Edin Džeko, Overrated?

   


     The word overrated is overused when a player seems to be struggling to find his form on the pitch.  Notably more when the player is a striker. 
   
     Strikers get rated on how many times they finish their breakfast, or in soccer terms, how many times they put the ball in the back of the net.  Unfortunately, for the 26 year old Edin Džeko, Mario Balotelli and Sergio finish it for him sometimes. 

     Balotelli is a top-class striker, a monster, and the 21 year old proved how dangerous he is in the semi-final match against Germany in this year's Euros.  Agüero is two years younger than Džeko and the Argentine striker has been compared to his father-in-law Diego Maradona.

     Although Džeko can finish with his left foot just as well as his right, he doesn't exactly have a killer touch with his feet.  Play him a ball in the air, and he will score in any situation. He displayed that in the last game of the season against the Queens Park Rangers.  As he kept City's hopes for the Premier League title alive with a goal in stoppage time as he headed the ball in to tie the game.

     Edin Džeko became the highest League scorer in Wolfsburg's history with 66 goals in 111 Bundesliga matches as well as win the German Footballer of the Year Award for the 2008-2009 season.  Pretty impressive if you ask me. 

     Of course, the Bundesliga is far less talented than the English Premier League.  Maybe Džeko was better than his opponents in Germany, but his team wasn't, and a striker is only as good as his team performs.

     Džeko has some great weapons in Manchester such as David Silva (Spain), as well as Samir Nasri (France), and Agüero (Argentina), who they acquired before the start of the 2011-2012 season.  These four have never played together before the season started.  While some players grow and adapt quicker than others.  I just question whether Manchester City's manager, Roberto Mancini gave Edin a chance to accustom to the English game.  As he may have favored fellow Italian, Mario Balotelli. 

    So no, I don't believe Džeko is overrated, you can't just throw a player on a team and expect him to demonstrate his potential.  Fernando Torres illustrated that when he joined Chelsea this past season, as he only had six goals in 32 appearances (20 starts), in the English Premier League.