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What made Alan Shearer such a successful forward?
- Thread starter Doc Lynam
- Start date
AmexRuislip
Trainee Spy 🕵️♂️
He was a typical old fashioned English CF, who has worked hard to get goals from all areas of the opposition's half, and being canny enough to be in the right place at the right time.
Also kept his image clean to become a decent pundit.
Also kept his image clean to become a decent pundit.
Nixonator
Well-known member
Strong in the air, strong in general, absolute rocket of a right foot and didn't need much space/time to use it. Wasn't bad with his left either. An altogether excellent finisher due to being a very cool customer and plenty of confidence (perhaps a bit too much) in his own abilities.
An understated, manly goal celebration. He wouldn't have been half as successful without that. I bet he worked on it for months on end while a teenager. All that hard work paid off though.
Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 30,557
I think he's been the best all -round striker in the English game since Greaves - great in the air, strong, could score from distance, so consistent, great with Sutton, Sheringham, Ferdinand, good team player - he had the lot.
Brighton Boy
New member
Could score on the turn from 30 yards. Great in the air. One of the best I've ever seen at rolling a defender and getting his shot off quickly.
Sussex Nomad
Well-known member
Totally agree with all of this, he wasn't very tall either. He was strong on the ball, he was a modern day Lineker, had all Lineker's attributes, 6 yard poacher amongst them, but was an all round striker. And how bloody good in the air was he? Considering his height, phenomenal. Oh he wasn't a bad crosser/winger either. And nothing wrong with a little arrogance/confidence, that is how park players become professionals.
pishhead
Well-known member
Mental toughness. It's what defines the better players. It's absolutely absurd that players like him are not utilised by the FA. Imagine being in the England Under 18 team and him talking to the strikers about the nuances that can't really be taught.
On a serious note, I've just looked at that video of him at Blackburn - there's about 10 worldies in it. So strong, able to create space with ease, gets off his shot so quickly and with such power. The complete package.
Sussex Nomad
Well-known member
Who wasn't being serious?
West Hoathly Seagull
Honorary Ruffian
I saw his debut for Blackburn at Palace, and if I remember correctly, he got a hat trick, or at least two goals, one of which was an absolute rocket from 35 yards. Unfortunately, Blackburn's defence was as leaky as a sieve, and they didn't get the victory they deserved, with the match ending as a 3-3 draw. I heard an anecdote a couple of years later that Shearer was on £10,000 per week with Blackburn when he signed. They then signed Chris Sutton on £12,000 per week. Shearer asked to be on the same conditions as Sutton, and was given a pay rise to the same amount. Those seemed high wages in the mid-1990s.
Jim Van Winkle
Well-known member
Agree with all the attributes that have been mentioned thus far. Also, I would throw in technique -- to strike the ball as hard as he does/did whilst keeping the ball down requires great technique.
Me; in post #5...
AmexRuislip
Trainee Spy 🕵️♂️
I remember the day when 'side show bob' took over as manager of Newcastle Utd, decided to drop AS in 2013 v Sunderland.
Stage left manager gone, stage right is the power of AS!
Stage left manager gone, stage right is the power of AS!
Marshy
Well-known member
He did have very good pace escpecailly until 26/27 ? when injuries got hold a bit, total all round forward, scored all sorts of goals, no weakness to his game at all.
Great Great player.
Great Great player.