Tom Oldfield
In the second article in this series, Inside Futbol looks at two more blossoming partnerships in the world of football. Having focused on defenders and midfielders in the first piece, it is time to look at a couple of fearsome forward duos. At Arsenal, Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor have been a vital reason for the Gunners’ strong start to the campaign. While at Blackburn, Benni McCarthy and Roque Santa Cruz have been in blistering form too and hold the key to manager Mark Hughes’ dream of silverware this season.
Robin van Persie & Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal)
Arsenal fans held their heads in despair when the news broke that Thierry Henry was leaving the club and joining Spanish giants Barcelona. Many wondered aloud: ‘Where would the goals come from now?’ Arsene Wenger, though, expressed his excitement over the future of his young squad and felt that he had a pairing up front that could cope without Henry. Once again, “the Professor” was proved to be a shrewd judge.
Wenger’s decision to sell Henry to Barcelona during the summer for £16.2 million was based on his belief that Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor were ready to take on the responsibility of leading the attack. It is still early days but the signs are very promising thus far as Arsenal sit proudly at the top of the Premiership table.
Van Persie – a Dutch international – had been excellent up until his injury in October. Blessed with an incredible left foot, he can play as a winger or as a striker but Wenger clearly feels that Robin is at his best up front. His menace from free-kicks is now well recognised and his efforts to improve his delivery with his right foot have been a roaring success. In tight games, van Persie’s match-winning ability has already won a handful of points for his team, including the brace that secured a 3-2 victory at home to Sunderland.
Adebayor provides the more muscular side of the pairing. Put simply, he is a nuisance for opposition defences with his power, unpredictable dribbling and eye for goal. He has dominated the scoring charts in the Premiership this season with memorable strikes against Tottenham and Newcastle and a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Derby. Wenger will be very relieved that Adebayor’s national team, Togo, have failed to qualify for the African Nations and so the Frenchman will not be without his big striker during that competition.
As you would imagine, this strikeforce has been a key factor in Arsenal’s unbeaten league start. Both front men are at their most deadly when playing together and have benefited from the running of Belarusian Alexander Hleb and the vision of Spaniard Cesc Fabregas. With the Gunners’ defence looking strong, the forwards have licence to attack in numbers.
The true value of the van Persie-Adebayor pairing has been shown by the former’s injury lay-off. Arsenal have struggled to find their usual rhythm and the build-up play has not been as slick. Adebayor himself has suffered without his team-mate, particularly against Liverpool and Manchester United when facing world class defenders as a lone striker.
With van Persie on the mend and due to return to the first team very soon, the pair will be resuming their successful partnership and hoping to fire the Gunners to silverware. Both players are still youngsters and years of domination lie ahead. If they hit top form, there could be major celebrations at the Emirates at the end of the season.
Benni McCarthy & Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn)
Last season, Benni McCarthy surprised everyone with how quickly he adapted to life in the Premiership. It was as though he had been around in England for years. The South African scored some sublime goals, securing numerous vital victories as Blackburn achieved a respectable league finish and reached the FA Cup semi-finals. McCarthy attracted attention from the big clubs over the summer but ended up staying at Ewood Park.
Rovers boss Mark Hughes identified the fact that the team was lacking a suitable partner for McCarthy up front to ease the goalscoring burden on his shoulders. Young Matt Derbyshire has a bright future ahead of him but Hughes wanted a proven scorer at the highest level. When Roque Santa Cruz, the Paraguayan striker, became available, Blackburn did not hesitate.
It took McCarthy and Santa Cruz little time to learn each other’s game and the pairing has prospered from day one. McCarthy specialises in neat footwork and clinical finishing. His ball control in tight spaces is exceptional and he has the knack of being in the right place at the right time. He is a relatively small man but he is a constant threat for defenders, whether it is from crosses or from slide rule through balls.
Santa Cruz’s main responsibility is to provide an aerial target, allowing McCarthy and midfield runners to take advantage of flick-on headers. The Paraguayan’s ability with his feet must not be overlooked, though. While he is phenomenal in the air, his good ball control and powerful shooting are equally important assets and he takes many defenders by surprise with the sublime touch that he possesses.
The vision of Tugay and the quality crossing of Morten Gamst Pedersen and David Bentley ensure that there are plenty of openings for McCarthy and Santa Cruz, who need no second invitation to find the net. Often, Blackburn goals come from clever link-up play between the strikers, showing that they can create as well as score.
After a comfortable 4-2 win over Reading in October, Hughes showered praise on the duo up front, telling the media: ‘They are quicker, bigger, stronger and better looking than I ever was. They are good players and I thought some of their play was excellent. Technically they are very proficient players, so they are comfortable in possession. They can link the play, they can be creative in the final third and they can bring people into the game.’
Blackburn have enjoyed a decent start to the campaign and if McCarthy and Santa Cruz can stay fit, European qualification seems a realistic target for the club.
