With 34 goals in 45 games since arriving at Anfield, Daniel Sturridge is proving to be a top class central striker for Liverpool, and after witnessing his brilliance, it's hard to understand why previous managers failed to consistently play him up front. Chelsea, especially, are major offenders in this area, and Sturridge has laid into former club for derailing his career, and almost killing his love for the game.
In an interview this week, Sturridge slammed Chelsea for not believing in him 'as a centre-forward', and 'depriving' him of the opportunity to play in his favoured position. He barked:
"They [Chelsea] always said: 'You're not a centre-forward, you're a winger'. It hurt me. There were times when I was sat at home, very upset, and I fell out of love with the game.
"In every job, you want to be able to do what you love, and it's the hardest thing to accept when someone takes it away from you".
In his first few months at the club, Brendan Rodgers also made the same mistake with Sturridge, paying him out wide on more than one occasion. Now, though, the Londoner is LFC's main central striker, and is preferred in the central role above everyone else, including top goalscorer Luis Suarez.
It's absolutely no surprise that Chelsea wasted Sturridge. Just look at their recent record with strikers:
* Paid £50m for Fernando Torres, who is a massive flop for the club.
* Sold Sturridge for £12m, and he's now the best striker in England (with Suarez)
* Repeatedly wasted Romelu Lukaku, and sent him on loan to Everton.
* Instead of keeping Lukaku, brought in over-the-hill Samuel Eto'o.
Utter negligence if you ask me.
Just imagine in Chelsea had Lukaku and Sturridge right now (!) - They'd probably be league champions already. Instead, those two players have immeasurably strengthened two rival clubs, and in Sturridge's case, it could rob the Blues of the title this season.
Rodgers seems to be obsessed with versatility, and he clearly has a preference for players who can operate in several different positions. Sturridge, however, is a great example of of how positional specialists can improve a team. He is a striker. That's it. He can't play effectively out wide, or in any other position, but that doesn't matter. He does one job brilliantly, and Liverpool are reaping the benefits.
44 goals/assists in 45 games.
Enough said.
Author: Jaimie K
In an interview this week, Sturridge slammed Chelsea for not believing in him 'as a centre-forward', and 'depriving' him of the opportunity to play in his favoured position. He barked:
"They [Chelsea] always said: 'You're not a centre-forward, you're a winger'. It hurt me. There were times when I was sat at home, very upset, and I fell out of love with the game.
"In every job, you want to be able to do what you love, and it's the hardest thing to accept when someone takes it away from you".
In his first few months at the club, Brendan Rodgers also made the same mistake with Sturridge, paying him out wide on more than one occasion. Now, though, the Londoner is LFC's main central striker, and is preferred in the central role above everyone else, including top goalscorer Luis Suarez.
It's absolutely no surprise that Chelsea wasted Sturridge. Just look at their recent record with strikers:
* Paid £50m for Fernando Torres, who is a massive flop for the club.
* Sold Sturridge for £12m, and he's now the best striker in England (with Suarez)
* Repeatedly wasted Romelu Lukaku, and sent him on loan to Everton.
* Instead of keeping Lukaku, brought in over-the-hill Samuel Eto'o.
Utter negligence if you ask me.
Just imagine in Chelsea had Lukaku and Sturridge right now (!) - They'd probably be league champions already. Instead, those two players have immeasurably strengthened two rival clubs, and in Sturridge's case, it could rob the Blues of the title this season.
Rodgers seems to be obsessed with versatility, and he clearly has a preference for players who can operate in several different positions. Sturridge, however, is a great example of of how positional specialists can improve a team. He is a striker. That's it. He can't play effectively out wide, or in any other position, but that doesn't matter. He does one job brilliantly, and Liverpool are reaping the benefits.
44 goals/assists in 45 games.
Enough said.
Author: Jaimie K
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