BLACKBURN, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 19: Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Manchester United celebrates as he scores their second goal during The Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United at Ewood Park on February 19, 2017 in Blackburn, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Top 10 strikers in the Premier League
by David Gate
(Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
10. Jamie Vardy – Leicester
It is the fairytale story of the part-time Non-League player making his way to the big time and winning the Premier League. A Hollywood story. They might have to whitewash the low-key racism if it makes it that far!
Despite his off-field deficiencies he had a season for the ages in 2015/16 bagging 24 goals on his way to a miraculous Premier League title for Leicester City.
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He combines pace, work ethic and lethal finishing as one of the league’s leading strikers. An underrated part of his game is his versatility. He is equally at home as the lone striker as he is in a regular 442. He can lead the line as the number 9 or can play second fiddle to a traditional big man. The lower league chip on his shoulder drives him to the prove himself at the highest levels.
He would be higher on this list if he could have got close to recreating last season’s form again this year. To date he only has seven Premier League goals. In 2014/15 he had five. It would be harsh to label him a one season wonder but he needs to repeat to rank higher in the rankings of Premier League frontmen.
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<p>His record is exceptional on its own but is even more remarkable when you consider he was not always first choice when at West Ham and Tottenham. That barely seems plausible now but teams used to stock up on strikers in a way they now do with attacking midfielders.</p>
<p>While being a pacy forward he has not built his career by being a typical speedster. Rather his reputation has been built on clever movement and deadly finishing. He combines quick decisive actions with power and accuracy. A specialist at surprising goalkeepers with sudden, early shots. He only needs a half chance to grab a goal. Which is fortunate for him as half chances at Sunderland is all you get!</p>
<p>His record in a single Premier League season is 18 set for Spurs in 2009/10. He currently sits on 14 for this term with 11 games left to play. I wouldn’t bet against this being a career year for him. Without his contributions this season Sunderland would have just 10 goals to their name. They would be relegated already. As one of the top strikers in the league Defoe gives them hope they can avoid relegation for another year.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/03/13/top-10-strikers-premier-league/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Top Strikers - Daniel Sturridge </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">(Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>7. Daniel Sturridge – Liverpool</h3>
<p>With 45 goals in 83 Premier League games for Liverpool Daniel Sturridge remains one of the league’s best marksmen. The last 18 months have been the hardest of his career. He has struggled to maintain fitness and win his manager Jurgen Klopp’s trust with the defensive elements of the Liverpool system.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>His issues with fitness have been well documented. He is an explosive, high-speed player which often leads to more groin and hamstring injuries than the average footballer. These injuries have lingered on and led to lots of smaller niggles robbing the Premier League of the prime years of one of its most natural strikers.</p>
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<p>Aside from his pace he is one of the few truly two-footed English players in the Premier League. That rare Englishman who could score the perfect hat-trick – left foot, right foot, header. Despite being Liverpool’s best finisher he has struggled to regain his place in the side with Klopp preferring Firmino’s work ethic up front and Mane’s pace out wide.</p>
<p>Testimony to his ability are the reports that PSG are interested in signing him this summer as competition for Cavani. It would be a wonderful career move for Sturridge as he looks to thrive at the end of his prime in a team ready to win. The shame would be that the Premier League would lose one of its most natural goal scorers.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/03/13/top-10-strikers-premier-league/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Top Strikers - Zlatan Ibrahimovic </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">(Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Manchester United</h3>
<p>This is where it starts to get serious. There is a huge leap between the rest of the Premier League journeyman and the top six strikers in our list. You could make a case for all six being number one as they are all consider elite forwards in world soccer. At number six is Zlatan Ibrahimovic.</p>
<p>He has scored over 400 club goals across 6 leagues for 8 club winning 13 titles. Since the 2001/02 season he has not won the league title only two occasions. That is stellar by any standards. Despite all the fame and success there is a sense where he is actually under appreciated. Playing at the same time as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has somewhat sidelined his legacy.</p>
<p>One of the reasons that many have failed to fully appreciate his career is because he lacks a quality seen as essential in modern football; pace. His legacy was viewed with suspicion as he played most of his career in Italy and France and had only spent one season in Spain. There was a notion that in the faster leagues of England, Spain or Germany he would not have been as prolific.</p>
<p>This season he has proven that as the nonsense it always was. He has 15 goals on the season and is challenging to be the top scorer in the Premier League at the age of 35. In fact age is the only reason I have him at 6th on this list with the 5 forwards to come more set to build a team around.</p>
<p>His career is remarkable and the Premier League is fortunate to get a season or two of one the world greats.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/03/13/top-10-strikers-premier-league/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Top Strikers - Alexis Sanchez </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">(Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>5. Alexis Sanchez – Arsenal</h3>
<p>Making it in at number five on our list is The Gunner’s whirlwind striker Alexis Sanchez. After three impressive seasons in Barcelona the Chilean forward moved to Arsenal in 2014 after the Catalonians decided to upgrade to Luis Suarez. This left Sanchez surplus to requirements but he found a willing home in North London.</p>
<p>The way Arsenal play is tailor-made for Sanchez. Thriving on quick interchanges and attacking triangles fully utilizing his skill and work ethic. He is a renowned gym rat, clocking up the hours with the weights to be one of the most athletic and powerful players in the league. He is a tireless runner and is often found doing the work of two men – usually Ozil’s! Yet work rate alone is not what propels him into the top half of the list.</p>
<p>His impressive physique means he has a true power shot. Able to generate incredible velocity on the ball at any moment. They’ve had to replace more than a few nets at the Emirates in the last few seasons!</p>
<p>It looks like he could be on his way this summer after falling out with Wenger in the aftermath of Arsenal’s 10-2 aggregate thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich. If he harbors dreams of winning the Champions League it looks increasingly likely that it will need to be somewhere else in Europe elite. Arsenal fans will be praying it is not on the shirt of a Premier League rival.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>4. Romelu Lukaku – Everton</h3>
<p>It’s hard to believe he is still only 23. With 78 Premier League goals to his name in just 5 seasons it frightening to think he hasn’t even reached his peak years. Lukaku deserves his place near the top of this list alongside his more famous contemporaries.</p>
<p>It is easy to look at Lukaku’s style of play and put it down to pace and strength. Such mild descriptions of his prowess don’t do him justice. He doesn’t just have ‘pace’ and ‘strength’. The Belgian could be an outside linebacker or a strong safety. There are few defenders in world soccer who can adequately match up to him physically.</p>
<p>His power is reflected in the types of goals he scores. Typically thunderous strikes and bullet headers. However he is not just the cliche target man. His teamwork and contribution to the buildup play mark him out as being more than a stack of impressive physical attributes.</p>
<p>For a player who gets so many goals – 18 for this season so far, equalling his best year in the league – he does not play the role of diva or allow himself special leniency with defensive responsibilities. This is why his team mates love him and Ronald Koeman is shaping his Everton side to fully utilize this extraordinary talent. The Toffees will spend another summer warding of unwanted approaches for their Belgian talisman.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">(Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>3. Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur</h3>
<p>Spurs fans have been saying it since he made it in to the first team in 2015; the boy is special. Most other Premier League fans were sceptical. Initially they wrote off his 21 goals in 2015/16 as a ‘one season wonder’. Then he topped it with 25 last year. And now he’s done it a third time – currently on 19 league goals for the year with 11 games left to play.</p>
<p>Harry Kane is the perfect striker for Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino’s system. As the lone striker he is able to handle all the duties that come with the role. He is particularly adept at cleverly moving off the ball to create space, defensive mismatches and pulling defenders out of position. He weaves in between the gaps between center backs and full backs and between defense and midfield.</p>
<p>His number one attribute is his finishing. Not only is he accurate and decisive he can perform all kinds of finishes. Spectacular volleys, deft headers, long-range blasts. If you watch through a highlight reel of his 68 Premier League goals you will see every type of finish that a truly elite player needs to have.</p>
<p>He has established himself as one of the best three strikers in the league and as England’s number 9 forward. Every transfer window the rumors from the Manchester clubs are getting louder. Right now it seems that Spurs are heading in the right direction. Much will rest on Tottenham’s ability to keep hold of Pochettino and Kane’s young Englishman team-mate Dele Alli if they are to keep their star.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">(Photo by Kieran Galvin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>2. Diego Costa – Chelsea</h3>
<p>You don’t have to like him but you do have accept that he is one of the best strikers in the Premier League. A fierce competitor he does what it takes to win. He’ll even change nationalities. Hailing from Brazil he swapped his allegiances to Spain after just six years living in the country. So if he prepared to quit on his country to win he is certainly prepared to dive for the odd free kick!</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>He is not on the soccer field for adoration. He is out there to win. And get paid. Unfortunately for all who want to hate him, he has the special talent to do both. He has already won La Liga and Premier League back to back and featured in one Champions League final. He is currently on the way to his second English title and in the hunt for the league’s leading scorer.</p>
<p>There are no defenders that look forward to matching up with him. He will harass you when you have the ball and not hesitate to attack when it’s his. Impeccable technique and endless energy. You get the feeling he could have had a great career at any midfield or attacking position. It is his instinct for goals that makes him one of the most devastating forwards in the league. He deserves his place in the top 3 EPL strikers.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2017/03/13/top-10-strikers-premier-league/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Top Strikers - Sergio Aguero </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">(Photo by Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>1. Sergio Aguero – Manchester City</h3>
<p>When it comes down to it there is only really one choice for the title of best striker in the Premier League. There hasn’t even been a real discussion since Suarez left in 2014. If the performances don’t convince you then the goals might. If the goals don’t convince you then the medals will.</p>
<p>He is the kind of exceptional player that allows you to play whatever system or style you wish. Want to play short fluid passing triangles? He will be link up the play. Want to knock it long? He’ll chase everything. Want to hit teams on the counter? He will destroy you.</p>
<p>I could go on.The wonder for his managers has been knowing he will bring out the strengths in his teammates. Both David Silva and Yaya Toure came to City with huge reputations but playing with Aguero made them better. They only look 75% the same players when he has been missing. This is testified by the number and quality of assists he racks up too.</p>
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