Given that he cost a £19 million club-record transfer fee, the expectation around Eastlands is that Joao Alves de Assis Silva should be more of the former than the latter.
A generous comparison would say he is something of a left-footed hybrid between van Nistelrooy and Torres, although a cynic may claim that his true ability will have been exaggerated due to the relatively poor standard of defending in the Russian Premier League.
A strong, fast striker who, at six-foot three, is worthy of the 'good touch for a big man' tag that will inevitably be attached to him, Jo certainly looks to be equipped for the demands of the Premier League. Aged just 21, it is probable that he will develop further over the next few years and add solid muscle to his wiry frame, giving him a hugely imposing physique similar to that of Chelsea's Didier Drogba.
He also appears to have that knack of finding enough space in a crowded penalty area to conjure goals out of nothing, an innate ability regarded as the hallmark of a genuine goal scorer and something.
The reasons for a high-profile player's success or failure when moving abroad are obviously specific to the individual. The player's ability to adapt to a new social and football culture will determine how quickly they integrate into their new environment. Juan Pablo Angel, for example, found out the hard way that Birmingham is rather different to Buenos Aires and struggled to cope with the culture shock of switching continents.
Adage
In contrast to Angel, that old footballing adage regularly mooted when a foreign player arrives in Britain that goes something along the lines of `will he be able to handle a cold, wet December Tuesday night away game in Hull?' is not really applicable to Jo, a man who has spent the last three years of his life living and working in Moscow.
Some players deal with the burden of being known as `the new record-signing' better than others. Torres shrugged off the label with a deluge of goals in his first season at Anfield, whereas Marlet did nothing of the sort at Craven Cottage. Early indications of Jo's character are positive. At his unveiling as a City player he cited the fact that the club is 'going places' in response to queries as to why he chose Manchester over other potential destinations such as Valencia.
Jo, who has one senior international cap and will represent Brazil at this summer's Olympics, also expressed his realisation that playing in the Premier League is an entirely different prospect to playing in Russia, insisting there is a `huge difference' between the two.
Jo's goalscoring record whilst at CSKA Moscow was within the magical one-goal-every-two-games ratio that all top-class strikers strive for. In his three years in the Russian capital, he notched an impressive 30 goals in 53 league games. This ratio of 0.56 goals per game is superior to Torres' modest strike-rate of 0.38 goals per league game at Atletico Madrid.
Because of the variables involved, it is almost impossible to accurately compare the trio's pre-Premier League statistics directly, but the fact that Torres' strike-rate improved to 0.73 goals-per-game after moving to England, where he is more suited to the fast-paced style of play, is cause for encouragement that Jo could have a similarly immediate impact.
Only time will tell on Jo, but on first impressions he seems to possess the attributes and attitude, both on and off the pitch, required to be a success. Every foreign player who comes into the hustle and bustle of the Premier League has to be allowed a reasonable amount of time to adapt to his new surroundings, particularly when he is a young man with a huge price-tag hanging around his neck.
Fernando Torres managed to cope with these burdens in an unprecedented amount of time, whereas Thierry Henry took a while to settle in and did not find the net in his first eight games for Arsenal. Arsene Wenger persisted with Henry, and the rest, as they say, is history.
City fans, however, will be hoping that Jo's transition from Moscow to Manchester is as seamlessly spectacular as Torres' from Madrid to Merseyside.
Do you think Jo will be a success, and how long are you prepared to give him to prove himself? Have your say. Tweet
Comments
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If Jo gets the right partner alongside him, and has good supply line, then he will score goals. I have that much faith in him.
I think this guy is gonna have us drooling!
when the scum signed Nani or that other guy out of Thunderbirds, did the MUEN pose the question 'will he prove to be a complete flop (like Veron) or a complete star?' No.
Keep spinning your anti-City bile MUEN, and keep wondering why the club dont give you any interviews any more.
Get Jo and Bodge up front...they will be a hell of a force I predict...
The Blue Moon is Rising...
this kid could potentially be as big as Ronaldinwho,Ronaldo(the real one) or Adriano....in terms of impact rather than current waistline! Given time to settle,a good supply and the support of the fans who's to say he can't have the same impact as Torres last season. Its fair to say we potentially have a striker capable of 20 goals a season for the first time in many a year (the Goat excepted as his biggest scoring season was in the CHampionship) Then we can forget about Ronnie and hail the arrival of the next Brazilian superstar playing in the sky blue of "gods own team"...."singing ee ey ee ey ee ey Jo,give him the ball and watch him go"
My Team:Hart Richards Dunne Onuoha Garrido Weiss Johnson Petrov Jo Benjani
I am hugely excited about seeing Jo play 'in the flesh'. For years now, Keegan, Pearce and Sven have been saying how good our youth prodigies are, and that we are only 3 or 4 quality signings away from being a top side. Judging initially by the price tag, this is the sort of player they meant. Happy days.
" when the scum signed Nani or that other guy out of Thunderbirds, did the MUEN pose the question 'will he prove to be a complete flop (like Veron) or a complete star?' No.
Keep spinning your anti-City bile MUEN, and keep wondering why the club dont give you any interviews any more. "
The Realist, SW14
16/07/2008 at 11:57
Well said!!!
sam williams come on down...yet another inept local journalist. This story really is pathetic.... Torres has been talked about for 4 maybe 5 years as being up there with the very best, never any doubt a player of his ability would be a success, except to no marks like your good self. Do some research fella, don't piss away your apprenticeship up the wall.....here's a start ...... Thierry Henry was a winger before Master Wenger invigorated the untapped natural scoring talents of a man who is regarded as the greatest goalscorer in premiership history. Not he failed to score in his first 8 games bla bla bla. Report reads:must do better.
Kevin Cairnes, Morecombe: Please tell me you didnt intend to name a team of 10 players? haha. im sure you just missed out elano then i would have to agree with your team selection. altho, Garrido if possible needs to be replaced by someone with better defensive abilities. and wiess is a brave shout, bags of potential but maybe too early for him for a first team regular? dont want his confidence to be ruined before his career has even started! Good shout all the same! Also when fit i think Bojinov would in front of benjani! Come on the Blues! In sparky we trust!
Supreme confidence Kev, I agree lets do 'em with 10 men !! Exciting team mind, would be superb if young Mr Weiss is the answer on the right flank.
kevin cairns, morecambe.
I tell y' what y' can tell 'em, I'd look forward to seeing that side. I'm getting bl@@dy well excited now. I'm off for a few in Cheadle Hulme tonight.
Kevin cairns 12.58
You must be very confident of victory,you have only selected 10 players.i hope your confidence is not misplaced (i doubt it) cheers
Anybody knows what is the squad that travel to play this game?
Ten men, we've only got ten men......
cant wait to see jo bang in the goals against this team and i think hes got the attributes too do well in the english league strengh and pace cant wait for the match tommorow to see bianchi and jo upfront maybe boj
10 men, we only need 10 men
His scoring record for CSKA was excellent. Looks very left footed to me but then so is Messi and I wouldn't mind the little fella as well.
Is he tough enough for the prem? I think so. Anyone that can go to Russia at 19 yrs old, learn a new language, play in -35 degree temps and be racially abused and have hot coffee thrown over him and his family is pretty mentally tough I think.
Physically tough ? Well look at the stature of the kid. Not to mention the way he swatted Cordoba, one of the toughest CB's in world football, out of the way at the San Siro to score his second goal of the game against Inter Milan (Serie A champs).
You want quality - well these days you have to pay for it! Let's give the lad all the support he needs to settle in to his new club and I'm sure we fans will reap the reward.
Report in my local paper about an ex-Plymouth youngster called Sam Molsom who played for Tiverton last year , who is playing in Uefa cup tomorrow against Brondby for Faeroes club B36 Torshavn.
B36 beat EB/Streymur 2-1 at weekend and he had two assists.
Now if our Reserve side failed to score 4 goals questions would be asked so will be a nice start for JO.