22 Mar 2015

'He's not firing': Molby gives 3 reasons why Rodgers must 'bench' £29m star

Earlier this week, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher urged Brendan Rodgers to drop Daniel Sturridge for today's crunch-clash with Manchester United, but is that really a good idea? Ex-Red Jan Molby seems to think so, and he's also advised Rodgers to leave Sturridge out of the United game.


In his column for the Liverpool Echo this week, Molby explained:

"I’d start Sterling through the middle and put Sturridge on the bench. He [Sturridge] is not firing.

"United struggled with Sterling’s pace and movement in December.

"I’d have Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana behind Sterling with Joe Allen and Jordan Henderson in the centre of midfield".


Molby also offered several reasons why Sturridge deserves to be on the bench:

* The time spent out injured has 'affected him'
* He's 'trying too hard'.
* He’s 'slowing' Liverpool's game down.

Liverpool can survive without Sturridge, but I maintain that he should definitely start against Man Utd:

* Sterling did well at Old Trafford, but Sturridge is by the far the superior striker, and the club's best striker should be playing against Man United, otherwise what's the point of having him?

* Sturridge and Sterling in the same team is a double-threat; United will have to work really hard to keep both players at bay, so why give Van Gaal's team an unnecessary boost by leaving Sturridge out?

* If Sturridge up-front is not working, then Rodgers can always change things around, but it makes sense to start as you mean to go on, and for me, that means playing Liverpool's top striker from the outset.

In my view, leaving the club's most prolific goalscorer on the bench for the biggest league game of the season is managerial negligence.

Sturridge is - or is close to being - full match fit, and after amazing goalscoring record since joining the club, he deserves a little bit of faith from the manager and the fanbase.

Sterling instead of Sturridge? You're having a laugh.

Author:


32 comments:

  1. Clearly No comments means no interest in this guy ?

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  2. I think Jan Molby is spot on in his assessment. I think the writer is putting the individual before the team, Daniel is a great striker but does slow the game down by trying to work an opening for a shot when a team mate is available in a better position. Its all about "I am the striker - its for me to score"

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  3. i'd start the Sturridge of last years form, but not as he's been lately. he's been a bit of a liability for us lately. in one game, i forget which, there was a 25 minute period where his name wasn't mentioned a single time.

    i know strikers need service, but he's not making enough runs for my money...Sterling is; so i'd start Sterling through the middle.

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  4. ---------------Mignolet----------------------
    ---------Can--Skrtel--Sakho-------------
    Markovic Hendo Allen Moreno--------
    ---------------Coutinho------------------
    --------Sterling-------Sturridge--------



    That is the team I would go with for today. Sturridge just needs to find his feet again. Been out for a very long time ans is still rusty. The only way he will get his form back is to have minutes on the pitch.

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  5. This would be my starting line up for today's game against MU



    --------- Mignolet

    ----- Can ---------- Skrtel ---------- Sakho

    -- Johnson --- Hendo -------Gerrard ---- Moreno

    -------------- Coutinho ------ Sterling

    -------------------- Sturridge

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  6. Gmackgmcgraegmcgrae7:34 am, March 22, 2015

    Lallana needs to play, more than Sturridge needs to play, on current form.

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  7. You got it spot on.

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  8. It's a tough one JK. I see your point regarding Sturridge being by far the superior striker - but I do feel that in the last few games he's played in he has indeed slowed the game down and given the opposition defense time to reset themselves. His lack of sharpness IMO is causing him to think more rather than just having that instinctive movement (a flick here a layoff there). I also feel that a front three with sterling as the spearhead will unsettle the UTD defense more (form a positional POV) than with Sturridge up there. That being said Sturridge has that killer strike in him that Sterling is sorely lacking. So for me it's like this: Start sterling if you want to stretch UTD and create a load of opportunities and hope he we can bury one or more of them. Or start Sturridge and have slightly less pacy cut and thrust but the knowledge that given one chance he is more likely to put it away. Tough call for Rogers as I feel it's gonna be one hell of a tight game this one and his decision could decide the outcome!

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  9. No doubt this is a must win so fingers crossed we get into the top 4 for the first time this season!

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  10. Kyriakos Papadopolous? The Greek version of Ledley King.Even at a big 63% injury forced discount.No thanks!

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  11. not a fan of the 3 at the back system, but continuing with it, i'd pick these players:

    -------------------------Mignolet-----------------------------
    --------------Can--------Skrtel--------Sakho---------------
    Johno/Marko----Allen---------Hendo------Moreno------
    -------------Lallano----------------------Coutinho----------
    ---------------------------Sterling-----------------------------

    Little bit worried about Fellaini finding space and doing what he did vs Spurs. Can would be there to go get him, but he's not great in the air and the dirty fro' would dominate an aerial contest. Skrtel would handle the frizzy scumbag, but that'd unbalance us defensively.

    I'm also majorly worried that we'll get outnumbered/outhustled in the middle if we go with a 2 and they go with a 3, just like what happened at Swansea. It was great for BR to change things at ht there, but ManUre are more clinical than Swansea and if we get outnumbered for an entire half again, we'll likely go in at the break behind.

    BR gets a lot of credit for tactical switches, but for me, he's too slow to react to the obvious.

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  12. Mr. Point Of View8:45 am, March 22, 2015

    Y play 1 fwd??? Against shaky def from Man U, i guess we should take fully advantage playing 442 to bully their inexperience defender ! Play wide game

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  13. Allen for Gerrard on current firm but the rest looks good to me

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  14. I think it's a valid question given that Sturridge has not looked that sharp. This is a massive game and Liverpool need to play their best team. In the simplest terms when Sturridge is on top form then he's a certain starter. But he's a bit off his game right now. If we were to say that Sturridge was 80% of his best self, does that mean he's still a better striker than Sterling? It's not just about what looks best on paper, it's about who is going to actually play the best and if Sturridge is still searching for form then there is a good chance he won't be effective. It's all well and good to say replace him but if he starts he'll play a certain 60 minutes. So Liverpool play 60 minutes with a player who is off his game? That would make no sense.

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  15. wholeheartedly agree with all that. better to have him on the bench to be used as an impact sub if needed, imho.

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  16. Aside from his injuries, the problem with Papa is that he has the brains of a flea.

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  17. I feel a result coming.

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  18. I predict that balls will be kicked by feet

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  19. Not sure how Allen will handle Fellani in the centre of the park ? and maybe need Gerrard to keep the guys focused .

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  20. my prediction's result extends further than that

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  21. Pass Pass Pass, Quick Quick Quick, Press Press Press, Studge, gotta be. God I'm nervous.

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  22. Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Sakho, Henderson, Allen, Moreno, Sterling, Lallana, Coutinho, Sturridge

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  23. Agree completely. Perhaps the positioning of Sterling would be more of an SS than a FW, but you can't really do that just typing it out :D

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  24. Good team. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Captain fantastic off the bench, Balotelli for the unpredictability of it all and Lucas and Toure in case we need to shut down shop with 5 minutes to go.

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  25. Allen managed to pin Yaya Toure for the whole game, I'm sure he can handle Fellaini

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  26. Lineup released on official LFC site if anyone interested.


    Same as Logan, except with Lallana instead of Marko. Probably Sterling out right.

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  27. Lets see after the game !

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  28. I sure you will agree with me now!

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  29. Gerrard HAS to start !!!!

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  30. Yokohama Liverpool Fan5:45 pm, March 22, 2015

    Give Illori a chance!

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  31. I thought he was good before his last injury. Schalke loaning him to Bayer, what does that mean? Has he lost some of his pace and defensive touch? And if we get him, arent we risking it. WHo would be better Papa or Micah Richards?

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  32. Almost forgotten about Illori. Will he ever get a chance? Dont think so. We shall see end of season.

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