Roberto Soldado Starved

[YiddoInPoland]

I think some of the criticism of him is fair, he doesn't seem to be the complete striker many were expecting, but when you look past his scoring record there are some promising things that he does over say Defoe.

He has scored 3 penalties, fair enough most players should score them but if you look at someone like Defoe, i read somewhere that he has like a 60% score record with them, i am sure there are other candidates to take them, but so far he has stepped up and put them away.

v Palace scored the penalty
v Swansea scored the penalty
v Norwich he was the assist for the assist for our first goal
v Chelsea assisted Siggys goal
v Aston Villa - pretty much started and finished the goal, he may not score outside the box but that doesn't mean he doesn't play there
v Hull scored the penalty

so out of our 9 goals in the league, he has been involved in 6 of them, so if you look purely at his scoring record, which in itself 4/9 isn't that bad, but factor out the penalties it does look terrible, but i think he offers more and will offer much more to our general play when we figure out what we are doing offensively.

We should probably expect more from him for the money spent, but i am sure he will come good, as i think he has the attributes to score a lot of goals even this season, and if he gets into double figures i will be happy with that.

 

[jezz]

I was really happy when he signed.
I have to admit though he looks short of confidence.
We knew exactly what we were buying. A predator
But in his defense, hes not exactly getting the service he needs.
Hes not being played in by quick through balls or getting balls across the box.
When we do actually get a ball in, he looks so suprised hes half a yard of the ball.
When we start getting the ball in the box regularly, he will start to anticipate the ball better and start to get goals.
If we keep shooting from outside the box, i think his form will get worse and we will have to start to rethink our options.

 

[Kendall]

I think some of the criticism of him is fair, he doesn't seem to be the complete striker many were expecting, but when you look past his scoring record there are some promising things that he does over say Defoe.

He has scored 3 penalties, fair enough most players should score them but if you look at someone like Defoe, i read somewhere that he has like a 60% score record with them, i am sure there are other candidates to take them, but so far he has stepped up and put them away.

v Palace scored the penalty
v Swansea scored the penalty
v Norwich he was the assist for the assist for our first goal
v Chelsea assisted Siggys goal
v Aston Villa - pretty much started and finished the goal, he may not score outside the box but that doesn't mean he doesn't play there
v Hull scored the penalty

so out of our 9 goals in the league, he has been involved in 6 of them, so if you look purely at his scoring record, which in itself 4/9 isn't that bad, but factor out the penalties it does look terrible, but i think he offers more and will offer much more to our general play when we figure out what we are doing offensively.

We should probably expect more from him for the money spent, but i am sure he will come good, as i think he has the attributes to score a lot of goals even this season, and if he gets into double figures i will be happy with that.

For me, there is more that Soldado can't do that Defoe can than the other way around. For example, could Soldado have scored that goal last year against West Ham? Could he have scored the goal against City that put us 2-1 up?

There seems to be this sympathy for him because he's starved. He hasn't actually offered anything really, other than the ability to put the ball away from point blank range. That was a criticism levied at Darren Bent, who was almost 10m cheaper.

 

[jezz]

For me, there is more that Soldado can't do that Defoe can than the other way around. For example, could Soldado have scored that goal last year against West Ham? Could he have scored the goal against City that put us 2-1 up?

There seems to be this sympathy for him because he's starved. He hasn't actually offered anything really, other than the ability to put the ball away from point blank range. That was a criticism levied at Darren Bent, who was almost 10m cheaper.

6 in 12 and 2 assists aint that bad for a striker short of service.
When AVB actually gets the team he thinks is his best eleven playing, then i think a better assessment can be made.

 

[Kendall]

6 in 12 and 2 assists aint that bad for a striker short of service.
When AVB actually gets the team he thinks is his best eleven playing, then i think a better assessment can be made.

Depends on how you look at it. I can't not count penalties, but we were fortunate to get them. Or rather, Soldado was fortunate to get them to boost his tally.

 

[dudu]

Depends on how you look at it. I can't not count penalties, but we were fortunate to get them. Or rather, Soldado was fortunate to get them to boost his tally.

Fortune favours the brave!

I do hear what you are saying, but we arent playing in a system where defoe should be scoring from outside the box, we have every midfielder trying to do that already. Defoe's goal vs west ham was great but its not like he does that week in week out like a Drogba would have and lets not forget, those things you say he offers, he had a chance this season to prove that and h e did nothing but fail to do the 1 thing we expect him to do - to finish from inside the box when given a clear opportunity to do so.

 

[jezz]

Depends on how you look at it. I can't not count penalties, but we were fortunate to get them. Or rather, Soldado was fortunate to get them to boost his tally.

Penalties are not goals.
18 were missed last year in the premiership.
Fortunate or not they still have to be put away.
They win games and you still get the points if there scored.

 

[YiddoInPoland]

For me, there is more that Soldado can't do that Defoe can than the other way around. For example, could Soldado have scored that goal last year against West Ham? Could he have scored the goal against City that put us 2-1 up?

There seems to be this sympathy for him because he's starved. He hasn't actually offered anything really, other than the ability to put the ball away from point blank range. That was a criticism levied at Darren Bent, who was almost 10m cheaper.

I don't offer him any sympathy, i just look at a wider picture, he may, as you suggest turn out to be innefectual over a season but then maybe my criteria for success are different to yours.

Could he have scored that goal against West Ham, probably not, but to be honest that's really the only time i have ever seen Defoe do that so it is an exception to his game. But lets flip that, if Defoe was on the pitch for Norwich, Chelsea or Villa we probably wouldn't have scored those goals as that is not Defoe's game, we might have scored other types of goals maybe, but we will never know that.

For me, when Defoe is hot he bangs them in, problem is, he has been in this league a long time and has always done it in fits and starts, so when he is on the pitch and not scoring he is one of the most pointless players there is, actually looking at the Sheriff game for example, where we were probably more attacking then we have been, apart from the penalty i don't remember him really touching the ball.

Soldado, for me and its only my opinion offers more of an all round game that will suit us more and he will get more goals, you don't believe that and that's your choice.

 

[Bobbins]

It makes me sad that the one striker I was desperate for us to sign, and never thought we would be able to get, was Soldado, and now we've got him, we've forgotten how to play football.

I am doubly sad that the other player at the top of my list, Lamela, one of the brightest young talents in world football, and a perfect player to play with/behind Soldado, cannot get a league appearance for love nor money.

These things make me sad, for I do not understand how or why they came to be

What makes me angry is the incredible level of ignorance and dismissal of a few posters who have decided that Soldado's no good because he's only scored penalties, and that he 'doesn't run about enough'. It's just, I mean, WTF?

 

[Donki]

It makes me sad that the one striker I was desperate for us to sign, and never thought we would be able to get, was Soldado, and now we've got him, we've forgotten how to play football.

I am doubly sad that the other player at the top of my list, Lamela, one of the brightest young talents in world football, and a perfect player to play with/behind Soldado, cannot get a league appearance for love nor money.

These things make me sad, for I do not understand how or why they came to be

What makes me angry is the incredible level of ignorance and dismissal of a few posters who have decided that Soldado's no good because he's only scored penalties, and that he 'doesn't run about enough'. It's just, I mean, WTF?

Perfectly said. AVB bought Bobby to be a box threat, he bought the likes of Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli to work the ball into the box and create oppertunites, this is what we are failing to do. People saying oh we should of bought Benteke or Lukaku makes no sence to me, we wouldnt of passed the ball any better to either of them unless your wanting to punt from deep, AVB obviously is wanting to play the ball on the gound and not in the air, the system isnt working the way AVB wants and its up to him to get it working. Even though I hate saying it watch the likes of the Scum and the Chavs, its quick positive attacks passing into space, in and around the box. This is what we are failing to do, our passes are negative and always seem to be right to a player who is static, its dire.

 

[JaySpur]

The striker isn't the problem. The personnel and the system in it's current guise is the real issue. Only AVB can change that for us.

 

[jezz]

Hmmmm.

Sorry, but anyone knocking Soldado's capabilities is just stirring it for the sake of whipping up a shit-pie.

There is a difference between playing badly for whatever reason and actually lacking ability.

His record shows he's averaged more than a goal every other game in his last 5 seasons in La Liga. Sorry, you don't do that by being a poor footballer.

Nor would our fairly stringent player purchasing committee agree to paying what was at the time a record fee for us and a whopping sum for almost any club.

No, he's not poor in ability. No doubt his confidence is a little shot though playing in a side so incapable of producing chances for him and having the fans of a new club, who don't know him, already start to lose faith with him. As Wiganspur rightly points out the few real chances he seems to have had he's put away comfortably. I agree he's snatched at a few half chances but if you watch Defoe, you'll see that's almost a cornerstone of some footballers' careers.

We obviously knew what his game was about before he arrived so for me its really the case that we haven't found the right mix of tactics and team selection yet.

I seem to be the only one blowing the Lamela - Eriksen - Lennon horn but damn it sounds good to me!

Get Ade back in the mix too ya fools!

The Lennon bit lets you down.
Otherwise top man

 

[Strikeb4ck]

From what I've seen, bar the Chelsea game, his holdup play and touch is very impressive, I don't at all understand the complaints that he doesn't get involved. As said above, he'd score 25+ in a team like Dortmund, Chelsea, Arsenal, etc.

 

[double0]

From what I've seen, bar the Chelsea game, his holdup play and touch is very impressive, I don't at all understand the complaints that he doesn't get involved. As said above, he'd score 25+ in a team like Dortmund, Chelsea, Arsenal, etc.

Are you sure he'd score that many...Torres is a better striker and hasn't.

 

[Shadydan]

Um what.

Since when is Torres a better striker than Soldado?

 

[Flashspur]

Its true that the magic hasnt happened yet.....sometimes you feel we are on the verge, like the second half against Newcastle. However, even then we didnt make good use of his talents. Still lots of work for Andre before he can get these lads passing to the Soldier!

 

[double0]

[quote"Shadydan, post: 3696743, member: 22727"]Um what.

Since when is Torres a better striker than Soldado?[/quote]

Of course Torres is a better all round Striker. Taking your spurs glasses off are you telling me Soldado is better Torres?

 

[Shadydan]

Of course Torres is a better all round Striker. Taking your spurs glasses off are you
telling me Soldado is better Torres?

Don't let a couple of months of poor form dictate your judgement.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

I act

Agree on Lennon. He's the only wide man who has come close to picking out Soldado with crosses- when he played on the right against Palace. AVB must, must, must restore him against City.

Lennon hits wanky, chipped crosses to no one. He is not the right player to feed Soldado, or anyone for that matter.

 

[Shea]

T

Are you sure he'd score that many...Torres is a better striker and hasn't.

Torres may be a better all round striker or at least a better all round player but I think Soldado is a better in the box player and finisher and would there fore score more goals in a team like Arsenal or Chelsea who present their strikers multiple clear cut chances in games than Torres has at Chelsea