In the wake of some high profile transfer movement in the striking department, In For The Hat Trick evaluates some of the top forwards of the 2010/11 season.
10. Papiss Demba Cisse- Virtually unknown until this season, Cisse has taken the Bundesliga by storm with 15 goals in only 17 games thus far. Even more remarkably, Cisse has achieved this feat while playing for one of the smaller teams of German football: Freiburg. Cisse currently sits joint top of the Bundesliga scoring charts, and only a fool would bet against him staying there for the duration of the season.
9. Antonio Di Natale- A prolific goalscorer, Di Natale is once again proving himself as one of the finest strikers in Italian football. Di Natale is capable of scoring from absolutely anywhere, as demonstrated by his stunning free kick against Inter Milan a couple weeks ago. Di Natale currently rests high up on the Serie A top scorers list, and with the creative likes of Alexis Sanchez and Gokhan Inler supplying him with chances week in week out, Di Natale is surely one of the favorites to claim the Italian golden boot.
8. Zlatan Ibrahimovich- When Zlatan arrived in Milan after one, some what successful, season in Spain, many a pundit wondered whether he was still capable of bringing the Scudetto back to the red and black side of the San Siro. Fast forward several months and Milan are sitting pretty at the top of Serie A, four points clear of Walter Matzarri's Napoli side, and with the big Swedish forward firing on all cylinders at the moment, few are predicting anything else than another title for the Rossoneri.
7. Mario Gomez- Following Super Mario's big money move from Stuttgart to Bayern Munich last summer, the German international failed to impress. Known for bottling it as big time tournaments, few thought the striker's long term future would be at the Allianz Arena. However, given the chance to prove himself after a host of injuries to the likes of Miroslav Klose, Ivicia Olic and Arjen Robben, Gomez has shone out. The ex-Stuttgart man currently tops the German goalscoring charts and has managed to find the net in all three of the competitions Bayern has participated in.
6. Andy Carrol- Now the world's most expensive Englishman, Andy Carrol has truly made a name for himself during what has been just his first full season in England's top flight. Deadly in the air, Geordie born Carrol has terrorized defenses on his way to 11 goals during the first half of the English Premier League season. Following his dramatic deadline day move to Liverpool, Carrol will attempt to strike up an understanding with Uruguayan World Cup villain Luis Suarez.
5. David Villa- In what was arguably the most exciting transfer of the summer, David Villa finally left the Mestalla to join up with Messi and co. at Barcelona. Starting the season with a World Cup winners' medal safely locked in the cabinet, Villa has made a huge impact at the Camp Nou, scoring goals for fun, including two against Real Madrid in El Classico. Villa has managed to forge a useful understanding with Ballon D'or winner Lionel Messi and is considered an integral part of the most dynamic attack in football.
4. Edinson Cavani- Not a starter at the World Cup, Cavani was still able to grab headlines with a goal against Germany in the Third Place Game. However, since departing from South Africa Cavani has gone from strength to strength, adding fire power to Napoli's surprise title charge. If Serie A's to goalscorer can maintain his stunning form then, who knows, maybe Napoli can overcome the odds and claim the Scudetto.
3. Carlos Tevez- Probably the Premier League's most energetic player, Tevez has led the line well for a City side which has failed to find any other consistent goal scorers. 14 goals in the Premier League so far speak for themselves, and though new signing Edin Dzeko should lift a portion of the goal-getting responsibility off the Argentinian's back, you can still expect a great deal more Tevez goals in the months to come.
2. Dimitar Berbatov- 2010-11 has turned into a bit of a renaissance for Bulgarian hit-man Dimitar Berbatov. Often described as "languid" or even "lazy," Manchester United's most expensive player has answered his critics in a big way this season with 19 goals in the Premier League so far. Blessed with an ability to take balls out of the air with almost arrogant ease, Berbatov has finally found his place in the United team and in the hearts and minds of Red Devils supporters everywhere.
1. Samuel Eto'o- A man who has won everything in the club game, Samuel Eto'o is truly the complete center forward. Lightning agility, fabulous dribbling skills and an ability to finish reminiscent of Alan Shearer in his prime, have all helped Eto'o push Roger Milla to one side and establish himself as the greatest African footballer of all time. This season, Eto'o has been a shining light in what has been a disappointing campaign for Inter Milan thus far. The only man in football history who has won two consecutive league, cup and champions league trebles for two different clubs, surely Eto'o is capable of leading the current Italian champions to another one.
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