It’s known as the beautiful game. The emotion that football invokes, on and off the pitch is arguably unique to other sports. Football, at it’s best is seen as one team scoring more goals than the other. To be able to achieve that, you need the best strikers, of course, to help you score the goals.
Yes, it’s a cliche, but goals win you matches and the best teams have the best forwards. Whether it be Real Madrid in Zidane’s era, who had Cristiano Ronaldo spearheading their attack, or Robert Lewandowski for Bayern Munich for example, the common factor with both teams is that they had a striker of world-class calibre.
With Ronaldo leaving Madrid for Juventus, the Spanish giants arguably have struggled to fill the void left by their Portuguese talisman. Players like Benzema, have stepped up where they can, but to match the insane heights CR7 did is a big ask where no one in the Real squad seems capable of filling.
Scenarios like this, and the ones at Spurs and Liverpool, made me feel the need to raise this discussion. Are strikers of a world-class calibre in a short supply? Also, are teams who have a top striker victim of this too?
The first part of this question makes me ask this question because bar Lewandowski and Aubameyang can you name any other out and out forwards? With Tottenham, they do have the world-class striker in Harry Kane, and when he’s injured Son has filled in admirably for the Englishman, but their focal point is lost.
In the case of Spurs, they have been crying out for a Kane back up and that’s been the problem because they have got forwards who aren’t as good as the former Arsenal academy player. It’s always been a case of almost being afraid to get someone better, which is one factor that’s stopping Spurs from getting to the next level.
The other example I want to use to my argument is that of Liverpool. Many, on the face of it, won’t think there’s a problem, but let’s look at the issue a bit deeper. The front three of The Reds attack are of course Sadio Mane, Mohammed Salah and Roberto Firminho.
These three have the bulk of the goals. Players like Rhian Brewster, Divock Origi are waiting in the wings, but that’s it they’re waiting in the wings. Players like Jadon Sancho and Timo Werner have been missed due to the reluctance to upstage the front three.
This is naive thinking at best. Liverpool may have masked the issue for this season, but for Spurs, it’s been an issue of providing real completion to Harry Kane for many years. Teams like Chelsea and Manchester United have addressed the issue.
In United’s case, if Martial doesn’t perform, he knows Igahlo will take his place. It’s the same for Werner at Chelsea, Abraham will take his place. Liverpool and Tottenham can see these two examples, both could do with taking note of this if both want truly go to the next level.
