Jose Mourinho once lost Gonzalo Higuaín to injury at Real Madrid and surveyed the alternatives. It would be, he said, like ‘hunting without a dog.’ Higuain had a ruthlessness and aggression in attack that he know they would be missing with lesser players.
That was eight years ago when Higuaín was in his prime. On a crisp winter’s afternoon at Stamford Bridge against limited opposition, the Argentinian opened his scoring account in English football. At times in the match he had looked a little laboured at 31.
His touch seemed rusty and conditioning isn’t perhaps what is required for a centre forward in the ever-more energetic modern game.