Dirk Kuyt

[Neil Young]

Arch? You mean...like a teacher?!

No, sorry, not really. I thought about changing it because it isn't really what I meant but I then I thought I'd leave it as it was because I like the word.

Really I meant "prissy".

No offence, like.

[Neil Young]

I think it's a mixture of nature and nurture. The talent and instinct have to be there otherwise any old mug (Cisse) could be coached into being a natural finisher. There is definitely something in built which makes one striker instinctively better than the rest, could it be better spatial awareness, could it be faster reflexes? Who knows, but there must be something. I also think some people possess this instinct but for one reason or another never make it, so in summary, you need a mixture of both ingredients.

So, basically, it's a high-scoring draw.

[Rich]

A talent like Fowler has isn't just taught, although he needs training and coaching to refine that talent, whereas, in my opinion a player like Owen had far less natural goalscoring talent, but really knuckled down to succeed.

[Shaggy]

No, sorry, not really. I thought about changing it because it isn't really what I meant but I then I thought I'd leave it as it was because I like the word.

Really I meant "prissy".

No offence, like.

Absolutely none taken!

I know, I can get a tad...um...irritated...when people miss the point of a post in such glaring, open-goal fashion.

[AFII]

A talent like Fowler has isn't just taught, although he needs training and coaching to refine that talent, whereas, in my opinion a player like Owen had far less natural goalscoring talent, but really knuckled down to succeed.

Owen had one important thing that Robbie didn't have and that was his speed. Robbie had to use more skill to get past his player and Owen only had to use his speed. I know that Robbie wasn't that slow but he couldn't hurt the defenders with his speed like Owen could do.

Robbie have more skill than Owen, no doubt about that.

[Rich]

Owen is/was a very good finisher, blessed with an unbelievable turn of pace over 5-10 metres, but he also blew hot and cold, and as we have seen, his sheer pace was something that his body couldn't live with, let alone 6' defenders.

[Neil Young]

Owen versus Fowler. Please, in the name of sanity, stop. I really can't face it all again.

[AFII]

Owen is/was a very good finisher, blessed with an unbelievable turn of pace over 5-10 metres, but he also blew hot and cold, and as we have seen, his sheer pace was something that his body couldn't live with, let alone 6' defenders.

The same thing has happened to a lot of players with the same playing style as Owen. You will risk getting hamstring injuries when you stop and start very quick runs.

Bellamy have the same hamstring problems for example because of the way he play and that is why I said that he shouldn't play three times in seven days and shouldn't play against Arsenal.

Defoe is another player with the same problems.

This is probably the reason to why Wenger doesn't play Walcott in every game.

[Red_Polo]

Disagree.

There is such a thing as a natural goalscorer, IMO. Some people prefer to use different terminology – some say “out and out goalscorer”, others say “always in the right place at the right time”. Whichever way you look at it, strikers who fall into this category are usually what you’d call ‘natural goalscorers’.

Fowler was obviously one. Jimmy Greaves another. Gary Lineker . Ruud van Nistelrooy is a good example of a modern day natural goalscorer. Strikers who operate mainly on instinct.

So basically just a good finisher of moves - someone with good movement, awareness, and finishing, all of which some people refuse to accept was learnt by labelling it as 'natural'.

[Neil Young]

Absolutely none taken!

I know, I can get a tad...um...irritated...when people miss the point of a post in such glaring, open-goal fashion.

Nice - ironically that's what this thread is all about, isn't it?

Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes.

[AFII]

It's down to how clever a player is IMO. A very clever player will make the right runs and "know" were in the box the ball will end up.

[Rich]

Owen versus Fowler. Please, in the name of sanity, stop. I really can't face it all again.

My posts weren't O v F?!?

Merely giving an example of a natural finisher in comparison to somebody less talented by driven.

[Neil Young]

It's down to how clever a player is IMO. A very clever player will make the right runs and "know" were in the box the ball will end up.

That's just a different way of saying the same thing, isn't it? I mean, is a player naturally clever or is it down to their education?

[Neil Young]

My posts weren't O v F?!?

Merely giving an example of a natural finisher in comparison to somebody less talented by driven.

Sure I get your point but I'd really, really, really appreciate if you could choose different examples next time. For a moment there I thought we were in danger of going through a time-loop.

[Red_Polo]

That's just a different way of saying the same thing, isn't it? I mean, is a player naturally clever or is it down to their education?

It's a bit of both, more nurture than nature I'd say. But even then, being clever in this sense just means you learn certain goalscoring skills faster, they are not actually innate in the slightest.