Why are La Liga's top forwards struggling to score goals this season?

#5 Carlos Bacca (Villarreal)

Carlos Bacca needs a little more time to adapt to La Liga again

Goals in La Liga: 3

Carlos Bacca had been linked to a number of clubs around Europe that coveted his signature. Maybe not the elite clubs, considering he is now 31, but Villarreal managed to get him on loan from Serie A side AC Milan.

This is not his first time in La Liga. The Colombian hit-man had two fruitful seasons with Sevilla where he had scored 49 goals and won two Europa League titles. After playing for the "worst Milan side ever" (his words), Bacca was back in La Liga for a year-long loan.

Although he wears a no.9 shirt and starts up front, he tends to drift wide which aids him when cutting in from the left to use his favoured right foot.

The Yellow Submarine usually play a flat 4-4-2 or a 4-4-2 with a diamond in midfield. But up front their man man is Cedric Bakambu. The 26-year-old Congolese forward has already scored 8 La Liga goals this season - behind only Messi (12) and Valencia's Simone Zaza (9).

As a result, Bacca plays in a withdrawn forward role at times, almost like an attacking midfielder bringing the ball forward. Unless the wingers provide width and support, Bacca does not make his way into the box.

Carlos Bacca's shot chart in La Liga (Image courtesy of Squawka)

His poacher's instincts allowed him to pounce on a rebound against Alaves while a horrible mix-up at the back saw Real Betis gift him a goal. His third goal was most notable, a header from a corner against Atletico Madrid.

We are yet to see the Bacca of old that used his tearaway pace to counter (sometimes all on his own) but give him some time to adapt to La Liga once again and he could help Villarreal seal a Champions League spot this season.