7 players who are accused of being lazy but aren't

#2 Roberto Soldado

Strikers are especially prone to bone idleness and they are certainly a common denominator on this list. Many believe that a forward’s focus is on scoring goals and so their attention shifts away from any other aspect of the game; Roberto Soldado.

To say his Tottenham tenure was a disaster is an understatement, but since his transition to Villareal, a lot has changed for the Spaniard. He notched just 7 goals in three seasons while in the Premier League and this was thought to be a result of a poor work rate in the final third, but it seems that different factors could have affected the tally.

Soldado has carried out an incredible 48 defensive actions so far this campaign, the third highest of any La Liga forward, including 11 interceptions, 1 blocked shot and 36 clearances. His goal return hasn’t been phenomenal (4 goals in 23 matches) but it is becoming clear it’s not through a lack of trying.

Soldado is no stranger to bulking up the numbers in the box by tracking back and he’s played a big part in stabilising the fourth best defence in La Liga this season. While it’s crucial that forwards are seeing the net bulge on a regular basis, it’s somewhat refreshing to see such an astute defensive contribution from a man up-top.