Roberto Soldado

[Leif 6,006]

Why don't people like him? He contributed directly to 28 goals scored by Valencia in the league this season in 33 starts.

To compare, Falcao contributed directly to 29 goals scored by Atletico Madrid in the league this season in 34 starts.

Falcao was dispossessed 2.8 times on average per game. Soldado was dispossessed 0.7 times on average per game.

They were both caught offside 0.9 times per game.

They were both fouled just under 2 times per game.

Both made 0.9 key passes per game.

Soldado averaged 2.9 shots per game while Falcao averaged 3.6 (Soldado has a superior conversion rate. Crazy considering how great Falcao is at finishing.)

I compare Falcao and Soldado because they're both pure goalscorers and scoring is what you buy them for. It also highlights that Falcao's price was an astronomical over-evaluation when you take into consideration players like Soldado will leave their clubs (likely) for under £20m (helped by Valencia's poor financial state.)

When it comes to goalscoring Falcao is slightly ahead with 4 more goals but Soldado had 3 more assists.

We were strongly linked with Falcao but from watching them both this season and then digging up these stats I feel we should have been and should currently be linked with Soldado as he's only a few months older than Falcao and offers everything he does - plus he has the valuable chemistry with Mata, low wages (£45k per week) and presumably would be a cheap signing for a player of his quality.

He was a real hard worker too this season. With Valencia being all over the place in terms of results and (lack of) consistency, he was constantly running back to help his midfielders and even full-backs at times. Underrated player.

[Jase 43,479]

What thing exactly? what matters the most is goals, and he gets plenty of them. It's ridiculous to say he can't be our no 1 striker, when apart from Cavani there's not many strikers available that are better than him.

Don't get me wrong. Not doubting him as a player because he has his own qualities but what I'm not sure if he has this X-Factor in him to really be the undisputed No.1 ST for us. He is a decent option to get if all else fails but I have my doubts.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Lukaku - Ba - Torres is not miles away from Soldado - Lukaku - Ba!

With that in mind, I would prefer us to spend the money elsewhere...

[BOSS 372]

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

If we want a striker push the boat out and get Cavani/Lewandowski. Soldado should be behind them in our list.

[wj818 25]

Haha tht made my day, cheers mate

But he does have a wonderful half-volley technique.

[lucio 5,418]

ridiculous. i can understand him not being close to peoples first choice. but reacting like that....

[Heisenberg 1,824]

We can't win the title with Soldado as our number one striker in a 433 or 4231.However, he could provide the same amount of goals that for example Eidur Gudjohnsen had we us, and he could at times produce world-class performances.So to have him as a second striker is the best solution but we'll have to first : Dump Torres, calling back Lukaku and have a great striker upfront, because now Soldado is better than Torres.

[Leif 6,006]

Did...did Soldado just get compared to... Torres?

[Leif 6,006]

(League only)

Last season he failed to score in 17 matches. This is compared to:

Van Persie: 19

Aguero: 21

Torres: 32

Giroud: 26

Suarez: 18

Cavani: 14

Benzema: 20

Lewandowski: 12

Negredo: 18

Falcao: 15

Ronaldo: 13

Messi: 5 (freak)

So clearly when you buy Soldado you buy a goalscorer. He's being quite underrated here being mixed around with names like Torres, Ba etc. He's in the same league IMO as Benzema, Balotelli, Villa, Falcao etc. He simply doesn't get the media hype.

[BOSS 372]

ridiculous. i can understand him not being close to peoples first choice. but reacting like that....

It's for jokes, on a serious note you think everyone is good bro. Soldado is not good enough for Chelsea, if you want us to win titles then we should go for people like Lewandowski,Jovetic,Bony etc (Cavani is too expensive).

[lucio 5,418]

It's for jokes, on a serious note you think everyone is good bro. Soldado is not good enough for Chelsea, if you want us to win titles then we should go for people like Lewandowski,Jovetic,Bony etc (Cavani is too expensive).

he had a similar goal scoring rate to falcao. he is allot better than ba and torres. valencia is my 2nd team and i watch all of their games , he is one of the deadliest players in la liga. lewandowski dosent look like moving. jovetic is a major injury doubt and has only scored 35 in 116 league games compared to soldados much better 60 in 101. not sure about bony. he may just be a bully in a lesser league .

[Sheva. 5,373]

It's for jokes, on a serious note you think everyone is good bro. Soldado is not good enough for Chelsea, if you want us to win titles then we should go for people like Lewandowski,Jovetic,Bony etc (Cavani is too expensive).

Soldado is better than Bony and definitely Jovetic. I like Bony, but you can't compare what he's doing in the Dutch league to Soldado in la liga. Obviously he's behind Cavani and Lewy, but do we look like getting either of them?

[Eggman 118]

(League only)

Last season he failed to score in 17 matches. This is compared to:

Van Persie: 19

Aguero: 21

Torres: 32

Giroud: 26

Suarez: 18

Cavani: 14

Benzema: 20

Lewandowski: 12

Negredo: 18

Falcao: 15

Ronaldo: 13

Messi: 5 (freak)

So clearly when you buy Soldado you buy a goalscorer. He's being quite underrated here being mixed around with names like Torres, Ba etc. He's in the same league IMO as Benzema, Balotelli, Villa, Falcao etc. He simply doesn't get the media hype.

I was a non-believer, but you make quite a case for him. Bring him on!

[Duppy Conqueror 1,526]

Did...did Soldado just get compared to... Torres?

He said Soldado is better than Torres. Everyone and everything can be compared...compared can be both a similarity and dissimilarity.