The Soldado debate

[EnfieldYiddo]

Okay, let's take off our Spurs tinted glasses and look it as a neutral.

If Liverpool had bought Soldado and he had performed how he has so far; would we claiming we'd 'dodged a bullet' or that they'd 'wasted their money'.

I'm a huge fan of him and wanted him this summer, couldn't believe we got him - I'm just starting to ever so slightly worried.

I personally believe he will come good but is there a case to be made that he wasn't the right purchase or he will be an expensive flop?

He shows some nice touches and is clearly a very intelligent forward - So what is the problem - Is there one?

In 6 games he hasn't scored from open play and you couldn't say aside from the Cardiff game that he's had a plethora of great chances.

This isn't so much stemming from any concerns I have but it's been bounded around by a lot of opposition fans and I've seen a fair number of Spurs fans starting to echo similar sentiments.

Is it a case of us integrating more creative players like Lamela to fully get the most out of Soldado?

Is it that he just doesn't fit out system?

Was he the correct signing?

Perhaps it's just a case of being unlucky and the once one goes in he'll get onto a streak. It must start to be playing on his mind - As it would with any great striker.

Just to reiterate I myself isn't worrying too much - I just want him to get off the mark in open play and we can see the Soldado of Valencia, those glorious first time volleys from balls over the top.

What do you guys think?

 

[$hoguN]

Okay, let's take off our Spurs tinted glasses and look it as a neutral.

If Liverpool had bought Soldado and he had performed how he has so far; would we claiming we'd 'dodged a bullet' or that they'd 'wasted their money'.

Only idiots would claim this. He is clearly an excellent player who has added a lot to our team. Two goals for Siggy have come from his great control and he would have had 4 last week if it wasn't for an excellent Marshal.

There shouldn't be any question marks. The guy is f**king class end of.

 

[easley91]

If he didn't suit our system, why spend that much on him? There's more to him than just goals. He'll start scoring from open play eventually, but until then he has also had a hand in goals we've scored. He laid the ball to Eriksen who set up Siggy, and it was the same three for the one today. Only today it was Eriksen to Soldado to Siggy. Against Cardiff he pulled Caulker out of position, which gave Paulinho space to run into.

Other clubs fans only see highlights most of the time and not full matches, so they're unlikely to see a full game from him like we do.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

I hope he's not going to turn into a Spanish Danny Graham!

 

[TH1239]

He isn't like Aguero, Michu, or Negredo, insofar as he doesn't typically score goals from outside of 15 yards. At Valencia, they had loads of quality creative players like Banega feeding him with passes on the floor, which is something Townsend and Sigurdsson haven't done so far.

The simple fix is inserting Lamela on the right. He's the most talented player on the team, in my opinion, but he needs a chance to get a run of games with Soldado, which isn't happening right now given that Defoe is the striker for Cup games.

 

[OmarsComing]

He needs time to acclimatize to the league. Henry, Bergkamp and Pires wasnt exactly flying during their first seasons in the EPL.

 

[kaz Hirai]

He was shite today, no plans to sugar coat it because he is new and cost a ton. Based on todays game only, I thought he was shite.
Defoe came on for 20 mins or so and got himself 2 decent goal scoring chances...which he should've done better with mind you.

overall Soldado has been good but today was a poor one

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

He isn't like Aguero, Michu, or Negredo, insofar as he doesn't typically score goals from outside of 15 yards. At Valencia, they had loads of quality creative players like Banega feeding him with passes on the floor, which is something Townsend and Sigurdsson haven't done so far.

The simple fix is inserting Lamela on the right. He's the most talented player on the team, in my opinion, but he needs a chance to get a run of games with Soldado, which isn't happening right now given that Defoe is the striker for Cup games.

Yeah, the problem is Siggy and Townsend will look for the shot quite a lot as that's the system we play.

I think Valencia were most set up to feed Soldado.

 

[Yid-ol]

Even the new players who are playing well shouldn't be judged just yet, yes some are playing well some not, but I would still give them a little more time to settle into a new team and get used to the players.

Judge him on a full season not on a few games.

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

Even the new players who are playing well shouldn't be judged just yet, yes some are playing well some not, but I would still give them a little more time to settle into a new team and get used to the players.

Judge him on a full season not on a few games.

I'm not judging him; well I am and I've been pleased by his contribution in terms of movement and assists/key passes.

Just wanted to gauge others feelings towards him as I knew a large contingent was Benteke

 

[Parklane Block 34]

I honestly don't think he will able to hack it in this league as a lone striker.

The argument is that he done that role in Spain last year. But the premier league is something different.

He's a decent player but more of a poacher for me.

In England I think he needs to play off another striker and try and forge a good old fashioned partnership with someone.

If we play 1 up top and there is no way this will change I'm sorry but £26m for Soldado will be seen as a flop.

If we are going down this road then I think we need to get Adebayor back in the team ASAP

 

[Oshi]

We played great 1st half and he was a big part of that, we were a bit dog the 2nd half.. A collective blame for that. He isn't the sort of player who will drop deep, pick the ball up, run around 4 players and score.

We need to work the ball into the box more for him, low accurate crosses in between the keeper and defenders.. Fox in the box player.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

Today was not down to Soldado, today was down to the team retreating into a shell after we scored. Soldado, just like Eriksen, played fine in the 30 minutes where we totally controlled the game. He even got the assist today.

Had we continued to control the game and look for the 2-0 as opposed to inviting pressure on (I think this is AVB's doing by the way, not the players) by sitting back, we would have seen a better Soldado.

His holdup play wasn't great today but while we were winning 1-0 he had so little support around him there wasn't much to do. That being said today wasn't his best game, but everyone is entitled to a bad game once in a while. He's clearly played well besides today though and I think it's only a matter of time before the team comes together and we see his goalscoring form.

 

[Francis Gibbs]

He was very poor today, still obviously willing to give him time but he needs to start stepping up and not just on the goal scoring front he won little in the air today and held the ball up poorly with the touch of a rapist when in possession.

 

[Dangerous_Clive]

I enjoyed his assist today immensely.

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

Today was not down to Soldado, today was down to the team retreating into a shell after we scored. Soldado, just like Eriksen, played fine in the 30 minutes where we totally controlled the game. He even got the assist today.

Had we continued to control the game and look for the 2-0 as opposed to inviting pressure on (I think this is AVB's doing by the way, not the players) by sitting back, we would have seen a better Soldado.

His holdup play wasn't great today but while we were winning 1-0 he had so little support around him there wasn't much to do. That being said today wasn't his best game, but everyone is entitled to a bad game once in a while. He's clearly played well besides today though and I think it's only a matter of time before the team comes together and we see his goalscoring form.

I mentioned that in my ratings post; was very, very peripheral.

 

[robp135]

If you played Soldado in the European and League Cup games he would have scored more than Defoe, if you played Defoe in all the league games he would have missed both penalties.

 

[Darth Vega]

Got no worries. He's involved in goals even when he's not scoring. He'll come good but a lot of it is down to the team. I can't remember Soldado being put through today; there was no clear cut chance for him to miss apart from the one where he was offside.

 

[Dr Know]

I think he needs a big man up front with him a bit like how Crouch use to knock it down for VDV

 

[double0]

I can see qualities in Soldado but like Chadli these players will be slow burns and will get better as the season goes on.

Still much prefer Soldado as the loan striker ahead of Defoe