye for goal, nippy around that box but also someone who can hold the ball up well. It's a difficult mould we need.

"This is because we're going to miss Omochere, massively. Because he can link up play, he can also hold the ball up well and he's got a good turn of pace about him for a big man. Yeah, we need a striker, definitely."

A depth of realistic options on Hemmings' wishlist, with the general feeling that, while Omochere will be near-impossible to replace like-for-like under the current circumstance, a loan signing could provide a short-term stop-gap for the issue at hand.

21-year-old Khayon Edwards has scored five goals in seven Premier League 2 matches for the Gunners, and having failed to impress at Leyton Orient last term, will likely welcome another chance at EFL football.

Following a late equaliser against Sunderland on boxing day, Blackburn's Harry Leonard is seeing his minutes increase of late, though were he to be assured a starting berth, may favour a short-term loan to establish himself further within the game.

Approaching his 30th birthday, Devante Cole is seemingly surplus to requirements at West Bromwich Albion. An uninspiring prospect, though on paper, could at least fit the physicality requirements.

Finally, the recommendation of Niall Ennis on a permanent transfer. Unfavoured at Stoke, former Plymouth forward Ennis has an impressive goalscoring record in League One, with 12 goals and five assists in the Pilgrims' title-winning side of 2023.

There are a plethora of potential options within the EFL and potentially even beyond. However, the main takeaway here is that Bristol Rovers need someone to bolster their front line this winter.

Bristol Rovers' striking options look bleak without Omochere

While the 24-year-old has been far from prolific himself, he remains the objective best choice among the current crop.

While only a sample size of five games, Rovers have scored an average of just 0.6 goals per game when Omochere hasn't featured.

Comparing this to an even one goal per game when he has, it is clear that the side's efficiency in the box, while still meager, improves drastically when the former Bohemians man is in the picture.

Despite a brace on New Year's Day, concerns regarding Chris Martin's fitness and overall athletic ability have seen the aging EFL great fall out of favour with the fan base.

Gaitlin O'Donkor has been far from turgid when called upon, though the consensus is that the 20-year-old is far from being a consistent first-choice and League One level.

With the acquisition of Romaine Sawyers indicating that business hours are well and truly underway, time will tell just who, if anyone, George Friend decides to bring in before the window shuts.