I'm not here to bash any of our available strikers. It's just a painful fact that Stevie is way better. Let's count it one by one.
Kuyt is a hustler who works his
off all over the pitch. However, he can not operate on his own in the box. He is neither faster or jumping higher than Stevie, and his first touch is poor comparing to elite strikers. Our team strategy features a lot of crosses from both flanks, but Kuyt can't knock down a bit of them -- he is too week in the air and too slow to get in front of defenders. Kean is becoming a headache whose condition is even worse than Kuyt. Benayoun, Bable and El Zhar are no first team materials. Who can we turn to? Only Stevie.
In the draw against Hull, Stevie netted two goals in a worldclass striker fashion. The first one started with a cross from Kuyt on the right wing and Stevie converted with a follow-up. The second one was even more significant -- Stevie stayed as a striker during that attack, positioned himself well and finished it with no mercy. Killer's instinct, that's what we are talking about!
If we have Stevie as the striker, he will have a better chance to convert a cross, or have more touches in the box and smash them right away, or even cushion for others. He can also creates his own chances thanks to his talent. We can put Kean, Kuyt or Benayoun behind him as a subordinate and let Mascherano and Alonso cover the middle field.
Well, it's just a thought. I really don't want to see our skipper doing all the things, from a defending to scoring. However, right now I just have no confidence in anybody else in scoring except the injured Torres.
BTW, don't use too much crosses, Rafa. Crouch's gone already.
