Marc
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Thought Cosmo might like this, taken from the Telegraph:
Attack-minded Ferguson has firepower to trump rivals
Source: Daily Telegraph (UK)
SIX games into the domestic season with a couple of Champions League ties under their belts, it's worth taking a look at England's big four clubs in relation to the strikers at their disposal.
Who is best equipped for the long season ahead: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool? It's an interesting question in light of this week's events in Europe, where the balance of power shifted slightly.
Chelsea find themselves weakened on the attacking front due to Didier Drogba's nasty-looking injury. After falling awkwardly against Cluj, the big centre-forward is expected to be out for three to four weeks.
As if to emphasise that loss, Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane grabbed their first goals for United and Liverpool respectively, strikes that, in all likelihood, will set them on the road to profitable campaigns.
Meanwhile, Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor struck gold for Arsenal to confirm a suspicion that their styles are perfectly capable of dovetailing beautifully.
From that short summary, then, it is obvious that the week hasn't been particularly kind to Luiz Felipe Scolari, who, like Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant before him, prefers to deploy a 4-3-3 system that depends heavily on Drogba's power and aggression.
Without that, the side are forced to adjust and, in fairness, will do that successfully against most opponents. Perhaps not against all of them though. Nicolas Anelka, after all, is a poor imitation of Drogba. And when you look elsewhere in this expensively assembled squad, there aren't a whole lot of options for Scolari up front.
With only Salomon Kalou and Franco Di Santo, a 19-year-old prodigy from Argentina, as realistic back-up, the failure to secure another experienced forward, namely Robinho, could start to look like a costly error.
It's the kind of shortfall that Sir Alex Ferguson has always sought to avoid since reaping the benefits of being able to call on four top-quality strikers. While it hasn't always proved possible, it is now. So for Teddy Sheringham, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the turn of the century, read Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Berbatov. Quite a combination. Probably the best, only challenged for numbers by Arsene Wenger, who, apart from Adebayor and Van Persie, can also call on Nicklas Bendtner, Theo Walcott and Carlos Vela. Coming up to Christmas, Eduardo should be available, too, after his broken leg.
Liverpool, in contrast, aren't nearly so well off. Mind you, that won't matter if Fernando Torres and Keane can steer clear of injury. Together, this pair are capable of lifting the Merseyside club to another level.
Rafael Benitez, therefore, needs a bit of luck - an oft-elusive commodity that his Old Trafford rival has endeavoured to remove from the equation.
Ferguson, for now, holds the best hand. It will be fascinating to see how he plays those cards over the coming months.
Copyright � 2008 The Telegraph Group Limited, London
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Cosmo
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Nothing new or shocking really.
Without Torres or Gerrard we wouldnt of scored all that many goals last season. Have now added Keane to those two, and hopefully the progression of Babel which should bring more goals.
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Robbo
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Nasri, Walcott, RVP, Adebayor, Eduardo, Bendtner and Vela... I don't personally think any other teams attackers will score as many as that lot for Arsenal this season, IMO
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Cosmo
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quote:
Originally posted by Robbo
Nasri, Walcott, RVP, Adebayor, Eduardo, Bendtner and Vela... I don't personally think any other teams attackers will score as many as that lot for Arsenal this season, IMO
Tevez, Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov will score more than those put together, and thats without taking into account Utd's fring forwards.
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Robbo
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No they wont
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Robbo
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Unless Ronaldo has a silly seaosn again, which I don't think he will (esp given his injury and start to the season)
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Hammer
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FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT
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Robbo
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 Im bored at work, Cosmo is beign irritating :/
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Cosmo
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quote:
Originally posted by Robbo
Unless Ronaldo has a silly seaosn again, which I don't think he will (esp given his injury and start to the season)
He wont score as many, but he'll score as many as Adebayor. So cross them two off the list and pick who'll score the most - imo United.
If RVP stayed fit for the season then maybe - but he wont.
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Cosmo
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quote:
Originally posted by Robbo
Cosmo is beign irritating :/
I hate beign irriating 
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Robbo
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Maybes... but IF (and it is a big IF) RVP can stay fit I think he'll smack in plenty, Nasri and Walcott look at this stage like they might have some goals in them Ljungberg/Pires style
Bendtner chippe din with quite a few last season too and Eduardo as well, can't see Vela getting much of a look in other than in the domestic cups thouhg
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Danny P
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Shearer & Sutton FTW 
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Marc
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Cosmo defending Uniteds forwards 
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strick206
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quote:
Originally posted by Robbo
Nasri, Walcott, RVP, Adebayor, Eduardo, Bendtner and Vela... I don't personally think any other teams attackers will score as many as that lot for Arsenal this season, IMO
United's four will score more, if you want to add in a couple more united players it's no contest
From a couple of matches that ive seen nasri this year he hasnt looked all that special, and vela won't play much if at all in the league
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Nath
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Registered: 3rd Apr 02
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quote:
Originally posted by Cosmo
quote:
Originally posted by Robbo
Nasri, Walcott, RVP, Adebayor, Eduardo, Bendtner and Vela... I don't personally think any other teams attackers will score as many as that lot for Arsenal this season, IMO
Tevez, Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov will score more than those put together, and thats without taking into account Utd's fring forwards.
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J da Silva
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For me it has to be Man Utd's, not because they romped the goals tally last season but for me it's because I know that if Berbatov is injured say, you stick Tevez on he'll bag up, or the fact you can play Rooney wide and keep another striker in the team, plus Ronaldo plays wide too, so in affect Man Utd field 4 strikers a game where the others aren't as blessed in that department because the 3rd and 4th 'strikers' are not of the quality Rooney and Ronaldo are.
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