Top of the Pops
Having been invaded by wingers, second strikers and midfielders last season, the Premier League top scorers chart is beginning to have a familiar look to it again. It’s populated by centre-forwards. 7 games into the season the top 10 scorers in the league are all strikers. No sign of the Gerrards, Lampards or Ronaldos. We seemed to be drifting towards an era of teams playing just one up top, but now it seems strike partnerships are en vogue again, and the league is all the more entertaining for it: 196 goals in 66 games, an average of 2.97 goals per match.
During the 2006/07 season, Roma experimented with a 4-6-0 formation. Talisman Francesco Totti would be the farthest forward, dropping off on occasions, leaving no pivot in the Roma attack. This brought coach Luciano Spalletti a certain degree of success, with successive Coppa Italia victories in 2007 & 2008. Coupled with finishing second twice in Serie A in 2006 & 2008, and a few appearances in the latter stages of the Champions League (despite humiliation at the hands of Manchester United in 2007), Spalletti did an excellent job in Rome. His hands were tied considerably by financial restraints after the indulgence of the early part of this century. Would it catch on?
Again in Rome, in last season’s Champions League final, Manchester United played a formation with no central striker as such. Wayne Rooney played on the left of what looked like an attacking 3, with Cristano Ronaldo playing in the role Totti assumed for Roma. United had a similar set-up in Europe over the previous few seasons, particularly away from home. It worked to devastating effect at the Emirates against a shell-shocked Arsenal. But Barcelona had a very comfortable evening after a shaky opening 10 minutes, and questions were asked as to why £60 million worth of Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov spent over an hour on the bench that night. At the end of the day, goals win games.
So Manchester United this season are taking a different approach. They have played a 4-4-2 in all their league games thus far. Playing in a central role, Rooney has plundered 6 goals in the opening 7 games. Half of this total from last season. They are not the only ones. Noisy neighbours Manchester City have an array of striking talents on their books. Emmanuel Adebayor had an explosive start to the season in front of goal, with 4 in 4. A suspension for stamping on former team-mate Robin Van Persie’s face stopped him in his tracks. In his absence, Craig Bellamy and Tevez have been amongst the goals, so he could have a fight on his hands to force his way back into the team.
Over at Anfield, Fernando Torres has been unstoppable in the last 2 matches, with 5 goals against West Ham United and Hull City respectively. He is well on the way to eclipsing his 14 goal haul from last season, and perhaps his 24 goal total from his debut season in England could be under threat. With his partner in crime Steven Gerrard been pushed into a deeper role for certain games this term, Torres has been ably supported by Dirk Kuyt, a striker turned wide midfielder, and Yossi Benayoun. This Liverpool side is more adventurous than in previous seasons, so Torres isn’t as isolated as at times before. Whether this thread will continue at Stamford Bridge on Sunday remains to be seen.
Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka seem to be forming an understanding at Chelsea, whether they play as a strike pair, or if Anelka is shifted out wide. In the 2-0 stroll against Fulham recently, they laid on a goal from each other. Drogba falls into the category of having the attributes to play as a lone striker comfortably, but is always glad of the helping hand Anelka offers. He has surpassed his miserable total of 5 league goals from last season, and has plenty more to come it seems.
Bent & Jones Celebrate Annoying Steve Bruce
On Wearside, Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones have struck up an immediate understanding. Bent, the designated penalty-taker at Sunderland, even let Jones take a spot-kick during Sunday’s victory over Wolves. Manager Steve Bruce was unimpressed.”That won’t happen again. That’s something you do on a pitch with your mates, not in the Premier League.” But the former Wigan boss must be delighted with the 10 goals they have between them already this season. Jones was Sunderland’s top scorer with 10 strikes last season, whilst the whole team managed just 34 in the 38 game league campaign.
Strikers have had their pride wounded in recent times. The most extravagant transfers this century going for those whose value lies in as much creating goals as scoring them. From Figo and Zidane in 2000, and 2001, to Kaka and Ronaldo this summer just gone. Barcelona were ridiculed for spending £35 million plus the want away Samuel Eto’o on Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swede’s 5 goals in his opening 5 La Liga games may go some way to silencing his numerous critics, but we will wait and see if he can shake the ‘flat-track bully’ tag he has been branded with.
So whether it’s down to poor defences, rubbish goalkeepers, vague offside laws, or just the fact that a number of players happen to be on-form at a similar point in time I’m not sure. But it has made for a fascinating start to the season. The race for the Premier League title looks as open as I can remember, but the race for the Golden Boot could be just as enthralling. Do they actually still give the winner a Golden Boot I wonder……?
There’s good info here. I did a search on the topic and found most people will agree with your blog. Keep up the good work mate!
Torres does not operate like a classic centre firward. He picks the ball up wide much to often for that to be the case.
as for the 4-6-0 formation or 4-5-1 how ever you want to classify it, there was a good article in the guardian yesterday on it, you should check it out.
Interesting read though Morris.
Cillian
Thanks for the feedback as always. Torres likes to drop off, but it’s fair to say he is best in and around the box.
Thanks for the tip to read the Guardian, Wilson’s stuff is always top notch he does some excellent research.