Tbf I was never surprised he didn’t cut it in the Premier league. He was scoring for fun in Holland for years but I never saw any special attributes in him to be dominant in top leagues… Never an outstanding dribbler/technician, he wasn’t physical, had some quickness but not outstanding… Had just about enough to score regularly in Holland, but just not imposing enough to dominate elsewhere.
Unlike Suarez for exemple, for me his class was absolutely obvious even watching him in Holland. Before he went to Liverpool I was saying he was good enough to play for Barca, at the time when they were absolutely the best team on the planet.
