Written by James Kent for FootballFancast.com: The Premier League is littered with examples of strikers that work hard – but offer little in terms of goals. The classic examples are Emile Heskey, Dirk Kuyt and Kevin Davies, it’s probably fair to say that all of those players have shown glimpses of class and ability at times that has led to the suggestion they are half-decent strikers. But none of them have proved to be able to score more than 14 goals in a single Premier League season. Yet, they have all played in the Premier League for years and are highly respected.
Now call me old fashioned but I believe a striker should hit the back of the net on a regular basis or they are simply not doing their job. Two players that have done that on a regular basis throughout their respected careers are Darren Bent and Dimitar Berbatov, but both these players have their critics and they are often considered lazy. However, surely the goals they score tell their own story and should be more than enough to answer any critics?
Whenever Heskey, Kuyt or Davies is criticised we hear about the amount of ground they cover or the overall work they do for the team. It was this sort of thinking that resulted in Emile Heskey going to the World Cup with England. Isn’t it time we started to praise the strikers that score the goals and do the job and criticise the ones that don’t?
Managers must see something in training that I don’t – because I would never pick a forward with a high work rate but poor goal return and leave my prolific marksman on the bench. It makes no sense to me when football is all about scoring goals to win games. But maybe I am missing the point and the value of the likes of Kuyt, Heskey and Davies.
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Kuyt plays on the wing so its a little unfair.
This article would be better had Kuyt not just scored in 5 consecutive games!
What Rubbish
stupid article….
Kuyt scored 15 goals this season, 13 in the Premier league including a hat trick against Manchester United and he is playing as a winger. he also got 7 assists, not a bad return on any account.
What Rubbish
Completley pointless and inacurate article!
First things first… Kuyt has been played as a winger gor almost all of his liverpool career, if you look at his goal record when he is playing upfront, like at his previous club he was deadly! Look at his recent record since he has been playing upfront for kenny… EIGHT GOALS IN SEVEN GAMES!! correct me if im wron but that is a little more than just running around with no quality??? Wgere as berbatov… I think its something like 2 goals in his last 14 games?? Might be worth actually watchin a match or 2 and doing a bit of reasearch before writing crap articles!
You idiot!
Is this the same Kuyt who has been playing on the wing for Liverpool in 95% of games, until the last 2 months? Where he has scored one more goal than he has played matches (as a striker)
He is also on 13 prem goals and Rooney got his 11th today.. so less than Dirk and he has played every game up front.. Kuyt has played 3/4 of his on the wing.
Also.. with 8 assists, he has more assists than any of the strikers who are above him in the scoring charts! so..no.. I cant see what Dirk Kuyt offers either??! Only running eh??
Also scored the same as Hernandez, more than Dempsey, Van der Vaart.. any Chelsea player too… so bringing Dirk in to this was a very silly thing to do when it shows you clearly know nothing
Hi, my name is James, and I think the author is right.
your talking out your arse about kuyt, tons of goals when he got moved up front, he was playing on the wing for most games before that.
however berbatov is class, has swagger in his play he will sit on the ball and contemplate his next move, but its still obvious he doesnt bust a gut for his team and thats what most people have a problem with
Never heard so much shit in my life! Haha
james ur a nob head so is the prik who wrote this rubbish
try another sport muppits
have to agree with browny as far as kuyt is concerned, no way is he in the same league as heskey 9 goals in 8 games i think, scores goals and yet is invaluable to the defence also, sorry man but dont agree with your article
Hello James,
Crawl back into your pit you grubby little man. (or manc???)
Who is this plonker? What a load of utter garbage.
I was so angered by the stupidity of this article that I had a serious amount of career advice lined up….but it seems you have all already put this joker straight
Many people conveniently forget the amount of goals scored from the PENALTY spot when bringing up Kuyt’s scoring record. Take away the goals from the Penalty spot and how does Kuyt fare?
Leondas,
Dirk has only been penalty taker since gerrard got injured. 3 penaltys I think. May only be 2.
Rooney has scored less goals and he has scored 4 or 5 from the spot…
What next… Kuyt scored a tap in vs utd, so that shouldn’t count…