7 of the best, worst & most infamous emergency strikers in football history
There’s something incredibly alluring about seeing an unfamiliar figure forced to play as their team’s striker – and occasionally thriving in the role.
Whether its through injury or the desire to cause chaos, the desperation needed to throw someone unconventional up front instantly makes any match must-see viewing.
We’ve trawled through the archives to find seven emergency strikers who were taken to the hearts of football supporters everywhere.
Mikel Merino
After Kai Havertz was ruled out for the rest of the 2024-25 season, Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Premier League title looked to have gone.
Yes, Havertz is frustratingly inconsistent and not a real striker himself. But the German still managed double figures in all competitions before pulling a hamstring in Dubai.
Added to the continued absence of Gabriel Jesus, Arsenal looked short up front throughout their away match at Leicester.
Step forward Merino; called into emergency striker duty by Mikel Arteta, the midfielder netted twice to give Arsenal a precious victory and elevate himself to cult hero status.
Harry Maguire
It was certainly an intriguing move by Erik ten Hag to deploy Maguire up front during a Europa League match against Real Sociedad in 2022.
But Ten Hag offered a simple explanation for his obtuse thinking.
Speaking after the tie, he suggested that Maguire’s aerial prowess could have been a potent weapon as United attempted to find the goal they needed to top the group.
“[It’s] clear [why Maguire went upfront]: we needed the goal and then we went more opportune.
“With Cristiano and Harry Maguire, you have two good headers and we tried to go more direct into the box and I think we did several times, quicker to get into the box for the opponent.”
It is one of life’s great regrets that Ronaldo’s exact thoughts when he saw Maguire lumbering to join him in attack are inaccessible to us.
Steven Caulker
From one English centre-back to another, with Jurgen Klopp also going down a questionable path of logic following Liverpool’s loan acquisition of QPR defender Caulker in 2016.
With the Reds chasing an equaliser against Arsenal, the ex-Tottenham man was introduced to bolster the attack and it actually worked, with Joe Allen firing in a late equaliser in a 3-3 draw.
Caulker expressed his surprise at Klopp’s tactical move after the game. “I was shocked, I thought the gaffer was joking when he said it (go up front),” he said.
“With only four or five minutes to go we had to go for it and it paid off. It was an exciting five or six minutes.
“I was delighted to get on the pitch and help rescue a point. It has been a bit of a roller-coaster but the adrenaline dragged me through.”
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David James
Football. Heritage.
READ: A forensic analysis of David James’ 7 minutes as a striker for Man City
Nathaniel Phillips
During his loan spell at Bournemouth, Phillips was part of a side that found themselves 1-0 down to Blackpool heading into the final throes of the game.
The Liverpool loanee was moved slightly further up the pitch and it was a move that paid off handsomely as goals from Jamal Lowe and Siriki Dembele secured a dramatic victory for the Cherries.
“We’ve made numerous changes during the second half and it’s [Phillips playing as striker] worked, but there’s loads of times it doesn’t and that’s the way it is sometimes,” said manager Scott Parker, who would go on to commit more crimes against football in his later role at Burnley.
Gary Doherty
Potentially somewhat of a cheat, Irish defender Doherty played regularly as a forward throughout his career having done so with Luton and during his early days with Tottenham.
His best goalscoring season at White Hart Lane came in 2000-01 as he found the back of the net six times.
But his presence up front represented lean times for Spurs supporters, with mediocrity the by-word while Arsenal cleared up nearby.
Puts their current plight in perspective, if nothing else.
Jorge Campos
Famous for his psychedelic shirts and charismatic goalkeeping, Campos also forged a profitable side hustle as a striker.
During his time with Mexican club UNAM, he requested to be used as a striker having fallen behind Adolfo Rios in the goalkeeping pecking order.
It appeared to be a genius decision as Campos netted on 14 occasions throughout the campaign.
He also scored a bicycle kick for Atlante later in his career. They just don’t breed characters like this anymore.