Who are the Premier League's best centre-forwards?

Two Minute Warning

24Jul

Who are the Premier League’s best centre-forwards?

Our mission to pick the best Premier League players to form the Life’s a Pitch select XI continues, and this time we’re on the hunt for two hotshot strikers to complete our star-studded side. The team already has a distinct Manchester City feel, will that continue with Sergio Agüero or Carlos Tévez getting the nod, or will it be Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, Arsenal’s Robin van Persie or Newcastle’s Senegalese duo, Papiss Cissé and Demba Ba (pictured)?

Van Persie may be itching for a move away from the Emirates, but his antics this summer don’t change what he achieved last season, according to footballer-turned-journalist Adrian Clarke. “I’m not going to hold anything against him in terms of what he’s been up to recently,” he says. “Based on last season, he was head and shoulders the best player in the Premier League and despite a disappointing European Championships, I would still rank him among the world’s best centre-forwards. Somebody who can lead the line, make things happen for themselves, bring others into play and be an all-round team player, Van Persie’s got the lot. He has to be in our side.”

Who else is in with a chance, then? The Sunday Mirror’s David Walker thinks we need to look further north for a striker. “I think we sometimes forget about the boys up at Newcastle,” he says. “Demba Ba went off the boil towards the end of the season, but Papiss Cissé has been great. I’ve got a personal favourite I enjoy watching – he’s probably not in our system of 4-4-2 – but I think David Silva at Manchester City is just a wonderful footballer. If we’re saying out-and-out strikers and someone who could play alongside Van Persie, I’d probably go for Wayne Rooney.”

Hang on, aren’t we forgetting about a certain Manchester City striker? “I think in the system you’ve given us, Van Persie and Rooney would be the front two,” says journalist and author Ian Ridley. “But that said, Agüero led Man City to a title and scored 23 goals. There’s lots out there that deserve honourable mentions: Yakubu, at Blackburn, scored 17 goals in a poor side, Grant Holt at Norwich, [Emmanuel] Adebayor at Tottenham.”

Watch the video to find out which centre-forwards the Life’s a Pitch panel and host Mike Calvin select for the Premier League XI.

Watch the full video discussion by clicking on the play button in the image above.

Vote for who you think are the Premier League’s best centre-forwards in our online poll

The Life’s a Pitch Premier League Select XI (so far)
Goalkeeper: Joe Hart
Left-back: Ashley Cole
Right-back: Pablo Zabaleta
Centre-back: Vincent Kompany
Centre-back: Joleon Lescott
Centre-midfield: Yaya Touré
Centre-midfield: Michael Carrick
Left-wing: Gareth Bale
Right-wing: Antonio Valencia

Related articles:

Video: Who is the Premier League’s best goalkeeper?

Video: Who are the Premier League’s best full-backs?

Video: Who are the Premier League’s best centre-backs?

Who are the Premier League’s best central midfielders?

Who are the Premier League’s best wide midfielders?

Follow Life’s a Pitch on Twitter @BTLifesaPitch

Comments

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Troleibusiukas

bull-shit. Cabaye>Carrick, Colo>Lescot, Silva or Mata>Valencia. Rooney and RVP is ok, but Cisse has a golden touch, then he’s on the field you allways has a chance to win.
Sam

tiote or carrick do i have to ask and krul is a much better keeper than hart
mgreen

God these guys are idiots. Im a Manchester City fan and there’s no way in hell id have Zaba or Lescott in this. And i definitely wouldn’t be stupid enough to choose 4-4-2 which cant accommodate for players like david silva. Can i also point out the whole Rooney vs Aguero argument. If you don’t count penalties (which are almost a definite goal when you are talking about players at this level). Rooney scored just one goal more than Aguero.
http://twitter.com/PhilK001 Phil K

I normally don’t push Newcastle players claims, but Krul IS better than Hart, Colocinni IS better than Lescot, Cabaye IS better than Carrick, and just ask other supporters if they would have Prima Donna Van Persil or Papis Cisse.
E9 Gunner

I don’t really know if I should bother comment…. *sigh*
Mrashabilla

I may be biased as Im a Newcastle Fan but i watch a lot of football, Cabaye is younger, more gifted and produces more gaols and assist than Carrick – he another who only ever passes sideways and may only attempt a ‘cutting edge pass’ once or twice a game. As a Defensive MD i would have to place tiote as the best in the league – but Yaya is just superb and is much more than a DM. Lescot is nowhere near Collocini, literally, if City did get him (as there apparently interested) Collo would slot stright in alongside Kompany. Cisse, well time will tell – he’s magnificent but i can wait to see him for a full season.
wjjh

Funny how much of a clown that guy on the right is.

“I’m not gonna hold anything against him in terms of what he’s been up to”, talking van Persie’s transfer request.

“I wouldn’t pick Carlos Tevez for his attitude alone”.

Define hypocrite, contradiction, bias…
Robertmac88

im a newcastle fan mate and even i dont agree krul is better than hart….. just yet…. kruls handling skills are the only thing letting him down.
http://www.bitterandblue.com/ shuddertothink

Unsustainable performance, Phil. You think Cisse will continue to score at 61.3% scoring %?

That would have him scoring at a higher rate than Messi’s 50.5% rate.
Tjd17

song wipes the floor on tiote
mgreen

Seems unlikely seeing as Hart is the best keeper in the prem.
If you disagree then obviously you are biased to the point of stupidity.

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