Daniel Sturridge set to leave Liverpool in the Summer (rumours are breaking)

Roberto Firmino has started in 29 games and has scored 9 goals. Sturridge has started what? 9 games and he has 6 goals to his name.

He is not starting because he cannot score, he is simply not starting because the manager does not fancy him. By the way, here is a list of players who have more goals and assists that Roberto Firmino this season:

Hueng-Min Son, Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Ericksen, Diego Costa, Eden Hazard, Pedro, Aguero, Sterling, De Bruyne, Ibrahimovic, Sanchez, Walcott, Ozil, Giroud, Lukaku, Defoe, Mane.

Then you have a group of players who would most likely outperform him if they played the minutes he has played i.e Rooney, Mata, Rashford, Martial, Chamberlain, Lucas Perez, Fabregas.

In all this, people are arguing that Sturridge isn't as prolific, he has lost a yard of pace. He misses some chances he should convert as does everyone, but by and large, he is the best striker at LFC and that has been sacrificed for what? Increased work rate and less potency up top?

This team is most likely going to be in Europe next term, that will mean more games at a faster frequency, and I would love to see better teams than what Klopp was fielding in some of the cup games this season. For that you will need depth, and selling one of the better players in the team to replace with lesser quality does not make any sense. You could have Origi, but he is so hit and miss that it boggles the mind; one day he shows immense promise, the next game he struggles with decision making to the extreme.

Great post, agree with every word.

Roberto Firmino has started in 29 games and has scored 9 goals. Sturridge has started what? 9 games and he has 6 goals to his name.

He is not starting because he cannot score, he is simply not starting because the manager does not fancy him. By the way, here is a list of players who have more goals and assists that Roberto Firmino this season:

Hueng-Min Son, Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Ericksen, Diego Costa, Eden Hazard, Pedro, Aguero, Sterling, De Bruyne, Ibrahimovic, Sanchez, Walcott, Ozil, Giroud, Lukaku, Defoe, Mane.

Then you have a group of players who would most likely outperform him if they played the minutes he has played i.e Rooney, Mata, Rashford, Martial, Chamberlain, Lucas Perez, Fabregas.

In all this, people are arguing that Sturridge isn't as prolific, he has lost a yard of pace. He misses some chances he should convert as does everyone, but by and large, he is the best striker at LFC and that has been sacrificed for what? Increased work rate and less potency up top?

This team is most likely going to be in Europe next term, that will mean more games at a faster frequency, and I would love to see better teams than what Klopp was fielding in some of the cup games this season. For that you will need depth, and selling one of the better players in the team to replace with lesser quality does not make any sense. You could have Origi, but he is so hit and miss that it boggles the mind; one day he shows immense promise, the next game he struggles with decision making to the extreme.

I read some opinions from Dortmund fans, and they say Klopp clearly has his favourites and it can frustrate.

I pin down Bobby as one of those.

9 goals in 29 games.

That isn't good enough. Simple as.

I read some opinions from Dortmund fans, and they say Klopp clearly has his favourites and it can frustrate.

I pin down Bobby as one of those.

9 goals in 29 games.

That isn't good enough. Simple as.

Of course he will have favs all managers do and in particular they pick players who can carry out the instructions of how they want the game played.

I read some opinions from Dortmund fans, and they say Klopp clearly has his favourites and it can frustrate.

I pin down Bobby as one of those.

9 goals in 29 games.

That isn't good enough. Simple as.

The one thing that frustrates me with Firmino is the fact that he is not a great striker, not even a good one (or is yet to show that he can be one). Other than that, he really is not good as a 10 because he does not create enough and/or score enough, but these are nowhere close to the struggles he undergoes when told to play out wide.

If he were playing for another team, people would go on about how average he is.

You are right that Klopp seems to have his favorites, and some of them will get game time regardless of how poor it is they are playing. Firmino is one, Emre Can is another. Either way, it would be in poor taste selling Sturridge to buy another striker or to persist with an inconsistent Origi or an injury prone Ings. If anything, the past summer has shown that getting a quality striker is not easy........United are offering huge wages for Ibrahimovic and talk is that they have Griezmann in their sight. Arsenal had to convert Sanchez into a striker and look at what Chelsea had to pay for Batshuayi or City for Gabriel Jesus.

Buy four of five players this summer; a winger, two ball playing midfielders a defender and a keeper and see where it goes. If they can generate good money off sales, try and get a fullback or two. Either way, the path to success is not found in downgrading.

Of course he will have favs all managers do and in particular they pick players who can carry out the instructions of how they want the game played.

If you are a striker, your worth is measured in one thing and one thing alone, your goals. If you are prolific and can create like Sanchez, RvP, prime Rooney, Suarez, Messi then you are seen as a cut above the rest.

It is not to say that other managers do not have their favorites, they do, and sometimes fanbases have an issue understanding what a manager see's in these players. At Chelsea, it is someone like Matic, at Arsenal it is Ramsey and Coquelin, at United people cannot understand why Mourinho likes Fellaini and there have been complaints all season as to why Guardiola was insisting with Bravo and Otamendi though Stones has been poor too.

Are these managers experienced? Absolutely, but does that mean that they are always right? No! Antonio Conte had to change system to get better, Mourinho persisted with one system but made personnel changes until they struck a balance and results got better. Wenger looked for any opportunity to start his poor lot and their results took a tumble, and Guardiola had to be humbled before City started on the right path.

If you were to ask me today, I would say that the one team I feel will miss out on top 4 is LFC. The other I would guess would be Spurs because they cannot seem to finish above Arsenal (who always seem to flip a switch to get top 4), and United seem to have hit good form when it matters.

If you are a striker, your worth is measured in one thing and one thing alone, your goals. If you are prolific and can create like Sanchez, RvP, prime Rooney, Suarez, Messi then you are seen as a cut above the rest.

It is not to say that other managers do not have their favorites, they do, and sometimes fanbases have an issue understanding what a manager see's in these players. At Chelsea, it is someone like Matic, at Arsenal it is Ramsey and Coquelin, at United people cannot understand why Mourinho likes Fellaini and there have been complaints all season as to why Guardiola was insisting with Bravo and Otamendi though Stones has been poor too.

Are these managers experienced? Absolutely, but does that mean that they are always right? No! Antonio Conte had to change system to get better, Mourinho persisted with one system but made personnel changes until they struck a balance and results got better. Wenger looked for any opportunity to start his poor lot and their results took a tumble, and Guardiola had to be humbled before City started on the right path.

If you were to ask me today, I would say that the one team I feel will miss out on top 4 is LFC. The other I would guess would be Spurs because they cannot seem to finish above Arsenal (who always seem to flip a switch to get top 4), and United seem to have hit good form when it matters.

What form have Utd hit? Played off the Park by Saints and relying on the official to buy them a win.

Have a look at how many goals we have scored, you might be surprised!

Look I agree Firmino needs to score more goals but it's a team game and we have scored a sh*t load if goals when our best 11 is available.
Unfortunately our issue is the drop off in quality when one of the first teamers is missing.

The thing with Studge is when he is scoring he is pretty much unstoppable, but when he is not scoring he does not bring a lot to the team.  he very rarely chases the ball down and when he gets close to an opponent with the ball he does not put a tackle in.

Can't see him being here next season, he just does not fit the team anymore.  Such a shame.

The thing with Studge is when he is scoring he is pretty much unstoppable, but when he is not scoring he does not bring a lot to the team.  he very rarely chases the ball down and when he gets close to an opponent with the ball he does not put a tackle in.

Can't see him being here next season, he just does not fit the team anymore.  Such a shame.

Nail on the head. Studger just not do enough work without the ball.

Firmino starts moves off by pressing and winning the ball back, he's all over the pitch, himself and Lallana are top drawer at this.

Recently Firmino has missed his pals, Coutinho & Mane, now all 3 are back and 100% fit, we will see them all scoting and getting assists.

What we really need is for the Premiership to introduce a trophy for "metres run" or for "winning the ball back", we'd piss that. Unfortunately while they persist with this outdated method of deciding trophies (ie winning football matches) we are up against it.

F*** "golden boot", what about "golden ball winner backer", Firmino would be a shoo in. That Ibrhahimovic clown wouldn't get a look in at that award, f****** joker that he is.

What form have Utd hit? Played off the Park by Saints and relying on the official to buy them a win.

Have a look at how many goals we have scored, you might be surprised!

Look I agree Firmino needs to score more goals but it's a team game and we have scored a sh*t load if goals when our best 11 is available.
Unfortunately our issue is the drop off in quality when one of the first teamers is missing.

Manchester United: 10 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss (2nd leg of the League Cup).
Liverpool: 2 wins, 4 draws, 5 lost games.
Arsenal: 8 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses.
Manchester City: 7 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss.

These are the results since the turn of the year.

Secondly, at no point in time will one have their best eleven available most of the time, and that is where quality depth comes in. Look at Klopp, he resorted to playing the kids in the cups to help manage fatigue and even that has not had the desired effect. I assume that with the lowered workload, and a return to a less congested fixture list might be one of the positives going forward. Chelsea are the one team that has not lost a key player for a prolonged period, but that has to do with the fact that they are not in Europe, and both teams are not in the business of pressing and covering huge distances in a game.

That said, goals have not dried because Mane and Coutinho were missing, they have dried up because teams have started sitting deeper and ceding possession and the inability to break such down. In games where teams came to play, goals and chance creation has not been as much of an issue.

In the last 6 games, the team has managed a total of 8 goals since the turn of the year, and 10 in 11 games. Goals have become harder to come by while defense has managed to do worse.
Kane, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Cazorla, Xhaka, Ozil, Bellerin, Mustafi, Iwobi, Walcott , Gundogan, Fernandinho, Kompany, Sagna, Sane......all these have missed multiple games for one reason or another and their injury lists go far deeper than this.

The thing with Studge is when he is scoring he is pretty much unstoppable, but when he is not scoring he does not bring a lot to the team.  he very rarely chases the ball down and when he gets close to an opponent with the ball he does not put a tackle in.

Can't see him being here next season, he just does not fit the team anymore.  Such a shame.

Harry Kane is the other striker that works a lot for his team, even Sanchez does it in bits but never sustained.

If your system is dependent on a striker winning the ball back first as opposed to scoring, then there is something wrong. Drogba, Rooney, Van Persie, Diego Costa, Aguero, Sturridge, Ibrahimovic, Henry, Torres, Bergkamp, Tevez, etc....all these were great strikers who have played in the Premier League yet no one remembers them for their work off the ball, interceptions gained or presses started. They are remembered for their quality in the final third.

Today you will ask people what Suarez did best, and they will tell you he scored for fun, created for fun and had defenders in opposing teams quaking in their boots. He occupied their attention and that in turn created more openings for others. People will remember his games against Norwich, or his complete game against Arsenal where a goal evaded him. They will remember he worked tirelessly, but it is not what defined his greatness. Other players need to be doing the dirty work.

The one thing that frustrates me with Firmino is the fact that he is not a great striker, not even a good one (or is yet to show that he can be one). Other than that, he really is not good as a 10 because he does not create enough and/or score enough, but these are nowhere close to the struggles he undergoes when told to play out wide.

If he were playing for another team, people would go on about how average he is.

You are right that Klopp seems to have his favorites, and some of them will get game time regardless of how poor it is they are playing. Firmino is one, Emre Can is another. Either way, it would be in poor taste selling Sturridge to buy another striker or to persist with an inconsistent Origi or an injury prone Ings. If anything, the past summer has shown that getting a quality striker is not easy........United are offering huge wages for Ibrahimovic and talk is that they have Griezmann in their sight. Arsenal had to convert Sanchez into a striker and look at what Chelsea had to pay for Batshuayi or City for Gabriel Jesus.

Buy four of five players this summer; a winger, two ball playing midfielders a defender and a keeper and see where it goes. If they can generate good money off sales, try and get a fullback or two. Either way, the path to success is not found in downgrading.

It's his work rate that gets him preferential treatment. Our pressing starts from the front and he's instrumental in that. That's all well and good but it comes from the expense of goals. Either we need a replacement for Cou who can score goals like Mane (and move Cou back to midfield) or we need to replace Firmino with someone who can press, work hard and score goals.

It's his work rate that gets him preferential treatment. Our pressing starts from the front and he's instrumental in that. That's all well and good but it comes from the expense of goals. Either we need a replacement for Cou who can score goals like Mane (and move Cou back to midfield) or we need to replace Firmino with someone who can press, work hard and score goals.

Manchester United paid huge wages to land Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Chelsea paid big money to get Michy Batshuayi.
Manchester City paid big money to get Gabriel Jesus, and I will admit I was not one who thought he would hit the ground running as he did.
Arsenal bought Lucas Perez (another signing that has done extremely well), then moved Sanchez up top.
Real Madrid bought back Alvaro Morata, then decided to keep him despite interest from other teams.
Barcelona wanted a forward and ended up getting Paco Alcacer who has not really performed that well.
Juventus had to overpay for Higuain, and Napoli had to overpay for Milik.

That is a glimpse of what the market for a striker is. Outside Ibrahimovic, the cheapest player in there was Lucas Perez at £17M.

This is where it gets hazy for people who think that you can simply flip one player and get another. In midfield, yes! That however is because there are a lot of capable midfielders in world football today and it would not be difficult to upgrade on what Klopp inherited. It is not that difficult out wide too if you are willing to pay the going rate, but up top, for a top tier striker you have to go big or have a scouting network that is stellar.

It is easier today to buy a ball playing midfielder who can play a pass that can cancel out three players than it is to get a top tier striker because their population is so low and most are playing for the top teams. It is however not as hard to sort out the midfield problem that exists with the lack of creativity, to go out there get a midfielder who can dictate tempo and play a defense splitting pass and change from a team that is dependent on pressing to create to a team that can both press (just not as well) but can also create against a deep block.

Ask anyone here who they think is a good striker not playing for a big team and you will hear Lacazette and Icardi. The guy that owns Lyon is unusually hard to deal with, and I cannot see Inter selling Icardi for anything less than £45M with the new contract that he just signed. Who does that leave you with?

I'm not sure about any of that Dave. Take Benteke; statistically every bit as prolific (under Jürgen P.L.) as Sadio - didn't get the same game time.

Truth is; I don't think being prolific has much of a part to play or we would be selling Divock instead.

Nah buddy; like Christian before him, Jürgen just "doesn't fancy Danny" and his wages 'saved' will pay both Adam's and Phil's pay rise. After all, we can't afford to have too many "big" earners on the books. 😉

Liverpool F. C.: 'Big Earner Frozen Out Shocker' 😄

The thing is mate, we all know at this club that we do not like having a high earner on the bench. Forget his quality and the strength in depth it offers, if he's on big wages then we are on a mission to get rid because he doesn't offer 'value'. We must be the only club in the world where we have an issue of having quality strength in depth.

Now here's the thing, we all complain about our strength in depth but in the next breath complain about quality players like Danny being a waste of resources. If someone could explain to me how we expect to have quality strength in depth without paying the wages of a quality player then I'd appreciate it.

If we get rid of Danny then it will prove to be a huge mistake imo.

The thing is mate, we all know at this club that we do not like having a high earner on the bench. Forget his quality and the strength in depth it offers, if he's on big wages then we are on a mission to get rid because he doesn't offer 'value'. We must be the only club in the world where we have an issue of having quality strength in depth.

Now here's the thing, we all complain about our strength in depth but in the next breath complain about quality players like Danny being a waste of resources. If someone could explain to me how we expect to have quality strength in depth without paying the wages of a quality player then I'd appreciate it.

If we get rid of Danny then it will prove to be a huge mistake imo.

Problem is he's not offering depth he's done nothing this season. Coutinho and Mane being out Danny had to step up and he didn't get what we can for him and get someone in that offers something

I'm not sure about any of that Dave. Take Benteke; statistically every bit as prolific (under Jürgen P.L.) as Sadio - didn't get the same game time.

Truth is; I don't think being prolific has much of a part to play or we would be selling Divock instead.

Nah buddy; like Christian before him, Jürgen just "doesn't fancy Danny" and his wages 'saved' will pay both Adam's and Phil's pay rise. After all, we can't afford to have too many "big" earners on the books. 😉

Liverpool F. C.: 'Big Earner Frozen Out Shocker' 😄

It's a shout, like.

Watching this tonight can't help thinking that maybe a run for him and Sakho would maybe have helped us.

I dunno.

sh*te.

Of course he will have favs all managers do and in particular they pick players who can carry out the instructions of how they want the game played.

Who then went on to say this:

Not a striker and never will be, doesn't have the pace or clinical ability to play up front.

Not a No 10 either gives the ball away for fun, strange player.

I'll give you a clue, starts with H and ends in 1.

Who then went on to say this:

I'll give you a clue, starts with H and ends in 1.

And?

What we really need is for the Premiership to introduce a trophy for "metres run" or for "winning the ball back", we'd piss that. Unfortunately while they persist with this outdated method of deciding trophies (ie winning football matches) we are up against it.

F*** "golden boot", what about "golden ball winner backer", Firmino would be a shoo in. That Ibrhahimovic clown wouldn't get a look in at that award, f****** joker that he is.

 

I don't understand why we're still having this Sturridge argument.
The lad's always injured!! No matter how well he plays when he's available, we can't possibly rely on someone who's only available for a third of a season.
Let him leave this summer (and all the best to him), but FFS get a top striker in!!!

And?

And, well, I suppose he carried out those instructions you were talking about.

No good moaning how ineffective and 'strange' he is then, when he's doing what he's asked I suppose.

Frustrating to watch. Nah, all gravy this.

And, well, I suppose he carried out those instructions you were talking about.

No good moaning how ineffective and 'strange' he is then, when he's doing what he's asked I suppose.

Frustrating to watch. Nah, all gravy this.

Why can't I moan I gave a reason as to why Firmino is probably getting games ahead of Sturridge, you probably missed all my posts where I have said Sturridge is our best player!

Mind you state of our players my 5 a side mates would push them on nights like this.

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