Yesterday evening we were struck with the uninspiring, deflating and almost unsurprising news that Daniel Sturridge had again been injured. Same thigh, same worn-out story.
Sturridge currently can’t catch a break with his injuries, and it’s probably fair to assume none of this is actually his fault. After all, it wasn’t himself that forced a training session whilst on an individually assigned rest day. Cheers, Roy.
As gutting as this is for Sturridge, and I imagine he’s inconsolable at the minute, especially if the reports of him welling up in the dressing room are true, it’s surely even worse news for Brendan Rodgers.
After a summer that’s been analysed by everyone to the hilt, Rodgers and his team find themselves with major reliance on a Daniel Sturridge who, as we’re well aware by now, hasn’t the fitness reliability to match his on-pitch magic. It’s amazing to think that despite the incredible expenditure bestowed by the club’s owners during the last transfer window, Brendan Rodgers still feels like he doesn’t possess a striker who’s good enough to partner a struggling Mario Balotelli. Not to mention Lovren and all that.
Lambert is Rickie Lambert. He’s a 4th choice striker. He’s a player that in a way made sense. His scoring record in previous seasons purveyed a player who was perhaps worth more than £4m. To an extent it was an emotionally driven buy from Rodgers and the committee, but in return you get a player who’ll give 100% every time he plays. Sadly, what anyone failed to realise is that Lambert did score those goals but only playing very regularly for those sides, of which a similar frequency was never going to be replicated at Liverpool.
Borini is a different kettle of fish. I don’t mind him as a player. He puts a shift in, his movement’s good, but for me he’s not Liverpool standard in terms of the squad position he currently holds (2nd/3rd choice striker). I think his adamancy to stay and fight for his place, as admirable as it may have been, definitely affected our strategy in terms of strikers this summer. Had he left for the fee agreed with Sunderland (£16m), I think we’d have been in better shape to replace him with someone more befitting to what we require.
Mario Balotelli. I like Balotelli. That’ll split opinion. I think he’s been unfortunate so far this season. I’ve seen him improve his work rate and also improve his movement since being at Liverpool. He’s not excelled, of course he hasn’t, and he’s missed a couple of excellent chances in a number of games, but who has been up to scratch for us so far this year? I can’t name one player. It’s fair to say he was purchased to play with Sturridge. It can’t be any other way, as he simply can’t affect games on his own, despite being the best fit striker we have. It’s not his fault Sturridge keeps getting crocked. We saw glimpses away at Spurs of what they can do. We need more of it.
This dilemma of course gives Rodgers a problem. A problem he needs to solve very, very quickly. We’re below par at the minute, and the confidence is seemingly shot. Dreams of a similar season to last have likely been dashed already, so the aim now must be to progress in the CL, attempt to win a trophy and most importantly, finish in the top four.
One solution for Rodgers to try and aid those challenges could be to try Raheem Sterling up top with Balotelli. Another perhaps to try either Lambert or Borini with Mario – it has been done unsuccessfully before, mind. There are shouts to buy another striker in January, and that would help, but will we do that with Origi waiting in the wings for the summer? Could that forward be Origi? I’d rather he stay at Lille until May, to be honest. This thought process must be one of so many things running around in Rodgers’ head right now, and rightly so. He’s part of the problem and he needs to be part of the solution.
All-in-all, Sturridge is a fantastic player. We’ve witnessed his brilliance both with and without Luis Suarez. The boy can play. He’s no good to Liverpool on the bench though, that’s the issue here. We’ve been spoilt last season with a partnership that quite frankly we were never going to replicate again, probably ever, and now the only remaining half of that has barely played this term. We cannot rely on Daniel Sturridge anymore. We must treat him as a luxury. A luxury that we enjoy and laud when fit, and one we miss and crave when he’s not. Thankfully, he’s worth waiting for.
