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(Warning! This post was written before Empoli-Roma, not knowing the score or possible shit performance of that same Dzeko I just praised above and underneath this line)
Dzeko 2.0. That would be the best way to describe Edin this season. After his mediocre (by his standards) season 2015-2016, Dzeko took Serie A by storm by scoring 10 goals in his first 10 games in Italy. Yup, that should shut up his critics for now. In 2015 he came to Roma as some sort of new Batistuta or Toni, a tall striker who wages war up front and rarely misses a chance. But pressure had the better of Edin and paralyzed him it seems.
With 8 goals in 31 games, Edin got a lot of criticism and crap over him. Not that unjust to be fair, as he looked confused, absent-minded or clueless at times, incredibly missing a pair of clear cut chances (watch out, funny Maicon gif coming up). Now he has already surpassed his goal tally of last season and it's not even November. He looks faster, stronger, sharper in front of goal and makes life of guys like Salah, SES and Radja easier. In short: he turned into the striker we all hoped he'd be back in the Summer of 2015.
There's just one stigma Edin needs to deal with: Europe. Roma has already played 5 European games so far (including the Porto disaster) and scored 9 goals in those, but no single one from Dzeko. Last season wasn't any different: 8 games, where he scored 2 goals including a redudant one against Barcelona after minute 90 while the scoreline was already 6-0.
On Thursday Roma travels to the lovely city of Vienna where it can take a huge step towards qualification for the next round. Who wants to be bet Dzeko will have a big say in it? For once, it's nice to talk about 'Bosnian brilliance' and not refer to Pjanic or Zukanovic.
Fans who also watch/follow international competitions, might know the popular song of Will Grigg, used during Euro 2016 in France. Grigg, like Dzeko, is an attacker and plays for Wigan and Northern-Ireland. After 25 goals in 40 games last season, a Wigan fan made a song to honor his top scorer: Will Grigg's on fire, obviously ripped from the original song Freed from Desire from Italian singer Gala. Will Grigg's on fire, your defence is terrified, Will Grigg's on fire... If he keeps this up, Dzeko will easily break Grigg's numbers by May.
We as Giallorossi might have to take a stand, entervene and sing out loud and proud: Edin's on fire. Or you know, use a more familiar quote from Church: "We have Edin Dzeko, ...you don't."