Over the years, Premier League fans have loved nothing more than a good, old-fashioned target man.
A domineering striker that will bully defenders, win headers and get into the faces of anyone who crosses their path to well and truly get the blood pumping on the terraces.
Luckilt for us, since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, we’ve had our fair share: the likes of Duncan Ferguson, Kevin Davies and Alan Shearer have all been nightmares for their opposition with their physical presence, aerial prowess and, sometimes, use of their elbows.
And, while the modern game has tamed slightly, with more emphasis on tight passing triangles and slick play, target men are still prevalent in the Premier League today, even if their role and skillset have changed over the years.
Just recently, Eden Hazard described Olivier Giroud as one of the best in the business: “He’s a target man, maybe the best in the world. When he gets the ball he can hold it up really well. It’s a real pleasure to play alongside him.”
So, with Hazard’s glowing praise to Giroud in mind, Squawka has compiled a list of the top Premier League target men – based on their ability to bring their teammates into play and provide an outlet or an out-ball when needed – to see if the Belgian is right.
Read on to find out Squawla’s top ten Premier League target men and make sure you to tell us if you disagree!
10. Raul Jimenez
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Age: 27
Club: Wolverhampton Wanderers
Premier League appearances: 5
It’s early days for Raul Jimenez in the Premier League, but, just like his newly-promoted side, he has made a very solid start to life in England’s top tier.
Jimenez has proven himself to be a strong aerial presence for Wolves, becoming a much-needed out-ball when they find themselves under pressure.
And, to add to that, he has already bagged himself two goals in his opening five Premier League games so far.
Key stat: Raul Jimenez has already won 15 aerial duels in the Premier League this season, more than any other Wolves forward; third-most in the squad.
9. Cenk Tosun
(Photo by Lynne Cameron/Getty Images)
Age: 27
Club: Everton
Premier League appearances: 19
After initially struggling to get up to the pace of the Premier League following a £27 million January move from Besiktas, Cenk Tosun had a strong finish to last season and ended the campaign with five goals in his final 10 games of the season.
The Turkish international has struggled in front of goal this season but has already provided two Premier League assists. His role under Marco Silva is to pull centre-backs out of position to allow the likes of Richarlison and Theo Walcott to exploit space – the fact that those two have already scored five Premier League goals between them is in no small part down to Tosun’s physicality occupying opposition defenders and his neat touches in-and-around the area.
Key stat: No Everton player has won more fouls in the Premier League this season than Cenk Tosun (7).
8. Harry Kane
(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Age: 25
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League appearances: 158
Hear us out.
Before anyone loses their mind at one one of the most prolific strikers in the world is ranked eighth here, allow some explanation for Kane’s place in our list.
There is no doubting that Harry Kane is a lethal striker but, with the World Cup Golden Boot winner adopting more of a target man role this season – as he did in Russia – the 25-year-old has struggled.
So far this season, Kane hasn’t managed to impose himself on big games like he so often can, while the goal-scoring and creative impetus has largely fallen to the likes of Lucas Moura and Christian Eriksen.
Kane has still bagged two goals from five Premier League games this season, and has shown glimpse of the multiple superpowers he possesses, but Spurs fans will be hoping he can return to his natural role sooner rather than later.
Key stat: Harry Kane’s shots-per-90-minutes has fallen to 2.4 this season, compared to 5.4 last season.
7. Romelu Lukaku
(Photo credit OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images)
Age: 25
Club: Manchester United
Premier League appearances: 225
Similarly to Harry Kane, Lukaku’s gifts as a complete striker mean he is a must for this list.
He can excel as his side’s focal point, however, despite his obvious size and searing speed, the Belgian’s greatest gift is his movement.
Bearing down on defenders, he is almost impossible to stop – just watch his dominant display against Burnley – and opposition teams panic when he pulls out into the channels. But he is still sometimes unreliable with his back to goal.
Given the choice, most teams in the league would love the chance to have Lukaku in their squad, but even though he is sometimes cast on his own island upfront for Man Utd – and can compete – it is not his the best use of his many talents.
If this list were a ranking of Premier League strikers, Kane and Lukaku would fly up the list. However, this is rating the league’s top target man, and in that role specifically, other players are out-performing the pair… so far.
Key stat: Lukaku already has four goals at the start of this season and looks to have the Golden Boot well within his sights.
6. Troy Deeney
(Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
Age: 30
Club: Watford
Premier League appearances: 109
Troy Deeney has been ever-reliable for Watford and, whether the Hornets have needed an out-ball to relieve the pressure or a hold-up player to bring others into the game, he has always been there.
Watford have made a great start to the new season, winning four of their five league games so far, and Deeney has been a key pillar in Javi Gracia’s side, giving the likes of Roberto Pereyra and Will Hughes more space to do their considerable damage, whilst also working in tandem with Andre Gray.
Deeney has also popped up with two goals and an assist himself for the Vicarage Road side.
Key stat: Deeney has contested 388 aerial duels in the Premier League since the start of last season, the third-most in that time.
5. Glenn Murray
(Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Age: 34
Club: Brighton and Hove Albion
Premier League appearances: 92
Like a fine wine, Glenn Murray has just got better and better as his date of birth gets further away.
He’s not easy on the eye but he and the Brighton faithful don’t care one bit. The 34-year-old has now scored 16 goals in 40 Premier League games for the Seagulls and, although some of them have been penalties, he owes a large amount of that tally to his ability to outmuscle his opponents.
His goal in Brighton’s win against Man Utd – their only three points this season – demonstrated the intelligent movement he combines with a physcial presence to become one of the more prominent target men in the top-flight.
This was vital to Brighton staying in the Premier League last season, with them often relying on Murray to hold the ball up and relieve the pressure on their back four.
Key stat: Murray has conceded the most fouls (20) of any attacker in the Premier League this season but has also won the third most (10)
4. Aleksandar Mitrovic
(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Age: 24
Club: Fulham
Premier League appearances: 45
There is no hiding from it, Aleksandar Mitrovic is classic, physical target man and his seven fouls conceded this season is the joint-third most of any attacker in the Premier League.
Mitrovic has always been hailed for getting into defenders but, this season, his game has reached a new level after bagging four goals in Fulham’s opening five games as the Cottagers have made a steady start to the season.
The perfect contrast to Slaviša Jokanović’s measured, delicate and attractive passing style, Mitrovic provides the physicality needed to counterbalance the Cottager’s patient approach and act as a one-man siege weapon when called upon.
Finally, at 24, the Serbian is only going to get even more frightening.
Key stat: Four of Mitrovic’s five Premier League goals this season have been headers.
3. Marko Arnautovic
(Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
Age:29
Club:West Ham United
Premier League appearances: 161
Maybe through fear of the Austrian’s size and temper, nobody has ever questioned Marko Arnautovic’s physical stature and strength.
However, until David Moyes’ short tenure at the London Stadium last season, Arnautovic was always deployed out wide, cutting inside to deliver vicious efforts on goal.
But Moyes looked to unleash his physical traits and, to better harness them, moved the 29-year-old into a central position. With 14 goals in 36 Premier League games for the Hammers, he has never looked back.
Key stat: Marko Arnautovic has been directly involved in 80% of West Ham’s goals so far this season.
2. Olivier Giroud
(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Age: 31
Club: Chelsea
Premier League appearances: 197
Olivier Giroud conceded 14 fouls and won 23 aerial duels for France at the World Cup this summer as he battled opposition defenders to give the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann freedom to cause havoc – but he didn’t register a single shot on target.
This is Olivier Giroud in a nutshell and, while his own goalscoring record is generally very strong, you simply cannot underestimate what he offers to his teammates, proved by his two assists for Eden Hazard and a team-high four chances created in Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Cardiff City.
Big, strong, good in the air, unselfish in his play and a master of the first-time flick-on, Giroud is the very embodiment of a classic target man.
For that reason, he will play a huge role in helping reach the 40-goal target Maurizio Sarri has set for the Belgian; but equally, it us why he will never be set a 40-goal of his own.
READ MORE: What Eden Hazard needs to do to score 40 goals this season
1. Roberto Firmino
(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Age: 26
Club: Liverpool
Premier League appearances: 108
Not your typical, aerial threat of a target man, Roberto Firmino still tops this list due to his immense importance for Liverpool and the fact he does everything else.
He makes up for his lack of height with an insatiable work rate, never giving defenders a moments rest, while the Brazilian’s touch and ability to create space is second to none.
The way he brings Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane into play is key to the way Jurgen Klopp’s side operate and, last season, he also proved he is capable of sticking the goals away himself, bagging 27 across all competitions.
And, if you had any doubt, he’s contested more aerial duels (199) than any other Liverpool player since the start of last season… he’s definitely doing some of the traditional work.
Key stat: Since the start of 2017/18, Jordan Ayew (83) is the only forward to make more tackles than Firmino (75)
The post Ranked: The top 10 Premier League ‘target men’ right now appeared first on Squawka News.
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