The on form forward

[Tomo 21,733]

Its been said you need atleast one on form forward to win trophies but with us since Roman has came, bar 2 Didier Drogba unbelievable season's, we have never had a forward bang on top his game week in week out season after season, like Henry or Van Nisseroy.

Press say we are over reliant on Drogba but our record without him has been pretty impressive, its only really Arsenal for obvious reason's we feel his loss to a great extent. Infact in 2009/2010 we had a 100% record in games he did not play in and spanning between January 2009 and October 2010 we infact were without Drogba for 20 games, winning 18 and averaging 3 goals a game in those matches. Infact our last day defeat at Everton last season was the first time we got beat in a match Drogba was not involved in since Arsenal beat us 2-1 at The Bridge back in 2008. Don't get me wrong Drogba has been a fantastic player for us and a club legend but we have not rellied on him as much as the press would like us to believe.

But reading some guys comment on youtube got me thinking, he said basically every-one is a forward in this team (not litrally but you get his point) but thiking about that he has a point, during the years we have been lucky enough to rely on near enough the whole team to chip in with goals.The main thing is the group.

Jose's back to back winning title season's we did not really have a fully firing forward while Arsenal and Manchester United still had Theirry Henry and Ruud Van Nisseroy getting 25 plus goals in the season, more often that not that would show but unlike those 2 teams we had goals all over the pitch. John Terry, William Gallas and Ricardo Carvalho were chipping in with over the average number of goals for a centre half, Frank Lampard as usual was getting 20 goals from centre midfield and Arjen Robben, Damien Duff and Joe Cole were scoring often from the wing. Didier Drogba, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Hernan Crepso (Crespo was only here for one of those season's) while were chipping in with a good number of goals it's fair to say they were not challenging Henry or Van Nisseroy for the golden boot but did they care when they were lifting the title at SB? not a chance.

Since then our ability to get goals all over the pitch has always made up for not having a 30 goal every season forward, infact the only season there wasn't frequent goals across the pitch (06/07) Drogba had one of his two unbelievable season's and got us 33 goals and when the two (on form forward and goals all over the pitch) both happened in the same season it resulted in a record breaking goal haul in Carlo's first season. Last season none of our forward were on form but goals from all over the pitch saved our season to a extent and got us second place.

Our ability to get goals from anywhere on the pitch has always been a key strengh off ours that has not been mentioned enough, and i don't see that ending any time soon. Here are our players that will chip in with goals and i have even missed out our forwards.

- Sturridge even as a winger will chip in with goals and Mata has already shown us he will get his fair share.

- Frank Lampard for all his knockers will get atleast 10 goals for the next 2-3 seasons even if he gets his role lessered, we should do well to remember that despite having his worse season with us last year and being injured for 4 months he still got us 13 goals.

- Malouda and Kalou despite their critics should still get around 8-10 goals and i fully expect Raul Meireles to do the same.

- Terry has a great tally for a defender and also David Luiz and Ivanovic will score a few this season aswell.

- Ash on a good season will chip in with about 5 and Bosingwa has the potential to do the same.

If we can get Torres and/or Drogba firing then this season then great but having on form forward's is not as vital for us as it is for City and United who's forwards will be their main source of goals this season, we have much more goals in other position's than they do. Even with Torres's goal drought we still have a pretty good win record when he has played and i think we have got more points than any-one else since Torres has arrived in the prem and only 4 of our league goals since then have came from Torres (1), Drogba (2) and Anelka (1).

Look at City only 2 of their goals have came from any-one other than Aguero and Dzeko, so they will have to be on form all season.

Only 6 of United 19 goals have came from a position other than forward.

8 of our goals already have came from positions other than forward and we have not hit top form like them two teams, 9 if you count Anelka as a winger.

It would be great if we can get Drogba back on form, Torres firing or even Lukaku hitting the ground running but unlike any other team in the country we have more than enough goals around the rest of the team to compensate if they don't, something United and City do not have to near the same extent as we do, to cut a story short they need their forward on form all season where we can get away with not having a on form forward due to the goals in the rest of our team, bar Drogba in 2009/2010 and 2006/2007 we have not had a truly on top form forward in the Roman era but have been succesful. The complete opposite to the Torres reliant Liverpool in the Rafa era for example, i bet Torres is happy that he can be off form yet still the results remain good.

Goals from all over is a key under-rated strength for us and long may it continue.

[ZanSnake 1,211]

I am stilla firm believer Torres can find some kind of form and start knocking the goals in. His confidence has to blossoming after the CL game, and maybe he can finally be able to step up to the plate. Drogba hasn't been the beast he has been reknowned for, for a while for me - including last season. But, i believe, he can be another threat. The statistics might be alarming, but we have to also acknowledge it is still early days for the season and the new system that AvB is trying to incorporate - which we have slowly shown to be filling in!

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Every time Torres has anything better than a 5/10 performance suddenly we think his confidence is blossoming and he will surely start scoring goals left, right and centre.

I've not seen anything to suggest a turn in his fortunes is just around the corner, and I'm yet to be convinced his performances are any better than they were anyway!

[Sheva. 5,373]

Every time Torres has anything better than a 5/10 performance suddenly we think his confidence is blossoming and he will surely start scoring goals left, right and centre.

I've not seen anything to suggest a turn in his fortunes is just around the corner, and I'm yet to be convinced his performances are any better than they were anyway!

He actually scored against Leverkusen, would have counted if Meireles wasn't in an offside position.

And surely having a game with 2 assists is better than what he's done in any game this season, except Stoke away?

Anyway you're probably right Tomo, would be far far better if we can get our CF's scoring though

[termninja 5,290]

You never know...I never expected Torres to score those 2 goals against us when we faced Liverpool at Anfield last season but he did....

[HRiver 1,512]

He actually scored against Leverkusen, would have counted if Meireles wasn't in an offside position.

And surely having a game with 2 assists is better than what he's done in any game this season, except Stoke away?

Anyway you're probably right Tomo, would be far far better if we can get our CF's scoring though

He didn't score against Leverkusen. It was him who assisted to Meireles and then Meireles scored.

[St Abramovich 175]

He didn't score against Leverkusen. It was him who assisted to Meireles and then Meireles scored.

Meireles didn't touch it.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Meireles didn't touch it.

Exactly.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Every time Torres has anything better than a 5/10 performance suddenly we think his confidence is blossoming and he will surely start scoring goals left, right and centre.

I've not seen anything to suggest a turn in his fortunes is just around the corner, and I'm yet to be convinced his performances are any better than they were anyway!

Exactly!

He hasn't be consistent enough in all his match performances. We understand that there is some pressure hanging on his head.. However, I think that's starting to be relieved slightly because goals are coming from other places (like Mata & Sturridge).

He's capable of scoring. We've seen him get in positions where he can, and we've seen service provided to him. Eventually he'll find the back of the net, and while I don't believe he'll find that deadly form of before, he's still a striker who looks like he can get you 10+ goals a season.

[Peace. 4,352]

Every time Torres has anything better than a 5/10 performance suddenly we think his confidence is blossoming and he will surely start scoring goals left, right and centre.

I've not seen anything to suggest a turn in his fortunes is just around the corner, and I'm yet to be convinced his performances are any better than they were anyway!

This ^.

And what is funny, is that when you dare say that Torres is a flop, or is poor, people tell you "it is too early to determine this, he is only at the club since seven month blablabla...". Though, as soon as he makes a decent game, people are like "whoo, the old Torres is back !!!"

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Exactly!

He hasn't be consistent enough in all his match performances. We understand that there is some pressure hanging on his head.. However, I think that's starting to be relieved slightly because goals are coming from other places (like Mata & Sturridge).

He's capable of scoring. We've seen him get in positions where he can, and we've seen service provided to him. Eventually he'll find the back of the net, and while I don't believe he'll find that deadly form of before, he's still a striker who looks like he can get you 10+ goals a season.

Of course there is pressure, but there is pressure on every player to succeed. If he didn't cost £50 million he wouldn't even be on the bench. If Kalou, Anelka or even Drogba were on a similar run without scoring, people would be baying for blood. But because we are so desperate to see him succeed we're clinging on to any microcosm of hope that he will suddenly turn it around.

At least Shevchenko scored a goal every three matches!

The startling reality is he'll have another shocker tomorrow and be hauled off after 65 minutes with Anelka coming on.

[Sheva. 5,373]

The startling reality is he'll have another shocker tomorrow and be hauled off after 65 minutes with Anelka coming on.

Good to see we have somewhere here who can predict the future.

Do you by any chance own an Octopus?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

We have enough "why torres isn't scoring" threads so please don't turn this thread into another one.

Returning to the intended topic. I think that our midfield is still our strongest point despite all the criticism to Lampard and Mikel...etc

Great stats by the way Tomo.

[Tomo 21,733]

If he didn't cost £50 million he wouldn't even be on the bench. If Kalou, Anelka or even Drogba were on a similar run without scoring, people would be baying for blood. .

To be fair Drogba has only scored 3 times since then and that was in the same week and Anelka has only scored 3 times.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

And both have had half the game-time that Torres had had. Anelka has probably had even less than that - truth is both players have double the productivity, whether it is scoring or creating chances.

@Super-Frank - Torres will either start and be marked out of the game again, or he will come on and ramble around aimlessly for the last 20 minutes. Because whilst I support the player, I find it hilarious how people find another sub-par showing against Leverkusen where he missed a sitter or two constitutes a spark in form.

There is no difference between this Torres and the one who scored once in 18 games last season.

I'm waiting for Torres to prove me wrong now, and to silence the press as well. I'm just being realistic when I say I don't think there is going to be some instantaneous change in fortune.

[Badboy 1,526]

The startling reality is he'll have another shocker tomorrow and be hauled off after 65 minutes with Anelka coming on.

lol its hardly a shocker anymore. This just shows that Roman seriously needs to get out of our transfer dealings in future. Carlo did not want Torres he even said in January i am not bothered if he comes. I have already faced the reality that we have been done over in this deal and if Drogba was fit today he would start at least he offers a distraction for others to find space.

[Badboy 1,526]

he's still a striker who looks like he can get you 10+ goals a season.

HAHAHHAHA 10 GOALS A SEASON HAHAHAH OH MY GOD 21 MORE GOALS THEN THAT.

[eldo 868]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ADmRwnMxPY

He needs to close his eyes and shoot.