Go to a game at any level, at your local park or in the Premier League, and you will still hear it. "We need a goal, shoot more!!!" Thanks to a rise in analytics, the inaccuracies of the statement have been explained many times. Such emotional messages are shouted at times of frustration but, without question, less and less people believe the more you shoot the more you score approach. For those still unsure about this notion, they should study the case of this seasons Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. Spurs drew 0-0 on Sunday at Everton to move into fourth in the table, despite scoring just nine goals from their first ten matches. They are ahead of Manchester City despite scoring 19 goals less. Tottenham are where they want to be in the table but they are far from where they want to be as an attacking unit. Andre Villas-Boas side currently average one goal every 100 minutes in the Premier League. Of the nine goals, three have been penalties. The other six have come from open play, at an average of one every 150 minutes. Despite needing more goals, however, their fans are not shouting shoot more. Thats because, through 10 matches, Tottenham leads the league in shots per game (17.5). They are also third in the league in shots on target per game (5.9). This is not a team struggling to get into the final third and create opportunities, it is a team handing the opportunities to the wrong players. Finding Soldado Call it 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-1-4-1, or all of the above, Spurs are a side that plays with a sole striker flanked by wingers/attackers helped by a central three, usually with one pushing further forward than the other two. In nine of their ten league games so far, their main front man has been new signing Roberto Soldado. The Spaniard cost Tottenham 26 million pounds in the summer after scoring 59 goals in 97 league appearances during the last three seasons for Valencia in La Liga. He is seen as a major upgrade to what Spurs had last season. So far, Soldado has four goals (three penalties) but only one from open play. This has led some to put the blame on him as the reason for Tottenhams inefficiency in front of goal. "I need to see more from Soldado, I dont think he is helping his teammates enough," commented Robbie Earle during Sundays game on NBC. The 28-year-old obviously plays a part in Tottenhams struggles to score goals but it is much smaller than some believe. The cast of characters behind Soldado It is clear Tottenham is a team still trying to find their identity this season. It is not easy to make the amount of changes they made this summer and succeed immediately, something Villas-Boas acknowledged earlier this season after their win against Norwich. "We have good competition for places. We are stronger than the previous year, now we have more quality in depth and we need time to bond them together." This transitional time has seen a number of different players operate as the three attack-minded players behind the striker (the two wide players and the most attacking member of the midfield 3). At Everton on Sunday, AVB selected Aaron Lennon on the left, Lewis Holtby in the middle and Andros Townsend on the right. The three combined for just nine passes to their striker, with the left back and goalkeeper topping the combinations charts towards Soldado. (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) In total, Soldado combined best with his left back (who was the games best player) in an otherwise frustrating day finding outlets. (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) This has been the story so far for the sole striker in Tottenhams system. In the ten league games this season (Soldado 9 starts, Defoe 1), the starting striker has received the ball just 211 times; an average of just over 21 times per match. It is a remarkably low number for a team that shoots so often. League leaders Arsenal, ranked sixth on 14.3 shots per game and second with 6.4 shots on target per game, are finding their main striker a lot more. Olivier Giroud has started all ten of their league games so far. He has played 865 Premier League minutes (three minutes less than Tottenhams starting strikers) and has received 357 passes from his teammates (146 more). Not only has this helped Giroud score more goals but it also means he connects better with his teammates to help create a much more cohesive attack. Giroud averages close to 30 completed passes per game while Soldado is at just 21. Through 10 matches, the Frenchman is receiving 15 more passes per game than he would if he played as the sole striker of Tottenham, despite Arsenal having attacking threats in the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil who have all showed they can score consistently at this level. Tottenham, on the other hand, have surrounded Soldado with gifted players, many who have yet to prove they are goal scorers at this level, meaning they should be relying more on the Spaniard to not only finish off balls they give him but to get involved in the attack and help them more. Lennon certainly isnt a scorer and knows his role, except he now finds himself on the left where he cant deliver regular crosses in for Soldado, who scored all of his 24 La Liga goals last season in the penalty box. Townsend, now preferred on the right, has started each of their last nine games and leads the team in shots per game, twice as many as Soldado. Englands new golden boy, however, is part of the problem at Tottenham, wasting many chances and not combining with the clubs star striker. There is some irony that Townsends only goal this season came from a cross, not finished by any of the players in the box, which rolled into the corner of the net at Aston Villa. The winger is clearly a favourite of the manager but for the club to succeed going forward he must start to work better with Soldado. A grand total of 23 passes to the striker of choice in 757 Premier League minutes so far is abysmal. Townsends pace and ability to penetrate deep into opponents territory is impressive but he needs to find his striker a lot more than once every 33 minutes if he is to turn into a player Tottenham can rely upon. Mesut Ozil, he will never be, but it is worth noting the German has found Arsenals striker 44 times in 608 minutes, or once every 13 minutes. (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) Five of Tottenhams six open play goals this season have all come from their own efforts, and even the goal they scored from a direct mistake (their second at Villa scored by Soldado) you could argue came from Tottenhams high pressing that caused the home sides turnover. The other five showed examples of what Spurs need to do to improve. Gylfi Sigurdssons brace against Norwich was helped by Christian Eriksens decisive ball on the first goal and then ability to switch the play to find Paulinho on the second to cross the ball into the box. Eriksen again found Sigurdssons intelligent diagonal run against Chelsea and it is not difficult to assess that a Tottenham team in need of goals need the Danish creator back in the side. Defensive Solidity However, Villas-Boas clearly wants his team to be more difficult to break down, which is why Holtby has been preferred to Eriksen in the last three games and why new signing Erik Lamela has yet to play more than 27 minutes in a Premier League match. The former Chelsea man led his teams to just 15 clean sheets in 65 Premier League games as a manager before this season but he has already got seven from the teams opening 10 matches. Paulinho, a healthy Sandro and Moussa Dembele in the middle of the field have helped their back four look very comfortable. Michael Dawson is playing the best football of his career at centre-back, his new partner, the technically impressive, Vlad Chiriches looks perfect in this system while Jan Vertonghens move to left back has solved a long issue in that position. Spurs are ranked second in the league in shots allowed at just 9.5 per game and look very much like a top four contender at the back. Going forward, they now need to find the balance and that starts with getting Soldado involved in the game more. The Spaniard is not the problem for Tottenhams problems in front of goal. He is the solution still waiting to be discovered. Celtics Jerseys China . INJURIES - Reds RF Jay Bruce is facing knee surgery for a torn meniscus and it could cost him a month of playing time. Chris Heisey, who has shown some pop (43 home runs, . Celtics Jerseys 2020 . With the Rangers already leading 2-0, Carey Price was taken down early in the second period of New Yorks 7-2 pounding of the Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final on Saturday afternoon. https://www.cheapceltics.com/."; Argos general manager Jim Barker uttered those words during an interview with TSN 1050 radio just prior to the CFLs annual free agent frenzy. Boston Celtics Gear . -- Louisville backup quarterback Reggie Bonnafon ran for two touchdowns and passed for another and the No. Cheap Celtics Jerseys . Watch the announcement live on TSN.ca at 12:30pm et/9:30am pt. This years honourees will be recognized at the 2014 Hockey Canada Foundation Celebrity Classic, scheduled for June 23-24 in Vancouver. TORONTO -- Zach Collaros wont have to wait until the start of CFL free agency to find out how much hell be worth on the open market. The Toronto Argonauts released the backup quarterback Wednesday, more than two weeks before Collaros was scheduled to become a free agent. Instead of having to wait until Feb. 15 to begin weighing outside offers, Collaros is free to start testing the waters immediately and sign with the team of his choice. The move wasnt a total surprise. Last week, Argos GM Jim Barker suggested Collaros would test CFL free agency rather than re-sign with Toronto prior to the deadline. Barker said he tried re-signing Collaros and remains very interested in having Collaros back with the club. But by releasing him now Barker hopes to gain clarity on Collaros situation by Feb. 15 rather than having to deal with that uncertainty once free agency begins. "Whats difficult is when you have a player who isnt sure how much he might be able to get on the open market," Barker said. "Thats more difficult than dealing with having other teams talk to him. "This has nothing to do with our relationship with Zach, we have a great relationship. He can now go and do the things he has to do to see where things are at and it will give us a little more clarity." Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal -- Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division -- but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. The second-year player was especially sharp in a 38-21 win over B.C. on July 30, finishing 21-of-25 passing for 253 yards and three TDs. On Sept. 21, he completed 25-of-36 attempts for 330 yards and four touchdowns in a 33-27 victory over Calgary. The six-foot-two, 216-pound Collaros finished the season completing 190-of-287 passes (66.2 per cent) for 2,316 yards with 14 TDs and six interceptions. He also ran 59 times for 246 yards and five touchdowns and will attract attention on the open market. One team in need of a starting quarterback is Winnippeg, which had three different starters en route to posting a league-worst 3-15 record.dddddddddddd. This off-season, the Blue Bombers also hired former Argos special-teams co-ordinator Mike OShea as their new head coach. The expansion Ottawa Redblacks, who begin play this season, will also look at Collaros but the expectation is GM Marcel Desjardins will do that with most available free agents. The franchise selected Calgarys Kevin Glenn and B.C.s Thomas DeMarco in last months CFL expansion draft and also has Matt Faulkner, who played collegiately at San Jose State, on the roster. Collaros availability could also make things interesting in Hamilton. Veteran Henry Burris guided the Tiger-Cats to a Grey Cup appearance last November but the 38-year-old is slated to become a free agent next month. If Burris doesnt return to Hamilton, that would leave the defending East Division champion with youngsters Dan LeFevour and Jeremiah Massoli along with former NFLers Brian Brohm and Stephen McGee under contract. Both the Bombers and Ti-Cats have been in contact with Collaross agent on Wednesday. Barker was also clear he still wants to re-sign Collaros. "Weve been trying to sign him and obviously he wants to go to free agency, which is totally his right," Barker said. "Were not going to pull out." If Collaros moves on, Barker feels Toronto will remain strong at quarterback in 2014. The Argos carried five passers last season -- Ray, Collaros, sophomore Trevor Harris and newcomers Josh Portis and Mitchell Gale. All but Portis saw playing time in 2013. "People forget Zach got the start (when Ray was hurt) but it was neck-and-neck with him and Trevor," Barker said. "Zach made the most of it and kudos to him for doing that. "Trevor Harris has been with us now for a couple of years, hes got a tremendous upside and both Mitchell Gale and Josh Portis have a year in the system, they understand the reads, they understand what it takes to be a quarterback in this offence. I think theres going to be great competition to be our No. 2 and No. 3 should Zach choose to go somewhere else." With files from TSN.ca ' ' '