I admit it: As a result of Brendan Rodgers' ineffective performance in the summer 2012 transfer window, I felt distinctly underwhelmed by his subsequent January 2013 signing of Daniel Sturridge. Never in a million years did I expect Sturridge to become the best LFC signing since Fernando Torres, but that's what happened, and it appears that Liverpool legend John Aldridge has similar feelings about the striker prior to to his Anfield move.
Speaking to the official LFC website today, Aldo hailed £12m Sturridge's impact as 'brilliant', adding:
"I have to say, he [Sturridge] has exceeded my expectations.
"To score so many goals in so few games, it bodes well. It is a tremendous effort, and there is no reason why he won't be at the club for a long time and hopefully break records."
Sturridge's record at Liverpool is, quite simply, staggering:
* Overall: 30 goals/7 assists in 38 appearances.
* Prem Only: Goal every 96 mins.
* Prem Only: Goal/assist every 75 mins.
Like some of Liverpool's legendary strikers of the past, Sturridge is (arguably) a natural goalscorer, and when he's through on goal, eight or nine times out of ten, he'll hit the back of the net.
LFC's so-called 'SAS' partnership is quickly becoming the envy of Europe, but playing both Suarez and Sturridge in the same team comes at a price: depending on positions, the prolificity of one of them will inevitably suffer, and right now, it's Suarez who is going through a lean spell.
In the last few games, the Uruguayan has been stuck out wide to accommodate Sturridge through the middle, and the result is that the Uruguayan has scored only one goal in seven games. However, Suarez's creativity has flourished, as evidenced by four assists in those seven games.
It's a necessary trade-off for LFC, as playing SAS both centrally is not an effective option, but of the two, Suarez is absolutely the right choice to play out wide. In my view, if Sturridge is in the team, he has to play centrally as he doesn't offer much coming from the left/right flanks.
Suarez, on the other hand, can do it all, and he's equally effective on the flanks, or through the middle. His goalscoring may suffer a little, but he'll still contribute to the team, and ultimately, improving the team is what it's all about.
Suarez will probably score just as many goals from a central starting position, but the team would be weakened with Sturridge on the flanks, which is why - for me - Rodgers should persist with the current attacking formation, i.e.
-------------- Sturridge
Suarez --------------------- Sterling
-------------- Coutinho
Of course, the great thing about this front four is the interchangeability aspect - Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling can swap positions during the game, and give the Reds different attacking options, all of which bodes well for the final three months of the season.]
Author: Jaimie K
Speaking to the official LFC website today, Aldo hailed £12m Sturridge's impact as 'brilliant', adding:
"I have to say, he [Sturridge] has exceeded my expectations.
"To score so many goals in so few games, it bodes well. It is a tremendous effort, and there is no reason why he won't be at the club for a long time and hopefully break records."
Sturridge's record at Liverpool is, quite simply, staggering:
* Overall: 30 goals/7 assists in 38 appearances.
* Prem Only: Goal every 96 mins.
* Prem Only: Goal/assist every 75 mins.
Like some of Liverpool's legendary strikers of the past, Sturridge is (arguably) a natural goalscorer, and when he's through on goal, eight or nine times out of ten, he'll hit the back of the net.
LFC's so-called 'SAS' partnership is quickly becoming the envy of Europe, but playing both Suarez and Sturridge in the same team comes at a price: depending on positions, the prolificity of one of them will inevitably suffer, and right now, it's Suarez who is going through a lean spell.
In the last few games, the Uruguayan has been stuck out wide to accommodate Sturridge through the middle, and the result is that the Uruguayan has scored only one goal in seven games. However, Suarez's creativity has flourished, as evidenced by four assists in those seven games.
It's a necessary trade-off for LFC, as playing SAS both centrally is not an effective option, but of the two, Suarez is absolutely the right choice to play out wide. In my view, if Sturridge is in the team, he has to play centrally as he doesn't offer much coming from the left/right flanks.
Suarez, on the other hand, can do it all, and he's equally effective on the flanks, or through the middle. His goalscoring may suffer a little, but he'll still contribute to the team, and ultimately, improving the team is what it's all about.
Suarez will probably score just as many goals from a central starting position, but the team would be weakened with Sturridge on the flanks, which is why - for me - Rodgers should persist with the current attacking formation, i.e.
-------------- Sturridge
Suarez --------------------- Sterling
-------------- Coutinho
Of course, the great thing about this front four is the interchangeability aspect - Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling can swap positions during the game, and give the Reds different attacking options, all of which bodes well for the final three months of the season.]
survey software
Author: Jaimie K
Didnt Suarez sign after Torres and before Sturridge?
ReplyDeleteHow lucky are we to see Suarez, Sturridge, Coutinho and Sterling in our attack...........................unreal.
ReplyDeleteJaimie likes his stats!
ReplyDeleteBut when you consider value for money, Stuzza probably is a better signing.
ReplyDeleteStuzza has also brought a bit of spice boy back to Liverpool
ReplyDeleteYou could argue that any of the front four, Suárez, Sturridge, Sterling and Coutinho, are amazing value for money. For me, all four of them are better signings than Torres, which is saying a lot.
ReplyDeleteBut, let's not forget that Torres cost about £20-22M and scored a hatful of goals in double quick time, before being sold on for £50M.
How do you measure best signing?
Suárez, also about £22M, is by far the best of all, due to his goals, assists, determination, tracking back, build up play, overall contribution. Even at just over half the price and with loads of goals, Sturridge isn't even close to being as good a signing as Suárez and though I'm delighted with what Sturridge brings to the team, Sterling and Coutinho are both, arguably better signings, certainly from a value for money perspective.
We're fortunate to have all four, but Suárez is the player we can least afford to lose and the best ever Liverpool signing IMO.
If I recall, we bought Torres for around £30M
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you've said about Suarez but I think br has got our squad to the point where if we sold Suarez for a minimum of 70mil and invested it straight back into the team it could arguably improve us. What I love so much about bayern Munich is that there isn't one star player who's much bigger than everyone else, they're just an outstanding team with great depth and no weak links. That's what we should be striving for IMO. Don't get me wrong tho if Suarez leaves I'll be gutted
ReplyDeleteStill, Suarez has probably gained more value, even if he did cost more.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt Jaimie will have the price, but I'm pretty certain I'm right.
ReplyDeleteBecause at Bayern Munich they're all star players, just like Barca and Real. If we sold Suárez for £70M we couldn't even buy two Õzils and I know which I'd prefer.
ReplyDeleteIf we intend to get back to dominating Europe again one day, we need to show ambition to fill our own team with stars. Overall, BR has done a great job within certain constraints and seems to be able to get the best from what he has available, bit we need to be acquiring the likes of Costa, Mata, Pastore and players of this ilk. Once we have champs league, we'll be more likely to do so, if we'll pay the going rate.
I think the point about interchangeability is the key here. It's what makes our attack such a threat, that you simply can't predict where a player will pop up. Sterling has been operating on both wings, Suarez can be all over park and Sturridge is actually quite effective in wide positions too. Yes, Sturridge is best when he's as central and as forward as possible and that's probably what Rodgers is working towards at the moment. But I think a better balance is still achievable. Part of what we're still struggling with is quality on the extreme flanks and with Johnson out and Cissokho not first choice it's not a good as it could be. The more we can get the wingers involved the more centrally players like Suarez and Sturridge can do their magic. It's got nothing to do with putting in crosses, it's about pulling a defense wide to the corners and making space in and around the box. When someone like Johnson forces a right winger to come out to the sideline, then beats him, then beats another player with the pass chances are it's only the two central defenders left to try and control the damage. That's the ideal result - Suarez and Sturridge one on one with the two centre backs. I think that's ultimately what Rodgers wants and I'd guess we'll still be looking for wide players this summer, at least one to attacking high and one to play as a wing-back.
ReplyDeleteAll we need now is hazard on the bench
ReplyDeleteAgree with what you're saying. All I meant by bayern is that where barca have messi and real have Ronaldo as their star men, bayern don't really have an equivalent. Obviously bayern are all star players but they pieced the squad together over time, adding to it until they've got near perfection. Granted it'll take a lot more than 70mil to reach their heights. All I meant is I like the idea of a squad of quality players that aren't over reliant on anybody
ReplyDeleteI don't think BR should be wedded to one formation. I think there are teams where Suarez is best suited to be up front and teams where it would be Sturridge. I'd leave it to BR to suss out which is which.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we sell Suarez. Why would we? We should build around that front 4. We need one more good striker, some more DMs and FBs...that's it. We have some exciting youth in Tex, Suso, Assaidi, and Llori. We just need some experienced, tough, fast skilled MFs and we're good.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, that I'm not seeking an argument, but players like Messi, Ronaldo and on the last 18 month's form, you have to include Suárez, these players belong to a different, best of the best, elite class, but Real and Barca are also full of quality star players, like Iniesta, Xavi, Bale, Benzema, Mascherano, Busquets and many more.
ReplyDeleteThese star players are normal star players and Bayern are also full of players at this level, like Neuer, Boeteng, Lahm, Badstuber, Thiago, Ribery, Robben, Shaqiri, Götze, Müller, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, etc.
We are short of this second tier of star player, the ones below Suárez, Ronaldo and Messi. Maybe half of our fully fit, first choice best eleven, could be mentioned in the same breath as these players, but selling Suárez will not provide the funds to buy the other half.
We need a mixture of Barcelona style academy success, a feature which Benitez did well to improve and is now showing some real promise, together with intelligent purchases of 20-23 year old players with obvious star potential and one or two so called marque signings.
Do this and we will be able to compete with anyone in a couple of years.....so long as we do it whilst keeping Suárez. It's not that we totally rely on one player, it's just that he adds so much to the team.
In the same way, Real and Barca don't rely solely on Messi and Ronaldo, as there's plenty of star talent in both teams.
Just my vision for future of LFC.
Totally agreed.
ReplyDeleteLiverpool need a left back and a central defenseive midfielder because Lucas is injured Joe Allan is crap and Henderson is too much of an attacker for that role we need romolu or adryan a brazilian or a spanyard someone who can take a game by the scruff .we do t need any more attackers so we just need defence minded players konoplyanka is a waster we don't need him we have ibe sterling couthino Henderson are all good if he comes one of them will have to leave ;(
ReplyDeleteI wasn't suggesting we sell Suarez. I totally agree that we do everything in our power to keep our best players, all I meant is that I don't think we'd totally crumble without him as our record during his last suspension shows
ReplyDeleteValid points very eloquently put. Pretty much agree with everything you've said. I hope we keep Suarez for the rest of his career, all I meant is I don't think it'll be the end of the world if he ends up leaving as long as the funds are invested wisely. Clearly we're years behind the aforementioned teams
ReplyDeleteThe thing about Suárez, is it's not just about what he brings to the football pitch, but the way he drives other players to improve, both by his example and his will to win, in addition to how much more attractive he makes us as a club, for potential future signings.
ReplyDeleteIf he keeps his nose clean, as he has done since bite-gate, he can be relied on to be consistently good and pretty well always available, because he seems to be indestructible.
I understand where you're coming from, but I believe that people don't generally see the whole of what Suárez brings us. Plus, on past record, I wouldn't be too convinced that £70M would get invested either wisely, or possibly, at all. Also, if Bale was worth, what £86M, then Suárez is easily worth £100M and I wouldn't even sell him for that.
I prefer it when Suarez and Sturridge are both playng through the middle, whilst playing a 3 5 2 - a really dynamic set up. The thing I'm worried about atm is Suarez being unhappy on the wing.. He doesn't get the ball as often, and if a pass to him goes astray, hes huffing and puffing and clearly not happy.. I think one of the 2 strikers should be on the bench in a 4 3 3 with the option to swap them around 60-70min
ReplyDeleteThat depends on what you consider value. Goal rate? Then yes. But Suarez, as JK pointed out, offers much much more than just goals. Anyway, we're blessed to have both.
ReplyDeleteTorres was brought for 26 million...coz I,still remember when he scored against spurs in d 91st minute the commentator staying DAT is why they pay 26 million for Fernando torres!!
ReplyDeleteRaheem Sterling £500,000 from QPR, Jordan Ibe £300,000 from Wycombe, Teixeira £850,000 from Sporting Lisbon etc etc etc !!!!!!..................that was great business by LFC!!!
ReplyDeleteThe quality in the squad is there for all to see, the youth are absolutely outstanding players who will save LFC multi-£millions!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I agree we wouldn't crumble. However, think how much better he would be with a stronger mid-field keeping the ball going our way and feeding him balls to score with.
ReplyDeleteYeah has to be Sturridge through the middle, but thats only the default line up. Its not like Suarez is stuck out there. they are constantly interchanging. At on point during the Arsenal match it was Stur on right, Suarez through middle and Stir on left. Its a great tactic to keep defenders guessing and really drag players around the pitch.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have admitted it on here before, I was not happy with the Sturridge signing at the time, and i definitely wasn't alone in that.
Great to be proved wrong.......
once ;)
Actually you're probably right. I was just amazed how we have a deadly goal scorer in Stuzza for 12 m, but forgot to take into account Suarez's rise as a player. Haha.
ReplyDelete