I will not be including current players, so I am focusing on who would improve the squad.
The list so provided by the media so far is;
Damiao, Negredo, Soldado, Benitez, Higuain, Martinez, Benteke and Hulk. But rather than just go on name it is best to look at the players progression or consistancey over the past 3 seasons.
Damiao:
|
Season |
Appearances |
Competition |
Goals |
|
2012-13 |
18 |
Club |
8 |
|
2012-13 |
1 |
International |
1 |
|
2012-13 |
19 |
Total |
9 |
|
2011-12 |
43 |
Club |
24 |
|
2011-12 |
10 |
International |
1 |
|
2011-12 |
53 |
Total |
25 |
|
2010-11 |
51 |
Club |
38 |
|
2010-11 |
4 |
International |
1 |
|
2010-11 |
55 |
Total |
39 |
73 goals in 127 gives a goal ratio of .574.
Negredo:
|
Season |
Appearances |
Competition |
Goals |
|
2012-13 |
42 |
Club |
31 |
|
2012-13 |
2 |
International |
1 |
|
2012-13 |
44 |
Total |
32 |
|
2011-12 |
36 |
Club |
14 |
|
2011-12 |
0 |
International |
0 |
|
2011-12 |
36 |
Total |
14 |
|
2010-11 |
55 |
Club |
26 |
|
2010-11 |
0 |
International |
0 |
|
2010-11 |
55 |
Total |
26 |
72 goals in 132 gives a goal ratio of .533
Soldado:
|
Season |
Appearances |
Competition |
Goals |
|
2012-13 |
46 |
Club |
30 |
|
2012-13 |
5 |
International |
4 |
|
2012-13 |
51 |
Total |
34 |
|
2011-12 |
51 |
Club |
27 |
|
2011-12 |
0 |
International |
0 |
|
2011-12 |
51 |
Total |
27 |
|
2010-11 |
44 |
Club |
25 |
|
2010-11 |
0 |
International |
0 |
|
2010-11 |
44 |
Total |
25 |
86 goals in 148 gives a goal ratio of .589
Benitez:
|
Season |
Appearances |
Competition |
Goals |
|
2012-13 |
43 |
Club |
20 |
|
2012-13 |
9 |
International |
3 |
|
2012-13 |
52 |
Total |
23 |
|
2011-12 |
36 |
Club |
22 |
|
2011-12 |
8 |
International |
4 |
|
2011-12 |
44 |
Total |
26 |
|
2010-11 |
39 |
Club |
21 |
|
2010-11 |
0 |
International |
0 |
|
2010-11 |
39 |
Total |
21 |
70 goals in 135 gives a goal ratio of .518
Higuain:
|
Season |
Appearances |
Competition |
Goals |
|
2012-13 |
44 |
Club |
19 |
|
2012-13 |
2 |
International |
4 |
|
2012-13 |
46 |
Total |
23 |
|
2011-12 |
54 |
Club |
26 |
|
2011-12 |
8 |
International |
4 |
|
2011-12 |
62 |
Total |
30 |
|
2010-11 |
25 |
Club |
13 |
|
2010-11 |
9 |
International |
5 |
|
2010-11 |
34 |
Total |
18 |
71 goals in 142 gives a goal ratio of .5
Martinez:
|
Season |
Appearances |
Competition |
Goals |
|
2012-13 |
39 |
Club |
34 |
|
2012-13 |
3 |
International |
0 |
|
2012-13 |
42 |
Total |
34 |
|
2011-12 |
41 |
Club |
20 |
|
2011-12 |
3 |
International |
0 |
|
2011-12 |
44 |
Total |
20 |
|
2010-11 |
24 |
Club |
8 |
|
2010-11 |
0 |
International |
0 |
|
2010-11 |
24 |
Total |
8 |
62 goals in 110 gives a goal ratio of .563
Benteke:
|
Season |
Appearances |
Competition |
Goals |
|
2012-13 |
48 |
Club |
27 |
|
2012-13 |
8 |
International |
4 |
|
2012-13 |
56 |
Total |
31 |
|
2011-12 |
32 |
Club |
16 |
|
2011-12 |
0 |
International |
0 |
|
2011-12 |
32 |
Total |
16 |
|
2010-11 |
9 |
Club |
1 |
|
2010-11 |
0 |
International |
0 |
|
2010-11 |
9 |
Total |
1 |
48 goals in 97 gives a goal ratio of .494
Hulk:
|
Season |
Appearances |
Competition |
Goals |
|
2012-13 |
16 |
Club |
6 |
|
2012-13 |
13 |
International |
7 |
|
2012-13 |
29 |
Total |
13 |
|
2011-12 |
32 |
Club |
20 |
|
2011-12 |
5 |
International |
0 |
|
2011-12 |
37 |
Total |
20 |
|
2010-11 |
41 |
Club |
28 |
|
2010-11 |
0 |
International |
0 |
|
2010-11 |
41 |
Total |
28 |
61 goals in 107 gives a goal ratio of .570
So to look at the standard of football played over the three seasons and their age you would be inclined to choose Soldado and Damiao, but at a combined figure of £38million (estimated of course) it is unlikely that Levy would sanction such a swoop (forgetting whether we can physically afford it as a club).
Enter my wildcard, of which I have brought up many a times.
Wilfred Bony:
|
Season |
Appearances |
Competition |
Goals |
|
2012-13 |
29 |
Club |
35 |
|
2012-13 |
6 |
International |
2 |
|
2012-13 |
35 |
Total |
37 |
|
2011-12 |
23 |
Club |
16 |
|
2011-12 |
1 |
International |
0 |
|
2011-12 |
24 |
Total |
16 |
|
2010-11 |
13 |
Club |
8 |
|
2010-11 |
0 |
International |
0 |
|
2010-11 |
13 |
Total |
8 |
61 goals in 72 gives a goal ratio of .847
For the past 3 seasons Bony's ratio has improved going from .615 (2010-11) to .695 (2011-12) to a now whooping 1.206 (2012-13). Most players need to adjust when switching clubs, but again Bony has not been affected by this.
The good thing about Bony is he will likely cost around £12million and partnered with Damiao that's a £30million strike force. Although this is only a saving of £8million (from the initial chosen strike force) it is likely to save double figure million's in wages (which of course has not be brought into the equations). Most importantly both strikers are youthful and have plenty of scope to improve at 23 (Damiao) and 24 (Bony).
So after looking at the figures surely some of the strikers have put you off with their ratio's or with how little games they have played or the standard at which they have played? This is why for me looking at the stats, their age, Levy's sell potential and the standard of football they have been playing, you have to ask yourself do we want Benteke at £20million (with only 1 full season behind him)? Do we want Higuain at £20million and the second lowest goal ratio? £20million on a player that has the lower ratio’s I see as a massive risk.
Let’s face facts, you would expect Damiao and Bony to score more than 23 goals between them (that’s 11.5 goals each). So that is an improvement on last season’s strike force of Defoe and Adebayor (Dempsey and Bale's goals do not count as they are not true forwards). I would keep Defoe on as an impact player (as he seems to suit that role very well), but Ade has to go. So that would give us 3 strikers a 50% rise on last season, but most importantly it would give us a fantastic front line with youth on its side, so what more could you ask for?
My next article will be who is your midfield choice as we are still in desperate need of that midfield maestro that can pull the midfield together (again I am not including Bale as I see him now as a support striker).
COYS!!!!
Email me on hogggatspursmad@hotmail.com or follow me on www.facebook.com/TottenhamMad