For a forward it is much easier to gain recognition from the the media and fans. That's because so much of how we grade and rate players is goals related. Defenders are even deemed better players if they can add a couple of goals or assists to their season.
This, again, can actually turn out to be the complete opposite. A defender who scores a large amount of goals, or who contributes a large amount of assists, could be a gambler without any defensive positional skills.
Media-grabbing mediocre strikers who can net 10 goals a season are most transferred far in excess of top-class defenders.
This can be seen in the Premier League's transfers during the 2010-11 season.
Fernando Torres was easily the most expensive player that year with his €58.4 million transfer. Forwards and attacking midfielders dominated the highest transfer fees that season.
Darren Bent was sold to Aston Villa for €21.5 million, Nikola Zigic joined Birmingham City for €7.2 million, and Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll joined Liverpool to replace Torres for €26.5 million and €41.5 million respectively. James Milner, Yaya Toure, David Silva and Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli all joined Manchester City for a combined fee of almost €150 million.
Each player named above is an attacker of sorts.
David Luiz, hardly the greatest advertisement for a top-class defender in 2011, actually turned out to be the most expensive defender in the EPL that season at €25 million.
After that you really have to look hard to
