Two ducks broken, two stars (re)born?

Easter weekend 2011 featured some great matches in the Premier League, but ultimately will be remembered for two expensive January signings breaking their drought in the league. Ever since his £50 million move from Liverpool to Chelsea, the wait for Fernando Torres to score has been an anxious one for Blues fans. It seemed that the Spanish international was desperately short of confidence and form and destined not to score again this season, but he found the net against West Ham at the weekend.

While not getting the same sort of coverage in the football news, Manchester City’s Edin Dzeko had been experiencing a similar drought prior to last weekend. The £30 million Bosnian striker had at least netted in a Manchester City shirt, but hadn’t scored in the Premier League until he struck the winner against Blackburn on Monday. The fact that Dzeko came off the bench in that game illustrated the regard in which Roberto Mancini sees him and the striker is far from an automatic starter. However, like Torres, Dzeko has now got the monkey of not scoring in the Premier League off his back, so will that lead to greater things next season?

The phrase “form is temporary, class is permanent” comes to mind when talking about Fernando Torres. The Spaniard has shown only glimpses of his class while in a Liverpool shirt this season and has looked like a player who’s lost while playing for Chelsea up until now. Only time will tell whether Torres can use his strike against West Ham to propel him some way towards his former self, but the striker can surely only get better.

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Edin Dzeko, on the other hand, is something of an unknown quantity. The Bosnian has not been tested in a top, top division as of yet and his taste of the Premier League has seen him struggle to come to terms with its pace thus far. He has the physical presence to make himself a handful for English sides’ defences, but whether he is clinical enough to become a top striker is yet to be seen. Like Torres who has to battle with Didier Drogba for a starting place at Stamford Bridge, Dzeko finds himself below Carlos Tevez and maybe even Mario Balotelli in the pecking order at Eastlands so he has much work to do.

Fernando Torres is 1/3 with bet365 to outscore Edin Dzeko next season after both strikers finally found the net over Easter. bet365 spokesman Steve Freeth says “Both strikers have found it difficult in front of goal since their big money moves. Chelsea and Man City will be hoping for a better return next season after spending £77million on the pair.” Torres is 8/1 to land the 2011/12 Premier League Golden Boot, but will the Spaniard come good at Stamford Bridge?

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