A number of us are talking about Soldado on other threads so I thought we should perhaps have a thread dedicated to our expensive Striker, who so far has dissapointed us and no doubt himself. The irony of the 'New Striker' campaign we all took part in and then the excitement of seeing us spend over 25 million on a Spanish Striker 3rd in line behind La Liga's Messi & Ronaldo looked like the dream signing many of us had wanted. Is it over for Soldado at Spurs? Certainly Daniel Story in the article below thinks so, but could he still come good, injuries perhaps forcing his recall into the starting line up of PL games, a couple going in and literally kick starting his stuttering career. Who knows!, but he is not the first big money striker to flop as we all know only too well, Rebrov? The team in West London have had two HUGE flops with star strikers. What is it about strikers, is it all Emperors New Clothes in the first place. I am sure if somebody could be bothered they could compile a huge list of very expensive striker flops. What will happen to Soldado?
The article neglects to mention the reason why Soldado didn't start any games between the Limassol and Forest matches - he was injured.
Think we should sell him,another Rebrov,Matbe it's the system'or defences are better in the p/l.his confidence must be shot to pieces as well,and he might not get back to his best,like torres,never has
A combination of AVB's revolutionary system of never passing the ball forwards, followed by Sherwood's revolutionary approach to a player being low on confidence being banished to the bench have done the damage. There's been glimpses here and there of what he could have done, such as his hat-trick and interplay with Townsend against Anzhi last season, and even last night there were a couple of the briefest flashes when he was going forwards, but that's all they've been: moments of brilliance amid the ages of anonymity.
Clearly a quality player in there, will be ****ing amazing for his next club most likely in Spain. He's done for us though i think. Read also: Paulinho
More that I have zero tolerance for journalists ignoring or omitting a crucial fact in order to fit their argument. As I said, there's been flashes of what Soldado is capable of, although flashes are no substitute for consistency - and I doubt that's going to happen thanks to AVB's tactics of never passing the ball forwards or Sherwood's approach to helping a player short on confidence by benching them, and now he's watching Adebayor being completely ineffective yet not getting branded a flop by the papers like he was as early as last November.
Soldado was bought by the wrong manager and for the wrong reason. AVB wanted a high pressing team that ground other teams down...he did not play with speed...possession was his aim to grind down the opposition through pressure. The loan striker in that system has to hold the ball up and often plays with his back to goal waiting for midfielders to support the attack. Soldado needs the ball moved out wide and played in quickly while he he going towards goal. Under redknap he'd have thrived. I am not pining for the return of redknap by the way ... it's just how I see it. If we had spent the £27m on him in Jan 2012 when we were in 3rd place instead of getting Saha on loan recent history may have been very different. As for his future...I am hoping he makes it with us but can see him leaving next summer
I suppose frustrating sums it up for me. If you can bang them in regularly in La Liga - especially if you don't play for Real or Barca - then there has to be a striker hidden in there somewhere.
Soldado's failing for the same reason that Defoe failed towards the end of his time at Spurs. We've asked both to do jobs that they're no good at. Watch this clip of his goals from his time at Valencia: [video=youtube;jBHnymaOBe4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBHnymaOBe4[/video] Virtually all of them are from inside the penalty box and a number are basically tap ins, where he's lost his man and gained a little space near the six yard box. He needs support and service and we're providing him with neither, while also failing to draw defences out so that he can make runs into space. We've got the players available to get the best out of him, especially in the cups, but we're not playing a system that utilises them properly. Our width is nonexistent, we rarely cross the ball effectively and until last night we weren't playing two up front, leaving him completely isolated at times. We're basically asking Gary Lineker to play like Didier Drogba and then wondering why it's not working.
You could also say that a fair few, the volleys in particular, all flew in where they could quite as easily sailed over the bar as they have at Spurs and that others hit the keeper/woodwork and still went in whereas now they are hitting the keeper/woodwork and staying out.
There are a lot of those misses and saves that don't make it to clips like that, but where he was getting a number of opportunities in every game at Valencia, he's now feeding off scraps. If he gets a run of games where he's getting service, then I think he'll start scoring regularly again. He was anonymous in the first half yesterday, but then started to do well, get involved and put in some serious work, when he was bizarrely substituted. Really couldn't understand that at the time and I think it cost us.
I've no problem with his non-goalscoring contributions when he actually gets given the ball. But i think he's had it as a goalscorer for Spurs now. Too much water and a really narrow bridge. Like i said, clearly a quality player, we'll just never see it
Agree with HBIC & RCL over Soldado We lumped out a lot of money on a proven goal scorer and never play to his strengths. Given the right service in the right areas I still believe that Soldado will be prolific for us. I remember him scoring against Cardiff last season and the for the rest of that game he looked like he was getting his confidence and form back. Game after was Benfica where Sherwood left him on the bench in favour of Harry Kane, game after was Chelsea where again he was left on the bench. Since then he has looked woefully short of confidence.
The COC game against the Spammers was worse - Sherwood wanted to sub Adebayor, but rather than doing a like-for-like sub and bringing on Soldado he brought on Holtby instead. Even the players on the bench reacted like he'd forgotten which player was which.
Soldado relies on good service, at Spurs he is feeding on scraps, if he played for Arsenal or Chelsea he would probably be scoring for fun with the service he would receive from the likes of Hazard, Ozil etc. I would like to see him played as part of 2 up front, particularly in home games, sadly with the current system being employed that is unlikely.
He looked the best of the 2nd class in Spain. He looks out of his comfort zone in the PL. Few players from Spain make it in the PL. The tempo and style of play is alien to them. There are a few exceptions, but generally speaking the relatively small numbers who have come here have failed unless they are A list players. Soldado didn't make it at Real Madrid; although he did well at Valencia, he's been hit and miss over his career.
We should have got David Villa. Would have cost peanuts and is still sharp at his age. Would have bagged loads of goals and given us another option. Soldado offers us nothing that Ade or Kane can't already.
I guess I'm old fashioned.Well,I am! But I'd like to have seen Spurs pick up a player like Kevin Davies to harass the crap out of the opposing defences while the big money boys did their thing. I get so bored watching this one pass forward and three passes back game we see today. I never thought I would see the day when a player took a corner and two passes and the ball is back with his own goalkeeper.Who taught them this for goodness sake?
