'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Javier Hernandez - 19 goals
78 appearances, 93.4 mins-per-goal
Players like Javier Hernandez, who are the top scorers for their national teams, are expected to be leading the line for their clubs. But a starting role never really worked out for Chicharito in the Premier League. He had to be content with a super sub role for Manchester United and West Ham United.
His goal-scoring exploits off the bench drew comparisons with current Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and he managed to grab 19 goals in his cameos, two more than the Norweigian forward.
#2 Olivier Giroud - 20 goals
97 appearances, 88.6 mins-per-goal
From being a guaranteed starter at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger to being dropped to the bench and a subsequent move to Chelsea, where he honed his skills as a super-sub, Olivier Giroud has had an interesting career.
The 2017 Puskas Award winner is now only behind Thierry Henry in his country’s list of all-time leading marksmen with 42 goals. It seems the lack of playtime at the club level has not affected his prospects with the national team, where he continues to impress.
He has averaged a goal every 88 minutes in his appearances from the bench, and scored 20 goals as a substitute. The Frenchman is yet to make a start for Chelsea in the Premier League this season.
#1 Jermain Defoe - 24 goals
149 appearances, 128.8 mins-per-goal
Jermain Defoe is one of the strikers who is often overlooked by all despite the former Three Lions star netting 162 times in his long Premier League career. Defoe had been the first choice striker for most of his career at clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and Bournemouth but proved himself equally competent as a substitute and scored a league-record 24 goals off the bench.
He not only deserves the title of the ultimate super-sub in the English top-flight, but also deserves recognition as a super-striker as well.
