15 Jan 2016 12:42:56
The Sturridge debate:
Is sturridge the best striker in the league when fit? probably. Should we get rid off him? I think so.
his body is clearly not up for the job and it shows as he has missed more games than he has played. You might argue that he is a gamechanger in the few games that he plays, but he is also taking up a slot in the squad, which means we won´t buy another striker. So would you rather have a sturridge playing the few odd games a year or get another striker who possibly could contribute for an entire season? I´ve got no hate towards Sturridge, but I also think it would be in his interest to get away from football. I know how frustrating it is to be injured and not being able to play footy.
I also think a lot of people are being to harsh on Migs. Yes he makes mistakes, but you have to put this into perspective. Remember Lovren in the BR era, he looked like a league 2 player. Fast forward and he is one of our best defenders (player of the month in december) . What happened? Klopp. When was the last time we had a decent keeper? Reina, and his decline started when Achterberg was assigned. Some of the peeps on this site also says that his warm ups are a joke. I´m not saying that Migs will be a top keeper if we signed a decent GK coach, but it certainly wouldn´t do any harm.
{Ed023's Note - I'd give him until the Summer of 2017 to prove himself - he is still young. I know wages are the problem and I would understand if the club sell this summer but just my opinion.}
15 Jan 2016 13:22:45
I'm beginning to think maybe half of Sturridge's problem is mental. I think he thinks he will get injured and therefore notices every little tweak or bit of pain. Klopp might have been right about him having to realise the difference between being injured and merely playing when in a bit of discomfort.
I used to play rugby union and I honestly don't think I ever played a game where I could say I was fully fit. I certainly wouldn't have said I was injured but I was aching or hurting somewhere, you just get on with it.
I'd sell him how can he be earning the wage he is and yet in one and half seasons he's played about 12 games. If we keep him I'd say it's a pay as you play deal.
15 Jan 2016 13:35:44
Mignolet was bog standard at Sunderland as well. Our transfer comittee signed him based on stats (he made more saves than any other keeper in the league in his last season) but they failed to relaise his stats only looked good because Sunderland had a shocking defence so he was forced into being more active than most keepers.
His concentration levels are poor though so at a team where he is brought into to action less frequently he is struggling to react when he's called upon. Sunderland were also so poor that teams could just carve straight through them rather than needed to get the ball out wide and put balls into the box. So now teams are doing that against him we're seeing just how poor he is at dealing with crosses. He has always been dodgy from set pieces though, he's never been any good at distribution, I still don't remember him ever making a save with his feet and he is so quiet its a joke. He makes no effort to organise his defence and doesn't call for the ball when he does come to claim it which is why he is forever getting blocked off by his own players and why he nearly punched Toures head off on Wednesday.
Do not try and defend the indefensible. He is the worst first choice keeper in the clubs history and wouldn't play for any other team in the league.
On Sturridge, I agree partially. We should move him on and invest in a more reliable striker of equal or better quality, however he shouldn't give up on his career in football. If I were him I'd go to Italy or Spain where the fixtures are more spaced out and the tempo is much slower. He is still a world class player when fit but he is never going to be fit in English football because it is too extreme on the bodies of the players and particularly under Klopp, he will not be able to play more than once every 7-10 days. He is wasting his career here. He is almost certain to miss the European Championships. Vardy, Kane, Rooney, Carroll, Defoe, Bolasie, Sterling, Walcott etc are all well ahead of him in the pecking order purely because they're fit and scoring goals.
He either needs his training regime adapted to change him as a player (ie. bulk him up and sacrifice his explosive pace for more durability and strength) or he needs to go to another league where he can play less frequently in less physically demanding matches. If he opts to change his game (like Torres and Owen did) in order to play more regualarly he risks losing his quality as a player though, so for his sake he should go abroad.
15 Jan 2016 13:40:58
I'd be tempted to wait til he is fit, in the sense that he has no injuries. Then send him home for 2 weeks, with light yoga style exercises to do. Improve his flexibility and his core strength, improve the strength of all the smaller muscles in his leg (I had a problem with my knees when younger and this helped me) . Maybe look to get him back for the final Months of the season if we have some finals or big games to look forward too. Don't push him now, I doub he will prove his fitness enough to go to the euros, then next season ease him in, and if like ed said, he's not fit by the summer of 2017, sell him.
15 Jan 2016 13:46:40
I think it will be very difficult to buy a player of equal or better standard than Sturridge, for the transfer fee that Liverpool might get for him.
15 Jan 2016 13:58:03
Would not mind Aubameyang if he want to come? He should be more than capable replacement for sturridge.
15 Jan 2016 14:11:51
Although I agree there has to be time when we decide to go another way I think we're still a long way of that. If he's injured no one will buy him so we're paying his wages regardless. I'd say the decision point is this summer, if there's a suggestion that he won't contribute next year then we have to look for a new player to build around.
15 Jan 2016 14:14:50
I think to expect anything substantial from Sturridge at any point of this season is asking for trouble, even though he is taking up a valuable roster space on the team. I think this season will end up being a write-off for him. I'm reminded of Van Persie who spent the good part of 2-3 years, with Arsenal, continuously going back and forth between the field and the injured list. And then when he left, he was able to stay relatively healthy for the better part of the next few years. I think Sturridge's case will probably turn out to be something similar. So the question that arises is, even though his purchase price was comparatively lower, do you continue paying his wages for the next 6-12 months, and then when he has fully recovered, you are closer to the end of his contract and he decides to move on to greener pastures? I'd much rather put more emphasis on undoing some of BR's transfer mistakes (ie. Benteke) . In an ideal world, Benteke would be sold off in the summer, Lacazette would be brought in, Ings and Origi would continue their progress and anything positive from Sturridge would just be a bonus, to spur the team forward and upwards.
15 Jan 2016 14:21:12
Completely agree Irish Rover. Can't see us getting a huge fee for him when he can't stay fit. I think we hope he can eventually come back this year and last through the remainder of the season and next year.
15 Jan 2016 15:07:43
Bolasie is from Congo Ems.
15 Jan 2016 16:01:37
Bolasie is from the Congo, Carroll scored 2 or 3 times and is now out again for months, Sterling and Walcott are both considered wingers for England and Defoe has been retired by the England management, just like Lambert. Lad has enough problems without over-egging them!
15 Jan 2016 16:41:22
I still have yet to see anyone who thinks we should sell Sturridge come up with a reasonable suggestion of who exactly we could sell him to? About the only teams that could afford his wages are Arsenal, United, City, PSG, Bayern, Real, and Barca. Considering he's pretty unlikely to want to leave for less money than he's already guaranteed through 2019, who exactly from the above would buy him?
15 Jan 2016 17:44:03
Sturridge goes if fit imo.
15 Jan 2016 18:39:24
Kloppo is being very sensible with Sturridge.
He is looking for a long term solution and a fit Sturridge could be perfect.
Kloppo is giving Sturridge every chance to prove himself. He may not play again this season, but Kloppo is putting him through his paces in training and if he can cope he will be back with a bang.
Don't expect much from Sturridge this season by it is too early to consider selling him. Without a Champions league we won't get anyone better.
15 Jan 2016 19:06:46
Ive got one word for you EMS - Westerveld. Ming isn't that bad by miles ;-)