Why Roberto Soldado Matters to the Tottenham Hotspur's Campaign

Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed their first victory of the 2013-14 Premiership campaign yesterday over newly-promoted Crystal Palace, and it's thanks in very large part to their new forward acquisition, Spanish Bradley Cooper.

Roberto Soldado—to whom I will refer as Bobby Soldier—was an important part of Spurs' victory, not just because he scored the side's lone goal on their first strike from the spot in more than 15 months, but because he represents the changing attitudes and realities at White Hart Lane this season.

Brought in from Spanish club Valencia, for whom he scored 76 goals in 110 appearances since 2010, Bobby is one of four major new signings for Spurs—all of who appeared in yesterday's match—and answers the call to the Tottenham supporters' cries for a striker.

And strike he did, as the club were granted their first penalty shot of the season in the first match of the season. Of course, they received no such shots in all of the 2012-13 season. And while the goal was important, it's not what impressed me about Soldier today.

Soldier was everywhere. At the end of every cross and as the target for every time Mighty Mouse tried to make something happen at the end of one of his pacy, but ultimately futile, runs up the right side, Soldier was there.

Spurs fans, think back to last season: How often was Jermain Defoe right where you wanted him to be? How often was Emmanuel Adebayor placed perfectly at the result of forward action? Sure, our Welsh Wizard spent plenty of time finishing appropriately, but our so-called "strikers" rarely did. They simply didn't live up to the title.

Bobby Soldier does.

I look forward to the rest of the season and Spanish Bradley Cooper's 20, maybe 25, goals this season.