LONDON - Is it any wonder Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi still set the goal-standard in football? Ascending to their level, or getting anywhere near their scoring rate, seems beyond most contemporaries. Thomas Jordan Jersey Signed .Particularly for the strikers whose hype and profiles eclipse their prowess in front of goal. And especially for some of the big names who switched clubs in the summer transfer window in search for a career reboot or club upgrade.Luis Suarez stepped up from Liverpool to Barcelona but is yet to raise his own game.Arriving as English footballs player of the season and the Premier Leagues top scorer, goals should have been a given for Suarez, even with his unpredictable temperament. While Barca has been untroubled by Suarezs conduct, goalkeepers have been similarly untroubled by his once-lethal shots.Since making his debut in October, after completing a four-month ban for biting at the World Cup, the 27-year-old Suarez has gone seven league games without scoring, netting only twice in the Champions League.Although Suarez has five assists in 10 games and his reputation doubtless unsettles defenders, which helps Messi and Neymar, the 81 million-euro (then $110 million) outlay was intended to guarantee goals.I came here to score goals, not only to makes passes for others to score, Suarez said last week in an interview with Barcelona newspaper Sport. If I came here its because I have scored many goals in my career and, above all, in Liverpool.Liverpool does not need reminding of what it has lost.The transfer windfall was quickly reinvested. Just not on a proven world-class scorer.The 32-year-old Rickie Lambert was brought in from Southampton to the club he supported as a boy after rising through Englands four professional leagues. Although mostly deployed from the bench, the 4 million-pound ($6 million) Englishman has not been the impact substitute desired as reflected by his record of two goals in 18 games.A gamble signing did not work either. Mario Balotelli has only replaced Suarez in one regard: as the Liverpool player bringing unwelcome attention from the Football Associations disciplinary department. Manager Brendan Rodgers wrongly thought he could tame the tempestuous Italian, who is facing an FA sanction for a racially offensive social media posting.While Suarez contributed 31 goals in all competitions last season as Liverpool finished second, Balotelli resembles the Barca Suarez — with no league goals for a team enduring its worst start in 50 years.AC Milan did well to persuade Liverpool in August to hand over 16 million pounds (then $27 million) for the former Manchester City player whose ascent as a sports star owes more to his public persona and antics than performances.However, Milan has not had much more luck revitalizing former Anfield favourite Fernando Torres.Strikers shouldnt necessarily lose their finishing touch over the years, but the predatory instinct and pace can fade. Torres was one of the most prolific strikers in 2011 when Chelsea paid Liverpool 50 million pounds (then $80 million) for the Spaniard, and his decline has been alarming.He has struggled with injuries, Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani told Italys Sky television. We need to be patient.Chelsea had enough when it offloaded the Spaniard on an unusually long two-year loan to Milan after only 20 goals in 110 league appearances.The other big loan move in the summer window is looking as much as a dud.Manchester United committed to an outlay of around $25 million on Radamel Falcaos salary and fee for a season-long loan from Monaco, and yet the player is struggling to get on the pitch.Managing only eight appearances, the injury bulletins have been lengthier than any dispatches of his on-field contributions. Just one goal, for the record.Before a serious knee injury in January, the Colombian was scoring almost a goal every two games for Monaco.Perhaps his greatest contribution at United has been creating a buzz by making the surprising deadline-day move. Persuading him to come to Old Trafford seemed to reassure United of its status among the football elite after a season on the slide under David Moyes.On Sunday, in one of the biggest games of the year for United, he only made a late appearance from the bench in the 3-0 win over Liverpool despite being fit. Louis van Gaal preferred to start speedier 19-year-old academy graduate James Wilson.When raw, young talents find it so hard to break into English teams, given the penchant for spending on more eye-catching foreigners, it was a bold move by Van Gaal.But when the transfer window re-opens in January, its likely teams will continue to throw cash at players who can produce goals in the second half of the season.It does work sometimes. Arsenal and Chelsea are profiting from investments of around $50 million each on forwards last summer. Alexis Sanchez has 14 goals in four months for Arsenal and Diego Costa has two fewer for Chelsea.___Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris Trey Johnson Jersey Signed . Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane wanted to stay in Chicago and the Blackhawks wanted to keep the high-scoring forwards in the only NHL uniform they have ever known. Nolan Smith Jersey Signed . Malone will become an unrestricted free-agent and as per the collective bargaining agreement, the Lightning will be responsible for two-thirds of the remainder of his contract over twice the length of the rest of the deal. https://www.cheapnbajerseysjustwholesale.com/ . The D-Backs came into being in 1998 and appear destined to finish second in the AL West after the Tsunami that is the Los Angeles Dodgers swept over them. I thought it might be interesting to see what the D-backs have done over their 16 years compared to what the Blue Jays have done over their past 16 campaigns.WINNIPEG -- Dustin Byfugliens move from defence to forward was made official Friday as coach Claude Noel says the Winnipeg Jets must find ways to boost production and win games. "What Im hoping to accomplish, not only with that line, with each line, is production, just positive production and hope we can move forward," Noel said after practice. The move was telegraphed Thursday when Byfuglien wore a forwards jersey during practice, but with a couple of players out with the flu it could be explained away and Noel wouldnt confirm the change. Friday, however, there was no pretense. A line change isnt all the Jets (19-22-5) need, however, said the coach. "Lets make sure were clear here. If were going to move in any direction weve got to get our workboots on thats the first thing," Noel said. "I dont care where youre playing weve got to win battles, weve got to get to the hard areas and weve got to win in the hard areas. You can juggle all you want." No one is sure how long the change will last but Byfuglien will line up with team captain Andrew Ladd and centre Bryan Little when the Jets face the Columbus Blue Jackets Saturday at MTS Centre. Columbus (19-20-4) is one of the teams in the NHL with fewer points than the Jets, although at 42 theyre only one behind. Byfuglien made a very brief appearance last season as a forward, a position he tried with the Chicago Blackhawks as well before moving back to defence, and Noel wasnt saying how long he might remain in that position this time. It means Blake Wheeler moves to a line with Devin Setoguchi and Olli Jokinen, and for now it appears Evander Kane is out with an injured hand. Cedric Ball Jersey Signed. Noel said he didnt know how long Kane might be gone. Kane was one of several Jets whose frustration as the Jets floundered in Tuesdays 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning boiled over in scraps with opposing players. Little and Ladd say after losing four in a row, its not hard to see why Noel would want to shake things up a bit. "Im looking forward to it," said Little. "(Byfugliens) the kind of guy who can play any position out there. Hes really offensively gifted and you know right now we really kind of need a spark." Byfuglien wasnt talking about the move Friday but Little says it looks like hes enjoying it. "I think youre trying to find ways to make a group and different ways to get the team going," said Ladd. "With four losses in a row, I think wed be worried if you werent trying different things." Byfugliens offensive skills are proven and hes currently tied with Little at 34 points as the teams top scorer. But hes also a team worst minus-16, although he also spends a lot more time on the ice than any other player. Moving him to forward might prevent some of the defensive slips that have led to goals. Wheeler, who shook off his own early scoring slump and now sits in second place for the Jets with 33 points, says he isnt looking at his move as a demotion. "It can give some guys some life and some energy," he said. "You see some new faces and sometimes sparks fly." ' ' '