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The Lack Of High Calibre Strikers In The Modern Game?


Tooj
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Just been thinking back when you look in and around the 90's some of the strikers who were all around at the same time, all big names if you will, but all delivering the goods as well.

 

Ranging from the likes of Ronaldo, Weah, Klinsmann, Suker, Shearer, Batistuta, Romario (Best finisher I've ever seen), Stoitchkov and Van Basten (Despite really being earlier 90's so to speak and not correlating with all of the above) Papin (Same as Van Basten.)

 

Really how many true World Class strikers are there now?

Edited by Jonny2J
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Guest Patrokles

There's still probably the same amount of striking talent. Just that the game has changed since the mid-90s, and the strikers nowadays have different attributes.

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I think there are a number of truely great strikers around at the moment that are worthy of comparison with those legends mentioned before, although a number of them are advanced in years, but I don't think things are as bad as some make out when it comes to top class strikers.

 

In no order:

 

Luca Toni

Klaas Jan Huntelaar

David Villa

Samuel Eto'o

Dimitar Berbatov

Francesco Totti

Didier Drogba

Thierry Henry

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Guest alex

I think I know where 2J's coming from. A lot of the best players around are what you would consider 2nd strikers or forwards (the likes of Rooney, Messi, Ronaldinho etc.) rather than out and out goalscorers / main strikers.

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I think the general focus has shifted with the game as well. Football has become more of a team game and a lot of nations have progressed very much when it comes to the general technical ability of players. Strikers with the sole responsibility to score don't stand out as much as they used to. Just taking Klinsmann as an example. He wasn't actually that much of an outstanding player in the German team during the 90s apart from his goal record. He stood out because most of the players around him were mediocre (there were still the likes of Sammer, Häßler, Kohler et al). Actually Klinsmann had just two decent international tournamants. 1990 with a fantastic game against Holland and 1996 rather as a captain and leader than actually a prolific goalscorer. Still Klinsmann is seen as a German figure head of the 90s. Tells more about the rest of the team imho.

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Just been thinking back when you look in and around the 90's some of the strikers who were all around at the same time, all big names if you will, but all delivering the goods as well.

 

Ranging from the likes of Ronaldo, Weah, Klinsmann, Suker, Shearer, Batistuta, Romario (Best finisher I've ever seen), Stoitchkov and Van Basten (Despite really being earlier 90's so to speak and not correlating with all of the above) Papin (Same as Van Basten.)

 

Really how many true World Class strikers are there now?

 

 

Strikers have to do a lot more work now and def are much more organised hence making it difficult...Also a lot of sides seem to play only one up front which again makes it harder. The game is getting boring at the highest levels imo.

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Just been thinking back when you look in and around the 90's some of the strikers who were all around at the same time, all big names if you will, but all delivering the goods as well.

 

Ranging from the likes of Ronaldo, Weah, Klinsmann, Suker, Shearer, Batistuta, Romario (Best finisher I've ever seen), Stoitchkov and Van Basten (Despite really being earlier 90's so to speak and not correlating with all of the above) Papin (Same as Van Basten.)

 

Really how many true World Class strikers are there now?

 

 

Strikers have to do a lot more work now and def are much more organised hence making it difficult...Also a lot of sides seem to play only one up front which again makes it harder. The game is getting boring at the highest levels imo.

It is Parky lad it really is. Look at the International Tournaments now, the knockout stages are the most tedious affairs of football that you could see.

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Just been thinking back when you look in and around the 90's some of the strikers who were all around at the same time, all big names if you will, but all delivering the goods as well.

 

Ranging from the likes of Ronaldo, Weah, Klinsmann, Suker, Shearer, Batistuta, Romario (Best finisher I've ever seen), Stoitchkov and Van Basten (Despite really being earlier 90's so to speak and not correlating with all of the above) Papin (Same as Van Basten.)

 

Really how many true World Class strikers are there now?

 

 

Strikers have to do a lot more work now and def are much more organised hence making it difficult...Also a lot of sides seem to play only one up front which again makes it harder. The game is getting boring at the highest levels imo.

It is Parky lad it really is. Look at the International Tournaments now, the knockout stages are the most tedious affairs of football that you could see.

It's really strange. While Germany have been (rightly) accused of being an efficient but boring football side, the moment German football culture has changed under Klinsmann and now Löw, most other teams are going for the former German way in some kind.

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Just been thinking back when you look in and around the 90's some of the strikers who were all around at the same time, all big names if you will, but all delivering the goods as well.

 

Ranging from the likes of Ronaldo, Weah, Klinsmann, Suker, Shearer, Batistuta, Romario (Best finisher I've ever seen), Stoitchkov and Van Basten (Despite really being earlier 90's so to speak and not correlating with all of the above) Papin (Same as Van Basten.)

 

Really how many true World Class strikers are there now?

 

 

Strikers have to do a lot more work now and def are much more organised hence making it difficult...Also a lot of sides seem to play only one up front which again makes it harder. The game is getting boring at the highest levels imo.

It is Parky lad it really is. Look at the International Tournaments now, the knockout stages are the most tedious affairs of football that you could see.

It's really strange. While Germany have been (rightly) accused of being an efficient but boring football side, the moment German football culture has changed under Klinsmann and now Löw, most other teams are going for the former German way in some kind.

You're right actually.

 

It was quite refreshing seeing Germany's approach in the last World Cup as apposed to the rest of the teams.

 

That as well is how Michael Ballack plays and showed be played. Frustrates me seeing players like him at Chelsea when if he'd have went to Man Utd say we'd see the real Ballack.

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Just been thinking back when you look in and around the 90's some of the strikers who were all around at the same time, all big names if you will, but all delivering the goods as well.

 

Ranging from the likes of Ronaldo, Weah, Klinsmann, Suker, Shearer, Batistuta, Romario (Best finisher I've ever seen), Stoitchkov and Van Basten (Despite really being earlier 90's so to speak and not correlating with all of the above) Papin (Same as Van Basten.)

 

Really how many true World Class strikers are there now?

 

 

Strikers have to do a lot more work now and def are much more organised hence making it difficult...Also a lot of sides seem to play only one up front which again makes it harder. The game is getting boring at the highest levels imo.

It is Parky lad it really is. Look at the International Tournaments now, the knockout stages are the most tedious affairs of football that you could see.

It's really strange. While Germany have been (rightly) accused of being an efficient but boring football side, the moment German football culture has changed under Klinsmann and now Löw, most other teams are going for the former German way in some kind.

You're right actually.

 

It was quite refreshing seeing Germany's approach in the last World Cup as apposed to the rest of the teams.

 

That as well is how Michael Ballack plays and showed be played. Frustrates me seeing players like him at Chelsea when if he'd have went to Man Utd say we'd see the real Ballack.

Ballack was actually still one of the major disappointments for us during the tournament where he was supposed to stand out - which he didn't do.

 

But you are right about him having chosen the wrong club. I still can't understand why he chose Chelsea where they already had a very similar player in Lampard. He should have gone to either ManU or Real were they would have given him a much more suiting role.

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Guest alex

Aye, he was a bit of a letdown but as Johnny says that style of play should suit him more. I think a lot of Chelsea's failure to win the league was accomodating Lampard and Ballack. I know that's a bit of a cliche but Mourinho's teams have had success playing in 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation with wingers and he didn't seem quite sure how to adapt his players to a 4-4-2 style of play. Drogba basically held their season together.

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Aye, he was a bit of a letdown but as Johnny says that style of play should suit him more. I think a lot of Chelsea's failure to win the league was accomodating Lampard and Ballack. I know that's a bit of a cliche but Mourinho's teams have had success playing in 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation with wingers and he didn't seem quite sure how to adapt his players to a 4-4-2 style of play. Drogba basically held their season together.

I've said for ages now if it was any other club who could have brought Ballack in on a free and sold Lampard for a nice fee at the time, as this is nothing against Lampard as he gets far too much stick for my liking. But I think Ballack is a superior player to him, but Chelsea can afford to have them both on the payroll.

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Aye, he was a bit of a letdown but as Johnny says that style of play should suit him more. I think a lot of Chelsea's failure to win the league was accomodating Lampard and Ballack. I know that's a bit of a cliche but Mourinho's teams have had success playing in 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation with wingers and he didn't seem quite sure how to adapt his players to a 4-4-2 style of play. Drogba basically held their season together.

I've said for ages now if it was any other club who could have brought Ballack in on a free and sold Lampard for a nice fee at the time, as this is nothing against Lampard as he gets far too much stick for my liking. But I think Ballack is a superior player to him, but Chelsea can afford to have them both on the payroll.

A lot of Bayern fans regard Lampard as the superior player...

 

I agree with you though.

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Guest alex
Aye, he was a bit of a letdown but as Johnny says that style of play should suit him more. I think a lot of Chelsea's failure to win the league was accomodating Lampard and Ballack. I know that's a bit of a cliche but Mourinho's teams have had success playing in 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation with wingers and he didn't seem quite sure how to adapt his players to a 4-4-2 style of play. Drogba basically held their season together.

I've said for ages now if it was any other club who could have brought Ballack in on a free and sold Lampard for a nice fee at the time, as this is nothing against Lampard as he gets far too much stick for my liking. But I think Ballack is a superior player to him, but Chelsea can afford to have them both on the payroll.

But not in the starting XI. Unless they play a 4-5-1 with two holding midfielders (like a lot of Spanish clubs) instead of a midfield trio plus wingers. Still not convinced even that would work all that well.

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Aye, he was a bit of a letdown but as Johnny says that style of play should suit him more. I think a lot of Chelsea's failure to win the league was accomodating Lampard and Ballack. I know that's a bit of a cliche but Mourinho's teams have had success playing in 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation with wingers and he didn't seem quite sure how to adapt his players to a 4-4-2 style of play. Drogba basically held their season together.

I've said for ages now if it was any other club who could have brought Ballack in on a free and sold Lampard for a nice fee at the time, as this is nothing against Lampard as he gets far too much stick for my liking. But I think Ballack is a superior player to him, but Chelsea can afford to have them both on the payroll.

But not in the starting XI. Unless they play a 4-5-1 with two holding midfielders (like a lot of Spanish clubs) instead of a midfield trio plus wingers. Still not convinced even that would work all that well.

Hense why I would have sold Lampard. :D

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Aye, he was a bit of a letdown but as Johnny says that style of play should suit him more. I think a lot of Chelsea's failure to win the league was accomodating Lampard and Ballack. I know that's a bit of a cliche but Mourinho's teams have had success playing in 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation with wingers and he didn't seem quite sure how to adapt his players to a 4-4-2 style of play. Drogba basically held their season together.

I've said for ages now if it was any other club who could have brought Ballack in on a free and sold Lampard for a nice fee at the time, as this is nothing against Lampard as he gets far too much stick for my liking. But I think Ballack is a superior player to him, but Chelsea can afford to have them both on the payroll.

A lot of Bayern fans regard Lampard as the superior player...

 

I agree with you though.

Used to love watching Ballack make one of those runs into the box and power a header in out of nowhere.

 

Makes me quite sad actually.

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Guest alex
Aye, he was a bit of a letdown but as Johnny says that style of play should suit him more. I think a lot of Chelsea's failure to win the league was accomodating Lampard and Ballack. I know that's a bit of a cliche but Mourinho's teams have had success playing in 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation with wingers and he didn't seem quite sure how to adapt his players to a 4-4-2 style of play. Drogba basically held their season together.

I've said for ages now if it was any other club who could have brought Ballack in on a free and sold Lampard for a nice fee at the time, as this is nothing against Lampard as he gets far too much stick for my liking. But I think Ballack is a superior player to him, but Chelsea can afford to have them both on the payroll.

But not in the starting XI. Unless they play a 4-5-1 with two holding midfielders (like a lot of Spanish clubs) instead of a midfield trio plus wingers. Still not convinced even that would work all that well.

Hense why I would have sold Lampard. :D

I was agreeing with you dickweed!

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Aye, he was a bit of a letdown but as Johnny says that style of play should suit him more. I think a lot of Chelsea's failure to win the league was accomodating Lampard and Ballack. I know that's a bit of a cliche but Mourinho's teams have had success playing in 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation with wingers and he didn't seem quite sure how to adapt his players to a 4-4-2 style of play. Drogba basically held their season together.

I've said for ages now if it was any other club who could have brought Ballack in on a free and sold Lampard for a nice fee at the time, as this is nothing against Lampard as he gets far too much stick for my liking. But I think Ballack is a superior player to him, but Chelsea can afford to have them both on the payroll.

But not in the starting XI. Unless they play a 4-5-1 with two holding midfielders (like a lot of Spanish clubs) instead of a midfield trio plus wingers. Still not convinced even that would work all that well.

Hense why I would have sold Lampard. :D

I was agreeing with you dickweed!

:/

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