Having spent a long, cold winter in the gusty winds, and cracking chills of Zagreb at the age of 15, training with Dinamo Zagreb, when I hear about Eduardo da Silva being signed by Arsenal, it is something close to my heart.
I believe it is a fantastic choice for Wenger to make, and he will be a very good replacement for the much beloved Henry. But the question remains…will his Brazilian skills adapt to the chilly cold of London, and make enough of an impact in the void left at Arsenal by Thierry?
Emmanuel Adebayor is now the central play-maker in attack for Arsenal, but it could be the goal poaching style of da Silva that could make a significant difference for Arsenal in the coming Premiership campaign.
Eduardo da Silva is a Brazilian (if you did not know about him already) plying his trade in Croatia (now a Croatian citizen), and has scored a whopping 34 goals out of 32 games for Dinamo Zagreb. The question remains, can this same flair for goal in the leagues of Eastern Europe be called on in the dynamic play of the Premiership…can da Silva bring in much needed goals for Arsenal, the way Henry did?
The other side of the coin is da Silva’s presence for the Croatian national team. The young Brazilian/Croatian has a freaky knack for goals, but again, does playing against teams like Israel or Macedonia translate to the ability needed to score vital goals in the English Premier League?
Ed’s note: Does scoring a goal against a crap England team count?
The following video shows some of Eduardo da Silva’s goalscoring ability, you decide if he is worthy to replace Henry…some mighty big boots to fill I’d say. Overall, I think da Silva will amplify his ability as a formidable striker with The Gunners, where others from Eastern Europe have left us thinking…”who the hell signed these guys in the first place”?
Will Dudu be good enough for Arsenal? Come discuss this (and more) in the Soccerlens Forum.
BIGJ writes at Keeper Skool, the best goalkeeping blog on the planet.
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