At 29 years of age and after playing for five clubs during his career, it is unusual for a player be wary of what is known as "second-season syndrome".It normally happens when a fearless teenager bursts onto the scene before defenders get wise to his style and learn how to deal with him.
Bobby Zamora has taken longer to make an impact, but he is finally a striker that Premier League centre-backs would rather not face. Now comes the real acid test, though, as he tries to sustain his threat.
Zamora's path to the top started more than a decade ago at Bristol Rovers before he made his name at Brighton in the lower leagues before spells at Tottenham and West Ham.
But it was only last season when he fulfilled his potential, with Fulham manager Roy Hodgson extracting the best from a player who cost him £4.8 million. Zamora scored 19 goals as Fulham reached the Europa League final and his physique and targetman qualities were as effective as his finishing.
It was enough to catch the eye of England manager Fabio Capello, who wanted to look at Zamora before the World Cup, but the striker was a victim of his own success, with the run in Europe resulting in an Achilles injury.
After defeat to Atletico Madrid in his final game of the season, Zamora went under the knife and ruled himself out of the trip South Africa.
Now comes the real challenge for Zamora. He needs to maintain his form of last season rather, than return to the goal-shy striker he was when he first stepped up to the top flight.
Zamora's task is made harder because he is without Hodgson, who championed his case for an international call-up last season and can be credited for his resurgence. Hodgson is now at Liverpool and will not relish facing his former player in top form.
It looks increasingly likely that Capello will give him a chance in the friendly at Wembley next month, when England pick up the pieces of their World Cup failure. By then, we will be starting to learn if Zamora's scintillating form last season was a flash in the pan.
