No they couldn't because no matter how much we scored we bled goals on defense.
So why is it the forward line people are whinging over? (not having a go at you, just asking the question) Yes we've lost Suarez' goals and assists and they will obviously need replacing but not necessarily from one player because truth be told I'd of been surprised if even Suarez got near those numbers again this year. So in my opinion we're not looking to replace 30 goals a season, we're looking really to replace around 20 which is the number I'd of guessed Suarez would of got this time round if he was still here.
Pound for Pound and by default we have the best striker in the Premiership starting for us.
I'm gonna disagree with you there mate. As much as I like Sturridge and think he's a great forward at a decent price (in today's market) I wouldn't put him up there as the best in the League. For me, that would go to Aguero. But the fact that we can even discuss a Liverpool centre forward being the best in the League after losing the best player in the world, shows just how far we've come in recent years.
Everybody screaming we need to buy the proverbial "World Class" striker
Easy on the everybody mate. Not all of us are.
Shrek & Van Pussie (are they world class?)
Drogba/Costa/Torres (world class?)
Giroud/Podolski/Sanchez (world class?)
Aguero/Dzeko/Jovetic ( world class) probably best 3 in league but world class?
Soldado/Adebayor/Kane (world class?)
Rooney and Van Persie on their day are world class but the fact that they're not on their day every single game, I'd say no they're not what I call world class.
Drogba and Torres were world class, no denying that. They were both unplayable in the mid-2000s. Now they're both a shadow of their former selves and would hard be pushed to even be put in the good centre forward category in my opinion. Costa, I don't know enough about. I know some rave about him but I can't say if he's world class or not.
Neither Giroud or Podolski are, were or will be world class. Solid enough who'll chip in with a few but nowhere near enough to be world class. Sanchez, like Costa, I don't know enough about. The reviews he got on here when we were linked with him makes me think we've missed out somebody special, what I saw at the World Cup makes me think we didn't. He may turn out to be great at Highbury, he may turn out to be another Sylvain Wiltord.
Aguero is world class, I've said as much above. Dzeko is alright and Jovetic has had a decent pre-season but, due to injury, did F**k all for the most part of last year. Is Negredo still there? One out of three or four for a team that has spent a gazillion odd quid isn't a great return in reality.
Soldado is sh*t, Adebayor on his day is unplayable as he proved last year under Sherwood but as he's also proven numerous times his day seems to be as regular as a total eclipse. And Kane is nothing special who'll never really make it with a big team in my opinion. Be lucky to get a mid-table looking at him.
Where exactly are these world class strikers that we have to face week in and week out....do we need another striker sure we do...would a Sturridge/Eto/Lambert be end of the world? probably not though I would rather have someone other than Eto.
Which is the point I was making earlier on. We will need another forward, however, I highly doubt we're gonna get some "world class" player to come and sit on the bench playing second fiddle to Sturridge. With the players we've bought this summer, it looks certain we're going to be playing one up top. We've already got Lambert and Borini. Lambert, I like - Borini I think is sh*t. But there you go. I'd rather see us give a kid a go, I make it no secret that I prefer seeing the youngsters get given a run out than spending money on somebody who in reality isn't any better than them. Case in point, could Adam Morgan have done any worse than what Aspas did last year? I'm not saying these lads are gonna come in and be the new Robbie Fowler nor am I asking they come in and replace Sturridge, but for the squad I'd rather see a young lad showing desire than some waste of space sack of sh*t not giving a toss who we've spent a fair amount of bread on.
So if we're looking for somebody like Eto'o to come in and piss about in the League Cup, occasional start in the League on 150K a week - I'd rather see Harry Wilson do that job. But hey, that's not how football works nowadays.
People make it sound like week/week out we are squaring off against Bayren/PSG/Real/Barca and have to match up player for player with Messi/Neymar/Suarez...well we dont.
Tell you what I would take Sterling, Coutinho, Henderson, Can, Lallana, Markovic, Gerrard over some of the stiffs these other teams have, and to me that gives us the edge in most situations.
We need another striker but lets not sh*te our pants that the world is coming to an end because he is not "World Class"
Would wholeheartedly agree with that.